Juggling massive event management should not be this chaotic.
You’re probably buried in spreadsheets, floor plan edits, or chasing down exhibitors — all while trying to make your next trade show run smoothly.
But here’s where the pain really hits: hours lost every week fixing basic event details means other critical work simply doesn’t get done.
Map Your Show is built to bring everything — booth sales, event maps, session scheduling, and exhibitor management — into one integrated suite, giving you control and clarity few platforms can match.
In this review, I’ll break down how Map Your Show actually fixes event chaos with tools that are tightly connected and built for real-world, high-pressure shows.
Across this Map Your Show review, I’ll cover strengths and gaps in features, how pricing works, what to expect from their onboarding, and alternatives if you’re still weighing your options.
You’ll get the features you need to plan smarter, save time, and pick the right solution.
Let’s get started.
Quick Summary
- Map Your Show is an integrated software suite that helps manage complex trade shows with booth sales, floor plans, and attendee tools.
- Best for organizers running large, exhibitor-focused trade shows with hundreds or thousands of participants.
- You’ll appreciate its unified platform that reduces administrative work and the dedicated project manager support throughout setup and event execution.
- Map Your Show offers custom enterprise pricing with no free trial, requiring direct contact for personalized demos and quotes.
Map Your Show Overview
Map Your Show has been around since 2000, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their mission focuses on supporting event organizers with software that covers everything from booth sales to attendee navigation.
What sets them apart is their focus on large, complex trade shows and exhibitions targeting mid-market to enterprise-level event organizers. They aren’t designed for small meetings, so their tools handle scale and complexity that many others miss.
They joined the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) in 2021 — a move I think you’ll agree was smart. You can see the impact in how quickly they’ve strengthened their industry standard status in this Map Your Show review.
Unlike competitors such as Cvent, Map Your Show emphasizes an integrated suite built specifically for exhibitor-focused events. It feels like a solution created by people who truly understand large trade show dynamics, rather than a broad event platform trying to cover everything.
They work with major industry associations, franchise expos, and large-scale trade organizers who manage hundreds or thousands of exhibitors, reflecting their solid foothold in the mid-to-large event space.
Currently, their strategy prioritizes deepening features that support sales management and attendee engagement while aligning with growing demands for digital event experiences. This focus should matter if you need a platform that understands your event’s complexity.
Now let’s examine their capabilities.
Map Your Show Features
Managing large trade shows can feel overwhelming.
Map Your Show solutions form an integrated platform designed specifically for trade show organizers. These are the five core Map Your Show solutions that tackle the key challenges in event management from exhibitor sales to attendee navigation.
1. Exhibitor & Booth Sales Management
Tired of juggling exhibitor info and payments?
Handling booth sales with spreadsheets creates chaos and missed details. Event teams often struggle with tracking availability and managing invoicing efficiently.
This solution centralizes booth sales, processes payments securely, and offers exhibitors a self-service portal to update profiles and purchase upgrades. From my testing, the real-time booth availability updates stand out for reducing double-booking headaches. This feature streamlines sales and eliminates manual admin errors.
As a result, your sales team saves time and improves accuracy in booth management, boosting exhibitor satisfaction.
2. Interactive Event Map & Floor Plan
Confused attendees waste time and miss key booths.
Static floor plans frustrate visitors trying to navigate sprawling trade show floors. Searching exhibitors or products becomes tedious without a clear guide.
Map Your Show’s interactive floor plan is a dynamic, web-based map that highlights search results and links directly to exhibitor profiles. Here’s what I found: the searchable and clickable booth map elevates attendee experience dramatically. This feature increases engagement by making navigation intuitive and personalized.
Your event becomes easier to explore, keeping both attendees and exhibitors happier on-site.
3. Conference & Session Management
Scheduling sessions and speakers shouldn’t be a nightmare.
Without a central system, managing hundreds of talks, room assignments, and speaker details leads to confusion and last-minute fixes.
This solution offers a single backend to organize conference agendas, assign sessions, and build detailed descriptions that update the event’s site and app. What I love about this solution is the automatic agenda synchronization across platforms, ensuring attendees see accurate schedules anytime. This feature simplifies complex scheduling flows.
You get a unified, reliable program that minimizes errors and attendee frustration.
4. Exhibitor Directory & Search
Can’t find the exhibitors you want?
Attendees need a streamlined way to discover relevant exhibitors quickly or create personal agendas before the event begins.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: While we’re discussing event management, understanding how to map your teams effectively is also crucial. My article on best org chart software can provide valuable insights.
The directory solution aggregates exhibitor data into a powerful, searchable guide linked to the floor plan. From my experience, this comprehensive and interactive directory helps attendees plan their visit efficiently. This feature boosts pre-event engagement by letting users curate must-see lists and access detailed profiles.
