People you're inviting

Will reply to the invite

Of those who reply, will say yes

Of the yeses, won't show up

Of the people who never reply, will come anyway

People per RSVP

2.5 for families, 2 for couples.

Extra to plan for

% buffer for food and seats.

The starting numbers are placeholders, not averages. Use what happened at your last event if you can.

Expected turnout

0people likely to come

0Seats

0Meals

0Tables of 8

Where your headcount comes from

Need a certain number?

I want about people.

Ask for RSVPs by text

Check it in the counter →

This is an estimate, not a promise. Weather, the day of the week and reminders all change who shows up. Everything here runs in your browser.

How do you estimate event attendance?

Start with the yeses, take away the no-shows, and add the people who come without replying. If 84 people say yes and 15% of them don't show, about 71 come. Add a few walk-ins from the people who never replied, then plan seats and food for a bit more than that.

How to use the RSVP calculator

Pick where you are

Before invites go out, start with how many people you're inviting. Once replies come in, switch tabs and enter your real yes count.

Set your rates

How many reply, how many say yes, how many yeses don't show and how many come anyway. Use your last event if you have the numbers.

Plan and ask

Get seats, meals and tables, see how many invites you need for your target, and copy a text that asks for a headcount.

A worked example

A 200-person invite list with the calculator's starting numbers.

Step	Math	People
Invitations sent		200
Reply (60%)	200 × 0.60	120
Say yes (70% of replies)	120 × 0.70	84
Yeses who come (15% no-show)	84 × 0.85	71
Walk-ins (10% of the 80 who never replied)	80 × 0.10	8
Expected turnout	71 + 8	79
Plan for (10% extra)	79 × 1.10	88

These rates are placeholders, not averages. Every community is different, so your own numbers from past events will always beat a guess.

How to get more of your yeses to show up

Send a reminder

A short text the day before, and again on the day, catches people who forgot. Check its length in the SMS character counter.

Get it in their calendar

Send an add to calendar link with the invite, so the event is already on their phone.

Ask for a number, not just yes

"Reply YES 3" tells you how many are coming, so you're not guessing at plus-ones.

Make no easy to say

People who can reply NO quickly do it. That keeps your yes count honest.

Follow up once

One friendly nudge to the people who haven't replied usually gets you more answers.

Write down what happened

After the event, note how many said yes and how many came. Next time, use those numbers here.

More free tools for your event

Add to calendar linksGet your event into people's calendars.SMS link generatorLet people text you to RSVP with one tap.Donation fee calculatorSee what you keep from each gift at your fundraiser.

Let the replies count themselves.

With Evant, people reply YES to your text and they're counted. Send reminders, collect RSVPs and take donations, all from one number.

Try Evant free

Text-to-RSVP with a live headcount
Reminder texts before the event
Voice calls for members who don't text
Plans from $20/month, free trial

RSVP Calculator FAQ

How do I estimate how many people will attend my event?

Take your yes RSVPs, subtract the share who usually don't show, then add people who come without replying. The calculator does the math and adds a buffer for food and seats.

What percentage of people who RSVP yes actually show up?

It depends on your community and the event. The best number is your own: after your next event, divide how many came by how many said yes.

How much food should I order for an event?

Plan for your expected turnout plus a buffer. With a 10% buffer, 79 expected people means food for 88.

How many people should I invite to get 100 to come?

Divide your target by the share of invited people who end up coming. If 40% of invites turn into guests, invite about 250.

How do I collect RSVPs by text?

Send a text that asks people to reply YES with a number, or NO. The calculator writes one for you. With Evant, replies are counted for you automatically.

Is this RSVP calculator free?

Yes. No sign-up and no limits. Everything runs in your browser.

Last updated November 2026 by Michael Pedoeem, founder of Evant.