Comparisons
Excel or Seatalia for your seating plan
Excel is an excellent tool and it’s already on your computer. For small lists it’s more than enough. For a seating plan with rules and lots of changes, it’s worth knowing where it starts to cost you.
Updated on October 29, 2026
Where Excel is better
It’s great for the guest list: sorting, filtering and adding up is what it does best. It gives you total control and the file is yours.
For 30 or 40 guests, a well-organised Excel sheet is usually enough.
Where it starts to cost you
Excel doesn’t know that a table has 10 seats or that two people can’t sit together: you’re the one counting and checking. Every cancellation means reviewing everything by hand.
Seatalia does those calculations and warns you of conflicts, but it only pays off when the plan has lots of changes.
Use both
You can prepare the list in Excel and import it into Seatalia for the tables. If you prefer, export the list back as a CSV at any time.
| Excel or spreadsheet | Seatalia | |
|---|---|---|
| Guest list | Excellent: it’s what it’s for. | Imports from Excel and keeps the list. |
| Counting the seats at each table | With formulas that you create and maintain. | Automatic, with a warning when a table goes over capacity. |
| Seating with rules | By hand. | Automatic, with “together” and “apart” rules and pinned seats. |
| Seeing the room | Possible with shapes and cells, but it’s work. | Room map with drag and drop. |
| Counts for the caterer | With pivot tables. | Calculated per table and per meal. |
| Cost | Free if you already have the program; Google Sheets is free too. | Planning is free; you pay per event to export without a watermark. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I import my Excel file?
Yes. Paste the cells or upload the CSV or Excel file and Seatalia recognises the columns.
Do I lose my Excel file if I use Seatalia?
No. The guest list can be exported as a CSV at any time and opens in Excel.
Import your Excel and see the tables
Paste the list or upload the file. In two minutes you have your first seating.
Try SeataliaFree, no account needed.
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