Must-have Event Planning Tools & Software to reduce stress

Planning an event or hosting a webinar in 2025 can get overwhelming since it requires attention to detail in every aspect. 

Be it research, planning, design, execution, team management or choosing the best event tech platform. Thanks to the tech-driven world that we live in, there is no shortage of software and tools to help us. The key lies in sorting through time to find the gems.

So, what are the best event planning tools? Our research team got together with event planners like you and here is the best of the BEST–some oldies , some new kids on the block.

Disclaimer: All images and videos in this article are not our proprietary, and all credit is given to the tool provider.

Email marketing, today, is hyper-personalised. However, these tools have some low points that include pricing models that are highly suspicious to most marketers. We want you to be wary of these practices so you can make the best decisions:

So, here’s what you should look out for:

• 👎 Sketchy pricing models 
  Email marketing tools use pricing models that charge by the number of contacts. While that seems perfectly reasonable, there’s a catch: “Contacts” is a very loosely put term for any email address on your contact list. This includes subscribers, non-subscribers and unsubscribed. 
  To put it into perspective, before this used to be just subscribers and you didn’t pay for any contacts that dropped off. 
  The culprit: Mailchimp!
• 👎 Overage charges = hidden costs
  Moreover, in these new pricing models, you also have to deal with overage charges. This means that when your subscribers exceed your plan, you are automatically charged an extra. So much for transparent pricing. 
• 👎 Illogical downgrading
  Some email marketing tools would bump you up to the next pricing plan level (if not for overcharging) if your contact list exceeds its limit. However, if your contact list falls below the minimum requirement for your plan, the same logic doesn’t apply. You continue with paying for the same amount of money for a lower number of contacts. 

These might not be very harmful practices, but it definitely isn’t user-friendly. So, we’re going to help you avoid those with this with some great advice on the best e-mail marketing tools and practices.

1. MailerLite

Best For: Simple and effective email marketing
What It Does: With MailerLite,  event planners can create, send, and manage stunning email campaigns with ease. Designed for simplicity, it caters to event organizers of all skill levels.

Features:

• Drag-and-drop editor to design professional, mobile-friendly emails
• Customizable templates for newsletters, event invitations, and follow-ups
• Automation tools to schedule campaigns and personalize messages
• Subscriber segmentation for targeted communication
• Real-time analytics to track open rates and clicks
• Integration with event tools and CRMs

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $10/month.

2. Brevo

Best For: Simple and effective email marketing

What It Does: Brevo helps event planners create impactful campaigns and manage attendee communication seamlessly. It combines email marketing and CRM features for streamlined workflows.
Features:

• Drag-and-drop editor for crafting visually appealing, responsive emails
• Customizable templates for event announcements and reminders
• Advanced automation for follow-ups and attendee journeys
• Audience segmentation for tailored messaging
• Analytics and reporting tools to monitor campaign performance
• CRM integration for managing attendee data

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $25/month.

3. Loops 

Best For: Automated attendee communication

What It Does: Loops streamlines attendee engagement with automated and engaging email campaigns. It’s a sleek solution for staying connected with your audience.

Features:

• Simple email campaign builder
• Powerful automation workflows for follow-ups
• Segmentation tools for tailored messaging
• Analytics to track open rates and click-throughs
• Integration with CRMs and event tools
• Collaborative features for team input

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $29/month.

4. Flodesk

Best For: Aesthetically pleasing email campaigns
What It Does: Flodesk is perfect for event planners who prioritize stunning email designs and simplicity. It makes crafting beautiful emails effortless.

Features:

• Drag-and-drop email builder for designing eye-catching emails
• Customizable templates to match event branding
• Automation workflows for nurturing leads and sending reminders
• Subscriber segmentation for personalized messaging
• Flat-rate pricing model with unlimited subscribers and emails
• Analytics dashboard for performance tracking

Pricing: Flat rate of $38/month.

1. Canva

Best For: Designing event visuals without a designer

What It Does: Canva is a versatile design platform that enables event planners to create everything from posters and invitations to social media posts and business cards. Its user-friendly interface and extensive template library make it accessible to everyone.
Features:

• Templates for event posters, social media posts, invitations, and more
• Drag-and-drop design functionality
• Free stock images, icons, and fonts
• Collaboration tools for team input

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $12.99/month.

2. Looka

Best For: AI-powered logo creation and branding

What It Does: Looka uses AI to simplify logo creation, allowing event planners to design logos with ease. Its brand-kit feature covers everything needed for cohesive branding.

