Key takeaways

You can plan most of your wedding using free apps — but the best free tools each cover one piece of the puzzle, not all of it.
The five main all-in-one platforms (The Knot, WeddingWire, Zola, Joy, Bridebook) are vendor marketplaces first, planning tools second.
For couples who want everything in one place — tasks, budget, vendors, guest list, seating chart, website, and AI — Eydn was built for exactly that.
The smartest approach is usually one primary tool plus one or two specialized apps, depending on what you need most.

Why use a wedding planning app?

Wedding budgets in the US average around $35,000, and hiring a full-time planner typically adds another $2,000–$5,000 on top of that. A good planning app gives you professional-level organization without the price tag.

At minimum, a solid wedding planning app should handle your checklist, budget, guest list, and vendor contacts. The better ones also give you a wedding website, a day-of binder, and a way to actually communicate with vendors — all without jumping between a dozen different tools.

The real benefit isn't any one feature — it's having everything in one place, so you're not hunting through email threads and sticky notes the week of your wedding.

The top 5 all-in-one free wedding planning apps

All five of the major platforms offer free checklists, budgets, and guest list tools. Here's where they each stand out — and what to know before you commit to one.

App	Best for	Standout feature	Worth knowing
The Knot Most popular	US vendor discovery	200,000+ vendor network	Sponsored listings throughout
WeddingWire	Review-driven planners	Drag-and-drop seating chart	Same parent company as The Knot
Zola	Registry-heavy couples	Universal registry with cash funds	No Android app since 2023
Joy	Guest experience	Travel info + photo sharing	Links out to external registries
Bridebook	UK & EU weddings	20,000+ UK vendor directory	Weaker outside the UK

Worth noting: these are vendor marketplaces at their core. Sponsored listings appear throughout, and the planning tools are built to funnel you toward their vendor partners. That's not a knock — it's just useful to know going in.

The Knot — best for US vendor discovery

The Knot is the most widely used wedding platform in the US, and for good reason. Its vendor network is unmatched — 200+ categories, geo-filters, real-couple reviews, and in-app messaging. The checklist auto-generates 400+ tasks from your wedding date, and the free wedding website syncs RSVPs directly. If vendor discovery is your priority, The Knot is the place to start.

WeddingWire — best for seating and reviews

WeddingWire's standout feature is its drag-and-drop seating chart, which handles 20+ tables with meal preferences, allergy notes, and plus-ones. If you're planning a reception with a complicated seating situation, this alone makes it worth a look. The vendor search pulls from 500k+ professionals with verified reviews.

Zola — best for registries

Zola does two things really well: registries and design. Guests can buy traditional gifts, contribute to honeymoon experiences, or give cash through one platform — with processing fees around 2–3%. The wedding website templates are among the most polished of any free tool. Android users should note the mobile app was discontinued in 2023 — it's web-only on that platform now.

Joy — best for guest experience

Joy's focus is making the wedding experience better for guests, not just the couple. Event schedules, travel info pages, accommodation links, and unlimited photo sharing make it easy to keep everyone in the loop — especially useful for multi-day or destination weddings. If a beautifully communicated guest experience is your priority, Joy is worth pairing with another tool for the planning side.

Bridebook — best for UK and EU weddings

Bridebook leads for UK couples, with a 20,000+ vendor directory covering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, plus checklists aligned to UK-specific timelines. The planning tools work fine for international couples too — just know the vendor network is built for UK weddings.

All-in-one with AI

Eydn — best if you want everything in one place

The free tools above are great — but they each cover one part of the picture. If you've tried stitching together a vendor tab, a budget spreadsheet, a separate guest list, and a group chat and felt like something was always falling through the cracks, that's the problem Eydn was built to solve.

Unlike the marketplaces, Eydn isn't trying to sell you on vendors. No sponsored results. No upsells. No vendor agenda. It's built entirely for the couple.

AI planner that takes real action

50+ auto-generated tasks

Budget tracker, 36 line items

Full vendor management

Guest list and RSVP tracking

Drag-and-drop seating chart

Custom wedding website

Day-of binder PDF export

$79 one-time payment · no subscriptions · no upsells

"The day-of binder alone was worth it. Our coordinator said it was the most organized couple she'd ever worked with."

