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Software · head to head

BabyCenter vs Meetup

BabyCenter logo

BabyCenter

Software

Comprehensive pregnancy and baby information app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Meetup logo

Meetup

Software

Find your people

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only BabyCenter has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BabyCenter babyCenter is free to use with no subscription tier of its own, monetising through advertising and partnerships rather than a user fee; Meetup organizer fees tripled following Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024
  • They diverge on capability: BabyCenter covers Week-by-week pregnancy updates, Meetup covers Groups.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BabyCenter and Meetup actually diverge.

Attributes where BabyCenter and Meetup differ
AttributeBabyCenterMeetup
Starting priceFree$55/month
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
Founded19972002

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in BabyCenter

  • Week-by-week pregnancy updates
  • Baby development tracker
  • Milestone tracking
  • Parenting tips
  • Expert articles
  • Community forums
  • Growth charts
  • Vaccine schedules

Only in Meetup

  • Groups
  • Events
  • RSVP System
  • Messaging
  • Event Photos
  • Recommendations
  • Google Calendar
  • Zoom

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BabyCenter

  • Pregnancy informationnot Meetup
  • Baby trackingnot Meetup
  • Community supportnot Meetup
  • Health informationnot Meetup

Meetup

  • Finding local groups and events around a shared interestnot BabyCenter
  • Organising a recurring in-person groupnot BabyCenter
  • Running online events alongside physical onesnot BabyCenter
  • Growing a community by drawing on Meetup's existing member basenot BabyCenter

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BabyCenter

  • BabyCenter is free to use with no subscription tier of its own, monetising through advertising and partnerships rather than a user fee

Meetup

  • Organizer fees tripled following Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024
  • Increased paywalling of core community features
  • Platform is buggy with many unfixed issues
  • Customer support no longer available with AI responses only
  • Issues with billing accuracy and unauthorized recurring charges
  • Poor technical support responsiveness to organizer complaints

Pricing, plan by plan

BabyCenter

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Week-by-week updates
    • Baby tracker
    • Community forums

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Which should you pick?

Choose BabyCenter if

  • You need week-by-week pregnancy updates.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want baby development tracker.
BabyCenter review

Choose Meetup if

  • You need groups.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want events.
Meetup review

Questions people ask

Is BabyCenter or Meetup better?
Neither clearly leads. BabyCenter starts at Free and Meetup at $55/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BabyCenter or Meetup?
BabyCenter has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for BabyCenter and $55/month for Meetup.
Does BabyCenter or Meetup run on more platforms?
BabyCenter runs on Web, Ios, Android. Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use BabyCenter for free?
Yes. BabyCenter has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Meetup starts at $55/month.
What is BabyCenter best used for?
BabyCenter is most often used for pregnancy information, baby tracking, community support, health information. Of those, pregnancy information and baby tracking are not what Meetup is typically brought in for.
What can BabyCenter do that Meetup cannot?
BabyCenter covers Week-by-week pregnancy updates, Baby development tracker, Milestone tracking, Parenting tips. Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Meetup: What is Meetup Pro pricing?

Meetup Pro starts at $55 per group per month, or $47 per group per month for six-month commitments. Enterprise plans are available at custom pricing. A one-week free trial is offered.

Source
Meetup: What features does Meetup Pro include?

Meetup Pro includes event scheduling, group management, member engagement tools, community-building features, and integrations with platforms like Zoom and Mailchimp.

Source
Meetup: Does Meetup charge organizers fees?

Yes, Meetup charges organizers fees for hosting groups and events. Organizer fees have increased significantly following the Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024.

Source
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Related pages

More on BabyCenter

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