Features:

• AI-powered logo generator
• DIY brand-kit with templates for social profiles, email signatures, and more
• Tools for brochures, newsletters, and business proposals

Pricing: Logo downloads start at $20; Brand Kit subscriptions start at $96/year.

3. Remove.bg

Best For: Removing backgrounds from images

What It Does: Remove.bg is a quick and easy photo editing tool that removes image backgrounds in seconds, making it ideal for creating PNGs or transparent images.

Features:

• Automatic background removal
• High-resolution downloads
• Batch processing for multiple images

Pricing: Free for single images; Paid plans start at $0.20/image.

This is a god-send photo editing tool. More often than not you are running around searching for your designer so that you can convert to png or transparent background. Now you as an event planner, get to do it within 5 seconds on your own.

4. Marvel

Best For: Wireframing and prototyping digital products

What It Does: Marvel is a design platform for creating low-fidelity and high-resolution wireframes and prototypes, perfect for mobile event apps and websites.

Features:

• Easy-to-use wireframe and prototyping tools
• Collaboration options for team reviews
• Integrations with design tools like Sketch

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $12/month.

The Marvel digital design platform is brilliant for wireframe & prototyping. We love the fact that it is easy to use for both low-fidelity & high-res. Helpful when you are working with digital products like mobile event apps, websites etc.,

5. Jitter

Best For: Motion graphics and animations

What It Does: Jitter simplifies the creation of motion graphics, making it easy to design GIFs and animations for webinars, virtual events, and live stages.

Features:

• Out-of-the-box templates for motion graphics
• Customizable animations and GIF creation
• Export options for various formats

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $9/month.

6. Locofy.ai – Coding skills needed

Best For: Building custom websites and landing pages

What It Does: Locofy.ai accelerates the development process by allowing you to build and preview custom websites or landing pages in hours. Ideal for planners working with tech teams.

Features:

• Rapid prototyping for web and mobile apps
• Live previews of designs in production
• Integrations with development tools

Pricing: Pricing available upon request. 

Note: Recommended for use with tech teams.

These guys are quite new but we did give it a spin and just WOW. Especially when you are building custom websites & landing pages for your event. Often, it takes so much time to develop and see how it looks Live in production. Now you get to see it within hours.

1. Slack

Best For: Team collaboration and communication
What It Does: Slack enables teams to share files, assign tasks, and receive updates in real-time, ensuring everyone stays aligned. It’s accessible via web browser or mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Features:

• Multiple channels for separate discussions on different topics or projects
• Direct messages between users
• Integration with other apps for a unified workflow
• Task list management
• Helpful bots
• Quick note-taking

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $6.67/user/month

2. Trello

Best For: Visual task management
What It Does: Trello uses Kanban boards to simplify project management, making it ideal for product backlogs, client interactions, and event tracking.
Features:

• Drag-and-drop boards and cards
• Collaboration tools for teams
• Customizable workflows
• Visual task organization

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $5/user/month.

3. Miro

Best For: Visual collaboration and brainstorming
What It Does: Miro is an online whiteboard platform designed for brainstorming, planning, and real-time collaboration, whether remote or in-person.
Features:

• Real-time digital whiteboard
• Templates for brainstorming and planning
• Iterative design capabilities

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $8/user/month.

4. Google Keep

Best For: Simple note-taking and task management
What It Does: Google Keep allows you to create notes, manage tasks, and integrate seamlessly with other Google tools like Sheets and Docs.
Features:

• Convert Gmail emails to tasks with one click
• Integration with Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides
• Accessible across devices

Pricing: Free.

5. Google Sheets

Best For: Cloud-based spreadsheet collaboration
What It Does: Google Sheets offers the functionality of Excel with cloud-based benefits, including version control and real-time collaboration.
Features:

• Cloud-based version history
• Real-time collaborative editing
• Compatibility with advanced Excel-like functions

Pricing: Free for individual use; Business plans start at $6/user/month as part of Google Workspace.

6. ProofHub

Best For: Project management and communication
What It Does: ProofHub provides a centralized platform for managing tasks, timelines, and team communication, ensuring smooth event execution.

Features:

• Task management with due dates and dependencies
• Built-in chat and file sharing
• Real-time reporting for progress monitoring
• Time tracking with manual and timer options
• Customizable project templates

Pricing: Starts at $45/month (flat rate for unlimited users).

7. Toggl

Best For: Time tracking and reporting
What It Does: Toggl offers an intuitive time tracker to monitor tasks and generate detailed timesheets, perfect for event professionals managing multiple projects.
Features:

• Easy-to-use time tracking
• Timesheet reporting
• Timer and manual tracking options

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $9/user/month.

