Cvent charges $24,000+/year.
CompleteEvent is $588/year.
Abstract submission, peer review, multi-track scheduling, speaker portals, and QR check-in — the full conference workflow, without the enterprise contract, a required implementation partner, or the five-figure budget.
The cost difference
Before comparing features, the pricing gap is the story.
Cvent
$24,000+
/year (estimated)
- Annual contract required
- Implementation fees common
- Onboarding and training costs
- Pricing not published — requires sales call
CompleteEvent
$39.20
/month (Pro with 20% discount)
- Month-to-month, cancel any time
- Self-serve setup, live in an hour
- No onboarding call required
- Free plan — 1 active event, up to 100 attendees
Annual cost at Pro with 20% discount: $470.40/year — vs. Cvent's estimated $24,000+.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Cvent | CompleteEvent |
|---|---|---|
| Attendee registration | ||
| Abstract submission (CFP) | Pro | |
| Peer review with scoring rubrics | Pro | |
| Multi-track session scheduling | Starter+ | |
| Speaker portals | ||
| QR code check-in | ||
| Certificates of attendance | Starter+ | |
| SSO / SAML login | ||
| Post-event surveys | ||
| Free plan | ||
| Pricing under $100/mo | ||
| No enterprise contract required | ||
| Self-serve setup (no implementation partner) | ||
| 20% nonprofit / academic discount |
Cvent feature data based on public documentation and user reports. Cvent is an enterprise platform with significantly more enterprise integrations, venue sourcing, and hotel block marketplace capabilities not shown here.
Who switches from Cvent to CompleteEvent
Academic societies and professional associations
Annual conferences with abstract submission and peer review. Cvent's price is designed for large corporate event teams, not a five-person association staff running one conference per year.
Universities and academic departments
Departmental conferences, symposia, and workshops. IT procurement timelines make Cvent impractical for events planned months in advance with academic-year budgets.
Independent conference organizers
Event professionals running 2–5 conferences per year on behalf of clients or their own brands. No single conference justifies a six-figure platform contract.
Nonprofits priced out of enterprise software
Mission-driven organizations that need professional conference infrastructure but cannot justify $24,000/year in platform fees when that money could fund programs.
What you give up
CompleteEvent is not an enterprise platform. Here is where Cvent has more.
Venue sourcing and RFP tools
Cvent has a marketplace for sourcing venues and sending RFPs to hotels. CompleteEvent does not — you source your venue separately.
Hotel room block marketplace
Cvent integrates with hotel room block management and group travel booking. CompleteEvent has basic hotel block management, but not a marketplace.
Enterprise CRM and marketing integrations
Cvent integrates with Salesforce, Marketo, HubSpot, and other enterprise tools. CompleteEvent does not have pre-built CRM integrations — you would use webhooks, Zapier, or CSV export.
On-site badge printing and hardware rental
Cvent supports on-demand badge printing with dedicated kiosk hardware and rents event equipment. CompleteEvent has a badge design and print tool, but does not offer hardware rental or on-site printing kiosks — you print badges in advance.
Dedicated account management and white-glove support
Cvent assigns dedicated account managers, provides implementation services, and offers 24/7 enterprise support. CompleteEvent is self-serve with email support — fast for straightforward questions, but there is no assigned account manager.
Pricing
Free plan for events up to 100 attendees. Academic and association discount applied at checkout. Month-to-month on all plans.
Free
$0
1 event, up to 100 attendees
Starter
$19/mo
$15.20/mo
with 20% discount
Pro
$49/mo
$39.20/mo
with 20% discount
Annual cost at Pro with discount: $470.40 — not $24,000.
Frequently asked questions
What does Cvent cost?↓
Cvent does not publish pricing publicly. Industry estimates and user reports place Cvent's event management platform in the range of $24,000 to $50,000+ per year for associations and mid-market organizations, with enterprise contracts often including implementation fees, training, and annual support costs. Cvent is designed for organizations with dedicated event technology staff and procurement budgets.
Does CompleteEvent have the same conference features as Cvent?↓
For the core conference workflow — registration, abstract submission, peer review, session scheduling, speaker portals, QR check-in, and certificates — yes. CompleteEvent does not have Cvent's venue sourcing, RFP tools, hotel room block marketplace, or enterprise CRM integrations. If those features are critical to your workflow, Cvent is the right choice. If your primary need is running a professional conference end-to-end at a predictable cost, CompleteEvent covers the workflow.
Who is CompleteEvent designed for?↓
Academic societies, professional associations, independent conference organizers, nonprofits, and universities that need professional conference software without enterprise procurement. Organizations typically have 1–5 staff managing events, run 1–10 conferences per year, and want to set up and manage their platform without a vendor implementation team.
Is there a discount for nonprofits and academic institutions?↓
Yes. Nonprofits (501(c)(3)), 501(c)(6) trade associations, and accredited educational institutions receive 20% off all paid plans. Starter becomes $15.20/mo and Pro becomes $39.20/mo. Applied through a self-certification step at checkout — no paperwork or approval process required.
How long does it take to set up a conference on CompleteEvent?↓
Most organizers have their registration page live within an hour. Setting up abstract submission, reviewer accounts, and a multi-track schedule takes most organizers one to two days working at their own pace. There is no implementation partner, no onboarding call requirement, and no waiting for vendor provisioning.
What happens to my data if I switch platforms?↓
Your registration data is always exportable as CSV from any event. Abstract submissions, reviewer scores, and acceptance decisions are also exportable. Your Stripe account holds all payment records independently — CompleteEvent does not custody your funds.
More resources for conference organizers
Conference Management Software
Full conference platform overview: registration, CFP, sessions, speaker portals, check-in, and reporting.
CFP Management Software
Abstract submission, blind peer review, scoring rubrics, and program builder.
Association Event Management
Annual meetings, CPE certificates, member pricing, and multi-track conferences for associations.
Whova Alternative
Conference features at $39.20/mo vs. Whova's per-event pricing of $1,500–$3,500+ per event.
Eventbrite Alternative
Comparing CompleteEvent to Eventbrite for fee savings across different event types.
Conference software that doesn't cost more than the conference.
Free plan forever. 20% discount for academic institutions and associations. No enterprise contract, no implementation partner.
Start your conference free →No credit card required