The affordable alternative for building community: Heylo vs Meetup

Your amazing group only with happier members, stronger connections, and seamless organization. Manage events, track attendance, collect payments, and communicate with your members—without hidden fees or inflated costs.

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*Yes, Heylo is free! We only make money when you collect payments from members.

3 reasons community groups switch from Meetup to Heylo

More affordable

Get organized for free with unlimited members and admins, and essential tools for events, payments, and communications.

Whether you’re just starting or growing a group, Heylo gives you everything you need at no cost, including a customized branded space for your group.

For scaling groups and organizations with chapters, you can do even more, like collecting waivers and adding custom reporting.

Proven reliability

Your community deserves the best. Heylo’s technology is built to ensure your events and communications run smoothly every time.

With fewer outages and dependable performance, you can focus on what matters most: creating impactful connections, while we handle the logistics.

Worldclass support

Get the help you need, when you need it. Our team is here to guide you every step of the way, offering personalized advice and swift solutions to make managing your group seamless.

Unlike other platforms, we’re always available with the answers you need to keep your community thriving.

How it's different

Your members want to connect but get frustrated with big group chats or social media posts. They disengage.

Heylo is dedicated to one thing: Helping your group achieve its potential.

Heylo works for your whole group, including your members who don’t want to download a new app. With Heylo, everyone can participate the way they like. Your members can stay in the loop by email, on the web, or with the app.

How Heylo grows your Meetup group

Deliver a great experience for your members, online and off

Your digital experience is just as important as your meetup. Your members can connect with modern communications.

Members connect and get value from each other

Your members meet and support one another. Happy members tell their friends and colleagues about your meetup.

Easy ways for your members to share your meetup

QR codes, links, email invites, and Instagram integrations make it easy for your members to promote your meetup for you.

2 min

Onboarded whole group

“ Onboarding my members to Heylo was super simple. I created a Heylo group and shared the link in our old Whatsapp chat. All my key members joined immediately. It took two minutes. "

Jenni Dubman

Cofounder
Nth Degree

Increase in participation

“ Super user-friendly. There are even some older players—in their 70s—use Heylo without issue! Heylo has made a tremendous impact on how much the group plays—a great thing for everyone. "

Mike Smith

Founder
Ragle Beach Volleyball

$150k

Collected payments in first year

“ In our first year on Heylo, paid members increased 3x to over 600. We had to set a cap. I can’t believe how seamless Heylo is. "
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Steve Finley

Cofounder
Brooklyn Track Club

Frequently asked questions

Is Heylo more affordable than Meetup?

Yes, Heylo is designed to be more affordable for every type of group and leader. Unlike Meetup, which charges by member and group size, Heylo provides flexible pricing options based on the features you need to run your group. You can host and grow your community without worrying about costs scaling up with your membership.

Is Heylo free?

Yes! Any group can use Heylo for free to organize events, manage communications, and help new members find your group. For a monthly fee, you can access additional features to help scale your group. If you host paid groups or events, we offer transparent pricing with no surprise fees.

Should I use Heylo or Meetup?

If you’re looking for a platform that's more affordable, reliable, and built for fostering in-person connections, Heylo may be a better choice. Heylo allows you to focus on growing your group and creating meaningful experiences without being restricted by fees or group size limits. Meetup is great if you need to find new people to come to every event, but Heylo focuses on helping community group leaders foster real connections and sustainable growth.

Does Heylo charge per member?

No, Heylo does not charge per member. Our pricing is designed to be fair and accessible, so you can grow your community without worrying about increasing fees. You only pay if your group collects payments for membership or events through Heylo, and even then, our pricing is competitive and straightforward.

Does Heylo have limits on group sizes or number of events?

No, Heylo has no limits on group size or the number of events you can host. Whether you're running a small group or a large, active community, you’ll have the freedom to host as many events as you like and welcome as many members as you can without additional fees or restrictions.

Can I trust Heylo will be around for the long run?

Absolutely. Heylo is trusted by thousands of group leaders who rely on us to build thriving in-person communities. We're proud to have a growing customer base, a sustainable business model, and a platform that people truly depend on. We're here to stay and support your community for years to come.

Will I lose my members if I switch to Heylo?

No, you won’t lose your members if you switch to Heylo! Our free member import tool makes it easy to onboarding your members, making the transition seamless. Once they experience how easy it is to communicate and get all the info they need about your events, your members will appreciate the switch. We’re here to help you every step of the way!