Cvent is a capable enterprise platform, but its quote-based pricing and breadth aren't right for every team. Here's an honest look at the leading alternatives — starting with Novex — so you can pick the one that fits how you actually work.
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Cvent is one of the most established names in events, and for large enterprises with dedicated event operations it can be a strong fit. Teams most often start shopping for an alternative for a few recurring reasons: The alternatives and competitors below are the ones teams shortlist most in 2026.
A modern, all-in-one event platform that runs the full lifecycle — CRM, registration, on-site check-in and badges, invoicing, and attendee comms — in one place, with a clean interface and transparent pricing.
An established enterprise event platform with deep functionality across large, complex programs and a broad partner ecosystem.
A widely used ticketing and registration platform known for self-serve setup and a large public event marketplace.
A brand-led event marketing platform focused on polished event pages and marketing workflows.
| Novex | Cvent | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free Beam, then $299–$2,499/mo | Quote-based (as of 2026) |
| Free plan | Free Beam plan, no card | Demo / sales-led |
| Onboarding | Self-serve; launch an event the same day | Sales-led implementation |
| Lifecycle coverage | CRM → event → check-in → invoice in one platform | Broad enterprise suite + partner ecosystem |
| On-site check-in & badges | Built-in kiosk: QR scan, walk-ins, transparent badge, offline mode | OnArrival check-in product |
| Best fit | Modern teams wanting one system with fast setup | Large enterprises with complex programs |
Comparison reflects publicly available information as of May 2026 and Novex's own product capabilities. Competitor features and pricing change — verify current details with each vendor before deciding.
If you already run events on Cvent, here's how its modules map to Novex — including, honestly, the parts that don't. You can test the whole path on the free Beam plan before moving anything.
| Currently | With Novex |
|---|---|
| Cvent Registration & event websites | Novex registration (branded hosted page, ticket types, waitlists, embeddable form) + a themeable public event microsite on your own custom domain |
| Check-in & badging (OnArrival) | Novex check-in kiosk — QR scan, name lookup, walk-in registration, offline mode — plus a badge designer, e-badge PDFs, and a dedicated Windows kiosk app |
| Speaker management | Novex speakers module with travel details, plus Call for Speakers: a public application form with a review queue that publishes approved speakers to the microsite |
| Event app / Attendee Hub | Novex event microsites are mobile-responsive web (agenda, speakers, sponsors — no app download). A native companion app is in testing; if a custom-branded attendee app is a hard requirement today, that's a real Cvent advantage |
| Approvals & budgeting | Novex budgets & forecasting, purchase orders, and approval flows |
| Exhibitor management | Novex sponsors & exhibitors with floor plans |
| Email marketing | Novex email campaigns plus WhatsApp campaigns and drips — bilingual (English/Arabic) |
| Surveys | Novex surveys & feedback, linked from post-event emails |
| Reporting & insights | Novex event reports and the ROI dashboard |
| Venue sourcing / supplier network | — No equivalent. Novex manages the venues and vendors you book (venues, catering, staffing, transport), but has no RFP marketplace — Cvent's sourcing network is genuinely unique to Cvent |
| Your registration data | Bulk-import attendees from CSV or Excel exports, then export back out any time — your data stays portable |
Novex also covers ground Cvent leaves to other systems: client CRM (leads, deals, contracts), quotations that become invoices — including Saudi e-invoicing (Fatoora) — and vendor invoices, so the commercial side of each event lives with the event.
If you run very large, complex programs with a dedicated events team, depend on Cvent's specific enterprise integrations, or are standardizing across a global organization that already uses it, Cvent is a strong, proven option. Novex is built for teams that want a modern, all-in-one platform they can adopt quickly and run end to end. If that sounds like you, the free Beam plan below is the fastest way to compare for yourself.
It depends on your needs. Novex is a strong fit for teams that want one modern platform covering CRM, registration, on-site check-in, badges, and invoicing with transparent pricing and self-serve onboarding. Eventbrite suits simple public ticketing; Splash leans toward event marketing. The comparison above lays out the main options.
Cvent uses quote-based pricing and does not publish standard rates as of 2026 — you request a custom quote through their sales team. Novex publishes its pricing publicly — a free Beam plan, with paid plans from $299/month.
Yes. Novex has a free-forever Beam plan with no credit card required, so you can build a real event and test check-in before moving to a paid plan — and every paid plan starts with a 14-day free trial, also with no card.
Yes. Novex includes a tablet check-in kiosk with QR scanning, phone-number lookup, walk-in registration, offline mode, and transparent badge printing. On-site kiosk features are available on the Spectrum plan and above.
Novex covers the full event lifecycle with per-tenant data isolation. Very large organizations with highly specialized enterprise requirements should evaluate against their specific needs — a demo is the best way to check fit.
Because Novex is self-serve, you can start free and build your first event the same day. For larger migrations, book a demo and the team will walk through your setup.
The names teams shortlist most are Novex (all-in-one, self-serve, public pricing), Bizzabo (event experience platform with published seat pricing), RainFocus (enterprise, quote-based), Stova, Eventbrite (public ticketing), and Splash (event marketing). The right one depends on program size, budget model, and whether you need enterprise implementation or same-day setup.
Export your attendee and contact lists from Cvent as CSV or Excel, then use Novex's bulk import to bring them in. Rebuild your registration form and microsite in an afternoon on the free Beam plan, run a test event end to end — registration, check-in, badge print — and switch when it holds up. The migration table above shows where each Cvent module lands.
Novex's built-in check-in kiosk: attendees scan a QR code or are looked up by name, walk-ins register on the spot, badges print on demand from the badge designer, and offline mode keeps the door moving if venue Wi-Fi drops. There's also a dedicated Windows kiosk app for locked-down check-in stations.
Start free on Beam and build a real event in an afternoon — or compare plans and pricing first.