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Best Event Management Software in 2025: Comparison Guide

Explore the leading event management platforms built for corporate and higher education teams - streamline planning, boost engagement, and deliver exceptional experiences.

August 28, 2025

Event management software is essential for coordinating events from academic conferences to executive board meetings. These platforms reduce scheduling conflicts, simplify resource booking, and provide valuable analytics to improve planning.

 In 2025, managers in higher education and corporate sectors prioritize user-friendly, scalable and integrated solutions. This guide compares the leading platforms, their features, and best-fit use cases, helping decision-makers select the best event management software for streamlining events and space utilization.

Event Management Software Comparison Table

Software Key Features Best For Capterra Ratings Score

Accruent EMS Logo

Accruent EMS

Full-service booking system:

Hot desking, hoteling and desk assignment

Meeting room and space reservations

Event management

Utilization and booking analytics, automated reporting

Strong integration capabilities

Space, service and resource planning and management

Mobile app 

Cloud or On-premise

Large universities and enterprise-level corporate offices that require scalable, configurable event and space management

4.3/5 star rating

Eptura Engage

Team day scheduling and group bookings

Meeting room, desk and space reservations

Utilization and booking analytics

Mobile app integration

Corporate campuses and hybrid workplaces focused on employee experience

4.4/5 star rating

Envoy

Visitor management

Hot desking, hoteling and desk assignment

Character recognition and photo capture capabilities

Tech-forward corporate offices and academic departments managing flexible workspaces and visitor flow

4.1/5 star rating

Robin

Desk booking automation

Integration capabilities

Mobile app

Mid-sized companies and university departments seeking an intuitive desk and meeting room booking

4.2/5 star rating

Series25 (CollegeNet)

  Academic scheduling and event management

Workflow automation

Robust reporting and analytics

Colleges, universities, and higher education institutions managing both academic scheduling and campus events in a single system.

4.0/5 star rating

 

5 Best Event Management Software

1. Accruent EMS
ems_2

Accruent EMS is a powerful event and space management platform designed to streamline scheduling, resource allocation and communication across departments. With over 30 years of industry expertise, EMS supports organizations in higher education, corporate, government and healthcare sectors. It centralizes event logistics, integrates with existing systems and provides flexible access for users.

Key Features

  • Centralized Scheduling: Manage all event types, including classes, meetings, conferences and workshops from a single interface. Reduce double bookings and improve visibility across departments.
  • Multi-Resource Booking: Reserve rooms, AV equipment, catering, custodial services and other resources simultaneously with built-in conflict resolution and approval workflows.
  • Cross-Department Coordination: Enable real-time collaboration between facilities, IT, event planning and administrative teams.
  • Outlook and Calendar Integration: Sync events with Microsoft Outlook and other calendar systems to streamline scheduling.
  • Flexible Access Points: Book and manage events via mobile app, browser, kiosks, digital signage and Microsoft Outlook add-ins.
  • Advanced Reporting and Analytics: Use built-in reports or create custom dashboards to track space utilization, event performance and resource costs.

EMS Direct Spaces – Mobile-First Event Booking Experience

Direct Spaces is Accruent EMS’s mobile-first solution designed to simplify event and space booking through an intuitive, conversational interface. Built with AI-powered natural language processing, users can book rooms, desks or event spaces in seconds just by typing or speaking commands like “Book a conference room for 10 people at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow.”

Direct Spaces

Key capabilities include:

  • Real-time availability: Instantly view and reserve available spaces across campus or office locations.
  • Conversational booking: Use natural language to search, book or modify reservations. No complex menus or forms required.
  • Check-in and cancellations: Confirm attendance or release unused spaces directly from the app.
  • Preference-based booking: Automatically match users with preferred rooms, layouts, or equipment based on past behavior or saved settings.
  • Cross-device access: Available on smartphones, tablets and desktops, ideal for mobile professionals and campus staff on the go.

Integration Capabilities

Accruent EMS integrates seamlessly with internal and external systems, including:

  • Microsoft Outlook and Teams
  • Zoom and WebEx
  • Digital signage and visitor management platforms
  • HRIS and user account management systems
  • HVAC and building automation
  • Custom APIs for proprietary systems

Plans & Pricing

Pricing for Accruent EMS is customized based on your organization’s size, complexity and integration needs. Contact Accruent for a tailored quote.

Why Choose Accruent EMS?

  • Over 30 years of industry experience in higher education, commercial enterprise, professional services, and the public sector
  • Comprehensive functionality for scheduling, reporting and resource management
  • Highly configurable workflows
  • Flexible deployment with cloud or on-premise options
  • Open API for custom integrations

 

See Accruent EMS in action
Learn more

2. Eptura Engage

Eptura Engage

Eptura Engage (formerly Condeco), provides event-adjacent tools for managing internal workplace events, workshops, and team gatherings. These features focus on space coordination, resource booking and visitor handling, making it highly effective for corporate campuses and hybrid workplaces that host recurring internal events.