8. ConfTool

Best For: Conference and event management
What It Does: ConfTool streamlines event planning from participant registration to attendee billing, integrating seamlessly with other essential tools.
Features:

• Participant registration
• Attendee billing
• Facilitates communication between authors and participants

Pricing: Pricing available upon request.

Video content can make or break your event marketing and engagement strategy. AI video tools simplify the process, letting you create professional, eye-catching content without needing a big production budget. Below is a list of AI-powered video tools tailored for event professionals, including key features, pricing, and how they can help you.

1. Synthesia

Best For: Personalized video invitations and informative content
What It Does: Converts text into videos featuring lifelike AI avatars. Perfect for creating tailored invites, speaker introductions, or attendee onboarding videos.
Features:

• Text-to-video generator
• Over 120 languages
• Customizable AI avatars

Pricing: Starts at $30/month. Free trial available.

2. Lumen5

Best For: Turning blog posts and announcements into shareable videos
What It Does: AI transforms written content into dynamic, animated videos in minutes. Great for event promotions, sponsor shoutouts, or recap videos.
Features:

• Drag-and-drop video editor
• Rich media library with stock footage
• Brand customization options

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $19/month.

3. Pictory

Best For: Promotional videos from existing content
What It Does: Extracts highlights from text or video clips to produce stunning promotional or highlight reels. Perfect for pre-event hype or post-event recaps.
Features:

• AI-driven video editing
• Subtitles and voiceovers
• Cloud-based storage

Pricing: Free trial available; Paid plans start at $19/month.

4. FlexClip

Best For: Quick and easy event teaser videos
What It Does: Offers a simple platform for creating teasers, social media clips, and event highlight reels.
Features:

• Templates for every occasion
• Audio, video, and text editing tools
• Stock media integration

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $5.99/month.

5. Veed

Best For: Editing event recap videos
What It Does: Simplifies editing with AI tools like auto-subtitles, making it easy to create polished, professional-looking event videos.
Features:

• Collaborative editing for teams
• Auto-transcription and subtitle generation
• Export in multiple formats

Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $18/month.

1. Planning Pod

Best For: Comprehensive budget management

What It Does: Planning Pod is a budget manager for events that simplifies expense tracking and cost forecasting. It is accessible via a web browser, making it ideal for both individual planners and teams.

Features:

• Customizable expense categories to tailor budgets for any type of event
• Expense tracking and forecasting for financial accuracy
• Collaboration tools for seamless team communication and updates
• Detailed budget reporting for stakeholders and internal reviews
• Integration with other event management tools for streamlined workflows

Pricing: Pricing available upon request.

2. Eventplanner.net 

Best For: Simple and effective event budgeting

What It Does: Eventplanner.net offers a versatile budgeting tool for managing single events or multiple projects. Accessible via a web platform, it’s designed to meet the needs of event professionals.

Features:

• Customizable budget templates for specific event needs
• Real-time expense tracking to monitor costs
• Built-in reporting tools for professional budget summaries
• Collaboration options for sharing budget details with teams and clients
• Integration with other event management solutions for cohesive workflows

Pricing: Free trial available; Paid plans start at $15/month.

7 Must-Have Event Planning Templates for Event Planners

Event planners know that having the right templates can make all the difference when it comes to staying organized and efficient. Whether you're planning a small gathering or a large-scale event, these event planning templates will help streamline your workflow and keep every detail on track.

1. Microsoft Create’s Event Planning Templates

Best For: Comprehensive event planning support
What It Does: Microsoft Create offers a variety of templates to simplify your event planning process, from schedules to invitations and attendee lists.
Features:

• Templates for event schedules, checklists, and invitations
• Easy-to-use format compatible with Microsoft Office tools
• Customizable designs for various event types

Pricing: Free to use for all templates.

2. Party Planner Templates from Canva

Best For: Creative and visually appealing party planning
What It Does: Canva’s party planner templates help you design stunning visuals, from invitations to decor ideas, all in one place.
Features:

• Drag-and-drop editor for designing party invitations and posters
• Editable layouts for budgets, checklists, and timelines
• Templates suited for social media promotion

Pricing: Free plan available with access to basic templates; Paid plans start at $12.99/month for premium templates and features.

3. Event Planning Templates by ClickUp

Best For: All-in-one event management
What It Does: ClickUp provides a robust set of templates covering event briefs, budgets, marketing, and project management, ensuring a seamless planning process.
Features:

• Templates for budget tracking, event briefs, and marketing plans
• Project management tools with task assignments
• Customizable workflows for planning and execution
  
   

Pricing: Free plan includes basic templates; Paid plans with advanced features start at $5/user/month.

