Cvent vs. Eventbrite vs. EventsAir: Which Is Best for Event Planners?

Choosing the right event management platform is crucial for any event planner. Whether you’re organizing a small meeting or a large conference, you need a tool that can handle all aspects of your event seamlessly. 

In this guide, we’ll compare two popular options—Cvent and Eventbrite. We’ll also introduce you to EventsAir and highlight a few reasons why organizers behind major events like Expo 2020 Dubai and The 2022 Commonwealth Games have chosen it as their go-to platform.

What Is Cvent?

Cvent is a cloud-based event management platform designed to streamline the process of organizing and executing events. It serves a wide range of industries and is suitable for mid-size companies, large enterprises, and everything in between.

Cvent’s suite of tools includes venue sourcing, online event registration, budget management, email marketing, and web surveys, making it a versatile solution for in-person and virtual events.

Key Features

• Venue Management: Simplifies venue search and selection with customized reports.
• Event Registration: Provides online event registration with personalized paths and configurable payment management.
• Event Marketing: Includes tools for creating sophisticated marketing campaigns and promotions.
• Speaker Management: Centralizes speaker content and manages tasks and communications.
• Mobile Event App: Offers features for attendee engagement such as chat, Q&A, polling, and gamification.
• OnArrival: Facilitates check-in, badging, and attendance tracking with real-time dashboards.

Cvent Pricing Structure

Cvent’s pricing structure is bespoke. For an accurate quote, you’ll need to contact sales.

However, the company does publicly list two distinct licenses:

• Professional
• Enterprise

Cvent also offers a range of add-on services, such as full-service on-site management, planning support, and custom integrations. Nonprofits can use Cvent at an undisclosed discounted price. 

Cvent Reviews

Pros

• Feature Set: Users appreciate the wide range of tools available for event management.
• Learning Resources: Offers a wide range of learning and support resources, including webinars, a knowledge base, and training sessions.
• Scalability and Customization: Cvent’s ability to handle events of all sizes and its customization options are highly valued.

Cons

• Learning Curve: Some users find the platform complex and require significant time to learn all its features.
• Cost: The pricing may be a concern for smaller organizations, as Cvent’s features are expensive.
• Integration Issues: Some users need help integrating Cvent with other software systems.

What Is Eventbrite?

Eventbrite is a self-service ticketing platform that allows event organizers to create, share, and manage in-person, virtual, and hybrid events.

As an event management tool, it’s less comprehensive than Cvent. However, you will find a range of marketing, ticketing, and analytics features under the hood. Plus, there’s the added benefit of native integration with Eventbrite’s excellent event discovery platform. 

Key Features:

• Ticketing & Discovery: Leading platform for event ticketing and discovery with millions of users globally.
• Payments: Event payment system with secure processing and flexible payout options.
• Event Page: Customizable pages for seamless ticket purchasing and event information display.
• Event Marketing: Integrated tools for targeted email marketing and social media promotion at scale.
• Eventbrite Ads: Sponsored listings offering increased visibility across Eventbrite’s platform and app.
• Analytics and Reporting: Robust reporting tools for tracking sales and attendee engagement.

Eventbrite Pricing Structure

Eventbrite offers two types of plans:

• Flex (Free to $49): Pay a one-time fee based on the number of tickets you want to sell, with options for 25, 100, 250, and unlimited tickets.
• Pro ($29/mo to $159/mo): Pay a subscription for access to unlimited events, unlimited tickets, and advanced features like marketing tools

The former is designed for one-off events, while the latter is designed for professional organizers. 

Eventbrite Reviews

Pros

• Ease of Use: Intuitive and user-friendly interface.
• Affordable Pricing: Reasonable and accessible pricing structure.
• Cloud-Based: Access from anywhere, facilitating collaboration.

Cons

• Customer Support: Difficulties in reaching customer support and slow issue resolution.
• Customization: Limited options for customizing event pages and email templates.
• User Interface: Some users find the interface confusing and difficult to navigate.

