Cvent vs Stova: the short answer
Cvent and Stova are the two broadest enterprise event suites in this comparison set. Both cover registration, websites, apps, onsite and virtual. Cvent is larger and adds a venue-sourcing marketplace and hotel room blocks that Stova does not match. Stova is the choice for organisations already on Aventri or MeetingPlay, and for teams that want strong attendee engagement and social features without moving to Cvent.
What is Stova? Stova is the combined company formed from Aventri, MeetingPlay and eventcore. MeetingPlay and Aventri merged, and the business rebranded as Stova in 2022. If you are researching “Cvent vs Aventri”, this is the same comparison today.
Choose Cvent if venue sourcing, hotel blocks, budget approvals and deep CRM integration are central to your programme, and you have the people to run a complex platform. Choose Stova if you are already on Aventri or MeetingPlay, value mobile engagement and networking, or want a second enterprise quote to negotiate against.
Cvent vs Stova at a glance
| Cvent | Stova | |
|---|---|---|
| Origins | Founded 1999; grew through acquisitions including Splash, Goldcast and ON24 | Merger of Aventri, MeetingPlay and eventcore; Stova name since 2022 |
| Best fit | Large enterprises, government, higher education, associations | Mid-size to large enterprises, agencies, Aventri and MeetingPlay customers |
| Pricing | Quote only; Professional and Enterprise editions | Quote only; no published figures |
| Venue sourcing and room blocks | Yes: supplier network and Passkey | Not at Cvent’s scale |
| Onsite | OnArrival kiosks, on-demand badges, session check-in | On-demand badge printing and check-in |
| Engagement | Attendee Hub app, gamification, networking | Strong social features: AI matchmaking, interactive feeds, community walls |
| Virtual | Attendee Hub, Cvent Studio, plus ON24 and Goldcast | Dedicated virtual event hub |
| G2 rating | 4.3 | 4.3 (per Docket) |
| Learning curve | Steep; formal certification | Varies; users also report a learning curve |
Feature-by-feature
Registration
Both support branded registration pages, custom fields, multiple attendee types and payments. Cvent goes further on approval workflows, housing and travel in the same path, and governance across many events. Reviewers of both report that complex setups take time; Stova users mention friction configuring group discounts and conditional workflows.
Onsite
Cvent’s OnArrival is mature: self-service kiosks, on-demand badges, session check-in with capacity control, and a fully staffed option. Stova offers on-demand badge printing and check-in; reviewers note performance can vary with event size and venue connectivity. For very large events, ask both for references at your scale. See our onsite solutions.
Engagement and the attendee app
This is Stova’s strongest area, inherited from MeetingPlay: AI matchmaking, interactive feeds and community walls. Cvent’s Attendee Hub offers personalised agendas, gamification and networking. Some Stova users report app performance issues at busy moments, so load-test before a flagship event.
Virtual and hybrid
Both run virtual and hybrid events. Cvent now has the broadest line-up after adding ON24 and Goldcast. Stova offers a dedicated virtual hub with modular features.
Venue sourcing
Cvent’s supplier network of roughly 340,000 venues and Passkey room-block management are its clearest advantage. Stova does not offer an equivalent marketplace.
Integrations
Both connect to Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo and Eloqua. Cvent’s integration library is longer; some modules still use older SOAP APIs. Stova reviewers mention integrations that need manual configuration and documentation that could be better. On both, confirm which connectors are priced separately.
Sponsors and exhibitors
Cvent sells LeadCapture, iCapture, Appointments and Jifflenow as modules, often with per-device or per-exhibitor costs. Stova offers QR lead capture and exhibitor management; device and user limits can raise costs. Ask both for a sponsor-side quote, not just an organiser quote.
Pricing
Neither publishes prices. Both quote by modules and scale.
Cvent sells Professional and Enterprise editions, with modules such as venue sourcing, Passkey, lead capture, surveys and webinars as extras. Docket’s third-party research estimates typical annual licences at about $19,550 to $79,000 or more, with per-registrant Attendee Hub fees on top.
Stova quotes per programme. Swoogo, a competitor, states that Stova charges per registration, plus integration fees and penalties if you exceed your registration block. Accelevents says Stova may offer per-event pricing. We could not confirm either claim against Stova’s own materials, so treat both as questions to ask.
| Ask both vendors | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is there a per-registration or per-registrant fee? | Fees that grow with attendance can surprise a successful programme |
| What happens if we exceed our registration block? | Overage penalties are reported for Stova and documented for Cvent contacts and emails |
| Which integrations cost extra? | Both are reported to charge for some connectors |
| What does onsite hardware and staffing cost per event? | Often the largest variable line |
| Can we sign one year, not three? | Both are commonly sold on multi-year terms |
Because both are quote-only and similar in scope, they make good leverage against each other. Get both quotes on the same event calendar.
AI features
Cvent’s CventIQ (June 2025) covers AI-assisted venue RFPs, writing help, session recommendations, transcripts and feedback summaries. Stova’s AI is centred on attendee matchmaking. Ask Stova for its current AI roadmap; we found less public detail on it than on Cvent’s.
Security and compliance
| Cvent | Stova | |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 | Type II | Certified |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | Ask |
| SSO and MFA | Enterprise edition | SSO available |
| Permission controls | Very granular | Less granular, per reviewers |
Reliability
Both run large live programmes. Reviewers of each report occasional performance issues: Cvent with some virtual features, Stova with app performance during busy events. Ask both for uptime history, an SLA in the contract and live-event support contacts, and run a load test before your largest event.
Switching between them
The most common move is from Aventri or MeetingPlay to either Stova’s current platform or Cvent. Docket estimates 4 to 6 weeks for an enterprise Stova implementation. Whichever way you go, export attendee history, session data and exhibitor leads first; registration paths, websites and integrations are rebuilt. If you are an Aventri customer being migrated within Stova anyway, that is a natural moment to price Cvent alongside it.
Which should you choose?
| Your situation | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Venue sourcing and hotel blocks are central | Cvent | Supplier network and Passkey |
| Already on Aventri or MeetingPlay | Stova first, then compare | Lowest migration effort; price Cvent alongside |
| Networking and social engagement drive your events | Stova | MeetingPlay-era engagement features |
| Deep Salesforce attribution and governance | Cvent | Broader, more mature integrations and controls |
| Webinar-heavy programme | Cvent | ON24, Goldcast and Cvent Webinar in one group |
| Want leverage in negotiation | Quote both | Similar scope, both quote-only |
Frequently asked questions
Is Stova the same as Aventri? Stova is the company formed from Aventri, MeetingPlay and eventcore; it adopted the Stova name in 2022.
Is Stova cheaper than Cvent? Neither publishes prices. Get quotes on the same event calendar and check for per-registration fees.
Does Stova offer venue sourcing like Cvent? Not at Cvent’s scale.
Which has the better attendee app? Stova is known for engagement and social features; Cvent’s Attendee Hub is broader. Load-test either before a flagship event.
Which is easier to learn? Both have a learning curve. Cvent’s is steeper and formalised through certification.
Sources: Cvent pricing, Accelevents: Stova vs Cvent.
Weighing an enterprise switch?
We build and integrate Cvent programmes for enterprise teams, including migrations from other platforms. Talk to our team. See our Cvent expertise and platform integration services, or contact us.
