The original recurring-groups platform — now behind a monthly paywall.
Meetup pioneered the idea of recurring local groups, and for an established organizer it can still work. But since 2024 it's been owned by Bending Spoons, and its free tier is so limited — no recurring events, a 10-guest cap — that any real group needs a monthly subscription. There's also no native way to charge for a class or workshop. GatherNearby was built for the same recurring, in-person community — without the subscription, and with real checkout when you want to get paid.
| Feature | GatherNearbyThat’s us | Meetup |
|---|---|---|
| Local discovery feed (find gatherings near you) | Yes | Yes |
| Built for recurring classes & clubs | Yes | Yes |
| Native paid bookings & checkout | Yes | No |
| No organizer subscription to host | Yes | Limited |
| Free events cost the host nothing | Yes | Limited |
| Platform fee on paid tickets | 5% + Stripe | — |
| Member profiles & social graph | Yes | Limited |
| Classes, clubs & spaces in one home | Yes | Limited |
| Independent & founder-owned | Yes | No |
Recurring interest groups with a built-in audience — the original home for showing up week after week.
Meetup charges organizers a monthly subscriptionjust to run a group, and it's RSVP-only — there's no native way to take payment for a class or workshop. GatherNearby keeps the recurring-group rhythm, adds real checkout, and never charges hosts a subscription.
You already have an established group on Meetup and don’t need to take payments.
You want recurring classes and clubs, native paid bookings, and no monthly fee to host.
Yes. There's no monthly subscription to host on GatherNearby. Free events cost you nothing, and paid events are a flat 5% (plus card processing). Meetup has a free starter tier, but it's capped at a couple of events with no recurring schedule — running a real group there takes a recurring subscription.
Not natively — Meetup is RSVP-based, so most organizers bolt on a separate tool to charge. GatherNearby has built-in checkout via Stripe, with payouts straight to your bank.
Yes — recurring classes, clubs, and series are core to GatherNearby, plus a local discovery feed so new neighbors can find you instead of relying only on members you already have.
Browse what's happening near you, or start hosting in minutes. Free to attend, and free for hosts until you get paid.
Comparison reflects GatherNearby and Meetup's publicly listed features and pricing as of June 2026. Pricing and features change often — check each provider for current details. Meetup is a trademark of its respective owner; GatherNearby is not affiliated with or endorsed by it.
