Best event diagramming software

How this list is ranked

• Weighted on drawing an accurate, to-scale layout of the event space, sharing it with the people who need it, and connecting it to the rest of the event: the guest list for a banquet, the booking for a venue, or booth sales for an exhibit floor.
• Most people searching this term diagram banquets, meetings and weddings, so guest seating and venue sales count for a lot. A trade show, expo, festival or market organizer would rank Map D first, because its diagram becomes the floor plan exhibitors buy from.
• Map D publishes this list, which is a conflict of interest. On this weighting Social Tables and Prismm rank above Map D, because they document guest seating and real-time co-editing, and Map D's help documentation does not describe assigning guests to seats.
• Whether a vendor publishes its rates is noted, because it decides whether you can budget before a sales call. No competitor figures are quoted.

1. 1

   Social Tables (Cvent Event Diagramming)

   Planners and hotel or venue sales teams diagramming banquets and meetings together, starting on a free plan

   Strengths

   • Builds to-scale diagrams from venue files such as DWG, CAD or PDF floor plans, with seating charts and meal management tied to attendee details.
   • Real-time collaboration with comments and file storage, and diagrams shared by secure link with view or edit access.
   • Cvent's page describes pulling details from a BEO you drag in, generating diagrams from prompts, and a to-scale catalog of a venue's own tables, chairs and AV.
   • A free planner plan with unlimited collaborators, and paid plans published on its pricing page.

   Limitations

   • The free plan caps events, diagrams per event and attendees per list, and its pricing page says all paid plans carry a 12-month commitment.
   • 3D rendering is listed only on Enterprise on its pricing page, with 3D virtual tours sold as a separate add-on, and check-in starts on Premium.
2. 2

   Prismm (formerly Allseated)

   Venues and planners who want 2D and 3D floor plans and virtual tours to sell and present a space

   Strengths

   • Diagrams in 2D, 3D or both, from a library of venue layouts and furniture objects, with notes kept inside the design.
   • Table setup design and guest list management in the same plan.
   • Virtual tours and walkthroughs aimed at venue marketing and sales, with real-time collaboration in the cloud.
   • Serves hotels, conference centers, stadiums, caterers, vendors and wedding planners, with a Get Started sign-up and a demo option.

   Limitations

   • Its home page says Prismm is now part of Cvent, and plans and pricing are on Cvent's site, so check how it sits next to Cvent Event Diagramming before you commit.
   • Built for hospitality and venue sales; an exhibit floor where exhibitors buy their own booth is not described.
3. 3

   Map D

   Trade shows, expos, festivals and markets whose diagram is a booth floor plan they sell from

   Strengths

   • Import the venue's floor plan as a PNG or JPG or start from a blank map, calibrate the scale by clicking two points of known distance, and work in imperial or metric with a grid and rulers.
   • Walls, doors, paths, areas, booths, tables, icons and text on separate layers, with a booth layout generator for rows, back-to-back, islands and perimeters, and click-to-number booths.
   • The floor plan assistant reads the map's areas and booth types and proposes changes, such as aligning or renaming a row, that apply only after you review them and select Apply.
   • Once published, the same diagram drives booth sales: exhibitors pick a booth on the map, add services and pay online or offline, so there is no separate file to keep in sync.

   See what Map D does with a floor plan

   Limitations

   • Map D's help documentation does not describe assigning guests to seats, meal choices or place cards. Tables show how many people they seat, not who sits there, so a wedding or banquet seating plan needs one of the tools ranked above it.
   • One person edits a map at a time; colleagues can view, inspect and export while they wait. Social Tables and Prismm describe real-time co-editing.
   • Building one event's floor plan is free, with a watermarked image export. Publishing is paid, from $1,500 per event, with online booth sales from Growth at $2,500 per event, which suits a show with booths to sell, not a hotel sales team diagramming every booking.
4. 4

   Tripleseat Floorplans

   Event venues and their sales teams that want the diagram attached to the booking record

   Strengths

   • 2D diagrams and 3D immersive walkthroughs that venues share with clients.
   • Floor plans tied directly to the event record, so staff see table assignments, room configuration and setup details before the event.
   • Venue managers, planners and guests can review and edit plans, and it is sold with the Tripleseat platform or on its own.

   Limitations

   • Its Floorplans page lists no rates; it links to a build-your-package page and a demo request.
   • Written for event venues; planners working across many venues, and exhibit floors sold booth by booth, are not what it describes.
5. 5

   Planning Pod

   Venues and planning firms that want floor plans, guest seating and BEOs in one venue-first platform

   Strengths

   • To-scale floor plans with imperial or metric measurements, rulers, snap-to guides and hundreds of drag-and-drop layout elements, plus venue libraries and reusable templates.
   • Places guests onto seats one at a time or in groups, with RSVP status, meal choices and VIP designations on each guest.
   • Setup instructions synced to BEOs, live editing by staff and vendors with edit or view-only logins, and printable PDFs with table breakouts, equipment and guest lists.

   Limitations

   • Its floor plan pricing page lists no rates and mentions no free trial; the route in is a demo.
   • The floor plan tool is presented as part of the platform rather than a standalone app, so it suits teams buying the wider venue or event management suite.
6. 6

   SmartDraw

   Teams that need a quick, low-commitment event layout inside a general diagramming tool they already use

   Strengths

   • An event plan template and thousands of symbols for catering, furniture and landscape, with built-in or custom scales you can change at any time.
   • Imports a PDF or image of the venue as a background to draw over, and exports to PDF, PNG or SVG or shares by link.
   • Real-time editing and comments, with integrations for Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Atlassian apps and common file storage, and an invitation to try the event floor plan creator free.

   Limitations

   • It is a general diagramming tool for flowcharts, org charts and floor plans; its seating chart page describes drawing tables and chairs, not assigning named guests to seats.
   • Nothing on its event pages connects the drawing to bookings, attendees or sales, and the Team plan on its pricing page is billed annually with a 3-user minimum.

Frequently asked questions