This means better networking opportunities and higher exhibitor visibility for your show.
5. Integrated Mobile App
Opening multiple apps for event info is annoying.
Attendees expect a single mobile app that covers everything — maps, agendas, directories, and networking tools — to stay organized on the go.
Map Your Show’s native mobile app bundles all these solutions into one cohesive experience. This is where Map Your Show shines: the all-in-one app lets users plan, navigate, and connect without switching tools. From my testing, this dramatically enhances attendee convenience and satisfaction.
You provide an event experience that feels modern and effortless from a mobile device.
Pros & Cons
- ✅ Centralized exhibitor sales reduce manual administrative work
- ✅ Interactive floor plan greatly improves attendee navigation
- ✅ Mobile app integrates key event functions in one place
- ⚠️ Backend interface can feel outdated and unintuitive initially
- ⚠️ Limited flexibility for unconventional or non-traditional events
- ⚠️ Higher pricing may be a barrier for smaller event budgets
These Map Your Show solutions work together to create a unified event management ecosystem that significantly reduces manual effort and improves the attendee experience. Next, let’s dive into pricing and alternatives.
Map Your Show Pricing
Confused about what you’ll actually pay monthly?
Map Your Show pricing follows a custom quote model, which means you’ll need to contact sales for a tailored proposal based on your event’s size and complexity. This approach prioritizes pricing transparency through personal consultation instead of set tiers, helping you understand what you really pay for without surprises.
Cost Breakdown
- Base Platform: Custom quote based on event scale
- User Licenses: Included in module pricing, varies by event size
- Implementation: Included or separately quoted, depending on service level
- Integrations: Varies by complexity and selected features
- Key Factors: Event size, modules selected, event complexity, support level
1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors
Customized pricing dominates.
Their pricing model doesn’t list flat rates but bases costs on event-specific factors like attendee/exhibitor count, chosen modules, and support needs. What makes their pricing work is a tailored quote system that reflects your unique event’s complexity and delivers a focused solution instead of generic plans.
From my cost analysis, this means your monthly or project budget aligns closely with the actual scale and services you require.
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2. Value Assessment & ROI
Worth the investment?
Map Your Show is often seen as a premium solution, but their pricing emphasizes value for large, complex events where integrated management saves time and reduces errors. Their full suite covers everything from floor plans to exhibitor sales, so your budget reflects a comprehensive platform rather than piecemeal tools.
From my cost analysis, the result is your investment supports smoother event operations that would be costly to duplicate manually.
3. Budget Planning & Implementation
Plan for total costs.
Implementation and customization, including floor plan design and chosen modules, add to the base quote, so their pricing includes service-level considerations that impact your initial outlay. You should budget for onboarding with dedicated support, which helps ensure success but adds to upfront costs.
So for your business size, expect to engage early with sales for an accurate total cost estimate tailored to your event requirements.
My Take: Map Your Show pricing suits mid-to-large events needing a highly tailored platform. This quote-based approach fits event organizers wanting control over what they pay without the risk of under- or over-buying.
The overall Map Your Show pricing reflects customized enterprise software value aligned with your needs.
Map Your Show Reviews
How reliable are these user reviews?
From my review analysis of Map Your Show reviews across popular platforms, I gathered insights from verified customer feedback focused on large event organizers. Analyzing this data helps you understand the real user experience and the common themes in satisfaction and challenges reported by actual customers of Map Your Show.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: Speaking of large-scale operations, my guide on Yard Management System explores crucial logistical solutions.
1. Overall User Satisfaction
High satisfaction marks the consensus.
From the reviews I analyzed, Map Your Show consistently scores around 4.6 out of 5 stars on sites like G2 and Capterra. What stands out is how users praise the strong integration across multiple event management functions, making it a trusted choice among large-scale trade show organizers. Review-wise, this pattern suggests a reliable tool with solid customer backing.
Users appreciate the platform’s stability and responsive support, which largely drives their positive sentiment.
2. Common Praise Points
Dedicated service wins frequent acclaim.
What you’ll find in Map Your Show reviews is that users repeatedly highlight the value of having a dedicated project manager. The high-touch customer support model stands out strongly as a major benefit, along with trust in the system’s ability to reliably handle complex, large events without hiccups. Users also like the all-in-one platform that integrates booth sales, floor planning, and attendee tools.
This means you can expect support and features that simplify managing large, multifaceted events efficiently.
3. Frequent Complaints
UI and flexibility draw common criticism.
From my review analysis, a recurring frustration among users is the dated and somewhat clunky backend interface. The not-so-intuitive admin UI generates the most frequent complaints in Map Your Show reviews, along with concerns about the system’s rigidity for non-traditional event formats. Price is also noted as steep, though most users feel the value justifies the cost.
