Softwr

Event Management · head to head

Meetup vs Universe

Meetup logo

Meetup

Event Management

Find your people

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Universe logo

Universe

Event Management

Ticketing and event management made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Universe 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; Universe limited design customization for event pages and branding control
  • They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, Universe covers Ticketing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Meetup and Universe actually diverge.

Attributes where Meetup and Universe differ
AttributeMeetupUniverse
Starting price$55/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20022011

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Event Management).

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 Universe

  • Ticketing
  • Event pages
  • Guest lists
  • Check-in app
  • Analytics
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Facebook

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

Universe

  • 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

Universe

  • Limited design customization for event pages and branding control
  • User interface becomes unintuitive for advanced features and complex event types
  • No ability to transfer attendees between time slots; requires full refund and repurchase
  • Difficult walk-up/credit card sales processing at physical events
  • Slow customer support for refunds and technical issues

Pricing, plan by plan

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Universe

Free
  • Free EventsFree
    • Free event creation and ticketing
  • Starter$0.79/per ticket
    • 2% + $0.79 per ticket
    • Capped at $19.95 per ticket
    • Basic event management
  • Standard$1.99/per ticket
    • 2.5% + $1.99 per ticket
    • Capped at $19.95 per ticket
    • Advanced features
  • Pro$null/custom
    • Dynamic pricing
    • RFID access control
    • Ticketmaster distribution

Which should you pick?

Choose Meetup if

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

Choose Universe if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want event pages.
Universe review

Questions people ask

Is Meetup or Universe better?
Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and Universe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Meetup or Universe?
Universe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $55/month for Meetup and Free for Universe.
Does Meetup or Universe run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Universe for free?
Yes. Universe 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 Universe is typically brought in for.
What can Meetup do that Universe cannot?
Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Universe covers Ticketing, Event pages, Guest lists, Check-in app. 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
Universe: What platforms does Universe support?

Universe is available on web, iOS, and Android, with support across 25 countries and 9 languages. Organizers can accept online, mobile, onsite, kiosk, and print-at-home tickets.

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
Universe: Does Universe integrate with other tools?

Yes. Universe integrates with 5,000+ partner applications through Zapier, allowing automation of ticket sales data to CRM, invoicing, and other business tools without code.

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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