Event Schedule
vs Meetup
A free, open source alternative to Meetup with zero fees and full customization.
| Feature | Event Schedule | Meetup |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Fees | ||
| Free plan | (forever) | (limited) |
| Paid plan price | $5/mo (7-day free trial) | From $16.79/mo (organizer) |
| Platform fees | 0% | 0% (but subscription required) |
| Payment processing | Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) | Built-in (for paid events) |
| Events & Ticketing | ||
| Ticketing | (Pro) | (paid events) |
| QR check-ins | (Pro) | |
| Ticket waitlist | (Pro) | |
| Check-in dashboard | (Pro) | |
| Sale notifications | (Pro) | |
| Sales data export | (Pro) | |
| Recurring events | (Free) | |
| Online events | (Free) | |
| Free event RSVP | (Free) | |
| Event polls | (Pro) | |
| Promo/discount codes | (Pro) | |
| Post-event feedback | (Pro) | |
| Integrations | ||
| Google Calendar sync | (Free) | Add to calendar only |
| CalDAV sync | (Free) | |
| Newsletters | (Free) | Group messaging only |
| Customization | ||
| Custom domains | (Enterprise) | |
| Remove branding | (Pro) | |
| Custom fields | (Pro) | |
| Custom CSS | (Pro) | |
| Unique Features | ||
| AI suite (event parsing, flyer gen, style gen) | (Enterprise) | |
| Event graphics gen | (Pro) | |
| Embeddable calendar | (Free) | |
| Fan videos & comments | (Free) | |
| Event boost (ads) | (Pro) | |
| Private/password-protected events | (Enterprise) | |
| Availability management | (Enterprise) | |
| WhatsApp event creation | (Enterprise) | |
| Team collaboration | (Enterprise) | Co-organizers (paid) |
| Carpool matching | (Pro) | |
| Sponsor/partner logos | (Pro) | |
| Email scheduling | (Enterprise) | |
| Platform | ||
| REST API | (Pro) | (limited) |
| Webhooks | (Pro) | |
| Open source | ||
| Selfhosting | ||
Where Event Schedule Shines
Key advantages over Meetup that make Event Schedule a strong alternative.
No Organizer Fee
Meetup charges organizers $16.79 to $24.50/mo just to host a group. Event Schedule is free forever with optional $5/mo Pro upgrade - saving you up to $200/year.
Own Your Community
On Meetup, your members belong to Meetup - not you. With Event Schedule, your audience is yours. Use your own domain, branding, and newsletter list.
Custom Branding
Every Meetup group looks the same. Event Schedule lets you customize themes, colors, backgrounds, and use your own domain for a unique brand identity.
Embeddable Calendar
Embed your event calendar directly on your website. Meetup has no embed option, forcing visitors to leave your site.
QR Check-Ins
Scan attendees in at the door with QR codes. Meetup has no built-in check-in system for tracking who actually showed up.
Fan Engagement
Let your community share videos and comments on events. Build engagement that goes beyond RSVPs - something Meetup cannot offer.
About Meetup
Meetup is a social platform for organizing and discovering local community events and groups. It connects people with shared interests through in-person and online gatherings.
Meetup's strengths
- Large built-in community and event discovery marketplace
- Strong network effects with millions of active users
- Social features with member profiles, RSVPs, and group discussions
Why choose Event Schedule?
Event Schedule offers a unique combination of features that no other platform matches: zero platform fees, open source transparency, and powerful AI tools.
- Zero platform fees on all ticket sales, at any plan level
- Fully open source with selfhosting option for complete control
- AI-powered event parsing, flyer generation, and automatic graphics
- Two-way Google Calendar and CalDAV sync included free
How to switch in 3 steps
Get started in minutes. No migration or data import needed.
Create your schedule
Sign up free and create your first schedule in under a minute.
Add your events
Paste event details for AI import or create events manually.
Share and sell
Share your schedule URL and start selling tickets.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about switching from Meetup.
Yes. Create a free schedule and add your recurring or one-time events. Share your schedule URL with your community. Event Schedule supports recurring events and newsletters to keep your group engaged.
Meetup charges organizers a subscription starting at $16.79/mo for basic groups, with higher tiers for larger communities. Event Schedule has a free plan with unlimited events. The Pro plan is $5/mo with zero platform fees on ticket sales.
Yes. Event Schedule supports recurring events, fan engagement features like videos and comments, newsletters with A/B testing, and embeddable calendar widgets. All designed for building and maintaining community.
Ready to switch?
Create your free schedule today. No credit card required, no platform fees ever.
Get Started Free