Choosing between Splash vs Cvent starts with understanding what each platform is built to do. Both support event programs, but they approach planning and execution from different angles.
This guide explains those differences in clear terms. It focuses on core purpose, target users, and typical use cases.
By the end of this overview, you will know where each platform fits in an event tech stack and what that means for your program in 2025.
Cvent Vs Splash Overview
Cvent is an end-to-end event management suite designed to run complex, large-scale programs across the full event lifecycle. Splash is an event marketing platform focused on creating, distributing, and measuring branded event experiences, especially for field and demand-generation teams.
Cvent centers on registration, agenda and session management, on-site operations, venue sourcing, and enterprise workflows. Splash centers on campaign planning, branded sites and emails, guest lists, and program-level reporting for recurring roadshows and activations.
Cvent was founded in 1999 and expanded through product development and acquisitions to serve global enterprises and multi-event portfolios, and user reviews often mention that acquired modules can feel disconnected without significant configuration. Splash launched in 2012 with a focus on event websites and invitations for marketers, evolving into a programmatic event marketing platform. In 2024, Cvent announced a deal to acquire Splash, placing both offerings under one corporate umbrella while serving distinct use cases.
Focus: Cvent handles end-to-end event management and operations, Splash handles event marketing and branded experiences
Users: Cvent serves enterprise organizations and meetings teams, Splash serves marketing teams and field marketers
Event types: Cvent works best for large conferences and trade shows, Splash works best for field events, roadshows, and community meetups
Where Accelevents can benefit enterprises and associations
Accelevents was intentionally built with one consistent data model, creating a seamless experience across the platform for event organizers, attendees, exhibitors, and speakers. It unites marketing-grade design controls with operational depth, which helps teams avoid the fragmentation that can come from managing multiple tools.
The platform pairs fast setup with enterprise-ready controls, and its event agenda builder supports simple agendas through complex multi-track programs in the same environment.
Organizations often cite ease of use, strong onboarding, and dedicated customer success. Its support team that responds in less than 21 seconds, 24/7. With 1,847 customers, the platform scales across field programs and large flagship events without requiring separate systems.
Key Features And Strengths
Registration And Ticketing
Cvent supports complex registration workflows with multiple attendee types, rules, and conditional logic. Think approval processes, tiered pricing, and purchase orders for corporate events, although reviewers sometimes note configuration complexity and the need to learn many settings. Splash supports RSVP and ticketed flows geared toward marketing events with straightforward form fields and list management, and reviewers sometimes mention limitations when trying to replicate corporate-grade purchase and approval paths.
Cvent registration features:
Multiple attendee types: Different pricing and access levels for speakers, sponsors, VIPs
Complex workflows: Approval chains, manager sign-offs, budget codes
Payment flexibility: Invoicing, purchase orders, multiple gateways
Splash registration features:
Simple RSVP flows: Quick sign-up forms optimized for conversion
Guest list management: Easy import and export, duplicate handling
Modern payments: Stripe integration, mobile-friendly checkout
How the alternative compares: The platform offers a highly customizable ticketing and event registration experience with drag-and-drop configuration for pages, forms, and badges, unlimited ticket types, discount codes, reusable templates, one-click forms, seamless payment processing, and conversion tracking. Group registration uses ticket bundles for multiple purchases and flexible attendee data capture, and conditional logic supports tailored paths by attendee type.
For teams focused on branded forms and styling, the event customization options help match design while keeping data structured for reporting.
Branded Event Pages And Emails
This is where the platforms show their biggest difference. Cvent provides functional site templates and form components aligned to data and compliance. Splash emphasizes visual design with brand-forward templates, layouts, and reusable style guides. Marketing teams often prefer Splash's drag-and-drop editor and brand kits, and operations teams often prefer Cvent's structure and integrations.
The alternative brings both perspectives together with a visual editor tied to structured data. Teams can launch branded sites quickly and still capture the fields they need for downstream reporting using the event website builder.
Email capabilities comparison:
Cvent: Transactional emails tied to status, confirmations, reminders
Splash: Marketing-focused emails with templates, A/B testing, campaign tracking
Alternative: Design-friendly templates with behavioral triggers and unified data for accurate lists and segments
On-Site Tools And Check-In
Cvent includes staffed and self-serve check-in, on-demand badges, session scanning, and access control, which fits multi-day conferences with complex agendas. Splash focuses on fast guest list check-in and QR scanning for field events, with lighter on-site operations.
Cvent on-site strengths:
Badge printing: On-demand printing with custom layouts and sponsor logos
Session tracking: Scan attendees into specific sessions for CE credits
Lead retrieval: Apps for exhibitors to capture prospect information
Splash on-site strengths:
Quick check-in: Fast QR scanning for marketing events
Guest management: Easy door list updates and last-minute additions
Mobile-first: Web-based tools that work on many devices
Alternative: Native check-in, real-time badge creation, and access control with badge printing, plus session scanning for attendance and credits.
