Softwr

Events · head to head

Meetup vs Swapcard

Meetup logo

Meetup

Events

Find your people

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Swapcard logo

Swapcard

Events

The smart event platform

From
$610/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Meetup organizer fees tripled following Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024; Swapcard pricing requires custom quote; starting price of $610 does not include per-attendee charges which can add significant costs
  • They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, Swapcard covers AI matchmaking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Meetup and Swapcard actually diverge.

Attributes where Meetup and Swapcard differ
AttributeMeetupSwapcard
Starting price$55/month$610/one-time
Founded20022013

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Events).

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 Swapcard

  • AI matchmaking
  • Lead capture
  • Event mobile app
  • Exhibitor management
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • 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 Swapcard
  • Organising a recurring in-person groupnot Swapcard
  • Running online events alongside physical onesnot Swapcard
  • Growing a community by drawing on Meetup's existing member basenot Swapcard

Swapcard

  • 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

Swapcard

  • Pricing requires custom quote; starting price of $610 does not include per-attendee charges which can add significant costs
  • Smaller company with 181 employees compared to market leaders like Cvent, limiting support resources
  • Limited reporting and analytics features compared to tier-1 event platforms
  • API documentation is sparse; custom integrations require direct vendor support
  • Primarily focused on B2B events; less suitable for consumer or small events

Pricing, plan by plan

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Swapcard

$610/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Swapcard review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Meetup if

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

Choose Swapcard if

  • You need ai matchmaking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want lead capture.
Swapcard review

Questions people ask

Is Meetup or Swapcard better?
Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and Swapcard at $610/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Meetup or Swapcard?
Meetup starts at $55/month and Swapcard at $610/one-time.
Does Meetup or Swapcard run on more platforms?
Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android. Swapcard runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Swapcard is typically brought in for.
What can Meetup do that Swapcard cannot?
Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Swapcard covers AI matchmaking, Lead capture, Event mobile app, Exhibitor management. 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
Swapcard: What does Swapcard's pricing model include?

Swapcard pricing includes three components: a base license, usage volume (attendees and exhibitors), and add-ons. The Event Engagement Platform starts at $610 and includes mobile/web apps, AI-powered networking, virtual event capability, and exhibitor lead management.

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
Swapcard: What event types does Swapcard support?

Swapcard supports in-person, virtual, and hybrid events including conferences, trade shows, exhibitions, webinars, and networking events.

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
Swapcard: What are Swapcard's core platform features?

Core features include dashboard access, agenda management, streaming and audiovisual capability, abstract/paper management, lead capture tools, networking features, and audience response systems.

Source
Swapcard: How many integrations does Swapcard offer?

Swapcard connects natively to over 30 integrations including event platforms like Eventbrite, Cvent, and Bizzabo, plus CRM tools like HubSpot and mapping solutions.

Source
Swapcard: Who is Swapcard and when was it founded?

Swapcard was founded in 2013 in Paris by Baptiste Boulard, Godefroy Des Francs, and Damien Courbon. The company has raised $5.27M and serves event organizers globally.

Source
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