Short answer: the best Meetup alternatives depend on why you are leaving. If you want a large free pool of people looking for friends, try Bumble BFF. If you want someone else to plan the evening, Timeleft seats you at dinner with strangers. If you want weekly contact with the same people, a rec sports league or a parks and recreation class is hard to beat. Eventbrite is better for discovering one-off events and classes, Facebook Groups and Nextdoor for local, neighborhood-level groups, and InterNations for people who moved from another country. Below we compare seven options with a dated table, and we are honest about what Meetup still does best.
TryMeetNow is published by the team behind MeetNow; we’ve tried to be fair to every app here. Read our disclosure about how we review apps. MeetNow appears below as our own option; it is live on the web at app.trymeetnow.com, starting in Malta.
Why people look for Meetup alternatives
Meetup has been the default place to find interest groups for a long time, and for many people it still works well. The most common reasons people look elsewhere are:
- Organizer costs. Meetup groups are run by organizers who pay a subscription. Meetup’s help center says Standard and new Pro organizer prices increased starting in June 2024, and lists Standard plans starting at $29.99 per month (with cheaper rates for longer billing periods) and Pro plans priced per group. Prices vary by location. Some organizers pass costs on through member dues or event fees, and some groups close when the organizer stops paying.
- Uneven group quality. Because each group depends on its organizer, experiences vary a lot: some groups have loyal regulars, others are large rotating crowds or have gone quiet.
- Big events, few friendships. Large events can be fun but make it hard to see the same people twice, which is what friendships need.
- RSVPs are not attendance. Many members will recognize the gap between how many people RSVP and how many actually show up.
- Wanting something more personal. Some people prefer one-to-one matching, a small curated group or a plan with clear expectations.
What Meetup still does best
To be fair: Meetup remains one of the best places to find recurring, interest-based groups, especially in mid-size and large cities. Members can join groups for free, many groups meet weekly or monthly, and its range of topics, from hiking and language exchange to tech and board games, is hard to match. Meetup also offers a free Starter plan for first-time organizers, limited to one group, two in-person events a month and up to ten attendees per event, which can work for small groups. If you have a good local group, there may be no reason to leave.
The alternatives below are most useful when Meetup is not working for you, or when you want to combine it with something else.
How we chose these alternatives
We looked for options that people in the United States and Canada can actually use to meet others in person for friendship, not dating, and that cover the main reasons people leave Meetup: cost, group size, inconsistency and format. For each, we checked the official website, help center or app store listing for how it works and what members pay, and we note where details vary by city. We left out services whose current features or pricing we could not confirm from an official source.
Meetup alternatives compared
Last checked October 2026. Prices and features change; confirm on each official site or app listing.
| Alternative | What it is | Cost for members | Repeat contact | Best for | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bumble BFF | Friend-matching app with Groups | Free, per its U.S. App Store listing | Depends on you and the Group | Meeting individuals who want friends | Chat-first; you make the plans |
| Timeleft | Matched dinners with strangers | $19.99/month in the U.S. per Timeleft’s guide, plus your own meal | Low unless you follow up | People who want zero planning | New table each time |
| Rec sports leagues (city programs, Volo Sports) | Weekly adult leagues and pickup games | Varies by city and sport | High | Building a weekly routine | Requires some physical activity; limited cities for some providers |
| Eventbrite | Event listings and ticketing | Free to browse; organizers set ticket prices, many events free | Low for one-off events | Classes, workshops, talks | Few recurring social groups |
| Facebook Groups and Nextdoor | Local and neighborhood groups | Free | Medium, if the group meets | Neighborhood and niche local groups | Many groups are online-only; quality varies |
| InterNations | Community for people living abroad | Free and paid membership options; availability and price depend on location | Medium | People who moved from another country | Membership required to use the app; expat focus |
| MeetNow | Host-led plans at public places | Free | As high as hosts make it | Small plans with clear expectations | Live on the web at app.trymeetnow.com, starting in Malta; iPhone and Android apps coming soon |
1. Bumble BFF: best for meeting individuals
Bumble BFF was relaunched in September 2025 on Geneva, a community app Bumble had acquired. It combines one-to-one friend matching with Groups that use chat, posts and video calls to plan meetups. As of October 2026, its U.S. App Store listing says every feature is free and that every match has passed selfie verification. Compared with Meetup, it starts with people rather than activities. Our full Bumble BFF review covers how to turn chats into plans.
Choose it if: you want to meet individuals at your stage of life and are comfortable with profiles and chat.
2. Timeleft: best for zero planning
Timeleft matches you with a small group of strangers, typically four to six people, using a personality quiz, and books a restaurant. Its September 2026 guide lists the U.S. plan at $19.99 a month, with food and drinks paid separately. It solves Meetup’s “big anonymous event” problem with small curated tables, but each dinner is a new group. See our Timeleft review for the full breakdown of cost, safety and how to follow up.
Choose it if: you want a ready-made evening and are willing to follow up with people you like.
3. Rec sports leagues: best for weekly contact
If what you liked about Meetup was the idea of a regular group, an adult sports league may serve you better. Leagues run for a season with the same team every week, and many let you sign up solo as a free agent. Your city or county parks and recreation department likely runs adult leagues, and companies such as Volo Sports run leagues, drop-ins and pickup games in 15 U.S. cities, including social sports like kickball, bowling and cornhole.
Choose it if: you want a guaranteed weekly routine with built-in teammates.
