Event Management · head to head
Partiful vs Luma
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Partiful no automatic email or SMS delivery to guests, requiring manual link sharing for event invitations; Luma 5% platform fee on paid events in free tier can add up for high-volume organizers
- They diverge on capability: Partiful covers Digital invitations, Luma covers Event pages.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Partiful and Luma actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), 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 Partiful
- Digital invitations
- RSVP tracking
- Guest messaging
- Photo sharing
- iMessage
Only in Luma
- Event pages
- Registration
- Ticketing
- Community features
- Zoom
- Stripe
- Discord
Both cover
- Calendar sync
- Apple Calendar
- Google Calendar
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Partiful
- Event planning
- Ticket sales
- Attendee management
- Virtual events
- Event marketing
Luma
- Event planning
- Ticket sales
- Attendee management
- Virtual events
- Event marketing
Both are used for event planning, ticket sales, attendee management, virtual events, event marketing, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Partiful
- No automatic email or SMS delivery to guests, requiring manual link sharing for event invitations
- Ticketing fees are not disclosed until setup time, making budget planning difficult for event hosts
- No support for interactive seat maps or assigned reserved seating for ticketed events
- Designed primarily for informal social events and works best for gatherings under 300 people
Luma
- 5% platform fee on paid events in free tier can add up for high-volume organizers
- Limited discovery features compared to established platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite
- Smaller organizer community means fewer network effects than larger competitors
Pricing, plan by plan
Partiful
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Partiful review.
Luma
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited events
- Unlimited guests
- Up to 500 invites per week
- Plus$59/month
- No platform fee
- 5,000 invites per week
- Tax collection
Which should you pick?
Choose Partiful if
- You need digital invitations.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Web.
- You also want rsvp tracking.
Choose Luma if
- You need event pages.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want registration.
Questions people ask
- Is Partiful or Luma better?
- Neither clearly leads. Partiful starts at Free and Luma at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Partiful or Luma?
- Partiful starts at Free and Luma at Free.
- Does Partiful or Luma run on more platforms?
- Partiful runs on iOS, Android, Web. Luma runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Partiful for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Partiful best used for?
- Partiful is most often used for event planning, ticket sales, attendee management, virtual events.
- What can Partiful do that Luma cannot?
- Partiful covers Digital invitations, RSVP tracking, Guest messaging, Photo sharing. Luma covers Event pages, Registration, Ticketing, Community features. Both handle Calendar sync, Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Partiful: Is Partiful free to use for creating events?
Yes. Creating events and inviting guests is completely free. Ticketing features are available with variable fees based on ticket price and event size, but the basic event creation and RSVP collection has no cost.
SourceLuma: Does Luma have a free plan?
Yes. Luma offers a free plan with unlimited events, unlimited guests, and up to 500 invites per week. Free users pay a 5% platform fee on paid events.
SourcePartiful: Does Partiful support assigned seating or seat maps?
No. Partiful Ticketing supports tiered pricing and capacity limits but does not currently support interactive seat maps or assigned-seat reserved seating.
SourceLuma: How much does Luma Plus cost?
Luma Plus costs $59 per month when billed annually, or $69 per month for month-to-month billing. It removes the platform fee, increases invites to 5,000 per week, and adds tax collection and API access.
SourcePartiful: How does Partiful notify guests about events?
Partiful primarily uses link sharing rather than automated email or SMS delivery. Hosts must share event links with guests, typically via text message or social media.
SourceLuma: Can I integrate Luma with other tools?
Yes. Luma Plus includes API access and supports enterprise CRM integrations for larger organizations managing events at scale.
SourcePartiful: What ticketing features does Partiful support?
Partiful Ticketing supports tiered pricing for different ticket tiers, capacity limits with QR code check-in, and promo codes. However, it does not support ticket add-ons, waitlists for ticketed events, or individual refunds from the dashboard.
Source