Scorecard
Event Schedule vs Meetup
A free, open source alternative to Meetup with zero fees and full customization.
34/39
lines where Event Schedule has the edge.
The other 5 are a match or go to Meetup.
Every line on this card is scored from the same table below. Nothing is averaged, weighted or rounded.
The card
Scored line by line.
A feature-by-feature comparison of Event Schedule and Meetup, in 39 lines across 6 sections. Our column names the plan behind every gated feature, because a comparison that hides the tier is not a comparison.
| Line | Event Schedule | Meetup |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Fees 3 of 4 to Event Schedule | ||
| Free plan (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included forever | Included limited |
| Paid plan price (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | $9/mo (7-day free trial) | From $16.79/mo (organizer) |
| Platform fees (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | 0% | 0% (but subscription required) |
| Payment processing | Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) | Built-in (for paid events) |
| Events & Ticketing 8 of 12 to Event Schedule | ||
| Ticketing | Included Pro | Included paid events |
| QR check-ins (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Ticket waitlist (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Check-in dashboard (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Sale notifications (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Sales data export (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Recurring events | Included Free | Included |
| Online events | Included Free | Included |
| Free event RSVP | Included Free | Included |
| Event polls (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Promo/discount codes (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Post-event feedback (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Integrations 3 of 3 to Event Schedule | ||
| Google Calendar sync (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Free | Add to calendar only |
| CalDAV sync (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Free | Not offered |
| Newsletters (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Free | Group messaging only |
| Customization 4 of 4 to Event Schedule | ||
| Custom domains (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Enterprise | Not offered |
| Remove branding (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Custom fields (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Custom CSS (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Unique Features 12 of 12 to Event Schedule | ||
| AI suite (event parsing, flyer gen, style gen) (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Enterprise | Not offered |
| Event graphics gen (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Embeddable calendar (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Free | Not offered |
| Fan videos & comments (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Free | Not offered |
| Event boost (ads) (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Private/password-protected events (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Enterprise | Not offered |
| Availability management (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Enterprise | Not offered |
| WhatsApp event creation (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Enterprise | Not offered |
| Team collaboration (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Enterprise | Co-organizers (paid) |
| Carpool matching (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Sponsor/partner logos (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Email scheduling (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Enterprise | Not offered |
| Platform 4 of 4 to Event Schedule | ||
| REST API (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Included limited |
| Webhooks (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included Pro | Not offered |
| Open source (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included | Not offered |
| Selfhosting (Event Schedule has the edge on this line) | Included | Not offered |
Selfhost Event Schedule and every one of those plan chips opens: a selfhosted install resolves to Enterprise, so no line on the card is held back by a plan. Either way, ticket sales run through your own Stripe account and Event Schedule takes 0%.
Straight answers
Three lines we do not claim.
A card you can trust has to name what is missing from it. These three are true about Event Schedule no matter which platform you are holding it against.
No marketplace
You bring the audience
Your public events can be listed on the Event Schedule browse and search pages, but a listing is not a marketplace's built-in audience. What actually fills a room is your own schedule page, an embeddable calendar, a follower QR code and newsletters.
Seat maps are Enterprise
Ticket types, then seats
On Free and Pro a ticket type has a name, a price and a quantity, and buyers are not choosing a specific seat. A reserved-seating house needs Enterprise, where you draw the room once and sell the seats in it.
One team member on Free
Extra members are Enterprise
The free plan is one person per schedule. Adding team members is on Enterprise and is capped at five on the hosted platform, so do not plan on inviting a whole staff for nothing.
Everything else on this page is a line you can check for yourself. Back to the card
The margin marks
Where the marks fall our way.
34 of the 39 lines above carry a diamond. Here are the 6 advantages over Meetup that most often decide it, in plain language rather than table cells.
No Organizer Fee
Meetup charges organizers $16.79 to $24.50/mo just to host a group. Event Schedule is free forever with optional $9/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.
Both columns
Read both sides before you sign.
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 combination no other platform matches: zero platform fees, open source transparency, and AI tools built in.
What you get
- Zero platform fees on all ticket sales, at any plan level
- Fully open source with a selfhosting option for complete control
- AI event parsing, flyer generation, and automatic event graphics
- Two-way Google Calendar and CalDAV sync included free
A fresh card
How to switch in 3 steps
Get started in minutes. There is nothing to migrate and no export file to wait for.
01
Create your schedule
Sign up free and create your first schedule in under a minute.
02
Add your events
Paste event details for AI import or create events manually.
03
Share and sell
Share your schedule URL and start selling tickets.
Free forever. Upgrade when you're ready.
Zero platform fees on ticket sales. You only pay Stripe's processing fee.
See all plansFrequently asked questions
Common questions about switching from Meetup.
Is it easy to switch from Meetup to Event Schedule?
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.
How does Event Schedule pricing compare to Meetup?
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 $9/mo with zero platform fees on ticket sales.
Can Event Schedule handle community events and recurring meetups?
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.
Free forever, 0% platform fees
That is the card. Now sign it.
Final tally: 34 of 39 lines to Event Schedule.
Create your free schedule today. No credit card required, and nothing taken from your ticket sales.
Open source, and yours to selfhost whenever you want it.