Ease Of Use And Implementation
Learning curves differ because the platforms were built for different teams. Cvent centers on enterprise workflows with many settings and permissions, which can feel complex for new users and often leads teams to pursue certification courses to become experts. Splash centers on marketing tasks with a cleaner interface and simpler paths to publish events, though teams sometimes hit limits when scaling to enterprise-grade governance.
Implementation timelines depend on integrations, data models, and security requirements. Enterprise deployments with SSO, finance workflows, and CRM bi-directional syncs often take longer. Marketing-led deployments with standard integrations and brand kits tend to move faster.
Cvent: Several weeks to a few months for enterprise deployments
Splash: A few days to a few weeks for marketing-focused launches
Alternative: Rapid onboarding with visual tools for builders and an event agenda builder that scales from simple to complex without switching systems
Pricing And Scalability Considerations
Both platforms use annual subscriptions with different pricing approaches. Cvent commonly prices via enterprise agreements that package core registration, on-site tools, and integrations, with tiers based on event volume and attendee counts. Splash commonly prices as a marketing SaaS subscription aligned to users, workspaces, and program limits.
Additional costs to consider:
Implementation services: Setup, training, custom configurations
On-site hardware: Badge printers, tablets, scanners for check-in
Premium support: Dedicated success managers, faster response times
Payment processing: Gateway fees that sit outside subscription pricing
Scalability differs by program type. Cvent scales for large conferences and multi-event portfolios, with costs influenced by attendee throughput and complex workflows. Splash scales for recurring field and campaign events, with costs influenced by the number of programs and audience volume.
The alternative offers transparent, scalable pricing with pay-only-for-what-you-need modules and no surprise add-ons, so teams can start small and expand into larger programs.
Implications Of Cvent Acquiring Splash
When Cvent acquires Splash, the move connects an event operations suite with a marketing-focused event tool. This affects product overlap, data flows, and support paths for existing users. Reviews suggest that, as with many acquisition-led portfolios, different components may require extra effort to feel unified.
Integration Possibilities
Current users often see new connection options between the two platforms after the acquisition. Some programs stay on one product, while others use both and sync data for reporting and operations.
Potential benefits: Unified data, single vendor, program analytics spanning marketing events and large conferences
Challenges: Data mapping, feature overlap, migration work
Teams that prefer a single platform can consolidate marketing and operations in one place using features like networking and on-site tools without juggling multiple vendors.
Future Product Roadmap
Product teams often maintain separate user interfaces while building shared data layers and admin controls after acquisitions. Feature consolidation may position Splash as the design and campaign layer and Cvent as the operations and on-site layer.
Choosing a platform built as a single system from the start can reduce integration overhead and provide consistent data across registration, check-in, sessions, and engagement.
Which Platform Is Best For Your Events
Platform fit depends on event complexity, team structure, and program goals. Here are key questions to help you decide:
What is the primary goal, operational control or branded demand-generation campaigns?
How complex is registration, multiple attendee types or simple RSVP?
What on-site operations are required, badge printing or fast guest list check-in?
How often are events run, a few large flagship events or many recurring field events?
Choose Cvent when you have:
Complex events: Multi-day conferences with sessions, exhibitors, sponsors
Enterprise needs: SSO requirements, finance workflows, compliance standards
Operations focus: Badge printing, session tracking, lead retrieval for exhibitors
Choose Splash when you have:
Marketing programs: Field events, roadshows, community meetups, executive dinners
Design priorities: Brand control, visual consistency, marketing campaign integration
Speed requirements: Quick event launches, frequent program updates
Consider the alternative when you want both: One platform for on-site operations, branded sites and emails, session tracking, and exhibitor tools, plus attendee engagement with attendee engagement that supports in-person experiences first.
Looking Ahead With Your Event Strategy
Several 2025 trends influence platform selection. Privacy-first marketing with first-party data becomes more important as third-party cookies disappear. Security standards like SSO and SOC 2 compliance are now baseline requirements. On-site operations continue to prioritize self-serve check-in and instant badge printing.
Future-proofing event technology involves platform interoperability and data control. Look for open APIs, webhooks, and native connectors to CRM, marketing automation, and finance systems. Teams also look for on-site engagement tools, including contests and points, which the platform supports through gamification that ties to check-in and participation.
Accelevents combines end-to-end operations with brand control in one platform. The system includes branded registration pages and emails, on-site check-in with real-time badge printing, customizable mobile apps, session attendance tracking, exhibitor lead capture, and integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Marketo. Originally built for in-person, it now supports all event types with a dedicated Virtual Event Hub, and reviews do not reference outages, signaling reliability in practice.
This approach covers marketing-led field programs and operationally complex conferences within one system. It consolidates core tools across registration, access control, mobile engagement, and reporting, and offers white-label options for full brand control.
