The five categories of event planning software
Most organizers conflate categories that solve different problems. Knowing the split helps you avoid paying enterprise prices for features you do not need.
- Registration and ticketing: Eventbrite, Luma, Partiful, Cvent. Handles RSVPs, payments, reminders.
- Run-of-show and project management: Notion, Asana, Google Docs templates. Keeps the team aligned.
- Attendee matchmaking: Pond, Brella, Grip. Pairs the right people for conversations.
- Conference operating systems: Swapcard, Whova, Bizzabo. Bundle all of the above plus an app, badges, and sessions.
- Onsite and check-in: dedicated kiosks, QR systems, badge printers. Often built into the above.
What to look for under 500 attendees
If your event is under 500 people, do not buy a conference operating system. The setup cost, learning curve, and procurement cycle outweigh the value. Instead, evaluate point tools on these criteria:
- Guest join with no app install: a QR code and browser link is the fastest path to a full room.
- Time-to-launch: can a non-technical organizer set up and run an event in under an hour?
- Pricing transparency: published per-event pricing beats opaque annual contracts.
- Live host controls: pause, pin pairs, switch modes mid-event without restarting.
- Mutual follow-up: contact exchange only when both sides opt in, not a public attendee dump.
Where Pond fits in the stack
Pond is event matchmaking software, not a registration tool or conference OS. Pair it with Eventbrite or Luma for ticketing, then run the live conversation layer in Pond: timed rounds, intent-based pairings, and post-event mutual follow-up.
First event is free for up to 15 attendees. Starter is $199 for 50, Pro is $499 for 250, and a five-event series is $2,000. No sales call, no annual contract.
For deeper evaluation, see the buyer's guide at /event-matchmaking-software and the comparisons at /vs/whova, /vs/brella, /vs/swapcard, and /vs/grip.
A starter stack for a 100-person networking mixer
Here is a concrete recommendation for a 100-person professional mixer in 2026:
- Registration: Luma (free up to most volumes) or Partiful for casual events.
- Run-of-show: copy /tools/run-of-show-template into a Google Doc.
- Matchmaking: Pond Starter ($199 for 50, or Pro $499 if you cross 50).
- Check-in: Pond browser QR — no extra hardware. See /blog/check-in-200-attendees.
- Post-event: export mutual matches from Pond, send a summary to stakeholders within 24 hours.
Common questions
- What is the best event planning software for small events?
- For events under 250 people, the best stack is usually three tools: a lightweight registration tool (Eventbrite, Luma, Partiful), a run-of-show doc or template, and a matchmaking layer like Pond for in-room conversations. You do not need a full enterprise suite.
- Do I need separate tools for registration and matchmaking?
- Yes in most cases. Registration platforms collect tickets and emails; they do not run live conversation rounds or mutual follow-up. Pair a registration tool with a dedicated matchmaking layer so each does one job well.
- How much should event planning software cost?
- Registration is often free plus a per-ticket fee. Matchmaking ranges from free (Pond's first event up to 15 people) to $199-$499 per event for 50-250 attendees, to enterprise contracts starting at $10,000+/year for full conference platforms.