# SeatCanvas LLM Info ## Overview SeatCanvas is a web-based seating chart planner for weddings, quinceañeras, corporate events, galas, baby showers, and birthday parties. Event organizers use it to arrange tables on a visual canvas, manage guest lists, and export print-ready layouts. **Last Updated:** 2026-07-10 **Category:** Event Planning Software / Seating Chart Maker **Platform:** Web (SaaS) **URL:** https://www.seatcanvas.app **Languages:** English, Spanish ## Quick Facts | Feature | Details | | :--- | :--- | | **Deployment** | Web-based (SaaS), no installation required. | | **Pricing Model** | Freemium. **Free Tier**: Up to 40 seated guests with full features. **Event Pass**: One-time payment ($19.99 USD) for unlimited seating. No subscriptions. | | **Access** | Google or Microsoft Sign-In for cloud save. Guest access available via demo mode (no signup). | | **Exports** | PDF (printable summary with layout + guest list), PNG (high-res image), CSV (spreadsheet data). | | **Guest Management** | Manual entry, CSV import, group/family logic via Invite IDs. | | **Integration** | MCP server for AI assistants (Model Context Protocol): pricing, capacity estimates, and planner prefill — see /mcp. No REST API or embeddable widgets. | | **Demo** | Try instantly at /planner?demo=2077 — pre-loaded layout, no account required. | ## Capabilities ### Seat Map Creation * **Canvas Editor**: Drag-and-drop interface for placing tables and guests on a zoomable canvas. * **Table Types**: Round and rectangular tables with customizable seat counts. * **Drawing Tools**: Pen, line, and rectangle tools for sketching venue features (walls, dance floors, stages). * **Smart Snapping**: Optional grid snapping plus alignment guides that appear when tables or drawings line up — hold Alt to bypass. ### Guest List Management * **Spreadsheet View**: Excel-like interface for managing guest data. * **CSV Import**: Import guest lists from CSV files — map columns to fields during import. * **Fields**: * `Name` (required) * `Invite ID` (groups guests into parties/families) * `Carrier` (primary contact for the group) * `Side` (gender-neutral: two host sides labeled with custom host names, plus Joint) * `Relationship` (Family, Friend, Colleague, etc.) * `Dietary Restrictions` (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, etc.) * `Mobility Issues` (Wheelchair, Needs Elevator, etc.) * `Notes` (free text) * **Conflict Detection**: "Collision Creator" marks specific guests as incompatible — warns if they're placed at the same table. ### Smart Features * **Auto-grouping on Import**: During CSV import, SeatCanvas auto-detects and groups families, relationships, and tags from the imported data. * **Group Highlighting**: Click a guest to highlight everyone in their invite group across the canvas. * **Collision Warnings**: Visual alerts when incompatible guests are seated at the same table. ### Export & Reporting * **PDF Export**: Printable summary with the visual seating layout and a full guest list. * **PNG Export**: High-resolution image of the seating chart canvas. * **CSV Export**: Downloads guest list data for use in other tools. ## Website Content SeatCanvas publishes guides and articles on event seating: * **Blog**: 25+ posts covering wedding seating charts, tool comparisons, free alternatives, and AI-assisted planning. Available at /blog. * **Feature Pages**: Dedicated pages for drag-and-drop builder, CSV guest import, high-quality exports, and the MCP server. * **Free Tools**: Wedding alcohol calculator at /tools/wedding-alcohol-calculator — free drink shopping-list calculator, no signup. * **Help Center**: FAQ and usage guides at /help. ## FAQ **Q: Does SeatCanvas support APIs or embeds?** A: It exposes an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server so AI assistants can query pricing, estimate table capacity, and prefill a seating plan — details at /mcp. There is no REST API and no embeddable widgets. **Q: Can I import guest lists from Excel (.xlsx)?** A: Not directly. Save the spreadsheet as a CSV file first (File > Save As > CSV in Excel or Google Sheets), then import the CSV. Native .xlsx import is not supported. **Q: How is data stored?** A: Securely in the cloud, linked to the user's Google or Microsoft account. **Q: Can I use it for free?** A: Yes. The free tier includes all features for up to 40 seated guests. The $19.99 Event Pass removes that limit. **Q: Does it handle RSVPs?** A: No. SeatCanvas is for planning seating after RSVPs are collected. It does not send invitations or track responses. **Q: What events does SeatCanvas support?** A: Weddings, quinceañeras, birthday parties, baby showers, corporate events, gala dinners, and any other seated event. --- ## Blog - [Best Wedding Table Planner for Guests with Dietary Restrictions](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/wedding-table-planner-dietary-restrictions): A wedding table planner for guests with dietary restrictions has to seat the room and hand the caterer every meal note. Here is the exact setup that works. - [Best Seating Chart Generator for Multicultural Weddings](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/seating-chart-generator-multicultural-weddings): A multicultural wedding seating chart merges two families and two sets of etiquette into one room. SeatCanvas seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. Start free. - [Best Seating Chart Maker for Barn Weddings](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/seating-chart-maker-barn-weddings): A barn wedding seating chart works around center posts, a long floor, and a venue that hands you no map. SeatCanvas seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. - [Best Seating Chart Maker for Beach Weddings](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/seating-chart-maker-beach-weddings): A beach wedding seating chart fights sand, wind