4. Eventbrite: best for classes and one-off events
Eventbrite is an event listing and ticketing platform. It is useful for finding workshops, classes, talks and community events in your area; many are free and organizers set the price for paid ones. It is not built around ongoing groups, so use it to discover recurring series rather than expecting it to replace a Meetup group.
Choose it if: you want to explore what is happening locally and find multi-week classes.
5. Facebook Groups and Nextdoor: best for hyperlocal groups
Many local clubs, from run groups to parents’ meetups to hobby circles, organize through Facebook Groups, and Nextdoor connects you with neighborhood groups and events. Both are free. The challenge is finding groups that actually meet in person rather than just posting online.
Choose it if: you want people who live close by, or a niche group that never made it onto Meetup.
6. InterNations: best for internationals
InterNations is a community for people living and working outside their home country, and its official app listing says a membership is required, with free and paid options whose availability and pricing depend on your location. Members attend community events and activity groups. It is a strong option if you moved to the United States or Canada from abroad, and less relevant if you moved within the country.
Choose it if: you are an expat or international newcomer looking for people with a similar experience.
7. MeetNow: a plan-based option
MeetNow is the app we are building, so weigh this accordingly. Instead of groups or profiles, a host posts a single plan at a real public place with the date, time, number of seats and who pays (host pays, split, pay your own, or free). People ask to join with a short note, the host picks who comes, and accepted guests get a group chat. After meeting, both sides confirm “we met,” which builds a track record. It is live on the web at app.trymeetnow.com, starting in Malta, with the iPhone and Android apps coming soon. More on our MeetNow app page.
If you stay on Meetup: how to get more out of it
Before switching, it is worth checking whether a few changes would fix the problems you have had.
- Pick smaller groups. Groups that regularly get eight to fifteen attendees are far better for friendships than ones with hundreds of members and rotating crowds.
- Look at the event history. A group that has met every week for months is more reliable than one with a single upcoming event.
- Go to the same recurring event. Three or four visits to the same weekly event will do more than ten different one-offs.
- Arrive early and stay late. The few minutes before and after an event are where conversations happen.
- Offer to help. Volunteering to co-host, bring supplies or greet newcomers puts you at the center of the group quickly.
- Take it offline. Once you click with a few regulars, suggest a coffee or meal outside the official event.
Red flags to watch for in any group or app
- Pressure to pay up front for vague benefits, or to move conversations off the platform very quickly.
- Events in private homes with people you have not met yet, especially as a first meeting.
- Unclear costs, such as “small fee at the door” with no details, or expensive venues chosen without asking.
- Organizers who ignore complaints about members making others uncomfortable.
- Constant sales pitches disguised as social events.
None of these is unique to Meetup or to any one app. A good group feels welcoming, is clear about costs and meets in public places.
How to choose the right alternative
| If your problem with Meetup is… | Try |
|---|---|
| Events are too big and anonymous | Timeleft, a small Bumble BFF Group, or hosting a small plan yourself |
| You never see the same people twice | A rec league, a multi-week class or a volunteer shift |
| Groups near you are inactive | Facebook Groups, Nextdoor, parks and recreation programs |
| You want one-on-one friendships | Bumble BFF |
| Dues or fees add up | Free options: Bumble BFF, Facebook Groups, Nextdoor, library programs |
| You moved from another country | InterNations |
Many people get the best results by combining two tools: one for discovering people, such as an app, and one for repeat contact, such as a weekly league or class. If you have just moved, our 30-day plan for meeting people in a new city shows how to combine them.
If you are an organizer leaving Meetup
Organizers have their own reasons to look elsewhere, mainly cost. Common options include:
- Meetup Starter: free for first-time organizers, with limits of one group, two in-person events a month and ten attendees per event.
- Eventbrite: listing free events costs attendees nothing; check Eventbrite’s own fee terms if you plan to charge.
- Facebook Groups: free and familiar to many members, though discovery depends on Facebook.
- A simple group chat or email list: for established groups, a shared chat plus a recurring time and place may be all you need.
Whatever you choose, tell your members early, keep the same time and place for the first few events after the switch, and keep the group small enough that regulars get to know each other.
Staying safe on any platform
The same basics apply everywhere: meet in public places for the first few times, tell a friend where you are going, arrange your own way home, keep personal details private until you know someone, and leave if anything feels off. For a broader comparison of options, see our roundup of apps to meet new people.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is live on the web now, starting in Malta, with the phone apps on the way: open MeetNow and see the plans near you.
FAQ: Meetup alternatives
What is the best alternative to Meetup?
It depends on what you want. Bumble BFF is a free option for meeting individuals, Timeleft organizes small dinners with strangers, and rec sports leagues give you weekly contact with the same people. Eventbrite is better for classes and one-off events.
Is Meetup free?
Joining groups is free for members, although some groups charge dues or event fees. Organizers pay a subscription; Meetup’s help center lists Standard plans starting at $29.99 a month, with prices varying by location, and a free Starter plan with limits for first-time organizers.
Why did Meetup prices go up?
Meetup’s help center says Standard and new Pro organizer subscription prices increased starting in June 2024. Organizers sometimes pass those costs on to members through dues or event fees.
Are there free apps like Meetup?
Yes. Bumble BFF is free according to its U.S. App Store listing, Facebook Groups and Nextdoor are free, and many Eventbrite events are free to attend. Public libraries and parks departments also run free or low-cost recurring programs.
Is Meetup still worth using?
Often, yes. If there is an active, recurring group near you around something you enjoy, Meetup remains one of the easiest ways to meet the same people regularly. Alternatives are most useful when local groups are inactive, too large or not the format you want.
