Cvent uses quote-based pricing and takes months to implement. SwarmTix charges $0.99 + 1.5% per ticket and takes 5 minutes to set up. No training required.
No credit card required. No sales calls. No implementation projects.
Example: 3 events, 500 attendees each at $200
Cvent
Quote-based
Price on request, enterprise contract
SwarmTix
$5,985
Pay per ticket, 1,500 tickets
Annual Contract
None
pay only when you sell tickets
Cvent was built for enterprise hotel RFPs. Tech conferences need something different.
Cvent's pricing is quote-based and designed for large enterprises, not indie conference organizers. SwarmTix is pay-per-ticket with a published fee.
Cvent requires weeks or months of implementation with dedicated staff. SwarmTix takes 5 minutes to set up your first event.
Cvent's interface is notoriously complex. SwarmTix is designed to be intuitive - no training or dedicated staff required.
Cvent's core business is venue sourcing for corporate events. SwarmTix is purpose-built for developer conferences and tech events.
Cvent is known for aggressive sales tactics and upsells. SwarmTix has transparent pricing - no sales calls required to get started.
Cvent's interface feels corporate and outdated. SwarmTix has a modern, clean design that developers and attendees appreciate.
Everything you need, nothing you don't.
Most teams leave Cvent for one of three reasons: the quote-based annual contract, the long setup, or a feature set built for much larger events. These are the platforms they usually compare.
| Platform | Best for | How it is priced |
|---|---|---|
| SwarmTix | Tech conferences, meetups and workshops that need ticketing, registration and agendas | $0.99 + 1.5% per paid ticket. Free events are free. No contract. |
| Bizzabo | B2B conferences that want an event website, registration and an event app in one suite | Annual subscription, quote from sales |
| Swoogo | Event teams that want flexible registration forms and event websites | Annual license, quote from sales |
| Stova (formerly Aventri) | Corporate event teams that also manage venues and attendee travel | Quote from sales |
| Whova | Conferences that need an attendee app with agenda and networking | Quote per event |
| Eventbrite | Public events that want marketplace discovery and self-serve ticketing | Per-ticket fees. Free events have no fee. |
Cvent is still the stronger choice for hotel sourcing and venue RFPs, and for teams that need enterprise single sign-on. If your venue is booked and you mainly need to sell tickets and run the event, a lighter tool will be faster to set up.
SwarmTix handles events from 50 to 5,000+ attendees. We've powered 500+ tech conferences with 50,000+ tickets sold. You don't need enterprise software for enterprise-quality events.
If you need to send RFPs to 50 hotels, Cvent is your tool. If you've already booked your venue and need to sell tickets and manage your conference, SwarmTix is faster to set up and charges a published per-ticket fee.
SwarmTix has REST APIs and integrates with Zapier for connecting to your existing tools. For most tech conferences, you don't need complex Salesforce or Marketo integrations.
Yes! Export your attendee data from Cvent and import it to SwarmTix. Our team can help with migration. Most organizers are up and running in under an hour.
The platforms teams most often compare with Cvent are Bizzabo, Swoogo, Stova (formerly Aventri), Whova, Eventbrite and SwarmTix. Bizzabo, Swoogo and Stova are sales-led suites like Cvent. Eventbrite and SwarmTix are self-serve and charge per ticket, with no annual contract.
Want the numbers side by side? Read the full Cvent vs SwarmTix comparison, or the same breakdown for Eventbrite, Luma, Tito and Hopin.
Comparing other platforms?
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No credit card required. No contracts. No sales calls.