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Software · head to head

Meetup vs Microsoft Teams Live Events

Meetup logo

Meetup

Software

Find your people

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Teams Live Events logo

Microsoft Teams Live Events

Software

Enterprise live event and webinar platform by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Teams Live Events 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; Microsoft Teams Live Events teams live events retired on June 30, 2026, and only events scheduled before that date remain supported through February 28, 2027
  • They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Meetup and Microsoft Teams Live Events actually diverge.

Attributes where Meetup and Microsoft Teams Live Events differ
AttributeMeetupMicrosoft Teams Live Events
Starting price$55/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWindows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web
Founded20021975

Identical on both: 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
  • Google Calendar
  • Zoom

Only in Microsoft Teams Live Events

  • Live Q&A
  • Attendee engagement
  • RTMP support
  • Recording
  • Microsoft 365 integration
  • Microsoft 365
  • Azure
  • SharePoint

Both cover

  • 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 Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Organising a recurring in-person groupnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Running online events alongside physical onesnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Growing a community by drawing on Meetup's existing member basenot Microsoft Teams Live Events

Microsoft Teams Live Events

  • One to many broadcast of company town halls to large internal audiencesnot Meetup
  • Streaming an externally produced RTMP feed from a hardware encoder to Teams viewersnot 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

Microsoft Teams Live Events

  • Teams live events retired on June 30, 2026, and only events scheduled before that date remain supported through February 28, 2027
  • Microsoft directs users to the separate unified Teams events experience instead
  • Organizers must use the Teams web client to schedule a live event; scheduling is not available in the desktop client
  • Users cannot schedule meetings or live events when offline or running with limited bandwidth
  • Keeping internal broadcast traffic off the corporate network requires an eCDN, either Microsoft's own or a certified partner such as Hive, Kollective or Ramp

Pricing, plan by plan

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Microsoft Teams Live Events

Free
  • Microsoft Teams FreeFree
    • Up to 300 participants
    • Live events
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic$6/month
    • Enhanced live events
    • 10000 attendees
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard$12.5/month
    • Advanced features
    • Unlimited events

Which should you pick?

Choose Meetup if

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

Choose Microsoft Teams Live Events if

  • You need live q&a.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want attendee engagement.
Microsoft Teams Live Events review

Questions people ask

Is Meetup or Microsoft Teams Live Events better?
Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and Microsoft Teams Live Events at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Meetup or Microsoft Teams Live Events?
Microsoft Teams Live Events has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $55/month for Meetup and Free for Microsoft Teams Live Events.
Does Meetup or Microsoft Teams Live Events run on more platforms?
Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android. Microsoft Teams Live Events runs on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Microsoft Teams Live Events for free?
Yes. Microsoft Teams Live Events 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 Microsoft Teams Live Events is typically brought in for.
What can Meetup do that Microsoft Teams Live Events cannot?
Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Attendee engagement, RTMP support, Recording. Both handle Android support, Web 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 Meetup

More on Microsoft Teams Live Events

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