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Event Management · head to head

Meetup vs Zoom Webinars

Meetup logo

Meetup

Event Management

Find your people

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

Zoom Webinars

Webinar & Virtual Events

Dedicated webinar platform by Zoom for large-scale events

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Meetup organizer fees tripled following Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024; Zoom Webinars webinars tier limited to standard platform features; advanced features like pre-recorded content and multi-session events require Webinars Plus or Events tier
  • They diverge on capability: Meetup covers Groups, Zoom Webinars covers Attendee registration.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Meetup and Zoom Webinars differ
AttributeMeetupZoom Webinars
Starting price$55/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidCloud-based SaaS
CategoryEvent ManagementWebinar & Virtual Events
Founded20022011

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Zoom Webinars

  • Attendee registration
  • HD video
  • Screen sharing
  • Polls and surveys
  • Q&A
  • Breakout rooms
  • Recording
  • Analytics

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

Zoom Webinars

  • Large-scale broadcasts with 10,000+ attendeesnot Meetup
  • Multi-session virtual events and hybrid conferencesnot 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 Webinars

  • Webinars tier limited to standard platform features; advanced features like pre-recorded content and multi-session events require Webinars Plus or Events tier
  • All tiers support up to 100,000 attendees but 30-hour event limit applies across all packages

Pricing, plan by plan

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Zoom Webinars

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoom Webinars 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 Webinars if

  • You need attendee registration.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want hd video.
Zoom Webinars review

Questions people ask

Is Meetup or Zoom Webinars better?
Neither clearly leads. Meetup starts at $55/month and Zoom Webinars at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Meetup or Zoom Webinars?
Meetup starts at $55/month and Zoom Webinars at On request.
Does Meetup or Zoom Webinars run on more platforms?
Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zoom Webinars runs on Cloud-based SaaS.
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 Webinars is typically brought in for.
What can Meetup do that Zoom Webinars cannot?
Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Zoom Webinars covers Attendee registration, HD video, Screen sharing, Polls and surveys. 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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