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Software · head to head

Meetup vs Wrike

Meetup logo

Meetup

Software

Find your people

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wrike logo

Wrike

Software

Versatile & robust project management software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Wrike 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; Wrike seats are sold in blocks rather than singly: groups of 5 up to 30 seats, groups of 10 up to 100, and groups of 25 above that, so adding one person can mean paying for five
  • They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, Wrike covers Interactive Gantt charts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Meetup and Wrike actually diverge.

Attributes where Meetup and Wrike differ
AttributeMeetupWrike
Starting price$55/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux
Founded20022006

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Wrike

  • Interactive Gantt charts
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Custom workflows
  • Resource management
  • Time tracking
  • Proofing tools
  • Performance reports
  • Mobile apps

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

Wrike

  • Marketing campaignsnot Meetup
  • Creative projectsnot Meetup
  • Product developmentnot Meetup
  • Professional servicesnot Meetup
  • Event managementnot 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

Wrike

  • Seats are sold in blocks rather than singly: groups of 5 up to 30 seats, groups of 10 up to 100, and groups of 25 above that, so adding one person can mean paying for five
  • The Team plan is limited to 2 to 15 users and Business to 5 to 200
  • Business and above are annual subscriptions only
  • Pinnacle and Apex pricing is not published
  • AI actions are rationed by tier rather than unlimited

Pricing, plan by plan

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Wrike

Free
  • FreeFree
  • Team$10/month
    • Per user
    • Gantt charts
    • AI included
  • Business$25/month
    • Per user
  • Pinnacle$null/month

Which should you pick?

Choose Meetup if

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

Choose Wrike if

  • You need interactive gantt charts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
Wrike review

Questions people ask

Is Meetup or Wrike better?
Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and Wrike at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Meetup or Wrike?
Wrike has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $55/month for Meetup and Free for Wrike.
Does Meetup or Wrike run on more platforms?
Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android. Wrike runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Wrike for free?
Yes. Wrike 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 Wrike is typically brought in for.
What can Meetup do that Wrike cannot?
Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Wrike covers Interactive Gantt charts, Real-time collaboration, Custom workflows, Resource management.

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
Wrike: Are Gantt charts included in all plans?

Gantt charts are available in the Team plan ($10/user/month) and higher. The free plan has limited project visualization.

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
Wrike: Is AI included in the pricing?

Yes. As of January 2026, Wrike includes AI Agents and AI Priority Inbox in all plans at no extra cost, a major differentiator from competitors charging $20-40/user/month for AI.

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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