Best Free Event Management Software in 2025

Free event management software are tools you can utilize to plan and oversee different kinds of events. Thus, it is an important asset for small businesses and one-man event-organizing companies. Indeed, there is a vast number of applications out there that can fit the job description. But how can you make an informed decision when choosing which one to use for your business? In this buyer’s guide, you can read about the features of a free event management solution as well as other aspects to consider before finalizing your choice.

If you are going to use free event management software, there is no need to sign up for a free trial. However, if you want to try the premium features and tools of the software, then a free trial is your best bet. In that way, you will be able to test and experience all of the available components of the solution. But before you finalize your choice, whether free or paid, it is important to have a better understanding of what is event management software first. And check out these popular solutions to begin your search for the best platform for you: Wrike, monday marketer, XING Events, Wild Apricot, and TicketSource. These software solutions have garnered the highest rankings in our event management software reviews that offer a clear comparison of the key elements of these apps.

A free event management system is a suitable solution for the following businesses:

• Small and medium-sized businesses. Companies that do not have a lot of employees can benefit from free event management software. They can conduct online events and have the tools for reporting, marketing, ticketing, and event online registration at their fingertips. On top of that, they can easily access features for onsite event management like session management, badge printing, visitor management, guest list management, venue management, and barcode scanning.
• Solopreneurs. Those who like to fly solo can streamline their workflow with a free management solution as well. It can help them ensure that everything will go smoothly once the event starts. Thus, they can make their clients happy and will have repeat customers.

These are some of the best examples of free event management software tools:

• Wrike. This versatile platform is easy to use. It can adapt to your and your team’s needs. If there is a need to coordinate with members of another team, then you can do so with ease. Because of that, you can break down silos and ensure that every detail is covered.
• monday marketer. This all-in-one solution helps you with your event management needs. You can organize your to-do’s and arrange them according to priority. As such, you can keep track of your tasks and make certain you do not miss deadlines.
• XING Events. This software is an event-focused one. It helps organizations draw more attendees to their events. The platform also utilizes data to aid you in increasing ticket sales.
• Wild Apricot. This software helps you take care of registration for your events. It has tools for attracting, engaging, and retaining members. With this, you can also create an online event registration form.
• TicketSource. This event-ticking solution is easy to use and you can employ it for any event. Not only that, it has tools for promoting and managing your event. You can even manage seating plans with this event management software free of charge.

While some free event management applications are one-stop solutions for your event management needs, there are those that have standalone applications for certain aspects of your event.

• Audience response gathering, live slide sharing, and live audience engagement tools like live polls and Q&A
• Exhibition management such as floor planning, booking, and billing
• Onsite operations like attendee registration, badge printing, and networking
• Content management
• Procurement, sourcing, and RFPs
• Venue management
• Online registration and online payment

You will find the following features across most, if not all, free event management tools you encounter:

• Event marketing. Businesses can use integrated marketing tools in event management systems to spread the word about their events. They can create custom event websites, post updates on social media, generate promo codes or coupons, and launch email marketing campaigns.
• Ticketing. Selling tickets and event registration is easy with this solution because there are various online and offline channels. Plus, you have the power to limit ticket availability and set ticket prices.
• Session management. This feature allows administrators and users to create and manage content for speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors. With this, you can also create event agendas and measure attendee engagement per session.
• Registration management. Event managers have the prerogative to decline event registrations via online and offline channels. Some solutions even have the capability to let users book tables, rooms, or venues for attendees.
• Onsite management. This feature or set of tools will let you oversee activities such as onsite registration, name badge printing, attendee check-ins with a barcode or QR code scanner, and self-service check-in kiosk integrations.
• Attendee management. You can employ tools for assigning seats, managing guest lists, customizing registration, and engaging with a live audience. Other software may also enable you to manage lodgings for your attendees.
• Reporting and event analytics. You can generate custom reports to check whether you have reached your set goals for events. This means you can determine whether you have reached optimal ROI based on audience engagement, marketing success, budget utilization, and venue utilization.

You can enjoy the following benefits when you implement a free event management system:

• Task and object relationships. You can build relationships between different event-related activities. Thus, if you implement a change in one aspect, it will trigger notifications that will alert you in case the change would cause problems in other areas.
• Online registration and payment. Leading apps in this category can help you streamline registration and payments. For the former, you can create forms that would help the registration process. For the latter, the software can integrate with a payment processor and a payment gateway for secure payments.
• Venue selection. There are systems with built-in venue selection tools to help you choose the most appropriate venue for your event. You only have to provide the software with the criteria of your ideal venue and it will search for sites that best match your standards.
• Social media and email marketing. Event management platforms include tools that help you market your event via email and various social media sites. There are also features that allow you to measure your social media and email marketing success. This means you can easily find data about open rates, undeliverable rates, and click-through rates.

These are the latest trends that you may observe in free event management software:

Beacon technology for attendee management

Attendee management used to be a breath-taking affair. But with beacon technology, that can change. This innovation is based on Bluetooth Low Energy, which can assist in personalizing the experiences of every attendee. That is because as soon as they enter the event venue, they can receive a customized welcome message as well as a map of the venue. This technology will also keep your attendees engaged and allow them to interact with fellow attendees. Thus, you can increase your registrations for future events.

Big data analytics

Analyzing basic attendee registration info can only get you so far. With Big data analytics, it is possible to track attendees’ online activities. This will let you know about their shopping preferences and social media behavior. When you have data like these, you can better personalize content and come up with better marketing strategies.

These are some issues you may encounter in using free event management software:

No live streams

Some costless event management solutions may not support streaming event sessions live directly from the platform. This can be a huge loss for you, as you can be missing out on a huge chunk of your audience. To remedy that, check if the solution can integrate with a video streaming application so you can broadcast to those who could not make it to the venue. If not, you may have to create a separate setup for your live streams.

Not using social media

Rather than a shortcoming of the software, this is a problem on the part of users. It can be easy to be lulled into thinking that once you have your events page set up, your audience will just find and flock to it. That is not the case, however. To avoid this pitfall, use social media networks as much as possible to increase your reach and get more registrants for your events.

• Open-source. An open-source solution will allow you to tailor the software from the root to serve your needs. Additionally, you can implement it however you like. But this is not recommended for those who are expecting to set up their software by themselves or with limited assistance from an IT expert. This is because this would require extensive knowledge to deploy.
• Cloud-hosted. With cloud-hosted software, your data is stored in a cloud server either in the vendor’s or yours. This will allow you to access the software anytime as long as you have a working Internet connection. By choosing this deployment option, you save your business the trouble of updating the system or fixing bugs. The downside is the recurring subscription fees. Plus, you might be more vulnerable to cyber threats.
• On-premise. This deployment is a common one. Before the cloud, every software was on-premise. Remember having to install Photoshop from a series of discs? Because the software is in your computers, you can control it and secure yourself from potential cyberattacks. Unfortunately, unless you plan to bring your laptop everywhere with you, you will be unable to access the system via the Internet.
• Hybrid. This is the best of the on-premise and cloud-hosted tools’ worlds. If you opt for this, you can manage your events without risking your data security. You will also be able to enjoy the flexibility of accessing your information online when you are working from home or on the go.

Free management software can streamline your event planning and organizing. The processes involved can be as seamless as possible. Nevertheless, they are not magic tools that will immediately make your events successful. You will still be the one to do the grunt work to ensure that.

Of course, you also need to put in the effort to learn how they work inside out. Only then can you draw out the full capabilities of the platform you choose. Then, you can get the most out of your investment.