| Feature | Why SeatPlan.io does it better |
|---|---|
AI Floor-Plan Import | Upload a venue photo, PDF, or CAD file and AI builds an editable, to-scale layout in seconds — Seating Chart Maker has no AI floor-plan import, so every table is placed by hand. (Event Manager; CAD/DXF imports are free.) |
Free forever for the full designer | Design unlimited tables, guests, and charts free with no signup, no 7-day clock, and no watermark — pay only when you save or export |
One-time purchase option | £8/$8/€8 once for 90 days of save and export — no monthly subscription for a single wedding or one-off event |
Real-time co-editing | Couples, planners, and venues edit the same chart live with CRDT-based conflict resolution — not export-and-share |
Built for events, not just classrooms | Round tables, dietary and accessibility fields, A3 PDF floor plans, Excel seat lists for caterers, and printable place cards out of the box |
Multiple charts per event | Plan ceremony, reception, and after-party as separate charts under one event — or compare layout options side by side |
View-only and check-in-only links (B2B) | Send clients a live read-only chart, or share a check-in-only screen with door staff — without exposing the editor |
11 minutes
to seat 80 people
“Took me 6 hours to seat 80 people on paper. Took me 11 minutes on SeatPlan.io.”
<30 minutes
for a 120-person wedding
“I had my entire 120-person wedding seated in under 30 minutes.”
200 guests
with 8 dietary needs and 4 wheelchair users
“200 guests. 8 dietary requirements. 4 wheelchair users. 1 complicated family tree. SeatPlan.io handled all of it.”
Frequently asked
SeatPlan.io vs Seating Chart Maker: common questions
- What's the difference between SeatPlan.io and seatingchartmaker.app?
- Seating Chart Maker is built classroom-first — randomization, student photos, sit-together/apart rules, and a wheel-of-names tool for teachers. SeatPlan.io is built event-first — round tables, dietary fields, A3 PDFs, Excel seat lists for caterers, and real-time collaboration. SeatPlan.io is also free to design with no time limit; Seating Chart Maker is a 7-day trial then subscription only.
- Is there a free version of seatingchartmaker.app?
- Only a 7-day trial limited to one room, one roster, and one chart, with a watermark on prints. After that, plans start at $3.99/month. SeatPlan.io's free tier has no time limit, no watermark, and covers the full designer with unlimited tables and guests — you only pay when you save or export.
- Does Seating Chart Maker support real-time collaboration?
- It supports link-based sharing so colleagues can view a chart, but not real-time multi-user editing on the same canvas. SeatPlan.io's Collaborate tier (£14/$14/€14 one-time) and Event Manager subscription let multiple people edit the same chart simultaneously with automatic conflict resolution.
- Which is better for weddings — SeatPlan.io or Seating Chart Maker?
- SeatPlan.io. It's designed around round tables, RSVP and dietary tracking, venue-scale floor plans, A3 PDF exports, and a one-time price that covers a single wedding without a recurring subscription. Seating Chart Maker can do weddings, but its UI, pricing, and feature priorities are built for classrooms.
- I'm a teacher — should I use SeatPlan.io or Seating Chart Maker?
- If you specifically need student photos, randomized seating, sit-together/apart constraints, or a wheel-of-names tool, Seating Chart Maker is purpose-built for that. SeatPlan.io covers classrooms with its drag-and-drop designer but doesn't ship classroom-specific automations — it's a better fit if you also run events outside the classroom.
- Can I import a roster from Seating Chart Maker into SeatPlan.io?
- Seating Chart Maker accepts CSV, Excel, and copy-paste imports, so you likely already have your roster in a spreadsheet. SeatPlan.io accepts the same CSV format — export from Seating Chart Maker (or your source spreadsheet), upload to SeatPlan.io, and your guest list is in seconds.
- Does SeatPlan.io have AI floor-plan import that Seating Chart Maker doesn't?
- Yes. SeatPlan.io's Event Manager turns a photo, PDF, or CAD/DXF file of your venue into an editable, to-scale seating template automatically — tables, seat counts, and areas detected for you, then refined in the designer. Seating Chart Maker has no AI import. You get 3 AI imports a month with cheap top-ups; CAD/DXF imports are always free.
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