off the water, and a sunset clock. SeatCanvas seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. Start the plan free. - [Best Table Seating Planner for Destination Weddings](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/table-seating-planner-destination-weddings): A destination wedding seating chart spans three days and a venue you have never stood in. SeatCanvas seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. Start the plan free. - [Best Seating Chart Generator for Corporate Events](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/seating-chart-generator-corporate-events): A corporate event seating chart juggles clients, hierarchy, and a room full of name cards. SeatCanvas seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. Build the plan free. - [Best Wedding Seating Chart App for Overwhelmed Brides](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/wedding-seating-chart-app-overwhelmed-brides): Overwhelmed by the wedding seating chart? The right app removes decisions instead of adding them. SeatCanvas seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. Start free. - [Best Seating Chart Maker for Quinceañeras](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/seating-chart-maker-quinceaneras): A quinceañera seating chart juggles a corte de honor, padrinos, and 250 guests. SeatCanvas runs in Spanish, seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. Start free. - [Best Seating Chart Planner for DIY Brides](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/best-seating-chart-planner-diy-brides): A DIY bride builds the whole wedding herself, seating chart included. SeatCanvas hands you the canvas, seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. Start free. - [Best Wedding Seating Chart Generator for Bilingual Weddings](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/wedding-seating-chart-generator-bilingual-weddings): A bilingual wedding seats guests for conversation across the language line. SeatCanvas runs in English and Spanish, seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. - [Best Seating Chart Maker for Outdoor Weddings](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/seating-chart-maker-outdoor-weddings): An outdoor wedding seating chart fights wind, a rain plan, and a tent with no walls. SeatCanvas seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. Start the plan free. - [Best Wedding Table Planner for Blended Families](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/wedding-table-planner-blended-families): A wedding table planner for blended families seats four parent units, stepsiblings, and half-siblings without ranking anyone. Here is the pattern that works. - [Best Seating Chart Tool for Mexican Weddings](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/seating-chart-tool-mexican-weddings): A seating chart tool for a Mexican wedding has to handle padrinos, tías, and 180 guests. SeatCanvas: Spanish app, $19.99 one-time, 40 seats free first. - [Best Seating Chart Maker for Small Weddings (Under 50 Guests)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/seating-chart-maker-small-weddings): A seating chart maker for small weddings under 50 guests should stay out of your way. SeatCanvas seats 40 free, then $19.99 one-time. Finished by lunch. - [Best Wedding Seating Chart Planner for Last-Minute Brides](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/wedding-seating-chart-planner-last-minute-brides): A wedding seating chart planner for last-minute brides has to be fast: import the RSVP sheet, place tables, export the PDF. Here is what actually works. - [Best Seating Chart Generator for Weddings with Divorced Parents](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/wedding-seating-chart-divorced-parents): A wedding seating chart generator for divorced parents has to handle the family politics first. Here is what works, what to skip, and how to seat both sides. - [Best Wedding Seating Chart Maker for Couples on a Budget](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/wedding-seating-chart-maker-budget): A wedding seating chart maker for couples on a budget should not lock you into a monthly bill or break at 30 guests. Here is what works, what to skip, and the real math. - [Best Seating Chart Maker for Large Weddings (200+ Guests)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/seating-chart-maker-large-weddings): The best seating chart maker for large weddings handles 200+ guests, CSV imports, and last-minute RSVPs without falling apart. Here is what works at scale. - [Canva Seating Chart Alternative: When Templates Stop Working](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/canva-seating-chart-alternative): Canva seating chart templates look polished but collapse past 30 guests. A side-by-side look at what works, what breaks, and the dedicated alternative. - [How to Create a Seating Chart for a Wedding: 8 Steps](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/wedding-seating-chart-guide): How to create a seating chart for a wedding in 8 steps—RSVPs to vendor copies. No leftover tables, no avoidable drama. Step-by-step breakdown inside. - [SeatCanvas: The Visual Seating Chart App for Any Event](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/what-is-seatcanvas): SeatCanvas is the browser-based seating chart app with drag-and-drop planning, CSV import, and PDF export. Try it free — no install needed. - [Free Seating Chart Maker: What You Get Without Paying (2026)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/free-seating-chart-maker): What a free seating chart maker actually gives you in 2026 — real seat caps, export limits, and where each free option stops being free. - [How to Use an AI Seating Chart Generator (ChatGPT & Claude)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/ai-seating-chart-generator): Learn how to prompt ChatGPT or