Key Features

  • Schedule team days and group bookings for workshops, training, or all-hands gatherings
  • Reserve meeting rooms and spaces with flexible hourly or shift-based options
  • Add services and catering such as AV equipment, food, or other resources
  • Manage visitors with pre-registration, QR check-ins, and streamlined entry
  • Track utilization by monitoring attendance, no-shows, and space usage
  • Guide employees and guests with wayfinding tools and digital signage

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Well-suited for internal workplace events such as team days, workshops, and training
  • Seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook, Teams, and Copilot
  • Mobile app enables easy, on-the-go bookings

Cons

  • Limited workflows for advanced event management
  • Reporting focused on space usage rather than event performance
  • Lacks attendee engagement features

 

3. Envoy

Envoy

Envoy provides a visitor and workplace management platform tailored for hybrid work environments. Organizations in the technology and media industries use Envoy to manage visitor check-ins, desk bookings and employee scheduling through a sleek, user-friendly interface.

The platform supports hot desking and hoteling, allowing employees to reserve workspaces based on availability. Its visitor management system includes photo capture and character recognition, enhancing security and streamlining front desk operations.

Key Features

  • Visitor management with ID verification and photo capture
  • Hot desking and desk assignment tools
  • Integration with hybrid work strategies

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Strong adoption in the tech and entertainment sectors
  • Simplifies return-to-work planning and hybrid scheduling
  • User-friendly interface with intuitive navigation
Cons
  • Mobile app performance issues, including frequent crashes
  • Steep learning curve for the space management module
  • Limited reporting and analytics capabilities
  • Low configurability for complex workflows

 

4. Robin

Robin

Robin is a desk booking and workplace coordination platform designed for hybrid teams. It offers intuitive scheduling tools and integrates with collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack, making it easy for employees to find and book workspaces.

Robin’s strength lies in its simplicity and user-friendly design. The platform automates desk booking, supports mobile access and includes a colleague finder feature that helps users locate teammates across the office.

Key Features

  • Desk booking automation
  • Microsoft Teams and Slack integration
  • Mobile app
  • Colleague finder feature

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • SaaS-based platform with a centralized web admin dashboard
  • Clean and intuitive user experience for end users
Cons
  • Limited ability to block assigned desks
  • Inability to book multiple days at once

 

5. Series25 (CollegeNET)

series-25

Series25 (CollegeNET) is a comprehensive scheduling and event management platform designed primarily for higher education institutions. It combines academic scheduling, resource management, and campus event coordination into a single solution. Universities and colleges use Series25 to optimize classroom assignments, manage non-academic events, and streamline communication between departments, ensuring spaces and resources are used efficiently.

Its strength lies in handling both academic timetabling and event scheduling under one roof. From assigning courses to available classrooms to booking auditoriums for conferences, Series25 supports the unique complexities of campus operations.

Key Features

  • Academic scheduling automation with conflict detection
  • Campus event coordination for activities and conferences
  • Resource booking for facilities, AV and catering
  • Workflow automation with approvals and notifications
  • SIS and campus platform integrations
  • Reporting and analytics on space utilization and scheduling

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Purpose-built for higher education scheduling and event management
  • Combines academic timetabling and event coordination in one system
Cons
  • Complex interface with a significant learning curve
  • Reporting dashboards feel dated compared to modern SaaS tools
  • Limited customization compared to enterprise-grade systems

 

Benefits of Using Event Management Software

Event management software offers more than just scheduling—it transforms how organizations plan, execute and evaluate events. Here are the key benefits:

  • Automate scheduling to reduce errors and prevent double bookings
  • Centralize logistics with a single dashboard for space and resource visibility
  • Enhance attendee satisfaction through streamlined check-ins and clear communication
  • Optimize space and resource utilization with analytics
  • Deliver real-time updates via notifications and alerts

 

How to Choose the Right Event Management Software

Choosing the right platform depends on your organization’s needs, goals and infrastructure. Here’s how to evaluate your options:

  • Assess event size and complexity to determine required features for internal, public or hybrid events
  • Consider industry requirements for compliance and integration in corporate, education, nonprofit or government sectors
  • Evaluate integration needs with CRM, facility scheduling and calendar platforms
  • Choose a deployment model—cloud for flexibility or on-premise for strict data security
  • Match budget and user count to ensure the platform scales with your team
  • Verify support and onboarding options, including training, documentation and responsive service
  • Prioritize mobile access and user experience for planners and attendees

 

Explore Accruent EMS

Ready to elevate your event planning? Explore Accruent EMS — the trusted platform for scheduling, resource management and seamless event coordination across industries.

FAQs

What is event management software used for?

Organizations use event management software to plan, schedule and coordinate events by managing resources, attendees and logistics. These tools streamline operations, reduce errors and enhance the attendee experience.

How much does event management software typically cost?

Pricing varies based on features, user count and deployment model—enterprise platforms like Accruent EMS offer customized pricing tailored to your organization’s needs.

Can event management software be customized to a specific business’s needs?

Yes. Solutions like Accruent EMS offer high configurability, open APIs and integration options to match unique workflows and business requirements.

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August 28, 2025