Softwr

Event Management · head to head

Meetup vs Swoogo

Meetup logo

Meetup

Event Management

Find your people

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Swoogo logo

Swoogo

Webinar & Virtual Events

Event management that flexes with you

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Meetup organizer fees tripled following Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024; Swoogo higher pricing tier compared to some simpler event registration tools
  • They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, Swoogo covers Event registration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Meetup and Swoogo actually diverge.

Attributes where Meetup and Swoogo differ
AttributeMeetupSwoogo
Starting price$55/month$500/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
CategoryEvent ManagementWebinar & Virtual Events
Founded20022015

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

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

Only in Swoogo

  • Event registration
  • Custom event websites
  • Attendee management
  • Email marketing
  • Event analytics
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Marketo

Both cover

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

Swoogo

  • 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

Swoogo

  • Higher pricing tier compared to some simpler event registration tools

Pricing, plan by plan

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Swoogo

$500/month
  • Starter$500/month
    • Event registration
    • Basic branding
    • Email communications
  • Growth$1200/month
    • Advanced branding
    • Integrations
    • Analytics
  • Enterprise$3000/month
    • Unlimited events
    • SSO
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Meetup if

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

Choose Swoogo if

  • You need event registration.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want custom event websites.
Swoogo review

Questions people ask

Is Meetup or Swoogo better?
Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and Swoogo at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Meetup or Swoogo?
Meetup starts at $55/month and Swoogo at $500/month.
Does Meetup or Swoogo run on more platforms?
Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android. Swoogo 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 Swoogo is typically brought in for.
What can Meetup do that Swoogo cannot?
Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Swoogo covers Event registration, Custom event websites, Attendee management, Email marketing. Both handle Zoom, 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
Swoogo: What event types does Swoogo support?

Swoogo supports everything from small field events to multi-track hybrid conferences. It handles roadshows, dinners, webinars, and digital events with customizable registration experiences.

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
Swoogo: Does Swoogo integrate with marketing automation platforms?

Yes, Swoogo integrates with Marketo and Salesforce, and supports thousands of apps through Zapier for automated workflows without coding.

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
Swoogo: Can Swoogo handle complex registration flows?

Yes, Swoogo excels with multiple attendee types, approval workflows, session selection, and different registration experiences for different audiences.

Source
Swoogo: Does Swoogo provide event analytics?

Yes, Swoogo provides event data insights and analytics to track registrations, attendee engagement, and real-time event metrics for better decision-making.

Source
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