— Sarah & Michael, married Sept 2025, Austin TX

6 specialized tools worth adding to your stack

Even if you have a solid primary app, a few niche tools fill specific gaps well. Use these only when you have a concrete need — more tools means more to manage.

WeddingHappy iOS only

A clean, checklist-focused app for couples who just want a solid task list without vendor marketplaces. Works offline, which is handy during venue walkthroughs.

The Big Day iOS + Android

Simple interface with countdown, checklist, budget overview, and basic guest list. Good for couples who find the bigger platforms overwhelming. Supports real-time partner collaboration.

WeddingSeatingChart.app + Seated With Love Browser

Dedicated seating tools for complex guest lists — multiple families, dietary needs, lots of plus-ones. Both are free, browser-based, and support CSV import.

Mint Finance

For couples who want to track wedding spending alongside regular finances. Create a dedicated wedding budget category, monitor vendor payments, and set alerts for upcoming invoices.

Honeyfund Registry

A cash-focused registry where guests fund experiences, flights, and accommodations instead of physical gifts. Processing fees run around 2.4%. A good complement to Zola or any all-in-one platform.

Pinterest, PictureThis, Pantone Studio, Paperless Post Visual

For the visual side of planning. Pinterest boards for inspiration and sharing with vendors. PictureThis for identifying flowers. Pantone Studio for building a consistent color palette. Paperless Post for digital invites (free tier covers up to 60 guests).

How to build your planning stack

You don't need all of these. Most couples do well with one primary tool plus one or two specialized ones. Here are a few combinations that work well together:

Vendor-focused US wedding

The Knot stack

The Knot + WeddingSeatingChart.app + Pinterest

Guest-centric with registry

Joy stack

Joy + Zola + Mint

UK wedding, large guest list

Bridebook stack

Bridebook + Seated With Love + Honeyfund

Everything in one place

Just Eydn

Replaces most of the above — tasks, budget, vendors, guests, seating, website, AI, day-of binder.

Whichever tools you choose, pick them in the first month of planning and stick with them. Switching mid-planning means re-entering your guest list, budget, and vendor contacts — not worth it. Start 12–18 months before your date if possible. For venues and key vendors, availability books up fast, especially in peak months like June and September.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need more than one wedding planning app?

Not necessarily. Start with one primary tool and only add specialized apps when a specific gap comes up — like needing more seating control or a dedicated cash registry. More apps means more to manage. If you want to avoid the stack altogether, Eydn is built to be the one app that covers everything.

Are free wedding apps actually free?

The core planning features — checklists, budget, guest list, basic wedding website — are genuinely free on most platforms. These apps make money through vendor advertising and premium upgrades. Registry tools typically charge 1–3% on cash gifts. You can plan an entire wedding on free tiers; just expect ads and sponsored vendor listings along the way.

Which app works best for destination weddings?

The Knot, WeddingWire, Joy, and Zola all work for destination planning, though their vendor directories are strongest in North America. Bridebook is the best option for UK and EU destinations. For checklist and budget management, any of these will do the job — just supplement with local venue websites for vendor discovery.

When should we start using a planning app?

12–18 months before your date is ideal for larger weddings. Shorter timelines (6–9 months) are totally workable — you'll just need to move faster on venue and key vendor bookings. Under 6 months? Lean heavily on the checklist and set reminders for every payment deadline.

Can we switch apps partway through planning?

You can, but it's a pain. Most platforms let you export guest lists as CSVs, but budget line items and task progress don't transfer. If you're thinking about switching, do it before you've entered too much data — and verify everything after import.

Wedding planning doesn't have to be overwhelming or expensive. With the right mix of free apps and tools, couples can stay organized, manage their guest list, and bring their wedding vision to life without the chaos.

The key is picking one primary tool early, sticking with it, and only adding specialized tools when a genuine gap comes up. If you want to skip the stack entirely, Eydn was built to be the one place that covers everything — from your first task to your day-of binder.

Free wedding planning app: 11 best tools for a less stressful wedding