Best Cvent and Eventbrite Alternative: EventsAir

While Cvent and Eventbrite are solid options, EventsAir stands out as a comprehensive alternative for event management, registration, marketing, and more.

EventsAir is designed to streamline the planning, execution, and analysis of various types of events, from small meetings to large conferences and virtual gatherings. The platform supports organizers with end-to-end solutions—from planning and promotion to post-event analytics—across in-person, hybrid, and virtual events.

Key Features

• Branding: Establish clear branding guidelines and apply them across all your event assets with a single click.
• Event Apps & Portals: Create and customize dedicated apps and portals for attendees, presenters, reviewers, organizers, and suppliers.
• EventsAir Pay: Collect payments seamlessly and automatically add them to your records for in-depth analysis.
• Centralized Communication: Simplify communication with centralized communication hubs for attendees, exhibitors, speakers, vendors, and personnel.
• Gamification: Engage attendees with gamified activities and challenges throughout the event.
• Check-In Options: Let attendees check in efficiently with a range of options—staffed kiosks, self-service kiosks, mobile app check-in, and beacons.
• Reporting & Analytics: Track marketing performance, attendance, revenue, channel sources, and more with pre-made and custom reports.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. EventsAir also offers tons of customizable features to fit your specific event needs, such as:

• Abstract management
• Catering and menu selection
• Exhibitor management
• Hotel and accommodation management
• Accounting software

EventsAir Pricing

EventsAir offers three main plans:

• Single: For 1 event, unlimited registrations, 3 users
• Multi: For 3+ events, unlimited registrations and users
• Unlimited: For unlimited events and meetings, registrations, and users

All plans include EventsAir’s full feature set, which covers registration, marketing, mobile apps, virtual events, sponsor management, and more. They also come with annual system access, data storage, EventsAir Pay, and support.

For specific pricing, you’ll need to contact EventsAir’s sales team.

EventsAir Pros & Cons

Pros

• Customization: EventsAir offers a ton of customization options for branding, settings, and reports.
• Comprehensive Features: Users love EventsAir’s wide range of features and its ability to handle all aspects of event planning.
• User-Friendly: Our UI is designed to be intuitive and easy to use for organizers, attendees, presenters, sponsors, and suppliers.

Cons

• Initial Learning Period: Like other comprehensive platforms in the industry, it takes a bit of time to familiarize yourself with EventsAir’s features. But don’t worry—our user-friendly interface and top-notch support resources help you get up to speed quickly!
• Abandoned Registrations: We currently don’t support tracking for abandoned registrations.

Cvent vs. Eventbrite vs. EventsAir: Feature Comparison

Feature	Cvent	Eventbrite	EventsAir
Unlimited Event Registration	❌	❌	✅
Event Marketing	✅	✅	✅
Speaker Management	✅	❌	✅
Mobile Event App	✅	✅	✅
Check-in and Badging	✅	❌	✅
Payments	✅	✅	✅
Event Page Customization	✅	✅	✅
Event Discovery	❌	✅	❌
Event Analytics	✅	✅	✅
Gamification	✅	❌	✅
Self-Service Check-In	❌	❌	✅
Integration with Other Tools	✅	✅	✅
Hotel & Accommodation Management	✅	❌	✅
Pricing Structure	Bespoke	Free to $159/month	Contact sales
Ease of Use	Moderate learning curve	Easy to use	Moderate learning curve
Customization Options	High	Limited	High
Customer Support	Good	Needs improvement	Great

Conclusion

Choosing the right event management platform is essential for the success of your events. While Cvent and Eventbrite are popular choices with many benefits, EventsAir offers a comprehensive solution with extensive features and strong customer support.

EventsAir stands out for its versatility, customization options, and ability to effectively manage both physical and virtual events. If you’re looking for a powerful tool that can handle all aspects of event management, EventsAir is the best choice.

Contact our sales team today to request a demo or find a plan that best suits your needs.