6 Best Cvent competitors & alternatives for your events in 2026

Cvent is a well-known SaaS for events, meetings, and hospitality management. However, it’s not the only player in town: there are Cvent alternatives that are just as good or even downright outperform Cvent. This post takes a close look at Cvent alternatives, and helps you zero in on the best fit for your needs.

Why consider Cvent alternatives for your events?

Cvent alternatives should be considered based on how well they mitigate Cvent’s shortcomings, offering improvement in some or all areas, or whether they better align with your company’s budget and priorities.

While Cvent is a relatively popular choice of event management software, it’s open to several criticisms. Major issues that users of Cvent report include that the software can be overly complex, that it lacks decent customer service, and that it might be considered expensive for what it’s able to offer.

Poor customer service is an acute problem found in a wide range of industries and services; however, it’s also one of the most straightforward for companies to address. When evaluating event management software, be sure to research user reviews of customer service quality and don’t fall for sales hype.

Regarding complexity: a complicated product sporting many features is not automatically a better product. Evaluate based on what will actually be useful to your events and operations! Your best course is to adopt a platform with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. It makes things more straightforward for guests and attendees, not just the event planning and admin teams.

If you’re looking for Cvent alternatives, the price could be an actual “pain point.” There are other solutions to look into if you feel sticker shock or like you’re not getting your money’s worth.

Other recurring concerns to be aware of about Cvent from reviewers and users include:

• Lack of internal cohesion. Speaking of user experience, Cvent built its platform by acquiring and attempting to integrate other solutions. Rather than creating a platform from the ground up designed to work seamlessly, it’s an amalgamation of separate modules, some developed separately by other companies. This compounds the reported issues of complexity, learning curve, and inefficiency. Combined with poor customer service, this can spell major difficulty.

• Poor engagement. Related to the complicated features and difficult user experience, Cvent was created first and foremost as an event management and registration platform. It lags in interactivity and real-time engagement features that are important for virtual events.

• Limited branding and personalization options. Particularly with virtual and hybrid events, it’s crucial to have highly customizable branding options to be able to make the event your own.

• A mobile app that’s lacking in software integrations.

If any of these are deal breakers for your event operation, it could be worth investigating Cvent alternatives.

6 Best Cvent competitors and alternatives

Splash

Splash is an event management platform initially developed as event registration software. Therefore, it has some first-rate capabilities for in-person events (particularly with check-in and registration), but not unlike Cvent, it only later developed features to support virtual and hybrid event formats. While at least on par with Cvent, it lacks some advanced features provided by other event platforms. However, it’s very strong on event marketing features, so if event marketing is your priority, it may be the better tool for the job.

Whova

Whova is an end-to-end event management solution that seems positioned as an all-in-one event solution for on-site, virtual, and hybrid events, making it a strong Cvent competitor in most areas. It delivers the expected array of software solutions for event organization, marketing, and post-event reporting and analytics, as well as some important in-person features such as attendee check-in and name badge generation. It’s a strong platform for the modern event experience, although a few disclaimers include that it’s “not well suited for certain types of events” (particularly at a small scale), and its pricing plans can be opaque.

Bizzabo

Bizzabo is a comprehensive virtual event platform that definitely ranks high on a list of Cvent alternatives–it sports a comparable, if not better, suite of virtual event features. Bizzabo is cloud/web-based, underlining a high utility in virtual event management. Their platform offers hub-based event management with the capability for building various events and engagement features such as reactions, chats, and polls. Additional standout features are high-quality video broadcasting, a customizable registration engine, software integrations, and the ability to gather and analyze data.

RingCentral

RingCentral Events (formerly Hopin) is a virtual and hybrid event platform designed to recreate the structure of in-person events in an online environment. It provides configurable event spaces such as reception areas, stages, and networking rooms, along with interactive features like chat and Q&A. The platform supports high-quality video production and emphasizes branding customization, allowing organizations to design events that reflect their identity while engaging global audiences.

vFairs

vFairs is an all-in-one event management platform that supports in-person, virtual, and hybrid events with a strong focus on customization and operational control. It includes tools for registration, event websites, mobile apps, and on-site logistics such as badge printing and check-in. For virtual experiences, it offers immersive environments with features like exhibit halls, webinars, networking, and gamification. The platform also provides dedicated support services, including project management and live technical assistance, along with enterprise-grade security and compliance.

Kaltura

Cvent began as an automation tool for hospitality and the event industry, doing something of a pivot into virtual and hybrid meeting and events support. By contrast, Kaltura was specifically designed as a platform for online video-based experiences in enterprise, education, and media. Kaltura’s strengths lie in being purpose-built for live and on-demand video hosting, streaming, and broadcasting for any use case and at any scale, making it the strongest Cvent alternative.

Why Kaltura is the better alternative to Cvent

Kaltura is built on a foundation of high-quality live, real-time, and on-demand video streaming. In addition to a top-tier video platform, we also include a vast array of engagement tools, chat and networking functionality, registration and promotion tools, automation and AI features, content repurposing, and powerful first-party data collection and analytics capabilities. Kaltura’s array of inter-compatible video and event solutions was also designed for intuitive ease of use and provides comprehensive support.

Kaltura’s mission is to enable successful, unique events. That means any event, any size: multi-day or multi-track, live keynotes, webinars, lectures, workshops, or 1:1 chat, and we make it accessible from anywhere in the world. At scale, we’ve got one of the best all-around virtual event platforms available.

FAQ

What features should I prioritize when looking for a Cvent alternative?

Key features in an event solution will vary for different users; however, if your focus is on virtual and hybrid events, always look for solutions with top-notch video streaming capabilities. Ease of use/user experience and reliable customer support should rank high as well!

Are there Cvent alternatives specifically for virtual-only events?

Cvent was developed initially as a management and registration solution for in-person events; virtual event support came later. If virtual events are your only specific concern, then, yes, there are several Cvent alternatives (including the products reviewed here) that can substitute for, or improve on, Cvent’s virtual event features. We, of course, highly recommend Kaltura events!

How does Kaltura compare to Cvent for virtual events?

As we point out above, Kaltura can shine in many of Cvent’s problem areas, and we’re confident our products are the best among Cvent alternatives. Kaltura supports unique events at any scale, allowing our customers creativity to take front and center. But you don’t just have to take our word for it; we’re also happy to provide a demo so you can experience it firsthand.