4. Event Planning Template by Asana

Best For: Organized task management
What It Does: Asana’s event planning template provides a clear framework to track tasks, manage deadlines, and collaborate with your team effectively.
Features:

• Pre-built task lists and schedules
• Easy collaboration and team communication
• Milestone tracking to ensure event goals are met
  
   

Pricing: Free plan available with basic features; Paid plans with more customization options start at $10.99/user/month.

5. Smartsheet’s Event Planning Templates

Best For: Managing venues and vendors
What It Does: Smartsheet offers event planning templates focused on venue and vendor management, making it a go-to tool for logistics-heavy events.
Features:

• Templates for venue selection and vendor tracking
• Budget and timeline management tools
• Reporting tools for event progress updates
  
   

Pricing: Free trial available; Paid plans start at $7/user/month.

6. Notion’s Event Planning Templates

Best For: Event websites and digital planning
What It Does: Notion’s event planning templates include customizable layouts for everything from task management to website creation.
Features:

• Website templates for event information and registration
• Checklists and timelines to stay on schedule
• Collaborative tools for teams and stakeholders

Pricing: Free plan available with basic templates; Paid plans start at $8/user/month for added features and storage.

7. Jira Event Planning Templates

Best For: Agile event planning and tracking
What It Does: Jira provides event planning templates tailored for agile workflows, helping planners manage complex projects with ease. Its robust features make it ideal for teams that value detailed tracking and collaboration.
Features:

• Agile boards for tracking tasks and progress
• Pre-built templates for event planning workflows
• Customizable task assignments and deadlines
• Reporting and analytics tools to track project performance

Pricing: Free plan available for small teams; Paid plans start at $7.75/user/month.

Why You Need These Templates

These event planning templates not only save time but also provide a structured way to organize all aspects of your event. With templates designed for everything from budgets to task tracking, you’ll be equipped to handle any challenge that comes your way. Start exploring these tools today to elevate your event planning process!

Attendee registration is a central part of meetings and events, as it translates directly into building revenue. Besides, the registration process gives attendees a sneak peek into the event and goes a long way in determining their satisfaction and delight. No wonder an efficient and user-friendly registration process remains a top priority for most event planners. Some top-notch tools here are:

Nunify

Nunify is an event platform that comes with an event app as well. An innovative, user-friendly platform, Nunify enables organizers to manage the complete event life-cycle, be it in-person, remote, virtual, or hybrid. A clean, simple, and user-friendly interface ensures seamless attendee registration.

SplashThat

SplashThat is an all-in-one platform for planning in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, from end to end. This sophisticated guest management tool enables easy registrations and check-ins through mobile phones as well.

CRM Tools

Events are all about delivering stellar experiences. This is where good CRM software comes into play. It gives event planners access to information (email, contact details, special requests), better monetization opportunities (CRM tracks activities and notifies the team about follow-ups), accountability, data security, and enables you to deliver better services. Some of the most popular CRM tools used by event professionals are Salesforce and HubSpot.

Hybrid Event Platforms For End-To-End Event Management

Nunify’s virtual stage enables event planners to organize, advertise, manage, and host virtual events from anywhere in the world. Event professionals, event managers, and event organizers can use the platform to create, manage, and execute their events in a virtual environment. It enables event organizers to save money on travel and hosting, while also powering them to reach a broader audience. It also aids in developing more engaging consumer interactions. 

Key Features:

• Rooms for breakout sessions and meetings
• Excellent user experience and design
• Exhibitor booths
• Enables high-quality live stream
• Unified networking opportunities
• Access to analytics and data-driven insights
• Event app to manage your event at your fingertips
• Gamification 

Other players that provide end-to-end virtual event management solutions include Cvent and Aventri.

What are No-code Event Planning tools ?

No-code tools work with ‘Graphic User Interface’ (GUI) tools. They are referred to as “No-code” as programmers develop a tool that is easy and cost-effective for users or businesses. All they need to do is click, scroll, drag, and drop. These are basically ready-to-use programs or codes, that users can simply plug and play. The sky is the limit when it comes to creating something with no-code tools. 

There is a tool for almost all functions, be it app/website building, interactive/onboarding guides, project management, automation, analytics, customer service, marketing, and more. HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zapier are all examples of no-code tools and are quite popular with event management professionals. We have put together the best set of tools that help event professionals handle different aspects of an event with ease.

Most event planners believe that event software simplifies their tasks and lets them focus on strategic planning and do what they enjoy the most – managing events. A lot goes on behind the scenes at an event, and manually tracking all these aspects is a very difficult task, making it imperative for businesses to invest in end-to-end event management software solutions.