While these issues may slow adoption, they tend to be minor obstacles, not deal-breakers, for most customers.
What Customers Say
- Positive: “The best thing about MYS is having our own dedicated project manager. She is on top of every detail.” (G2)
- Constructive: “The back end is very clunky and not super intuitive. It takes a while to learn where everything is.” (Capterra)
- Bottom Line: “I love everything about Map Your Show. My only complaint is the cost. They are not cheap.” (Capterra)
Overall, Map Your Show reviews reflect a trustworthy source of user satisfaction and practical feedback that can guide your event software decision.
Best Map Your Show Alternatives
Wondering which event platform suits you best?
The best Map Your Show alternatives include several strong options, each tailored to different event types, business sizes, and budget considerations, helping you decide based on what truly matters for your event management.
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1. a2z by Personify
When integration within an existing ecosystem matters
a2z serves organizations already invested in Personify’s broader software portfolio, delivering a very similar feature set to Map Your Show. From my competitive analysis, a2z offers deeper integration benefits for users leveraging Personify’s other products, making it a natural alternative if you want a cohesive vendor relationship without sacrificing trade show functionality.
Choose a2z over Map Your Show if you need unified software integration and prefer working with Personify’s ecosystem rather than a standalone platform.
2. Cvent
Looking for an all-in-one enterprise powerhouse?
Cvent stands out when managing diverse event types — from corporate meetings to trade shows and virtual conferences. What I found comparing options is that Cvent provides best-in-class attendee registration and marketing tools, making this alternative better for organizations that want one platform covering all event formats with powerful analytics.
Pick Cvent if your portfolio includes various event formats requiring sophisticated registration and marketing beyond trade show floor planning.
3. ExpoPlatform
Prioritizing AI-driven networking and lead generation?
ExpoPlatform excels when your main goal is boosting business connections through AI matchmaking and maintaining a year-round exhibitor community. Alternative-wise, this platform is ideal if you want to extend event engagement beyond the physical days with 365-day community marketplace capabilities enhancing ROI and lead nurturing.
Choose ExpoPlatform when your focus is on maximizing B2B networking and ongoing exhibitor-attendee engagement rather than just floor plan management.
4. ExpoFP
Need a standalone interactive floor plan solution?
ExpoFP works best if you already have your sales and registration software in place but want a slick, interactive map without extra modules. From my analysis, ExpoFP offers a modern floor plan tool at a lower cost than integrated suites, making it a practical alternative for event planners who want excellent navigation features without paying for an all-in-one system.
Consider ExpoFP if your event tech stack is fragmented and you only need to upgrade your floor plan experience affordably.
Quick Decision Guide
- Choose Map Your Show: Large trade shows needing integrated sales and floor plan management
- Choose a2z: Existing Personify users wanting unified software solutions
- Choose Cvent: Enterprises managing multiple event types with complex registration needs
- Choose ExpoPlatform: Events focused on AI matchmaking and year-round networking
The best Map Your Show alternatives depend on your event format diversity and integration needs instead of just feature lists.
Setup & Implementation
Is Map Your Show implementation straightforward?
In this Map Your Show review, I’ll break down the deployment process and help set realistic expectations. Implementation-wise, you should be ready for a guided, partnership-driven setup rather than a quick DIY install.
1. Setup Complexity & Timeline
Not a plug-and-play solution.
Map Your Show implementation typically involves a dedicated project manager who leads data collection and platform configuration. From my implementation analysis, setup timelines vary widely but often take several weeks to months depending on event size and complexity. This high-touch onboarding is a major strength but requires your active involvement.
You’ll want to prepare your exhibitor lists, floor plans, and event details upfront to keep the implementation process on track.
2. Technical Requirements & Integration
Integration isn’t entirely hands-off.
The platform runs web-based for most users, but your team must ensure attendees have suitable mobile devices for the app. What I found about deployment is that custom integration with CRMs or AMS systems requires additional development effort and isn’t included in basic implementation. This can extend timelines and require technical expertise.
Make sure your IT team is ready to support API-based integrations if you plan to connect Map Your Show with other systems.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: Before diving deeper, you might find my analysis of agriculture software solutions helpful.
3. Training & Change Management
Administrative backend has a learning curve.
User training is key since the attendee tools are intuitive but the management interface feels clunky and dated. From my analysis, staff need focused training to become proficient administrators and internal champions who guide adoption. This makes implementation more than just setup—it requires cultural buy-in.
Plan for formal training sessions and ongoing support to overcome initial resistance and build confident users.
4. Support & Success Factors
Dedicated support makes a difference.
The standout feature during implementation is the assigned project manager who acts as your point person for training and troubleshooting. From my implementation analysis, having a single contact accelerates issue resolution and process clarity across complex event workflows.
