SeatChart.io

SeatChart.io is a web-based workspace for drawing event rooms, assigning guests, and distributing the finished plan. It fits planners, venues, and hosts whose seating decisions depend on both the guest list and the physical room. The strongest case is its unusually broad free tier; the main trade-off is that serious multi-event work quickly requires a paid tier.

Overview

The editor combines a visual canvas with guest administration. You can place tables and chairs alongside stages, dance floors, bars, buffets, entrances, and restrooms, so the chart can reflect how an actual venue operates. CSV import, family and party grouping, dietary requirements, comments, and seat assignments keep operational guest information with the drawing.

Templates are provided for weddings, galas, birthdays, corporate dinners, restaurants, and conferences. SeatChart.io is also presented for classroom seating charts, although its named templates emphasize events and hospitality.

Key features

Layout and guest management

The room canvas is more capable than a table-only planner. Representing surrounding zones is useful when circulation, catering, or a stage affects where people can sit. CSV import saves retyping an existing list, while grouping and notes help preserve household relationships and dietary information during assignment.

AI floor-plan import

Upload a venue screenshot or PDF and the service detects tables and key elements for review on the canvas. This can shorten the transition from an existing drawing to an editable plan, though the detected layout still needs checking before it becomes the working chart.

Sharing, collaboration, and guest lookup

View-only links suit clients or staff who should see progress without editing it; edit links let collaborators change the same project. The collaboration model is real-time, and Professional and Event Manager include specified collaborator allowances or unlimited collaborators. A QR seat-finder poster lets guests scan and see their own assignment rather than exposing the complete guest list, a sensible distinction for privacy-conscious events.

Exports

Paid plans can export charts as A3 or A4 PDF and PNG, guest lists as PDF, Excel, or CSV, plus place-card name tags and QR seat-finder posters. Those outputs matter when a plan must move from the browser to printing, check-in, or on-site signage.

Pricing

The freemium structure is unusually usable for a one-off event. Free costs nothing and includes one event, three AI floor-plan imports, the full editor, templates, guest import, export, sharing, QR lookup, and priority support. It is a credible option for a single wedding, dinner, or classroom chart, but the one-event cap and three-import allowance rule out maintaining a larger portfolio.

Starter costs $8, paid once, billed “Pay once.” It raises capacity to 20 events and 10 AI imports, adding version history while retaining the editor, imports, exports, share links, QR, and priority support. This is the sensible low-cost step for an occasional planner who needs several projects; it gives up the 50-event and three-collaborator capacity of Professional.

Professional costs $14, paid once, also billed “Pay once.” It supports 50 events, 50 AI imports, and three collaborators, with version history, sharing, QR, exports, and priority support. Choose it when a small team needs concurrent editing and a substantial event library without a subscription.

Event Manager costs $25 a month, billed monthly. It removes event and AI-import limits and allows unlimited collaborators, while including the full editor, exports, version history, share links, QR, and priority support. The recurring charge is justified for venues or planners running ongoing programs; occasional users should prefer the one-time tiers.

Billing runs through Paddle. Users handling guest data should follow the service terms and store personal information only with a lawful basis.

Platforms

SeatChart.io runs on the web, making it accessible from a browser rather than tied to a desktop or mobile operating system.

Who it's for

It is well suited to wedding and gala planners, corporate-dinner organizers, venues, restaurants, and event teams that need room diagrams linked to named guests. The combination also serves classroom seating work. Solo hosts with one event can stay on Free; recurring professionals and collaborative teams gain the most from Professional or Event Manager.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Generous free scope: one event still includes guest import, sharing, exports, QR lookup, and the full editor.
• Venue-aware canvas: stages, bars, entrances, restrooms, and other zones keep the plan grounded in the real room.
• Useful handoff tools: paid export formats, place cards, and QR posters support printing and guest arrival.
• Flexible collaboration: separate view and edit links, with real-time work on shared projects.

Cons

• Free is limited to one event and three AI imports: multi-event planners must upgrade.
• Advanced output is paid: the broad A3/A4, spreadsheet, place-card, and poster export set requires a paid plan.
• Collaboration is tiered: only Professional specifies three collaborators, while unlimited collaborators are reserved for the monthly plan.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, see Event Diagramming Software.

Choose Event Floor Planner if you want a free Android, iOS, or web tool with no signup and PDF export. Table-Plan.com suits users needing macOS, Windows, or web access, with a free 30-guest project and a 29.00 USD one-time premium plan valid for three months. EventDiagram is an alternative web/API option with a free plan and no trial clock. Eventscript fits teams wanting one upcoming event free or an annual paid arrangement. OnePlan is worth considering for team plans and a free tier limited to one event, 25 objects, and watermarked PNG export. SeatPlan.io offers a free web tier with one AI import but no saved work or PDF export, while its Pro option costs 8.00 GBP once. SeatPlanning targets smaller projects with limits on seats, tables, and elements. TablePlan.io provides a browser-based free demo for one event at a time.

Verdict

Choose SeatChart.io if you need one connected workspace for venue layout, named assignments, collaboration, and guest-facing QR lookup. Its free plan is enough for a single event, while low-cost one-time upgrades cover many occasional planners. Look elsewhere if you need a native mobile app, substantially different guest or project limits, or a pricing model better matched to your workflow than one-time tiers and a 25.00 USD monthly unlimited plan.