Verdict: Still the best way to find recurring groups — which is what actually builds friendships. Quality depends entirely on the organiser, and more features now sit behind Meetup+.
How it works
Organisers run groups around an interest — hiking, languages, board games, tech, singles — and members RSVP to events. 60M+ members, 330,000 groups, 184 countries. A redesigned app arrived in December 2025.
Price
Free to join. Meetup+ (since October 2024) adds unlimited messages, waitlist priority and full member lists. Organisers pay a subscription to run groups.
Ownership
Bending Spoons bought Meetup in 2024 — and Eventbrite in 2026. Registrations grew 20% in 2025, with Gen Z and young millennials now 40% of active users.
How to find a good group
Look for recent events with photos, a regular schedule, and organisers who've run it for a year or more. Go three times before judging.