To succeed, prioritize maintaining open communication with your project manager and leverage their expertise fully throughout rollout.
Implementation Checklist
- Timeline: Several weeks to months based on event complexity
- Team Size: Dedicated project manager, event coordinators, IT support
- Budget: Factor in professional services beyond license costs
- Technical: Web platform access, mobile device compatibility, and possible API integration
- Success Factor: Strong collaboration with dedicated project manager
The Map Your Show implementation demands dedicated project management and team involvement but rewards with a reliable, scalable platform for large events.
Who’s Map Your Show For
Is Map Your Show right for your event needs?
In this Map Your Show review, I break down who benefits most from this platform by examining specific business profiles, team sizes, and use cases to help you quickly decide if it fits your event management demands.
1. Ideal User Profile
Large trade show organizers with complex events.
Map Your Show serves best those managing large-scale in-person trade shows where coordination of booth sales, floor plans, and attendee engagement is critical. From my user analysis, organizers handling 150+ exhibitors at complex trade shows find the platform’s integrated approach invaluable for streamlining operations and reducing manual errors.
These users thrive thanks to dedicated project support and a unified system that centralizes critical event data.
2. Business Size & Scale
Mid-market to enterprise event production companies.
What I found about target users is that businesses running events with thousands of attendees and large exhibitor counts benefit most from Map Your Show’s robustness. Smaller events or startups may find the system unnecessarily complex, while established event teams appreciate the dedicated support and scalable features.
You’ll know this fits when managing multi-hundred exhibitor shows demands reliable, end-to-end management tools.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: While we’re discussing business operations, understanding best martial arts software is equally important for niche businesses.
3. Use Case Scenarios
Managing logistics and sales for large exhibitions.
User-wise, your situation works best if your workflow centers on integrated booth sales, floor plan logistics, and on-site attendee navigation. Map Your Show shines when you require a single platform to unify exhibitor data and attendee experiences, especially for traditional trade show setups rather than unconventional events.
If your event involves multi-day, multi-venue coordination with complex exhibitor assignments, this is a strong match.
4. Who Should Look Elsewhere
Small or highly flexible events with unconventional formats.
If your events are small or require highly adaptable software with modern, intuitive UI, Map Your Show might feel rigid or overly complex. From my user analysis, clients seeking lightweight, user-friendly tools often find the learning curve and cost hard to justify compared to simpler alternatives.
You should consider other event management platforms that emphasize flexibility and ease of use for smaller or atypical meetings.
Best Fit Assessment
- Perfect For: Large-scale in-person trade shows with complex logistics
- Business Size: Mid-market to enterprise-level with 150+ exhibitors
- Primary Use Case: Integrated booth sales and floor plan management
- Budget Range: Higher investment justified by comprehensive support
- Skip If: Small events or those needing highly flexible, lightweight tools
From my Map Your Show review, the best fit combines event scale with operational complexity to get maximum value.
Bottom Line
Is Map Your Show right for your trade shows?
My Map Your Show review offers a balanced assessment highlighting where this platform shines and where it requires thoughtful consideration before adoption.
1. Overall Strengths
Strong integration for large event management.
Map Your Show excels in providing an integrated platform for booth sales, floorplan management, and attendee engagement that reduces administrative complexity and data silos. The dedicated project management support ensures smoother implementation for complex, high-scale events, making the solution well-rounded for mid-market and enterprise trade shows.
These strengths improve operational efficiency and help you confidently manage large, multifaceted exhibitions without technical disruptions.
2. Key Limitations
Challenges on flexibility and user interface fronts.
Despite its powerful capabilities, Map Your Show suffers from a dated and clunky administrative backend interface that can increase training time and user frustration. Additionally, the software’s structure favors traditional trade show formats, limiting adaptability for unconventional event styles. The relatively high cost also requires a clear budget justification based on event size and complexity.
These issues aren’t deal-breakers but require weighing your team’s readiness and event format needs before committing.
3. Final Recommendation
Recommended for large, traditional trade show organizers.
You should choose Map Your Show if you run sizable, complex trade exhibitions and value a unified, end-to-end management platform supported by strong customer service. From my analysis, this software works best for enterprises needing reliable scalability and integration over customization or cost constraints.
Bottom line for your decision: if your priorities align, move forward with a demo and detailed pricing discussion to confirm fit.
Bottom Line
- Verdict: Recommended for large-scale, traditional trade show events
- Best For: Mid-market to enterprise trade show organizers
- Biggest Strength: Fully integrated event management suite with dedicated support
- Main Concern: Dated backend UI and limited flexibility for non-traditional formats
- Next Step: Request a demo and discuss your event complexity with sales
This Map Your Show review demonstrates solid confidence in its value for enterprise organizers while advising careful alignment with event type and budget.
