Meetup Now Costs $50/Month: Here's Your Free Alternative
Back in January, we wrote about how Meetup.com’s $24/month pricing was putting community building out of reach. Today, organizers pay up to $50/month depending on their region and plan.
Meanwhile, OpenMeet remains free. And we’ve grown.
What’s Changed in 2025
| January 2025 | December 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Meetup Price | $24/month | up to $50/month |
| OpenMeet Price | Free | Still Free |
| OpenMeet Users | Just starting | 300+ |
| Events Created | Handful | 2,400+ |
| Active Groups | Few | 58 |
Communities like Coast Riders Motorcycle Club in Vancouver and Kona Freethinkers in Hawaii are using OpenMeet to bring people together without monthly fees eating into their budgets.
OpenMeet vs Meetup: The Real Comparison
| Feature | OpenMeet | Meetup |
|---|---|---|
| Price for Organizers | Free | up to $50/month |
| Unlimited Events | Yes | Yes (but you pay) |
| Open Source | Yes | No |
| Privacy-First | Yes | Sells data |
| Social Login | Google, GitHub, AT Protocol | Google, Facebook, Apple |
| Group Size Limits | None | None |
Why We’re Different
OpenMeet isn’t just a cheaper alternative - we’re built on different values:
- Open Source: Our code is public. Anyone can verify what we do with your data.
- No Ads, No Data Sales: We don’t monetize your connections.
- Community-First: We’re building tools for organizers, not shareholders.
Getting Started Takes 2 Minutes
- Visit platform.openmeet.net
- Sign in with Google, GitHub, or AT Protocol
- Create an event or group
- Share the link with your community
No credit card. No trial period. No “upgrade to unlock” walls.
Join 300+ Community Organizers
Whether you’re running book clubs, hiking groups, business networking, or neighborhood gatherings - you shouldn’t have to pay up to $50/month for the privilege.
Ready to make the switch?
- Create your first event: platform.openmeet.net
- Join our community: Discord
- Contribute code: GitHub
P.S. Know someone paying $50/month for Meetup? Share this with them.