Claude as an AI seating chart generator. Automate the miserable math in seconds, then map it to a visual floor plan. - [The Knot Seating Chart Tool — Does It Exist? Best Alternative](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/the-knot-seating-chart-alternative): The Knot gives you printable templates and a guest list — not a drag-and-drop floor plan. Here's what it covers, and the alternative couples switch to. - [Create a Wedding Seating Chart Without Losing Your Mind](https://www.seatcanvas.app/blog/how-to-create-wedding-seating-chart): How to create a wedding seating chart that prioritizes guest comfort over perfect math. A step-by-step guide to avoiding family drama and messy tables. ## Alternatives - [SeatPlan.io Alternative: SeatCanvas for One Event (2026)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/alternative/seatplan): SeatPlan.io is free to design but charges to save or export. SeatCanvas is free up to 40 guests with export included, then $19.99 one-time for unlimited seating. - [SeatingPlannerApp Alternative: SeatCanvas, One-Time (2026)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/alternative/seatingplannerapp): SeatingPlannerApp has AI auto-arrange. SeatCanvas trades it for a published $19.99 one-time price, no subscription, a Spanish version, and PDF/PNG/CSV export. - [WeddingWire Seating Chart Alternative: SeatCanvas Standalone (2026)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/alternative/weddingwire): WeddingWire's seating chart is free but locked inside its vendor marketplace. SeatCanvas is standalone: any browser, custom tables, a vendor-ready PDF export. - [Zola Seating Chart Alternative: SeatCanvas for Any Browser (2026)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/alternative/zola): Zola's seating chart lives only in its iOS app and caps the free tier at 15 guests. SeatCanvas runs in any browser, imports your CSV, exports a vendor PDF. - [PerfectTablePlan Alternative: SeatCanvas Online (2026)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/alternative/perfecttableplan): PerfectTablePlan is a 20-year-old Windows/Mac desktop app. SeatCanvas is the browser alternative: $19.99 one-time, permanent free tier up to 40 guests. - [AllSeated Alternative: SeatCanvas for Small Weddings (2026)](https://www.seatcanvas.app/alternative/allseated): AllSeated rebranded to Prismm and got acquired by Cvent. SeatCanvas is the $19.99 one-time seating chart for couples and small planners who skip the demo call. --- ## Alternatives — full content ### SeatPlan.io Alternative: SeatCanvas for One Event (2026) ## SeatPlan.io vs SeatCanvas: same idea, different structure SeatCanvas is a browser-based drag-and-drop seating chart planner for weddings and events — free up to 40 seated guests and $19.99 one-time for unlimited seating, with PDF, PNG, and CSV export in English or Spanish. SeatPlan.io is a browser-based seating chart maker too: free to design with no guest cap, with saving, exporting, and real-time collaboration on paid tiers. The two are close cousins. Both run in a browser, both take a CSV of your guests, both let you drag names onto round and rectangular tables, and both hand you a print-ready chart at the end. There's no desktop-vs-cloud gap here and no enterprise-vs-consumer gap. Two web apps, the same job, different bets on how you pay and what you get. So the honest comparison lives in two places: what each tool can do, and where the money changes hands. SeatPlan bets on collaboration and scale; SeatCanvas bets on one event, one price, export included. Neither bet is wrong — they're aimed at different people. ## What SeatPlan.io does well Credit where it's due, and there's a lot of it. SeatPlan's **real-time collaboration** is a real feature, not a checkbox. On its paid tiers, several people can edit the same chart at once — useful when a couple, a planner, and a venue coordinator are all touching the same layout. SeatCanvas has nothing like it; sharing here is a read-only link. That's a clear point for SeatPlan. Its **AI floor-plan import** is genuinely clever: upload a photo, a screenshot, or a PDF of the venue and it builds an editable layout for you to refine. If you're starting from a venue's existing floor plan, that's a real head start SeatCanvas can't match. SeatPlan also leans into **running the event, not just planning it**: guest check-in links, a guest-facing QR sign so people find their own table, and reusable templates for planners doing this every month. It exports A3 PDFs, Excel seat lists for caterers, and printable place cards. And its free designer has **no guest cap** — you can lay out a 300-person room without paying a cent, as long as you don't need to save or export it yet. Those are all genuine strengths. If your work is professional and repeated, SeatPlan is built for you. ## Where SeatCanvas is the better pick The split comes down to two things you can check before you commit: **when you pay**, and **what the free tier actually gives you**. On SeatPlan, designing is free but the design is ephemeral — free and anonymous work isn't stored, and saving or exporting a chart requires buying a plan. The cheapest way to keep your chart is a one-time purchase with time-limited (90-day) access; unlimited events and collaboration are a monthly subscription. That's a fair model, but it means the moment you want to save your work or hand a PDF to your caterer, you're at a paywall. SeatCanvas draws the line differently. The [free tier](/pricing) is permanent and it **includes export**: events up to 40 seated guests get the full canvas and every export format — [PDF, PNG, and CSV](/feature/high-quality-exports) — with no timer and no card on file. If your wedding fits under 40 guests, you can plan it, save it, and print it without paying anything. When you outgrow 40 guests, unlimited seating is a single [$19.99 one-time Event Pass](/pricing). No subscription, no renewal, no 90-day clock. SeatCanvas also ships a full [Spanish-language version](/wedding-seating-chart). For a Quinceañera or a bilingual wedding where half the family reads Spanish first, that's the difference between a usable tool and a frustrating one. I couldn't find a Spanish version of SeatPlan (checked July 2026). The trade is real and worth stating plainly: SeatPlan's free design has no guest cap and SeatCanvas's is 40 — so for a huge room you want to sketch for free before committing, SeatPlan's ceiling is higher. But SeatCanvas is the only one of the two where the free tier lets you actually **keep and export** the finished chart. ## Moving your guest list over If you started in SeatPlan, the move is quick, because you almost certainly already have the raw material: the guest-list CSV you imported in the first place. 