Additional Feature Comparisons
Analytics And Reporting
Cvent provides many out-of-the-box reports, but users sometimes note that custom reporting can require significant setup. Splash focuses on campaign metrics for marketing teams, and some users want deeper operational rollups across sessions and exhibitors. The alternative provides real-time dashboards, shareable links, and a unified data layer that ties registration, on-site scans, mobile participation, and virtual access together for accurate counts.
Lead Capture And Tracking
Cvent offers exhibitor lead apps that may carry per-exhibitor costs and hardware guidance. Splash relies more on guest list and marketing attribution, which may not satisfy trade show exhibitors. The alternative includes mobile lead capture with QR scanning, offline support, unlimited users, real-time reports, lead scoring, note-taking, and integrated meeting-booking.
Integrations And API
Cvent integrates with major CRMs and marketing tools, and some connections may require services. Splash integrates with common marketing stacks and data warehouses, and deeper two-way syncs may need custom work. The alternative includes no charges for native integrations and deep connectors to Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and association systems, and provides REST APIs and webhooks without access fees.
Call For Papers And Speaker Management
Cvent handles session creation and speaker roles, and teams sometimes add separate CFP tools to manage submissions and reviews. Splash usually relies on external workflows for speaker calls. The alternative supports native CFP and abstracts, multiple submission paths, automatic reviewer assignment, and a speaker portal with task management, plus dedicated speaker management tools.
Exhibitor Management
Cvent provides exhibitor tools tied to sessions and lead capture, and some users note complexity when coordinating assets and staff. Splash focuses more on marketing assets than vendor operations. The alternative includes an all-in-one exhibitor portal to manage digital listings, capture leads, book demos, coordinate teams, and track ROI.
Support For Continuing Education Credit Tracking
Cvent offers session tracking and certificates, often configured per program. Splash typically is not used for credit issuance. The alternative provides automated credit assignment, a flexible program builder, instant certificate generation, self-service retrieval, audit trails, and LMS integration.
White-Label Branding Options
Cvent allows branding across sites and apps, though complete removal of platform labels may require specific packages. Splash emphasizes brand-forward experiences, and some global elements may still reference the platform. The alternative supports full white-label branding across web, mobile, and virtual environments with customizable themes, aided by white-label controls.
Role-Based Access And Compliance
Cvent offers granular permissions with enterprise security options. Splash supports roles aligned to marketing teams. The alternative includes custom roles, SSO, MFA, SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance, and detailed security audit logging.
Target Users And Industries
Cvent often serves global enterprises and large portfolios and has grown largely by acquisitions, which is reflected in its certification programs and training paths. Splash focuses on marketing teams running roadshows, meetups, and customer programs, and is often selected by demand generation groups. The alternative is suitable for conferences, trade shows, fundraisers, internal meetings, and continuing education events, especially for enterprises, associations, agencies, and nonprofits. It also supports sector-specific needs like media programs through solutions for the media industry and services for agencies.
In-Person, Virtual, And Hybrid Capabilities
Cvent and Splash both support virtual components, with differences in dedicated hubs and packaging. The alternative was originally designed for in-person, now supports all event types, includes native badge printing and mobile check-in, and offers a modular Virtual Event Hub for teams that need it.
Uptime And Reliability
This comparison does not make uptime claims. Notably, reviews for the alternative do not reference outages, which is encouraging for planners running high-stakes programs.
Where This Leaves Your Choice
Cvent remains a strong fit for large enterprises with complex operational requirements and teams willing to invest in training. Splash suits marketing-led programs that prioritize design and campaign speed. The alternative bridges complex enterprise features and ease of use, delivering a balanced, highly customizable, all-in-one event solution. If you run large-scale conference programs alongside frequent field events, you can standardize on one platform instead of splitting tools.
FAQs About Splash Vs Cvent
Does Cvent own Splash event marketing platform?
Yes, Cvent announced the acquisition of Splash in 2024 to expand its field marketing capabilities while maintaining Splash as a distinct product offering within its portfolio.
What types of events work better with Cvent compared to Splash?
Cvent works better for complex, large-scale conferences and trade shows that require complex registration workflows and on-site management, while Splash works better for branded field marketing events, roadshows, and customer experiences where design and marketing integration are priorities.
How do Cvent and Splash pricing models compare?
Cvent typically uses enterprise pricing with implementation fees and annual contracts based on usage volume, while Splash offers marketing-focused subscription pricing that may include per-event fees or packages with fewer setup costs.
Can small businesses use Cvent or Splash effectively?
Small businesses can use Splash for branded marketing events with less overhead and faster setup, while Cvent may be more suitable when they require enterprise event management capabilities and can justify the higher investment and implementation resources.
Request a demo to explore how Accelevents can simplify your event management process.
