Meetup vs Saraos

What is Meetup?

Meetup is one of the oldest platforms for organizing in-person community events. Founded in 2002, it became the default choice for local groups—from hiking clubs to tech meetups. In 2017 it was acquired by WeWork, and later sold to private equity. Over the years, the platform has evolved its pricing model, and many organizers have started exploring alternatives.

Why organizers choose Saraos over Meetup

Built for tech communities

Meetup is a general-purpose platform designed for any kind of group—book clubs, hiking groups, networking mixers. Saraos is purpose-built for tech communities. Features like call for papers, pronoun support, and built-in codes of conduct aren't afterthoughts—they're core to how the platform works, because they're core to how tech communities work.

Pricing

Meetup's free Starter plan is very limited: 1 group, max 2 events per month, and only 10 attendees per event. For any real community, you'll need a paid plan (Standard or Pro), which starts at €122/year. Saraos charges a flat €99/year per community—unlimited events, unlimited members, and a 6-month free trial with no credit card required.

Community-first, not event-first

On Meetup, your group page is surrounded by ads, suggested groups, and platform-driven recommendations that pull members away. Saraos gives your community its own clean homepage with no distractions—and a direct email channel with your members, without competing for their attention.

Modern event management

Calendar invites sent straight to attendees' inboxes, automatic email reminders, support for both in-person and online events, and a clean RSVP experience.

Email communications

Meetup offers mature email tools with advanced segmentation and scheduling options, though many features are gated behind paid plans. Saraos includes email communications to event attendees and community followers with no weekly send limits—simpler, but included from day one.

When Meetup might be the better choice

If discoverability is your top priority, Meetup's built-in audience network is unmatched. People actively browse Meetup to find new groups and events in their area. If you're starting from scratch and need to reach people who don't know you yet, that exposure is genuinely valuable.