EventRota

EventRota is rota and volunteer management software for organisers coordinating people at a one-off event. It suits teams that need shift assignments, volunteer availability and event information in one place. Its per-event plans keep the choice simple, but participant and email caps deserve attention.

Overview

The product is built around a single event rather than an ongoing staffing operation. Organisers can schedule shifts, keep volunteers informed and share practical event details. That focus is useful for festivals, gatherings or other one-off workflows; teams that need recurring schedules or timesheets should look elsewhere.

Key features

Organisers can assign people to shifts and positions in a rota grid, then use auto-fill, shuffle, drag-and-drop reassignment or rotation sequences to arrange coverage. Volunteers set availability by shift, and reminder emails can prompt them to respond. The combination gives organisers ways to build a rota and account for availability, though the size of a workable event is ultimately governed by each plan’s people and email limits.

Volunteers can view their rota, respond to invitations, set availability and see maps and updates through a mobile browser or app. Organisers can share documents, announcements, key contacts, venue maps and position maps alongside the schedule. Shift scheduling, check-in and attendance, and custom signup forms are also included, so the service covers more than shift assignment alone.

Every plan includes every feature, making capacity and email volume the meaningful trade-offs. When an event uses its included emails, sending pauses for that event until an email top-up is added; organisers should leave headroom if they expect extensive event communications. Email support is included on each plan, with replies within one working day, and problems can also be reported in the in-app Help page.

EventRota says it uses TLS-encrypted connections, hashed passwords and role-based access controls, and does not sell personal data or use it for advertising. Its terms do not guarantee continuous availability and allow features to change, a consideration for organisers who depend on uninterrupted access during an event.

Pricing

EventRota has a free plan and paid plans billed once per event. Since all plans include every feature, the choice is primarily about headcount and email allowance.

• Free — free: Up to 10 people and 200 emails. It provides the full feature set for a small event, but the modest email quota may constrain communications.
• Small — $30, paid once: Billed per event, with up to 30 people and 600 emails. This is the paid entry point for organisers who exceed the free capacity but can work within these limits.
• Medium — $50, paid once: Billed per event, with up to 75 people and 1,500 emails. It gives a larger team more room without changing feature access.
• Large — $100, paid once: Billed per event, with unlimited people and 4,000 emails. It removes the people cap, but not the email allowance, so large mailing needs still require attention.

The paid plans are event purchases, not monthly subscriptions. Each raises both people and email capacity, but none adds features; choose based on the expected event size and communications volume.

Platforms

EventRota is available on Android, iOS and the web. Volunteers can also access it in a mobile browser, giving teams a phone-based option without relying solely on an app.

Who it's for

EventRota is a practical fit for organisers coordinating volunteers and staff for a bounded, one-off event who want scheduling, availability, check-in and event information together. It is less suitable for recurring workforce schedules, timesheets or events whose email needs may outgrow the included allowance.

Pros and cons

• Pros: All plans include every feature, so even the free tier includes the same tools as paid plans.
• Pros: Shift availability, rota management, maps and announcements bring scheduling and event logistics into one volunteer workflow.
• Pros: Event-based paid plans avoid a recurring monthly charge for a one-off workflow.
• Cons: The free plan caps events at 10 people and 200 emails, which can be restrictive even when the feature set is complete.
• Cons: Email sending pauses when an event reaches its allowance until a top-up is added.
• Cons: The product is not intended for recurring schedules or timesheets, and continuous availability is not guaranteed.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Event Volunteer Management Software.

• ephios is worth considering if self-hosting or an open-source option is the priority: its Self-hosted plan is free, and it also offers a €9.99 per mont Hosting Starter plan.
• Serve.Love may suit teams seeking a free-forever starter tier with all features, community support, no setup fee and no credit card; its Professional plan is $63 a month.
• SignUpGenius offers a free plan with unlimited sign-ups, making it an alternative when sign-up capacity is the key consideration.
• GivePulse is another freemium volunteer-management option; its Basic Free plan includes one admin, zero subgroups and five custom fields.
• POINT may fit teams wanting a free plan with unlimited volunteers and admins, plus sign-ups, scheduling, event and contact management, messaging, reminders and time tracking.
• TeamKinetic offers a free Community plan with unlimited volunteers, one admin account, three live opportunities and basic reporting.
• Vome is an option for teams that want its free Recruit plan, which includes one application form, one onboarding sequence and unlimited volunteers and admin seats.
• WhenToHelp may suit qualifying charities seeking extended free use, with its Lite plan allowing up to 250 volunteers and 100 shifts per week.

Verdict

Choose EventRota for a one-off event where organisers want volunteer scheduling, availability and event details together, and where the headcount and email allowance fit. Its full-featured free tier and event-based paid plans are appealing for bounded workflows. Look elsewhere for recurring schedules, timesheets or email needs that could exceed the event quota.