Software · head to head
Guest Manager vs Luma
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Guest Manager usage is metered in credits consumed by check ins, emails and badges, so cost scales with activity rather than with the subscription alone; Luma 5% platform fee on paid events in free tier can add up for high-volume organizers
- They diverge on capability: Guest Manager covers QR check-in, Luma covers Event pages.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Guest Manager and Luma actually diverge.
| Attribute | Guest Manager | Luma |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Founded | 2014 | 2020 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Guest Manager
- QR check-in
- Badge printing
- Attendance tracking
- Guest communication
- Eventbrite
- Mailchimp
- Zapier
- Google Sheets
Only in Luma
- Event pages
- Calendar sync
- Ticketing
- Community features
- Google Calendar
- Apple Calendar
- Zoom
- Stripe
Both cover
- Registration
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Guest Manager
- Guest list check in on tablets at eventsnot Luma
- Selling and scanning event ticketsnot Luma
- Printing name badges onsitenot Luma
Luma
- Event planningnot Guest Manager
- Ticket salesnot Guest Manager
- Attendee managementnot Guest Manager
- Virtual eventsnot Guest Manager
- Event marketingnot Guest Manager
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Guest Manager
- Usage is metered in credits consumed by check ins, emails and badges, so cost scales with activity rather than with the subscription alone
- Check in devices are capped at 2 on On Demand, 4 on Planner and 8 on Professional
- Ticket fees are $1.00 per ticket on On Demand and Planner and fall to $0.50 only on the $199 per month Concierge plan
- Priority support and a dedicated account manager are Concierge and Custom only
- The free trial covers only the first 50 guest check ins
- The Custom plan is priced by quote
Luma
- 5% platform fee on paid events in free tier can add up for high-volume organizers
- Limited discovery features compared to established platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite
- Smaller organizer community means fewer network effects than larger competitors
Pricing, plan by plan
Guest Manager
Free- FreeFree
- 100 guests
- Basic check-in
- Email support
- Pro$79/month
- Unlimited guests
- Badge printing
- Analytics
- Enterprise$199/month
- API access
- White-label
- Priority support
Luma
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited events
- Unlimited guests
- Up to 500 invites per week
- Plus$59/month
- No platform fee
- 5,000 invites per week
- Tax collection
Which should you pick?
Choose Guest Manager if
- You need qr check-in.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want badge printing.
Choose Luma if
- You need event pages.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want calendar sync.
Questions people ask
- Is Guest Manager or Luma better?
- Neither clearly leads. Guest Manager starts at Free and Luma at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Guest Manager or Luma?
- Guest Manager starts at Free and Luma at Free.
- Does Guest Manager or Luma run on more platforms?
- Guest Manager runs on Web, Ios, Android. Luma runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Guest Manager for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Guest Manager best used for?
- Guest Manager is most often used for guest list check in on tablets at events, selling and scanning event tickets, printing name badges onsite. Of those, guest list check in on tablets at events and selling and scanning event tickets are not what Luma is typically brought in for.
- What can Guest Manager do that Luma cannot?
- Guest Manager covers QR check-in, Badge printing, Attendance tracking, Guest communication. Luma covers Event pages, Calendar sync, Ticketing, Community features. Both handle Registration, Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Luma: Does Luma have a free plan?
Yes. Luma offers a free plan with unlimited events, unlimited guests, and up to 500 invites per week. Free users pay a 5% platform fee on paid events.
SourceLuma: How much does Luma Plus cost?
Luma Plus costs $59 per month when billed annually, or $69 per month for month-to-month billing. It removes the platform fee, increases invites to 5,000 per week, and adds tax collection and API access.
SourceLuma: Can I integrate Luma with other tools?
Yes. Luma Plus includes API access and supports enterprise CRM integrations for larger organizations managing events at scale.
Source