1. Find the CSV or spreadsheet you imported into SeatPlan. If you don't have it, copy your names and party sizes into a spreadsheet and save it as CSV. 2. [Open the SeatCanvas planner](/planner) — no sign-in needed for events up to 40 guests. 3. Click the guest-list icon, choose Import CSV, and upload the file. 4. Use the [column-mapping step](/feature/excel-csv-guest-import) to match your columns to SeatCanvas's name and party-size fields. The table layout doesn't transfer — you'll redraw the room in SeatCanvas — but for a wedding-scale list that's a few minutes of dragging, and then you export a [PDF or PNG](/feature/high-quality-exports) for the day. ## Bottom line SeatPlan.io makes a strong case if collaboration, AI floor-plan import, check-in, and reusable templates are the features you'd use most — and if paying per save or subscribing monthly fits how often you run events. It's a capable, well-built tool, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. But for one event, planned by one person, SeatCanvas answers the two questions that matter most: - **When do I pay?** Never, up to 40 guests — export included. Then $19.99 one-time for unlimited seating, printed on the [pricing page](/pricing). No subscription, no 90-day clock. - **What can I get out of it?** PDF, PNG, and CSV export, in English or Spanish, off a permanent free tier. If real-time collaboration across a team is the thing you can't live without, SeatPlan. Otherwise, [open the SeatCanvas planner](/planner) and drag your first table onto the canvas. (Comparing other direct tools? See [SeatCanvas vs SeatingPlannerApp](/alternative/seatingplannerapp) and [SeatCanvas vs PerfectTablePlan](/alternative/perfecttableplan), or browse the full [alternatives hub](/alternative).) --- ### SeatingPlannerApp Alternative: SeatCanvas, One-Time (2026) ## SeatingPlannerApp vs SeatCanvas: two tools, one job SeatingPlannerApp and SeatCanvas are both browser-based seating chart makers built to answer the same question: how do you lay out a room full of people who mostly don't know each other? Both run in a browser, both take a CSV of your guests, both let you drag names into seats and hand a chart to your caterer. This is the closest head-to-head in the whole comparison set — no desktop-vs-cloud gap, no enterprise-vs-consumer gap. Two web apps, similar shape, different bets. So the honest comparison lives in the details: what each one does that the other doesn't, and what you actually pay. ## What SeatingPlannerApp does well Credit where it's due. SeatingPlannerApp's one-click AI auto-arrange is a real feature — it reads your guest list and suggests an optimal arrangement in a single click. SeatCanvas has nothing like it. If you want a starting layout generated for you instead of dragging every guest yourself, that's a point for SeatingPlannerApp, full stop. It also tracks guest dietary needs and folds them into the exports your vendors get — handy when the caterer needs a per-table count of the vegetarians. And it color-codes guests by family, friends, and colleagues, so you can see the shape of the room at a glance. Those three things — auto-arrange, dietary tracking, color-coded groups — are genuine strengths, and SeatCanvas either does them manually or not at all. ## Where SeatCanvas is the better pick SeatCanvas wins on two counts you can check before you commit: a published $19.99 one-time price, and PDF, PNG, and CSV export. The gap opens up around price and what you can actually get out of the tool. SeatCanvas costs [$19.99 one-time for the Event Pass](/pricing). That number is printed on the pricing page. There's no subscription. SeatingPlannerApp is free to start, but its premium features unlock through a subscribe flow, and as of July 2026 the premium price isn't posted on a public pricing page — you find out when you go to subscribe. For a single wedding, a published price you can see before you commit beats a "free to start" whose real cost only shows up at checkout. Export is the other split. SeatCanvas gives you three formats — [PDF, PNG, and CSV](/feature/high-quality-exports): a print-ready chart for the venue wall, an image for the group chat, and the data back out if you need it. SeatingPlannerApp documents one — a PDF — plus a read-only share link. The PDF covers the caterer; the PNG and CSV are the parts you'll miss if you want an image or your data back. And SeatCanvas ships a full [Spanish-language version](/wedding-seating-chart). For a Quinceañera or a bilingual wedding where half the family reads Spanish first, that's not a nice-to-have — it's whether the tool is usable for the people planning the party. I couldn't find a Spanish version of SeatingPlannerApp. The [free tier](/pricing) is permanent, too: events up to 40 seated guests get the full canvas and every export format, no timer, no card on file. SeatingPlannerApp is free to start, but the line between free and premium isn't published. ## Moving your guest list over If you started in SeatingPlannerApp, the move is quick because you almost certainly already have the raw material: the CSV you uploaded in the first place. 