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Events · head to head

Meetup vs What to Expect

Meetup logo

Meetup

Events

Find your people

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
What to Expect logo

What to Expect

Parenting

Pregnancy and parenting guidance from conception to toddler

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only What to Expect 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; What to Expect what to Expect is a free, ad-supported consumer content site with no reader subscription tier, per the 31 Dec 2022 archive capture
  • They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, What to Expect covers Pregnancy tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Meetup and What to Expect actually diverge.

Attributes where Meetup and What to Expect differ
AttributeMeetupWhat to Expect
Starting price$55/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
CategoryEventsParenting
Founded20022000

Identical on both: 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
  • Zoom

Only in What to Expect

  • Pregnancy tracking
  • Weekly updates
  • Symptom tracker
  • Parenting tips
  • Community forums
  • Expert articles
  • Baby names database
  • Milestone tracking

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

What to Expect

  • Pregnancy trackingnot Meetup
  • Parenting guidancenot Meetup
  • Community supportnot Meetup
  • Health informationnot 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

What to Expect

  • What to Expect is a free, ad-supported consumer content site with no reader subscription tier, per the 31 Dec 2022 archive capture

Pricing, plan by plan

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

What to Expect

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Weekly pregnancy updates
    • Parenting tips
    • Symptom tracker

Which should you pick?

Choose Meetup if

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

Choose What to Expect if

  • You need pregnancy tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want weekly updates.
What to Expect review

Questions people ask

Is Meetup or What to Expect better?
Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and What to Expect at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Meetup or What to Expect?
What to Expect has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $55/month for Meetup and Free for What to Expect.
Does Meetup or What to Expect run on more platforms?
Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android. What to Expect runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use What to Expect for free?
Yes. What to Expect 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 What to Expect is typically brought in for.
What can Meetup do that What to Expect cannot?
Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. What to Expect covers Pregnancy tracking, Weekly updates, Symptom tracker, Parenting tips. 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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