
We researched the best event planning tools based on their feature lists, popularity, verified reviews, user satisfaction and pricing.
Powerful, Enterprise-Grade Event Management Software
Sell tickets & Collect registration fees online
Full-Service Abstract Management Software: Collect ➩ Assign ➩ Review ➩ Decide ➩ Notify
Customizable forms to collect & review abstracts, symposia, proposals & grants
The Complete Event Schedule Builder to Create Virtual & Hybrid Sessions
Create Event Schedule with Slides, Group Chats, Survey forms & more
Engagement Tools to Host Virtual Conferences & Online Community Website
Engage attendees & Produce knowledge with online networking portal
Secure, scalable event management for large enterprises with full data control
Simplify academic conferences and university event management
Powerful tools to manage multiple clients and events seamlessly
Host hybrid events with ticketing, abstract submissions, and virtual meetings
Insights and trends on event management and technology
Latest features and improvements in Dryfta
Step by step resources to maximize your event’s potential
Connect Dryfta with your favorite tools and platforms
Real success stories from events powered by Dryfta

We researched the best event planning tools based on their feature lists, popularity, verified reviews, user satisfaction and pricing.

A hybrid conference rarely fails because someone cannot switch on a livestream. It fails in the seams: a remote attendee cannot find the right session, the room moderator misses questions from the online audience, or a schedule change reaches the mobile app but not the stream page.
The best hybrid event platforms close those seams. They give onsite and remote attendees different routes into the event while keeping registration, schedules, speakers, communication, engagement, and reporting connected behind the scenes.
This guide compares six platforms by the kind of event each suits best, the hybrid workflows it handles well, pricing visibility, and the compromises buyers should examine before signing a contract.
Editorial disclosure: Dryfta publishes this guide and is one of the platforms compared. We reviewed vendors’ official product, support, and pricing pages on September 18, 2026. We have identified a best-fit use case and a tradeoff for every option instead of naming one universal winner. We have not run identical hands-on tests of all six platforms, so confirm critical features, limits, and costs in a written proposal and a workflow-based demo.

A great and damaging misconception about Customer Relationship Management (CRM), is that many believe that this is something that concerns conventional businesses. The commercial ones. The ones that you purchase from on a regular basis. Hardly does anyone think of customer relationship management when it comes to event management.

Today, a non-negotiable aspect of organizing an academic event is associated with what you do post-event. Yes, you read that right. Post-event. If you’ve signed up to be an event planner in this day and age, well, we’d like to warn you that there are clear boundaries. And perhaps no finish lines. It is a race that continues well after your event officially draws its curtains.
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Studies suggest that 45% of event planners work more than 50 hours per week during peak planning periods. For academic event organizers, the workload can become even heavier, as responsibilities extend beyond logistics to include abstract submissions, reviewer coordination, and communication with scholars. Adopting a CRM for event planners will help transition the event operations into a more organized workflow.
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If you are comparing Cvent alternatives, the useful question is not which platform has the longest feature list. It is which one fits the events you run, the systems you already use, and the amount of setup your team can realistically manage.
Cvent covers a broad range of enterprise needs, including registration, attendee engagement, onsite check-in, badging, venue sourcing, travel, and event reporting. That breadth is valuable for some organizations. Others may need a platform with a narrower specialty, a different pricing model, or less operational overhead.
This guide compares eight Cvent competitors by best-fit use case, core event workflows, pricing visibility, and the questions a buyer should ask before switching.
Editorial disclosure: Dryfta publishes this guide and is one of the platforms compared below. To keep the comparison useful, we checked product and pricing information against vendors’ official pages on September 17, 2026, identified tradeoffs as well as strengths, and did not award a single “best overall” label. We have not run identical hands-on tests of every product. Features, limits, and prices can change, so confirm the final scope in a written proposal.

Event registration is a live data feed. Statista notes that about 328.77 million terabytes of data are generated daily. Every spike, drop-off and demographic detail in your registration flow is telling you something about how your event is landing with your audience. If you are a proactive organizer, you should be paying very close attention to this data. If not, you are seriously missing out.

Studies show that the average form abandonment rate reaches 67.8% when more than seven fields are required in a form. People may show strong interest after seeing a compelling theme or a respected keynote speaker. Yet somewhere between clicking “Register Now” and completing the final payment, many potential attendees disappear, leading to event registration drop-offs.

Everyone who has attended an academic conference has felt the weight of networking. You sit through two days of presentations, collect a dozen business cards, eat the complimentary pastries and leave feeling oddly disconnected. You spoke to people, yes. But did you actually network with them? Probably not.

The academic event industry has historically faced significant challenges, but the digital world has presented it with a wealth of opportunities. If the conference organizers are stuck between hosting an in-person and virtual conference, then a hybrid format is the perfect option they can choose. The concept of “hybrid” includes the combination of two or more different technologies or approaches.

Gone are the days of paper feedback forms left on banquet tables. Today, event success is measured in real-time digital insights. While the excitement of a live event is easy to feel at the moment, many of the most important insights about what worked well and what did not can quickly fade once the event ends.

Technavio has projected the valuation of the global event management industry to be well over $1.07 trillion. And almost all forecasts are in agreement that the event space is only set to skyrocket all the more, in terms of fiscal valuation, manpower and employment. What this means for the individual event planner or their event ROI is that this field is a high-stakes affair.