1. Find the guest-list CSV you imported into SeatingPlannerApp. If you don't have it, copy your names and party sizes into a spreadsheet and save it as CSV. 2. [Open the SeatCanvas planner](/planner) — no sign-in needed for events up to 40 guests. 3. Click the guest list icon, choose Import CSV, and upload the file. 4. Use the [column-mapping step](/feature/excel-csv-guest-import) to match your columns to SeatCanvas's name and party-size fields. The room layout doesn't transfer — you'll redraw the tables in SeatCanvas — but for a wedding-scale list that's a few minutes of dragging, and then you export a [PDF or PNG](/feature/high-quality-exports) for the day. ## Bottom line SeatingPlannerApp makes a good case if AI auto-arrange, dietary tracking, and color-coded groups are the features you'd use most, and you're fine unlocking premium at a price you'll see at checkout. It's a capable tool and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. But for one event, planned by one person, SeatCanvas answers the two questions that matter most: - **What does it cost?** $19.99 one-time, printed on the [pricing page](/pricing). No subscription. - **What can I get out of it?** PDF, PNG, and CSV export, in English or Spanish, off a permanent free tier up to 40 guests. If a one-click starting layout is the thing you can't live without, SeatingPlannerApp. Otherwise, [open the SeatCanvas planner](/planner) and drag your first table onto the canvas. (Comparing other direct tools? See [SeatCanvas vs PerfectTablePlan](/alternative/perfecttableplan) and our take on [AI seating chart generators](/blog/ai-seating-chart-generator).) --- ### WeddingWire Seating Chart Alternative: SeatCanvas Standalone (2026) ## The seating chart inside the marketplace WeddingWire is a vendor marketplace first. It's where couples find and book photographers, florists, venues, and caterers, read reviews, and run a wedding website and registry. That's the product. The seating chart is one of the free planning tools bundled alongside the guest list, the checklist, and the website builder. And the seating chart is fine. It's free, it syncs with your WeddingWire guest list, you drag names onto circular or square tables, you carve out custom areas for the bar and the dance floor. There's even an AI feature that suggests initial groupings when you're staring at a blank room. For a couple already living inside WeddingWire, opening the seating tool is one more tab in a place they already know. The catch is the boundary. The chart only works inside the marketplace. You need a WeddingWire account, your guests have to live in WeddingWire's guest list first, and the tool assumes you're there to book vendors too. If you just want a seating chart — nothing else — you're signing up for a marketplace to get one feature. ## What WeddingWire does better The marketplace itself. Vendor search, verified reviews, a wedding website, a registry, RSVP collection — WeddingWire runs the whole wedding. SeatCanvas does none of that and never will. If you want one login for booking vendors through seating them, WeddingWire is built for exactly that and SeatCanvas isn't. The guest list sync is genuinely convenient. Because the seating chart reads straight from your WeddingWire guest list, there's no import step — your guests are already there when you open the tool. And WeddingWire handles seating across multiple celebration events, not just the reception, which matters for a multi-day wedding. It's free with no guest cap. WeddingWire's seating chart doesn't meter you by headcount. SeatCanvas is free up to 40 guests and then asks for a one-time [Event Pass](/pricing) for unlimited seating. For a large wedding on a strict zero-dollar budget, that's a real point for WeddingWire — and the AI grouping suggestions are something SeatCanvas doesn't offer at all. ## What SeatCanvas does instead No marketplace to join. SeatCanvas is the seating chart and only the seating chart. Sign in with Google or Microsoft, draw the room, seat your guests. You're not creating a vendor-marketplace profile to lay out one reception. Bring your own guest list. SeatCanvas takes any CSV — from a spreadsheet, from WeddingWire's own export, from another planner. [Import it](/feature/excel-csv-guest-import), map the columns, start seating. WeddingWire can import a spreadsheet too, but into its guest list, which then feeds the chart; SeatCanvas drops your CSV straight into the planner. More room shapes. Round, rectangular, and custom tables instead of circular and square. For a long banquet layout or an irregular venue, that flexibility is the difference between a chart that matches the room and one that approximates it. Exports that leave the platform. [PDF, PNG, and a CSV of seat assignments](/feature/high-quality-exports). The PDF is print-ready for the venue and the caterer. There's also a Spanish-language interface — useful for Quinceañeras and bilingual families — and no vendor ads in your face while you work. ## Moving your guest list from WeddingWire WeddingWire's guest list exports as a spreadsheet, so the transfer is quick. 1. Log in to WeddingWire, hover over **Planning Tools**, and click **Guest List**. 2. Open your event, click **Export** on the right, and choose the download option to save the guest data as a spreadsheet. 3. Open the [SeatCanvas planner](/planner) in any browser. No WeddingWire account needed on this side. 4. Click the guest list icon → **Import CSV** → upload the WeddingWire export. If it downloaded as an .xls, save it as .csv first. 