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Software · head to head

Meetup vs Zoom Webinar

Meetup logo

Meetup

Software

Find your people

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoom Webinar logo

Zoom Webinar

Software

Professional video conferencing and webinar hosting

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoom Webinar 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; Zoom Webinar free tier capped at 40 minutes per meeting with up to 100 participants
  • They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, Zoom Webinar covers HD video conferencing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Meetup and Zoom Webinar actually diverge.

Attributes where Meetup and Zoom Webinar differ
AttributeMeetupZoom Webinar
Starting price$55/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidDesktop, Mobile, Tablet
Founded20022011

Identical on both: 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 Zoom Webinar

  • HD video conferencing
  • Screen sharing
  • Recording
  • Chat
  • Breakout rooms
  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams

Both cover

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

Zoom Webinar

  • Large-scale webinars up to 1,000 participants on Enterprise tiernot Meetup
  • Professional organisations needing end-to-end encryption and customer-managed keysnot Meetup
  • Hybrid work environments with integrated PBX phone servicenot 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

Zoom Webinar

  • Free tier capped at 40 minutes per meeting with up to 100 participants
  • Free tier lacks cloud storage and advanced AI Companion features
  • Higher tiers require commitments to larger participant counts (Business: 300, Enterprise: 1000)

Pricing, plan by plan

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Zoom Webinar

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoom Webinar review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Meetup if

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

Choose Zoom Webinar if

  • You need hd video conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Desktop, Mobile, Tablet.
  • You also want screen sharing.
Zoom Webinar review

Questions people ask

Is Meetup or Zoom Webinar better?
Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and Zoom Webinar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Meetup or Zoom Webinar?
Zoom Webinar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $55/month for Meetup and Free for Zoom Webinar.
Does Meetup or Zoom Webinar run on more platforms?
Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zoom Webinar runs on Desktop, Mobile, Tablet.
Can I use Zoom Webinar for free?
Yes. Zoom Webinar 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 Zoom Webinar is typically brought in for.
What can Meetup do that Zoom Webinar cannot?
Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Zoom Webinar covers HD video conferencing, Screen sharing, Recording, Chat. Both handle 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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Related pages

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