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Meetup vs Run The World

Meetup logo

Meetup

Software

Find your people

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
R

Run The World

Software

Interactive virtual events platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Run The World 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; Run The World the Internet Archive's capture of Run The World's pricing page on 8 December 2021 listed Free with up to 50 attendees and 1 session per event, Pro at $79/month billed annually ($99 monthly) with up to 500 registrations and 3 sessions per event, and Business by contact only; ticketing carried a 15% service fee on Free and Pro or 4% on Business, plus a $1 minimum fee per paid ticket and a 2.9% plus $0.30 Stripe processing fee.
  • They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, Run The World covers Speed networking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Meetup and Run The World actually diverge.

Attributes where Meetup and Run The World differ
AttributeMeetupRun The World
Starting price$55/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded20022018

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 Meetup

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

Only in Run The World

  • Speed networking
  • Roundtables
  • Virtual expo
  • Live streaming
  • Social lounge
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • 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 Run The World
  • Organising a recurring in-person groupnot Run The World
  • Running online events alongside physical onesnot Run The World
  • Growing a community by drawing on Meetup's existing member basenot Run The World

Run The World

  • 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

Run The World

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Run The World's pricing page on 8 December 2021 listed Free with up to 50 attendees and 1 session per event, Pro at $79/month billed annually ($99 monthly) with up to 500 registrations and 3 sessions per event, and Business by contact only; ticketing carried a 15% service fee on Free and Pro or 4% on Business, plus a $1 minimum fee per paid ticket and a 2.9% plus $0.30 Stripe processing fee.

Pricing, plan by plan

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Run The World

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 50 attendees
    • Basic features
    • 1-hour events
  • Pro$149/month
    • 500 attendees
    • Speed networking
    • Custom branding
  • Enterprise$499/month
    • Unlimited attendees
    • Expo hall
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Meetup if

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

Choose Run The World if

  • You need speed networking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want roundtables.
Run The World review

Questions people ask

Is Meetup or Run The World better?
Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and Run The World at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Meetup or Run The World?
Run The World has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $55/month for Meetup and Free for Run The World.
Does Meetup or Run The World run on more platforms?
Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android. Run The World runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Run The World for free?
Yes. Run The World 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 Run The World is typically brought in for.
What can Meetup do that Run The World cannot?
Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Run The World covers Speed networking, Roundtables, Virtual expo, Live streaming. Both handle Ios support, 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

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