5. In the column-mapping step, match WeddingWire's **name** column to SeatCanvas's name field and set party size. 6. Draw your room in SeatCanvas, drag guests into seats, and export a PDF for your venue. The seat positions from WeddingWire don't carry over — its chart layout doesn't export to a portable format — but the guest data does, and redrawing the room takes 10 to 15 minutes for most layouts. See the [CSV import feature](/feature/excel-csv-guest-import) for column-mapping details. ## Honest take WeddingWire and The Knot are the same company now — The Knot Worldwide, formed when the two merged in 2018 — so if you're weighing WeddingWire you may also be looking at [SeatCanvas vs The Knot](/blog/the-knot-seating-chart-alternative). They do not run the same play, though: WeddingWire's free drag-and-drop chart sits as one feature inside a vendor marketplace, while The Knot ships printable seating chart templates and leaves the arranging to you. If you're already booking your vendors, building your website, and collecting RSVPs through WeddingWire, use its seating chart. It's free, it's right there, and the guest list is already loaded. But if you want a seating chart without the marketplace around it — your own CSV, custom table shapes, exports that go straight to the venue, no account in a vendor directory — that's [SeatCanvas](/planner). Free up to 40 guests, a one-time unlock for more, open in any browser. For other comparisons, the [alternatives hub](/alternative) has the full set — including [SeatCanvas vs Zola](/alternative/zola), the other free-bundled suite, and [SeatCanvas vs AllSeated](/alternative/allseated) for the enterprise end. Or just [see the pricing](/pricing) and start free. --- ### Zola Seating Chart Alternative: SeatCanvas for Any Browser (2026) ## Zola's planning suite and the seating chart Zola is a genuine force in US wedding planning. The registry platform connects to major retailers. The free website builder is fast and well-designed. The checklist, RSVP tool, and vendor search are all free. Couples who use Zola often spend the year before their wedding living inside it. The seating chart gets included. It's inside the Zola iOS app: your guest list syncs automatically, you arrange tables, you drag names into seats. For couples already on Zola and on an iPhone, it's convenient. Two things send people looking for an alternative. The seating chart is iOS only — no desktop browser, no Android. And the free tier covers 15 guests, which doesn't reach most weddings. ## What Zola does better The full planning suite. Registry, website, RSVPs, vendor search, checklist — none of this exists in SeatCanvas. Zola is designed to run your entire wedding. If you want one place that handles invites through seating to vendor communications, Zola has that and SeatCanvas doesn't. The native iOS app is genuinely smooth. Zola has invested heavily in the mobile experience. If you're managing your wedding from your iPhone and already have Zola, the seating chart loads fast with your guest list already there. The guest list sync is real. Open the seating chart and your Zola guests are right there — no import step, no CSV column-mapping. For couples who've been building their guest list in Zola's RSVP tool, that continuity matters. ## What SeatCanvas does instead Any browser. Laptop, Android tablet, iPhone, Windows desktop — SeatCanvas runs wherever there's a browser. Zola's seating chart has no web version and no Android version. If you're on Android, or your partner prefers a laptop, SeatCanvas is the path. The free tier covers 40 guests, not 15. For a smaller wedding, that's free all the way. For a bigger one, the [Event Pass](/pricing) is a one-time unlock — not a subscription, and not tied to a single device the way an in-app purchase is. Standalone use. SeatCanvas takes any CSV. Your guest list from an Excel spreadsheet, from WeddingWire, from another planner — import it, map the columns, start seating. There's no requirement to have built your guest list inside a specific ecosystem first. [CSV import](/feature/excel-csv-guest-import) handles any column layout. Tables come in round, rectangular, or custom shapes — more than Zola's circular and square. Export to PDF, PNG, or CSV. The PDF is print-ready for venues. And there's a Spanish-language interface — relevant for Quinceañeras and bilingual families. ## Moving your guest list from Zola Zola's guest list tool is browser-based — the export lives there, not in the iOS app. 1. Log in to Zola and go to **zola.com/wedding-planning/guests**. 2. Click **"Export RSVPs"** in the upper right. Download the .csv file with names, RSVP status, and meal choices. 3. Open the [SeatCanvas planner](/planner) in any browser. No iOS needed. 4. Click the guest list icon → **Import CSV** → upload the Zola export. 5. In the column-mapping step, map Zola's **"Name"** column to SeatCanvas's name field. Choose **"Full name"** in the dropdown — Zola combines first and last names into one column. 6. Draw your room layout in SeatCanvas, drag guests into seats, and export a PDF for your venue. The seating assignments from Zola don't transfer — Zola's chart layout doesn't export to a portable format. But the guest data does, and redrawing the room takes 10-15 minutes for most layouts. See the [CSV import feature page](/feature/excel-csv-guest-import) for column mapping details and the [alternatives hub](/alternative) for other comparisons — including [SeatCanvas vs AllSeated](/alternative/allseated) if you're also looking at enterprise event tools, and [SeatCanvas vs PerfectTablePlan](/alternative/perfecttableplan) for the desktop-app comparison. ## Honest take Zola's seating chart is a convenience feature inside a larger product. It's iOS-only, the free tier stops at 15 guests, and unlocking more is an in-app purchase tethered to the app and a Zola account. If you're all-in on Zola and planning from your iPhone, the built-in chart is fine. Use it. If you need to plan from a laptop, work on Android, or want a purpose-built seating chart that accepts your own CSV and exports vendor-ready PDFs — [SeatCanvas](/planner) is