A free Meetup alternative for sport organizers
If you run a running crew, a five-a-side league or a padel group on Meetup, you have probably hit its limits. A paid plan just to grow past 10 people. A paywall for participants who only want to see who is coming. This guide compares what Meetup and FitHere cost, side by side, so you can decide with real numbers.
What Meetup costs organizers
Meetup’s free Starter plan is capped at 1 group, 2 events per month and 10 attendees per event. Paid plans start from $29.99 per month on the Standard plan, and prices vary by location.
Meetup also requires you to create a group before you can create any event, and group creation goes through a plan selection screen.
What Meetup costs participants
Joining is free, but Meetup+ (from $14.99 per month or $129.99 per year) is required to see full member profiles, message members freely and get priority off an event’s waitlist. These benefits are withheld from free members.
For a sport group, that means some of your players hit a paywall just to see who is coming.
Side by side
| Meetup | FitHere | |
|---|---|---|
| Organizer price | Paid plans from $29.99/month for more capacity | Free |
| Number of events | 2 per month on the free plan | Unlimited, always free |
| Attendees per event | 10 on the free plan | Unlimited, always free |
| Sport-specific tools | General tool, not dedicated to sport | Lineup status, minimum headcount alerts, player recruiting |
| Getting started | Create a group first, then see plan options | 2 clicks, no group needed |
| Price to join | Free, Meetup+ unlocks more | Free, no premium tier |
| Attendee profiles | Requires Meetup+ | Visible to everyone |
| Messaging | Unlimited messaging requires Meetup+ | Through your group’s own app (Line, WhatsApp, etc) |
| Waitlist | Meetup+ members go first | Everyone waits in the same line |
What sport organizers actually need
Sport comes with constraints that a general events tool is not designed around:
- A minimum headcount. Five-a-side needs ten players. If only eight confirm, you need to know early.
- A lineup. Who is in, who is on the waitlist, who dropped out last minute.
- Recruiting. When someone cancels, you need a way to fill the spot fast.
Meetup can track who is coming, but it is a general events tool, not dedicated to sport. FitHere is built around these constraints, on top of the same free organizing.
Why organizers switch
- No monthly fee to organize events, whatever the size of your group.
- Tools built for sport: lineup status, minimum headcount alerts, player recruiting.
- Nobody on your roster hits a paywall just to see who is coming.
How to move your group
You do not need a migration. Create your event on FitHere, share the link with your participants once, and they join in 2 clicks. Creating a group is optional and always free.
Pick your sport
Choose a sport and host your first event in 2 clicks.
Common questions
Is FitHere really free for organizers?
Yes. Hosting sport events on FitHere has no monthly organizer fee.
How much does Meetup cost for organizers?
Meetup’s Standard organizer plan starts from $29.99 per month, billed monthly. Meetup states that prices can vary by location and offers.
Can I move my existing group from Meetup to FitHere?
Yes. You can create a new group and start scheduling events on FitHere at any time, with no migration fee.
Is Meetup good for organizing sports?
Meetup works for many kinds of groups and tracks who is coming, but it is a general events tool, not dedicated to sport. FitHere is built around sport: lineup status, minimum headcount alerts and player recruiting.
Meetup is a registered trademark of Meetup LLC. FitHere is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meetup.