If you’re an event planner in 2026, you’re juggling more than ever: tighter timelines, higher attendee expectations, hybrid considerations, DEI compliance, rising costs, and a planning landscape that refuses to sit still. And in the middle of all that? Venue sourcing.

You know the drill: a client emails asking for “a unique space in a walkable downtown area, under budget, ideally next quarter, with flexible attrition and tech-friendly meeting rooms.” Easy, right?

Not quite.

That’s why venue sourcing platforms have become essential planning tools—not just “nice-to-haves.” But with more technology on the market than ever, choosing the right platform can feel like just another decision to navigate. So we’ve done the homework for you.

Below, we break down the top venue sourcing platforms in 2026—including Hopskip, Cvent, Planned, Groups360, and others—so you can evaluate which one actually supports the way planners work today.

1. The State of Venue Sourcing in 2026: What Planners Actually Need

Before diving into comparisons, it’s worth grounding in what planners tell us they need now:

✔ Faster sourcing

RFP fatigue is real. Planners want fewer back-and-forth emails and more automation.

✔ Transparent pricing & real-time availability

No more waiting three days for “custom quotes.”

✔ Time-saving workflows

Templates, shared workspaces, and automation that doesn’t get in the way.

✔ Easy collaboration

Stakeholders (especially executives) want fast, clear options—without logging into platforms.

✔ A vendor-neutral marketplace

Tools should work for planners, not for who pays to appear higher in search results.

✔ Modern UX

Clunky dashboards, hidden fees, and slow systems? Not anymore.

With that lens, here’s how 2026’s top venue sourcing platforms stack up.

2. Hopskip — The Planner-First Venue Sourcing Platform

Hopskip continues to grow as the planning industry’s leading modern venue sourcing platform, designed for planners who want clarity, speed, and control.

⭐️ Why planners love Hopskip

• Clean, intuitive interface that actually makes sense
• RFPs built for planners
• Transparent communication directly in the platform
• Real-time tracking of responses, deadlines, and next steps
• Easy comparison grids that make presenting options to clients effortless
• Flexible workflows that match how planners actually work
• No pay-to-play listings, ensuring unbiased venue results
• Hotels and planners communicate clearly—reducing the back-and-forth

⭐️ Hopskip is especially popular with:

• Corporate planners
• Association planners
• Agencies managing multi-event calendars
• Teams with heavy sourcing volume

⭐️ Key strengths

• Smoothest learning curve
• Cleanest UX
• Fastest RFP creation
• Strongest planner–hotel communication channel
• Best for teams wanting efficiency and stakeholder transparency

If you’re sourcing frequently and need a tool built with modern planning realities in mind, Hopskip is the clear stand-out in 2026.

3. Cvent — The Enterprise Giant

Cvent remains the biggest name in event technology—and for enterprises with deep integrations and large budgets, it’s still a powerful ecosystem.

⭐️ Why some planners choose Cvent

• Extremely robust product suite
• Massive venue database
• Deep enterprise integrations (Salesforce, Marketo, etc.)
• Strong reporting features for large organizations
• Useful for teams already locked into Cvent contracts

⭐️ Where planners struggle

• Interface can feel outdated and overwhelming
• Pay-to-play venue listings impact search neutrality
• RFP creation can be time-consuming
• Smaller teams may not use 70–80% of the product’s capabilities
• Higher price points

⭐️ Best for

• Large enterprises
• Teams requiring deep compliance or data governance
• Long-term users who know the system well
• Organizations hosting multi-thousand-person conferences

4. Planned — The Creative Marketplace

Planned has built a niche supporting creatives, corporate planners, and experiential teams with a curated collection of venues and vendors.

⭐️ What Planned does well

• Beautiful, highly visual venue listings
• Strong vendor marketplace (beyond venues like food, AV, labor, etc)
• Streamlined interface
• Flexible contracting options

⭐️ Where it may fall short

• Smaller overall venue database compared to competitors
• Not as tailored for complex RFP processes
• Vendor discovery may overshadow venue sourcing needs

⭐️ Best for

• Creative agencies
• Social event planners
• Marketers running smaller activations or offsites

If you’re looking for a visually driven discovery tool, Planned is a strong contender.

5. Groups360 — The “Book Now” Innovator

Groups360 has doubled down on its instant booking capabilities with the goal of modernizing group room blocks and meeting space availability.

⭐️ What Groups360 does well

• Real-time availability for hotels in their network
• Instant-book features for certain chains
• Simplified workflows for small meetings and room blocks
• Backed by major hotel groups (Marriott, Hilton, IHG, etc.)

⭐️ Where limitations show

• Not all hotels provide real-time data (coverage gap)
• Focused primarily on smaller meetings (big programs still require RFPs)
• Interface is improving but still evolving

⭐️ Best for

• Small meeting programs
• Teams managing lots of quick-turn room blocks
• Planners who prioritize availability over customization

Groups360 shines when you need answers fast, especially for repeat small meetings.

6. Other Players to Watch in 2026

VenueReport

Great for inspiration and discovery, especially for social/creative programs.

Peerspace

Useful for unique, nontraditional spaces—excellent for offsites.

EventUp

Good for smaller U.S. markets or boutique events.

HotelPlanner

Budget-friendly marketplace, though geared more toward leisure travel.

These platforms are helpful complementary tools, but most planners ultimately adopt a primary sourcing platform for reliability and consistency.

7. Side-by-Side Comparison: Hopskip vs. Cvent vs. Planned vs. Groups360

Final Thoughts: Which Platform Should You Choose?

Every platform in this guide offers value—your ideal match depends on:

• Type of events you run
• Team size and structure
• Budget constraints
• RFP volume
• Need for real-time availability
• UX preferences

And while tools like Cvent, Planned, and Groups360 have strengths, planners in 2026 overwhelmingly want:

✔ faster sourcing

✔ cleaner workflows

✔ less friction

✔ unbiased results

✔ better collaboration

That’s where Hopskip shines.

It’s built for modern planners juggling competing priorities, tight deadlines, and growing expectations. And it empowers planners to source venues with confidence—not chaos. Book your demo today, and get started for free.

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