a tab you open. Free up to 40 guests, a one-time unlock for more, no device restriction. For other comparisons, the [alternatives hub](/alternative) has the full set — including the [WeddingWire alternative](/alternative/weddingwire), the other free-bundled planning suite. [See the full pricing breakdown](/pricing) or start free. --- ### PerfectTablePlan Alternative: SeatCanvas Online (2026) ## The 20-year desktop tool vs the browser tab PerfectTablePlan launched in 2005. Two decades of iteration on one idea: help someone lay out a seating chart without a spreadsheet. The auto-seating algorithm is the most-cited reason people stick with it — a genetic algorithm that scores seating arrangements against your proximity rules (who should sit near whom, who definitely should not) and surfaces the highest-scoring plan. For a guest list with complex social constraints, 200 people, and a half-dozen family fault lines, that algorithm earns its keep. The tradeoff is the delivery model. The answer to "where does this run?" in 2005 was Windows. Then Mac. Twenty years later, that's still the answer. Plans are local files. There's no cloud. There's no mobile version. Syncing across devices means emailing a .ptp file. If you want to check the chart on your phone at the venue, you can't. SeatCanvas works from a browser tab. No install, no file management, no version cycle. The free tier covers 40 guests — enough for a smaller wedding or ceremony with no card required. The Event Pass is $19.99 one-time for anything over 40 guests. When you're done, you export a PDF and close the tab. That's the whole transaction. ## What PerfectTablePlan does better The auto-seating algorithm is the real win. PerfectTablePlan's genetic algorithm processes proximity rules — sit X near Y, keep A away from B — across hundreds of permutations and finds the best arrangement it can. For a couple managing divorced parents, multiple friend groups that don't mix, and elderly relatives who need a specific corner of the room: run the algorithm, then tweak manually. SeatCanvas doesn't have an equivalent; you drag and seat everyone yourself. Offline use is a genuine advantage for some situations. PerfectTablePlan installs on your computer and runs without an internet connection. If your venue has unreliable Wi-Fi and you're updating the chart on a laptop day-of, PerfectTablePlan doesn't care. SeatCanvas needs a browser connection for saving and rendering. The Professional edition also targets coordinators running multiple events as a business tool, not just one wedding. If you're a professional planner doing 20+ events a year, PerfectTablePlan's depth — meal tracking, place card printing, custom reports — fits that workflow. SeatCanvas prices per event, not per planner. ## What SeatCanvas does instead Any device. A browser on a laptop, a phone at the venue, a tablet the coordinator can carry through the room. PerfectTablePlan's answer to "can I check the chart on my phone?" is no. Cloud save. Update the chart at home on your laptop; your partner can open it from work an hour later. No file attachment, no version-number confusion. PerfectTablePlan requires manually sharing the .ptp file each time it changes. A permanent free tier. Forty guests, full canvas, full export tools, no timer. A small wedding or cocktail party costs nothing. PerfectTablePlan's trial eventually runs out and you buy or you stop. And $19.99. PerfectTablePlan's licenses are priced per user — fine for one person, but if two of you are managing the plan, you're paying for two seats, with no cloud sync to share the file anyway. SeatCanvas's $19.99 Event Pass is per event, accessed from any device under the same account. ## Moving your guest list from PerfectTablePlan The floor plan itself doesn't migrate — PerfectTablePlan's .ptp format is proprietary and SeatCanvas can't read it directly. You'll redraw the room layout, which takes a few minutes. The guest list is the more time-consuming part, and that does transfer cleanly: 1. Open your plan in PerfectTablePlan. Go to **File → Export** and select "guest and seating data to Excel/CSV/delimited text file." 2. In the Export Data window, choose **CSV** format. Select whether you want a record per guest or per group, then save the file. 3. Open the [SeatCanvas planner](/planner). No account required for events under 40 guests. 4. Click the guest list icon → **Import CSV** and upload the file. 5. Map PerfectTablePlan's column names to SeatCanvas's name and party-size fields using the dropdown. Most wedding-scale lists transfer in a few minutes. The redraw of the room layout adds another 10-15 minutes, but also gives you a chance to update the setup if anything changed since you last touched PerfectTablePlan. See the [CSV import feature page](/feature/excel-csv-guest-import) for column mapping details, and the [alternatives hub](/alternative) for other comparisons, including [SeatCanvas vs AllSeated](/alternative/allseated) if you're also evaluating enterprise event tools. ## The honest comparison PerfectTablePlan has 20 years of polish and an auto-seating algorithm that's genuinely useful for complex guest lists. For a professional coordinator or a couple with intricate seating logic, that algorithm is worth the install. For a couple planning one wedding from a laptop — and occasionally checking things on a phone — the install, the local file management, and the absence of mobile access are friction for two months of use. SeatCanvas skips all of it. Open a tab, import the guest list, seat everyone, export the chart, close the tab. [Start the SeatCanvas planner](/planner) or [see the full pricing breakdown](/pricing) first. Both free. --- ### AllSeated Alternative: SeatCanvas for Small Weddings (2026) ## What happened to AllSeated (and why it matters) AllSeated launched in 2014 as a lightweight seating-chart and floor-plan tool. Couples