Learn SeatPlan · Create a table
Create a table.
In less than a minute.
Drag. Drop. Done. Build your first table right now — no signup, no learning curve, no spreadsheet. This page walks you through every tool you’ll touch on the way.
SeatPlan.io is a free drag-and-drop seating chart designer. Tables, chair rows, and special areas like stages and dance floors all live on one canvas. Open Add to choose an element, place it where it belongs, and seats arrange themselves automatically. This tutorial covers the whole flow, from your first table to sharing seats with guests.
The walkthrough · Five short steps
Drag. Drop. Done.
Five easy steps — watch them happen below, then try them live in the free designer.
On desktop, press T to add a round table or R for a rectangle. Press Cmd/Ctrl+K to search commands and find more actions and their shortcuts.
Step 1
Open the designer
Head to the free designer. The canvas is ready immediately — no account, no onboarding, no spreadsheet.
Step 2
Drop in a table
Click or tap Add, then choose Round table. An eight-seat table appears on the plan. On desktop, Add expands across the top of the canvas. On a phone, it sits in the bottom navigation while you are on Plan.
Step 3
Pick a shape
Round table and Rectangular table both start with eight seats. On desktop, open More in the Add toolbar first. Choose Customize to set details before adding, or More table shapes for oval, serpentine, and U-shaped tables.
Step 4
Set the seats
Double-click a table, or select it and tap its pencil control. Change Number of Seats for either shape. For precise rectangular layouts, open Seats by side. Changes apply when you finish a field or use a stepper button.
Step 5
Name it
Type a Table Name such as “Family” or “Head Table”, then press Enter or leave the field to apply it. Choose Done to close the editor. Use Undo if you change your mind.
That’s it
One table down. The rest of your venue works exactly the same way.
Try it now
Keep learning · One tool per lesson
Your table is the start
Every other tool in the designer has its own short animated lesson. Pick up where this one leaves off, or browse all lessons.
- Move the table, not the mapOpen the lesson
- Special areas: design beyond seatingOpen the lesson
- Chair rows for ceremonies and conferencesOpen the lesson
- Snap. Everything lines up.Open the lesson
- Now seat your guestsOpen the lesson
- Change your mind? Just drag.Open the lesson
- Click a chair, type a nameOpen the lesson
- Plan together. Live.Open the lesson
- "Where am I sitting?"Open the lesson
The fine print · Questions we get a lot
Quick answers, before you start
Do I need an account to use SeatPlan?
No. Open the designer and start dragging tables right away — the full designer is free with no signup. You only need an account (and a plan) when you want to save your chart, share it, or come back to it later.
How long does it take to build a seating chart?
Your first table takes under a minute. A full chart for 200 guests typically takes 15–30 minutes once you've imported your guest list from CSV or Excel.
Is there a limit on how many tables or seats I can create?
No hard cap. The designer scales from an intimate dinner to weddings, corporate galas, and conference banquets with hundreds of tables on a single canvas.
Can I export my seating chart as a PDF?
PDF export is included on paid plans, along with saving your work, guest-list Excel export, and printable name tags. The free designer lets you build the full layout first and upgrade only when you're ready to export or save.
What do the paid plans add on top of the free designer?
Saving your chart, PDF and Excel exports, printable name tags, real-time collaboration with up to 2 people on Collaborate, the guest QR seat finder, and Time Machine version history. Event Manager adds unlimited events, reusable templates, and to-scale layouts for professionals.
Now seating · Your event
Take it from here
You’ve read the tutorial — the first table takes less time than this page did. The full designer is free, no signup.
Start designing free