SoftGolf vs Event Caddy: Which Golf Tournament Software Saves Your Fundraiser More?

Competitor pricing verified August 2026

Quick answer: SoftGolf is the better value for charity tournaments. Event Caddy's free plan has no live scoring or mobile leaderboard - those require Event Caddy PRO at $299 per tournament. SoftGolf includes live scoring, a TV leaderboard, registration, donations, sponsor logos, and drag-and-drop pairings completely free. The only SoftGolf cost is payment processing on paid tickets, which you can pass to buyers. Event Caddy is one of the established names in golf tournament management, and its free tier is genuinely useful for planning. But the feature golfers remember, live scoring, costs $299 per event. Here is the full comparison.

How much does Event Caddy cost?

Event Caddy has four tiers:

  • Free: $0. Website builder, online registration, sponsor logo uploads, email marketing, pairings and hole assignments. Notably, mobile scoring and the live leaderboard are NOT included.
  • PRO: $299 USD per tournament. Adds mobile scoring and live leaderboard, an online auction (plus a 2.5% fee on auction purchases), an e-commerce store, online sponsorship payments, donations, and text messaging.
  • ELITE: $999 USD per tournament. White-glove service with a dedicated tournament specialist.
  • Enterprise: contact sales. Bundled pricing for multi-tournament planners.

The PRO fee is per tournament, not annual. Event Caddy's own help center confirms that running three PRO tournaments a year means paying $299 three times. A custom tournament URL on the free plan costs an extra $30.

How much does SoftGolf cost?

SoftGolf is free for organizers, with no per-tournament fee: unlimited tournaments, unlimited registrations, unlimited admins, live scoring, TV leaderboard mode, drag-and-drop pairings, donations, sponsor logos on your page, and 16 automated email types. Run one event or ten - the software cost stays $0.

Paid tickets carry only payment processing: a 2.9% service fee plus Stripe's 2.9% + 30 cents, which you can pass to buyers or absorb. New organizers can also claim up to a $100 gift card through SoftGolf's limited-time launch offer.

What does Event Caddy do well?

Event Caddy has been in the market for years, and it shows in the planning toolset. The free tier's website builder and email blast tool are solid, the ELITE tier's dedicated specialist is a real convenience for committees with budget but no time, and its built-in text messaging (500 texts on paid plans) is a nice touch. For a large corporate event with a $999 software line item, ELITE's white-glove service has genuine appeal.

Where does SoftGolf win?

  • Live scoring is free. This is the headline. On Event Caddy, mobile scoring and the live leaderboard require a $299 PRO upgrade for every tournament. On SoftGolf, hole-by-hole live scoring, a real-time leaderboard, and a fullscreen TV display mode for the clubhouse are free on every event.
  • Donations are free. Event Caddy reserves year-round online donations for paid tiers. SoftGolf includes donations on every tournament page at no cost.
  • A marketplace, not just a website. SoftGolf lists your tournament on its searchable marketplace, so golfers browsing for events near them can find and register for yours. That is organic promotion Event Caddy does not offer.
  • Modern scoring experience. SoftGolf has a native iOS app for hole-by-hole scoring, achievement animations for birdies and eagles, and per-round leaderboard filtering.
  • The math favors your cause. A 100-player charity event on Event Caddy PRO starts $299 in the hole before processing fees. On SoftGolf, that $299 stays in your fundraising total - and with the launch offer, SoftGolf effectively pays you up to $100 to try it.

What about day-of logistics?

Both platforms handle pairings and hole assignments, and both export player lists. SoftGolf goes further on communication: 16 automated email types cover confirmations, reminders, pairings, and refunds - all free. On Event Caddy, built-in text messaging (500 texts) is a PRO feature, so the free plan leaves you emailing manually as event day approaches.

Which should you choose?

Choose Event Caddy ELITE if you have a large budget and want a dedicated specialist to build everything for you.

Choose SoftGolf for everything else. You get the features Event Caddy charges $299 for - live scoring, donations, sponsor tools - at no cost, on a platform built for charity tournaments, corporate outings, and fundraisers of any size.

Frequently asked questions

Is Event Caddy free?

Event Caddy has a free plan with a website builder, registration, and email marketing. However, mobile scoring, the live leaderboard, the auction, the store, online sponsorship payments, and donations require the PRO plan at $299 per tournament.

Does Event Caddy charge per tournament or per year?

Per tournament. Event Caddy's help center confirms the PRO fee applies to each event, so three PRO tournaments in a year means three $299 payments. SoftGolf charges nothing per tournament regardless of how many you run.

Is SoftGolf really free?

Yes. All organizer features are free, including the live scoring and donations that Event Caddy locks behind PRO. The only cost is payment processing on paid tickets: 2.9% service plus Stripe's 2.9% + 30 cents, passable to buyers.

Can I sell sponsorships online with SoftGolf?

Yes. You can create sponsor ticket options, display sponsor logos and links on your tournament page, and collect payment through Stripe. On Event Caddy, accepting online sponsorship payments requires the $299 PRO plan.

What is the best Event Caddy alternative?

SoftGolf is the strongest Event Caddy alternative for charity and fundraising tournaments: it matches the PRO feature set, adds a native iOS scoring app and a tournament marketplace, and charges no per-event fee.