used it. Small venues used it. The interface was simple enough that you could lay out a 120-guest reception in an hour. In January 2024, the company rebranded to Prismm and pivoted hard toward enterprise hospitality — 3D venue walkthroughs, virtual collaboration spaces, sales-team onboarding. Then in April 2025, Cvent bought it. Cvent serves 24,000+ customers in the meetings-and-events industry; Prismm joined a software stack designed for hotels, convention centers, and event-management firms running ongoing sales pipelines. The AllSeated brand the consumer market remembered — fast, free-or-cheap, self-serve — does not exist anymore. The URL still works, but it redirects toward Prismm's sales motion. The planner couples used in 2019 is now part of an enterprise platform priced for venues, not weddings. This page exists because the search graveyard didn't move on. People still type "AllSeated alternative" and "what happened to AllSeated" and "Prismm too expensive" into Google. The honest answer to each is the same: if you wanted what AllSeated used to be, look at SeatCanvas. (Other comparisons worth reading: [SeatCanvas vs The Knot](/blog/the-knot-seating-chart-alternative) and [SeatCanvas vs Canva](/blog/canva-seating-chart-alternative).) ## What SeatCanvas does that the new Prismm does not SeatCanvas costs [$19.99 one-time for the Event Pass](/pricing). There's no subscription. No demo call. No sales engagement. You sign up with Google or Microsoft, drag tables onto a canvas, [import a CSV of your guests](/feature/excel-csv-guest-import), and seat them. The free tier is permanent — events up to 40 guests get the full canvas, full export tools, full feature set. No trial countdown, no card on file. If your wedding is small enough that 40 guests covers it, the entire thing runs on free. The bigger difference is who the product is for. SeatCanvas is built for one person planning one event. The UI assumes you'll use it a few times across a couple of months — once to lay out the room, twice more to revise after RSVPs come in, then a final print before the day. Prismm's UI assumes you're a venue running this every weekend. The trade-off is real. If you need a 3D walkthrough of the room before your fiancé sees it, SeatCanvas doesn't do that. If you need CRM-integrated invoicing for ten weddings a quarter, SeatCanvas doesn't do that either. But for a single wedding with a guest list under 200 people, the enterprise machinery is overkill — and the price reflects that. ## What Prismm does that SeatCanvas does not Prismm's 3D venue walkthroughs are a real feature. You can scan a venue with a phone, generate a virtual walkthrough, and let clients explore the space before they sign. For hotels and convention centers that close high-value events on the strength of a virtual tour, that capability earns its custom-quote pricing. The Cvent CRM integration is also real. Sales teams running ongoing pipelines get pipeline data, attendee analytics, and lead-routing baked into the same surface where the seating gets done. SeatCanvas has no equivalent and no plans to build one. Prismm's collaboration features are useful for teams. Multiple planners can edit a layout in real time, leave comments, hand off across shifts. SeatCanvas's collaboration story is "share a link, the other person can view it" — fine for one couple plus one planner, weak for a five-person event-management firm. The honest version of this comparison: Prismm is the right tool if your job depends on running events professionally. SeatCanvas is the right tool if your job depends on getting one event done well. ## How to move your guest list from Prismm The Prismm export path is documented in their help center. The flow: 1. Sign in to Prismm and open the event you want to migrate. 2. Open the Reports section. Select **Guests** as the Report Type. 3. Configure the Fields dropdown to include name, party size, and any RSVP or meal data you want to keep. 4. Click **GENERATE**, then export to **CSV (Excel)**. That gives you a CSV with whatever columns you picked. In SeatCanvas, [open the planner](/planner) and use the [CSV import wizard](/feature/excel-csv-guest-import). Map the Prismm column names to SeatCanvas's name and party-size fields. Most wedding-scale guest lists transfer in a few minutes — under ten if your list is under 200 people. ![SeatCanvas CSV import wizard mapping Prismm columns to SeatCanvas guest fields](/images/alternatives/import_path.webp) One caveat: Prismm's CSV column headers are customizable, so the exact names depend on which Fields you selected. The import wizard handles this — pick the source column for each SeatCanvas field via a dropdown. There's no rigid format requirement. If you can't access Prismm anymore (account locked, subscription expired, sales team unresponsive), the fallback is screenshot the guest list page and re-enter manually. Tedious for 200 guests, manageable for 50. SeatCanvas's free tier covers the latter. ## Bottom line The structural choice: enterprise platform pricing for venues with ongoing event business, or a one-time-pay tool for the single event you're planning right now. Prismm picked the first; SeatCanvas picks the second. Three reasons SeatCanvas wins for a wedding: - $19.99 one-time vs custom enterprise quote. The price gap is two to three orders of magnitude. - Permanent free tier up to 40 guests. No trial timer, no card on file. - Self-serve sign-up. No demo call, no sales engagement, no waiting on quote turnaround. For other comparisons, the [alternatives hub](/alternative) has the full set — including [SeatCanvas vs Zola](/alternative/zola) if you are weighing the consumer wedding suites rather than the enterprise end. If you're a hotel running corporate events: Prismm. If you're planning one wedding: [open the SeatCanvas planner](/planner). Or [see the full pricing breakdown](/pricing) first.