Software · head to head
Meetup vs Luma
The short version
- Only Luma has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Meetup organizer fees tripled following Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024; Luma 5% platform fee on paid events in free tier can add up for high-volume organizers
- They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, Luma covers Event pages.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Meetup and Luma actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Meetup
- Groups
- Events
- RSVP System
- Messaging
- Event Photos
- Recommendations
Only in Luma
- Event pages
- Registration
- Calendar sync
- Ticketing
- Community features
- Apple Calendar
- Stripe
- Discord
Both cover
- Google Calendar
- Zoom
- Ios support
- Android support
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Meetup
- Finding local groups and events around a shared interestnot Luma
- Organising a recurring in-person groupnot Luma
- Running online events alongside physical onesnot Luma
- Growing a community by drawing on Meetup's existing member basenot Luma
Luma
- Event planningnot Meetup
- Ticket salesnot Meetup
- Attendee managementnot Meetup
- Virtual eventsnot Meetup
- Event marketingnot Meetup
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Meetup
$55/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.
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 Luma if
- You need event pages.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want registration.
Questions people ask
- Is Meetup or Luma better?
- Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and Luma at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Meetup or Luma?
- Luma has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $55/month for Meetup and Free for Luma.
- Does Meetup or Luma run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Luma for free?
- Yes. Luma has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Meetup starts at $55/month.
- What is Meetup best used for?
- Meetup is most often used for finding local groups and events around a shared interest, organising a recurring in-person group, running online events alongside physical ones, growing a community by drawing on meetup's existing member base. Of those, finding local groups and events around a shared interest and organising a recurring in-person group are not what Luma is typically brought in for.
- What can Meetup do that Luma cannot?
- Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Luma covers Event pages, Registration, Calendar sync, Ticketing. Both handle Google Calendar, Zoom, 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.
SourceLuma: 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.
SourceMeetup: 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.
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.
SourceMeetup: 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.
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