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Events · head to head

Guest Manager vs Partiful

Guest Manager logo

Guest Manager

Events

Event check-in and registration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Partiful logo

Partiful

Events

The party planning app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Guest Manager usage is metered in credits consumed by check ins, emails and badges, so cost scales with activity rather than with the subscription alone; Partiful no automatic email or SMS delivery to guests, requiring manual link sharing for event invitations
  • They diverge on capability: Guest Manager covers Registration, Partiful covers Digital invitations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Guest Manager and Partiful actually diverge.

Attributes where Guest Manager and Partiful differ
AttributeGuest ManagerPartiful
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
Founded20142021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Events).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Guest Manager

  • Registration
  • QR check-in
  • Badge printing
  • Attendance tracking
  • Guest communication
  • Eventbrite
  • Mailchimp
  • Zapier

Only in Partiful

  • Digital invitations
  • RSVP tracking
  • Guest messaging
  • Photo sharing
  • Calendar sync
  • Apple Calendar
  • Google Calendar
  • iMessage

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Guest Manager

  • Guest list check in on tablets at eventsnot Partiful
  • Selling and scanning event ticketsnot Partiful
  • Printing name badges onsitenot Partiful

Partiful

  • Event planningnot Guest Manager
  • Ticket salesnot Guest Manager
  • Attendee managementnot Guest Manager
  • Virtual eventsnot Guest Manager
  • Event marketingnot Guest Manager

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Guest Manager

  • Usage is metered in credits consumed by check ins, emails and badges, so cost scales with activity rather than with the subscription alone
  • Check in devices are capped at 2 on On Demand, 4 on Planner and 8 on Professional
  • Ticket fees are $1.00 per ticket on On Demand and Planner and fall to $0.50 only on the $199 per month Concierge plan
  • Priority support and a dedicated account manager are Concierge and Custom only
  • The free trial covers only the first 50 guest check ins
  • The Custom plan is priced by quote

Partiful

  • No automatic email or SMS delivery to guests, requiring manual link sharing for event invitations
  • Ticketing fees are not disclosed until setup time, making budget planning difficult for event hosts
  • No support for interactive seat maps or assigned reserved seating for ticketed events
  • Designed primarily for informal social events and works best for gatherings under 300 people

Pricing, plan by plan

Guest Manager

Free
  • On Demand$null/usage
    • Pay-as-you-go credit packages
    • 2 devices
    • Self-service support
  • Planner$39/month
    • 3,600 credits/year
    • 4 devices
    • Self-service support
  • Professional$79/month
    • 9,600 credits/year
    • 8 devices
    • Self-service support
  • Concierge$199/month
    • 24,000 credits/year
    • Unlimited devices
    • Priority support

Partiful

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Partiful review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Guest Manager if

  • You need registration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want qr check-in.
Guest Manager review

Choose Partiful if

  • You need digital invitations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want rsvp tracking.
Partiful review

Questions people ask

Is Guest Manager or Partiful better?
Neither clearly leads. Guest Manager starts at Free and Partiful at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Guest Manager or Partiful?
Guest Manager starts at Free and Partiful at Free.
Does Guest Manager or Partiful run on more platforms?
Guest Manager runs on Web, Ios, Android. Partiful runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Guest Manager for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Guest Manager best used for?
Guest Manager is most often used for guest list check in on tablets at events, selling and scanning event tickets, printing name badges onsite. Of those, guest list check in on tablets at events and selling and scanning event tickets are not what Partiful is typically brought in for.
What can Guest Manager do that Partiful cannot?
Guest Manager covers Registration, QR check-in, Badge printing, Attendance tracking. Partiful covers Digital invitations, RSVP tracking, Guest messaging, Photo sharing. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Guest Manager: Is there a free trial for Guest Manager?

Yes. New users can check in their first 50 guests free with access to every feature. No credit card required.

Source
Partiful: Is Partiful free to use for creating events?

Yes. Creating events and inviting guests is completely free. Ticketing features are available with variable fees based on ticket price and event size, but the basic event creation and RSVP collection has no cost.

Source
Guest Manager: How much does Guest Manager charge per ticket?

Guest Manager charges per-ticket service fees ranging from $0.50-$1.00 depending on your plan, plus payment processor fees (Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30).

Source
Partiful: Does Partiful support assigned seating or seat maps?

No. Partiful Ticketing supports tiered pricing and capacity limits but does not currently support interactive seat maps or assigned-seat reserved seating.

Source
Guest Manager: What is the difference between Guest Manager's subscription plans?

Planner ($39/mo) includes 3,600 credits/year and 4 devices. Professional ($79/mo) includes 9,600 credits/year and 8 devices. Concierge ($199/mo) includes 24,000 credits/year and unlimited devices with priority support.

Source
Partiful: How does Partiful notify guests about events?

Partiful primarily uses link sharing rather than automated email or SMS delivery. Hosts must share event links with guests, typically via text message or social media.

Source
Partiful: What ticketing features does Partiful support?

Partiful Ticketing supports tiered pricing for different ticket tiers, capacity limits with QR code check-in, and promo codes. However, it does not support ticket add-ons, waitlists for ticketed events, or individual refunds from the dashboard.

Source
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