tableplanner.io
Setting the table…
Setting the table…
tableplanner vs Zola
Zola is a genuinely great free, all-in-one wedding platform — registry, website, guest list, invitations, the lot. Its seating chart is a handy bonus, but it's a simple add-on that today only runs inside Zola's iOS app, one device at a time.
tableplanner does one thing properly. It's a dedicated seating chart you open in any browser, it can seat your whole guest list in a click, you and your partner can edit it together in real time — and it warns you the moment you sit two people who should be kept apart.
Where we're different
The stuff a bundled seating add-on never bothers with — starting with keeping the peace.
Conflict detection, built in
Mark the exes, the feuding in-laws, the uncle nobody seats near the bar — and tableplanner warns you the instant you put them at the same table. Zola has no keep-apart feature at all.
Auto-seat your whole list in one click
Press one button and tableplanner arranges every guest for you — respecting your conflicts and keeping plus-ones and families together. With Zola you place every guest by hand.
Plan it together, in real time
You and your partner (or your planner) can open the same chart at once and watch each other's changes live. Zola's seating chart is a single-device iOS tool.
Works in any browser, not just an iPhone
Build your chart on a laptop, tablet, or phone — whatever's in front of you. Zola's seating chart is currently iOS-app only: no Android, no desktop web.
Dietary & accessibility tags on the chart
Tag who needs a vegan plate or step-free access and see it right on the seat, then export it for the caterer. Link plus-ones and families so parties never get split.
Side by side
| Feature | tableplanner | Zola |
|---|---|---|
| Conflict / "keep apart" detection | Built in — automatic warnings | Not offered |
| One-click auto-seating | Yes — respects conflicts & parties | Manual drag-and-drop |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes — edit together live | Single device (iOS app) |
| Where it works | Any browser — desktop, tablet, phone | iOS app only |
| Dietary & accessibility tags | Multi-tag per guest, shown on the chart | Meal choices tracked in guest list |
| Plus-one / party linking | Yes — keeps parties together | Not offered |
| Export & sharing | Print-ready PDF + read-only share link | PDF & Excel export |
| Free tier | Build up to 30 guests free | Up to 15 guests free |
| All-in-one suite (registry, website, invites) | Seating only | Full free wedding platform |
| Pricing | One-time €49 | Free; seating premium ~$14.99 |
Being fair
Credit where it's due: Zola is one of the best free wedding platforms going. The registry, free wedding website, invitations, and guest list — with RSVPs, address collection, and meal tracking — are all genuinely strong and cost nothing. Its seating chart pulls names straight from that guest list and even exports to PDF or Excel.
If you want a single hub for your whole wedding and you're planning from an iPhone, Zola's bundled seating chart is a convenient, low-cost way to stay in one place. For a lot of couples, that's reason enough — and on price alone, free-to-$14.99 is hard to beat.
The price
Straight up: on price, Zola wins. Its planning tools are free, the seating chart is free up to 15 guests, and the premium upgrade is a one-time ~$14.99. tableplanner is a one-time €49 — with a more generous free tier (build up to 30 guests before paying), and you only pay when you're ready to export, print, or share. The €49 buys a dedicated seating tool: conflict detection, one-click auto-seating, real-time collaboration, dietary/accessibility tags, and a canvas that runs in any browser instead of one iPhone.
The nosy section
The verdict
Pick Zola if you want a free, all-in-one platform for your registry, website, and guest list and you're happy doing seating on an iPhone. Pick tableplanner if the seating chart itself is the hard part — you want it to auto-seat the room, keep feuding guests apart, work on any device, and let you and your partner build it together — all for a one-time €49. Plenty of couples happily use both.
Build your entire chart for free. Pay the one-time €49 only when you're ready to export, print, or share.
50,000+ guests seated · Zero scenes caused