The short version
If you are searching for a PerfectTablePlan alternative, the first question is not "which tool has more features". It is where you want your seating plan to live: in a file on one computer, or in a browser that you, your partner, your planner and the venue can all open.
PerfectTablePlan is a long-running desktop seating plan application. SeatPlanning is an online seating chart tool. Both seat guests at tables and print a plan. They differ in how you work with it, who else can touch it, and what happens to the guest list around it. This page compares them honestly, including where PerfectTablePlan is the better pick.
What PerfectTablePlan is
According to its own website (checked 10 October 2026), PerfectTablePlan is table seating planning software for weddings, celebrations and events, scaling from a small reception to a "4000+ seat banquet".
- Platforms: Windows and Mac. It works offline with no internet connection required. The homepage does not mention an online version.
- Seating: assign seats automatically or by drag and drop, and experiment with table shapes and sizes.
- Guests: manage guest details, RSVPs, meal choices and preferences, and import guest data.
- Printing: floor plans, seating charts, place and escort cards and other stationery.
- Support: human technical support is included.
Editions and pricing
The vendor lists three editions in one application:
| Edition | Aimed at (vendor wording) | Notable extras over the one below |
|---|---|---|
| Home | People organising their own wedding, party or event | Standard table types, guest import |
| Advanced | Charity organisers, club secretaries, frequent users | Background image on the floor plan, E-shaped and serpentine tables, saved templates, up to 2 custom guest fields |
| Professional | Professional event planners | Up to 20 custom guest fields, custom automatic seat assignment, barcoded IDs and USB barcode check-in (scanner not included) |
The homepage states licences from $29.95 plus tax per user (also shown as £19.95 or €26.95), a one-time payment, installable on up to 5 PCs or Macs, with a free trial and a 14-day money-back guarantee. The vendor's comparison page says that in a trial you cannot save, export or print plans with more than 30 guests without a licence key for that edition.
We could not confirm the price of the Advanced and Professional editions from the vendor's pages, so we do not quote them. Third-party listings disagree with each other, so check the PerfectTablePlan website before you buy.
What PerfectTablePlan is genuinely good at
- A one-off purchase. No subscription. For one wedding, or a planner who wants to own the software, that is attractive.
- Fully offline. No signal at the venue office, no problem.
- Large events. The vendor describes unlimited event size and number of events on every edition.
- Planner depth. Custom automatic seat assignment, many custom guest fields and barcode check-in are real advantages for professionals who already work this way.
- Low entry price. The Home edition is inexpensive.
If those describe you, buy it and be happy. We would rather you pick the right tool than a trial that does not fit.
Where an online seating tool fits better
The reasons people look for an alternative are usually about workflow rather than capability.
- Several people need the plan. A desktop file lives on one machine. SeatPlanning is a browser tool: invite collaborators by email (on plans that allow it), and everyone sees the same chart.
- Guests answer online. SeatPlanning sends branded email invitations with a personal claim link, collects RSVPs and feeds them into the chart. See how wedding guest lists and RSVPs work and how to invite guests.
- QR check-in at the door. Confirmed guests can receive a QR code, scanned on arrival, without installing anything.
- No install, any device. It runs in the browser, so a laptop, a phone or a venue's computer can open it.
- Try before you commit. A free seating chart builder needs no account, and there is a wedding table plan page if that is your use.
The trade-off is simple. An online tool needs a connection and a subscription or event pass; a desktop tool does not.
Comparison table
| PerfectTablePlan | SeatPlanning | |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery | Installed on Windows or Mac | Online, in the browser |
| Works offline | Yes | No |
| Seating by drag and drop | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic seating | Yes | Auto-distribute seats on supported plans |
| Guest import | Yes | Excel or CSV |
| Online RSVP and email invitations | Not listed on the homepage | Built in |
| QR check-in | Barcode check-in on Professional (scanner not included) | QR tickets and door check-in on supported plans |
| Collaboration | Single-user licences | Invite collaborators by email (on supported plans) |
| Free option | Trial, limited to 30 guests for save, export and print | Free builder, no account |
| Pricing model | One-time licence from $29.95 plus tax | See pricing |
PerfectTablePlan details checked 10 October 2026 from the vendor's own pages. Confirm before you buy.
Who should pick which
Pick PerfectTablePlan if you are one person on one computer, want a one-time purchase, need to work offline, or are a professional who relies on its deeper automatic assignment and custom fields.
Pick SeatPlanning if you want to share the plan with a partner, planner or venue, collect RSVPs online, check guests in with QR codes, or open the chart from any device.
Use both ideas together if you like: lay out the room first with the free seating chart builder and see whether the browser workflow suits you before you spend anything.
Before you decide
- Count who edits the plan. One person points to desktop; three or more points online.
- Check your table sizes. Use the table capacity calculator and our guide to round table sizes and seating capacity so the plan fits the room.
- Plan the paper. If you print, our printable seating chart templates show what a clear plan looks like.
- Run one real event in your chosen tool before the busy season.
