Seat MakervsPlanning PodSeating and venue planning
Seat Maker vs Planning Pod: seating workflows compared
Use Seat Maker for direct guest placement and a saved native room plan when you are finishing seating for an event.
Free browser tools · no account needed. Full online access is paid.
Try a real seat change8 fictional guestsAlex is fixed in seat 1. Shuffle the other guests, or select two people to swap.
Why choose Seat Maker?
See what you can do.
Put every guest in a seat
Lock VIPs. Shuffle the others. Swap two guests. Undo a change.
Try the seat controls
Keep planning at the venue
Edit saved native seating plans offline on iPhone and iPad.
Explore offline planning
Start with your guest names
Import a list, review the fields, then place your people.
Try guest-list importReal Seat Maker views with fictional names. Native offline edits work in saved iPhone/iPad plans; online sync and RSVPs need internet.
The key differences.
Full feature breakdown ↓| Your decision | Seat Maker | Planning Pod |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Guest seats & room changes | Venue operations, layouts & event management |
| Tools | VIP locks, shuffle & undo | To-scale drag-and-drop layouts and instant table/chair grids |
| Offline edits | Saved native plans on iPhone & iPad | Not verified in reviewed sources |
| Price | Free browser tools; paid online access & native upgrades | Check current subscription quote |
Vendor-described capabilities. Unknown features are not scored as missing. Full terms & sources below.
The details, when you need them.
Pricing, transfers & official sourcesFull feature comparison8 topics, including devices and offline access
Planning Pod connects floor plans and guest seating to venue and event operations. Seat Maker can serve the focused layout and guest-assignment task. A venue that depends on connected business records should compare those operations separately and retain them when a seating tool is all that needs to change.
| What matters | Seat Maker | Planning Pod |
|---|---|---|
| Planning focus | Named guests, individual seats and a practical room plan. | Keep bookings, BEOs, guest data and layouts connected within the venue's broader operating system. Source ↗ |
| Guest and planning tools | Import names, arrange individual seats, lock VIP seats and shuffle other guests. | To-scale drag-and-drop layouts and instant table/chair grids. Custom wall boundaries and reusable templates. Guest seating with meals, RSVP and VIP statuses Source ↗ |
| Layouts and handoff | Room layout tools and native image/PDF exports. Browser tools include drafts, signs and place cards. | Collaborative sharing and event-day check-in. Branded PDF plans Source ↗ |
| Access and devices | iPhone/iPad app, free browser tools and a paid online planner. Features vary by surface. | Online venue and event-management platform. Source ↗ |
| Offline work | Saved native seating plans can be edited offline. Online RSVPs, sync and published websites require internet. | Offline planning coverage requires confirmation with Planning Pod. Source ↗ |
| Price and access terms | Free browser tools. Paid online access and separate native upgrades. Review the complete offer before purchase. | Current numeric subscription price not verified. Source ↗ |
| Moving your data | Review a guest-list import. Rebuild room geometry and rules separately. Later updates need reconciliation. | Keep contracts and operational records in Planning Pod. Source ↗ |
| A reason to choose it | You want to work directly on guests and seats, and keep a local native plan for offline venue edits. | Your venue team needs layouts connected to customer management and event operations. Source ↗ |
Plans & pricingWhat is free, what is paid and what expires
Seat Maker
Start with account-free browser planning tools and an editable local draft. The full online planner requires paid access. Native upgrades have separate in-app offers.
Checkout shows the current currency, renewal period and total before purchase.
View online access options →Planning Pod
Current numeric subscription price not verified. Official description says pricing depends on concurrent event volume and directs prospects to a personalized demo.
Official plan terms ↗Reviewed October 21, 2026. Confirm editors, exports, tax, renewal and access expiry for your region. A suite’s fee covers more than seating.
Bring your guest listImport, rebuild and review
Keep contracts and operational records in Planning Pod. Export the guest data you need, preserve the event identifier, and return the approved plan to the same event record.
- 1Keep an originalSave the source list and a dated visual plan.
- 2Test a small importReview names, duplicates, groups and accepted fields.
- 3Rebuild & reconcileCheck capacities, fixed seats and unassigned people.
A PDF is a visual reference, not an editable room transfer. A CSV snapshot does not create live sync; choose where future changes will be maintained.
Try Seat Maker’s guest-list import →When Planning Pod makes senseIts strengths and documented workflow
Your venue team needs layouts connected to customer management and event operations.
- To-scale drag-and-drop layouts and instant table/chair grids
- Custom wall boundaries and reusable templates
- Guest seating with meals, RSVP and VIP statuses
- Collaborative sharing and event-day check-in
- Branded PDF plans
Keep bookings, BEOs, guest data and layouts connected within the venue's broader operating system.
Editorial workflow illustration from Planning Pod’s official documentation. Official positioning: “Build floor plans in a flash”.
Try a realistic sample120 fictional guests · downloadable CSV
Start with 120 fictional guests, 12 four-person families and four fixed VIPs in 16 eight-seat tables. Cancel Guests 105–108, add Guests 121–124, move Guests 117–120 into the four vacated seats and remove Table 16. The final plan has 120 guests and 120 seats. Keep families together, Guests 053 and 061 apart, and Guests 049–052 in their fixed seats.
Review imported names before setting groups and locks. Extra CSV fields may need manual mapping. This is a reproducible exercise, not a completed competitor benchmark.
Sources & comparison methodOfficial references · reviewed October 21, 2026
Seat Maker publishes this comparison. Recommendations are editorial judgments. Competitor features and prices come from official product, help and pricing materials reviewed October 21, 2026; no paid-account or timed head-to-head benchmark was performed.
- Planning Pod: product & workflow ↗planningpod.com
- Planning Pod: official reference 2 ↗planningpod.com
- Planning Pod: official reference 3 ↗planningpod.com
- Planning Pod: official reference 4 ↗planningpod.com
Native images are Seat Maker v3.2.2 on iPhone 17 Pro; browser images are actual tool captures. Names are fictional. No competitor interface has been recreated.
Suggest a correction →Quick answers.
When should I keep Planning Pod?
Your venue team needs layouts connected to customer management and event operations.
Can I move my Planning Pod plan into Seat Maker?
Keep contracts and operational records in Planning Pod. Export the guest data you need, preserve the event identifier, and return the approved plan to the same event record.
Can I try Seat Maker before buying?
Yes. The public browser planning tools accept your own names and save a local draft without an account. The full online planner and native app upgrades have separate purchase terms.
What should I check about Planning Pod’s price?
Current numeric subscription price not verified. Official description says pricing depends on concurrent event volume and directs prospects to a personalized demo.
Can I edit my plan without Wi-Fi?
Seat Maker’s saved native seating plans support local offline edits. Account sync, online RSVPs and published websites require internet. For Planning Pod: Offline planning coverage requires confirmation with Planning Pod.
Make your seating plan.
Free browser tools · no account needed. Full online access is paid.