Softwr

Event Management · head to head

Social Tables vs Universe

Social Tables logo

Social Tables

Event Management

Event diagramming and planning software

From
$199/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Universe logo

Universe

Event Management

Ticketing and event management made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Universe has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Social Tables now owned by Cvent, reducing product independence; Universe limited design customization for event pages and branding control
  • They diverge on capability: Social Tables covers Floor plan design, Universe covers Ticketing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Social Tables and Universe actually diverge.

Attributes where Social Tables and Universe differ
AttributeSocial TablesUniverse
Starting price$199/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Event Management), founded (2011).

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 Social Tables

  • Floor plan design
  • Seating charts
  • Guest management
  • 3D visualization
  • Collaboration
  • Cvent
  • Salesforce
  • Opera

Only in Universe

  • Ticketing
  • Event pages
  • Guest lists
  • Check-in app
  • Analytics
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Facebook

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Social Tables

  • Event planning
  • Ticket sales
  • Attendee management
  • Virtual events
  • Event marketing

Universe

  • Event planning
  • Ticket sales
  • Attendee management
  • Virtual events
  • Event marketing

Both are used for event planning, ticket sales, attendee management, virtual events, event marketing, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Social Tables

  • Now owned by Cvent, reducing product independence
  • Premium plan pricing not transparent

Universe

  • Limited design customization for event pages and branding control
  • User interface becomes unintuitive for advanced features and complex event types
  • No ability to transfer attendees between time slots; requires full refund and repurchase
  • Difficult walk-up/credit card sales processing at physical events
  • Slow customer support for refunds and technical issues

Pricing, plan by plan

Social Tables

$199/month
  • Planner$199/month
    • Floor plans
    • Seating charts
    • Guest management
  • Professional$399/month
    • 3D diagrams
    • Collaboration
    • Analytics
  • Enterprise$799/month
    • Full platform
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

Universe

Free
  • Free EventsFree
    • Free event creation and ticketing
  • Starter$0.79/per ticket
    • 2% + $0.79 per ticket
    • Capped at $19.95 per ticket
    • Basic event management
  • Standard$1.99/per ticket
    • 2.5% + $1.99 per ticket
    • Capped at $19.95 per ticket
    • Advanced features
  • Pro$null/custom
    • Dynamic pricing
    • RFID access control
    • Ticketmaster distribution

Which should you pick?

Choose Social Tables if

  • You need floor plan design.
  • You also want seating charts.
Social Tables review

Choose Universe if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want event pages.
Universe review

Questions people ask

Is Social Tables or Universe better?
Neither clearly leads. Social Tables starts at $199/month and Universe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Social Tables or Universe?
Universe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $199/month for Social Tables and Free for Universe.
Does Social Tables or Universe run on more platforms?
Social Tables runs on Web. Universe runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Universe for free?
Yes. Universe has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Social Tables starts at $199/month.
What is Social Tables best used for?
Social Tables is most often used for event planning, ticket sales, attendee management, virtual events.
What can Social Tables do that Universe cannot?
Social Tables covers Floor plan design, Seating charts, Guest management, 3D visualization. Universe covers Ticketing, Event pages, Guest lists, Check-in app. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Social Tables: What is Social Tables pricing in 2026?

Social Tables Pro plan is $199/month. Premium plans use quote-based pricing. Social Tables is now part of Cvent's Event Diagramming suite.

Source
Universe: What platforms does Universe support?

Universe is available on web, iOS, and Android, with support across 25 countries and 9 languages. Organizers can accept online, mobile, onsite, kiosk, and print-at-home tickets.

Source
Social Tables: What features does Social Tables provide?

Social Tables offers drag-and-drop floor plan design, photo-realistic 3D walkthroughs, interactive floor plans, guest list management, visual seating charts, and meal management for venues and event planners.

Source
Universe: Does Universe integrate with other tools?

Yes. Universe integrates with 5,000+ partner applications through Zapier, allowing automation of ticket sales data to CRM, invoicing, and other business tools without code.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Social Tables

More on Universe

Keep looking

Other head to heads