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Meetup

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Overview

Meetup has a rating of 1.3 stars from 496 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Meetup most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and many people problems. Meetup ranks 626th among Social Network sites.

  • Service
    77
  • Value
    77
Positive reviews (last 12 months): 0%
Positive
0
Neutral
0
Negative
11
24
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How would you rate Meetup?
Top Positive Review

“Andrei's French convo group is magnifique!”

Masha K.
7/26/16

I've really enjoyed attending the intermediate/advance conversation group led by Andrei on weekend mornings. The topics are always interesting and the Union Square Barnes and Noble is a great location. Looking forward to going again soon!

Top Critical Review

“Meetup is now Greedup”

Jim C.
10/13/24

I have been an organizer for my group on meetup for about seven years. In June, they jumped their pricing sky high, $44 for one month, $180 for six months, $300 for a year and encourage us to have members pay this. Granted, we have 700 members, but that burden should not be placed on them (even 50 cents). When it was about $100 per year, I could justify the cost. At $300, I cannot any longer. And by the way, that is just their standard pricing. Meetup PRO is even more ridiculous than this. When I tried to reach out to support about this, I literally got the cold shoulder. Not a single person contacted me from Meetup about this issue. That was the final straw. Sure like most greedy corporations, they will get their money somehow. We just won't be one of their supporting groups.

Reviews (496)

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customer service (49)
Thumbnail of user al327
California
2 reviews
17 helpful votes
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September 30th, 2023

Meetup LLC (meetup.com) is an unsecure website, app, and platform. They sell your personal information and leak your private information, including your personal email address. As an organizer, I have the right to decline members who are incompatible/unfit for my group. Recently, a declined member got ahold of my PRIVATE email address and aggressively emailed me. I contacted Meetup's Trust & Safety Team to no avail; they suggested I did not checkbox "hide my email address" when I declined members. HOWEVER, there was never this option on the apps (regular and organizer app). And they claim that it's only available on the website/desktop version, and the app doesn't have it because they don't release personal email addresses. THIS IS BS. Meetup is LYING and/or has an unsecure network.

Another recent incident involved reporting harassment from members to no avail. Their generic response? "We can't do anything... Or, "Contact your local authorities". There is NO ACCOUNTABILITY from Meetup! Myself, other organizers, and members have stopped filling out reports. And we no longer feel safe using Meetup.com.

Thumbnail of user johns7448
Sweden
1 review
2 helpful votes
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November 4th, 2020

By far, the worst Experience that I have ever had with a Meetup Group in Columbus, Ohio was with a Group called, "CBUS Social Professionals 21-45," headed by Organizers, Mark Kido, Ross and Maurice. No one practiced COVID-19 Social Distancing Suggestions, people were extremely rude (Including the Organizers) and the Events were poorly coordinated. The entire Atmosphere was very Immature and Juvenile. I guess it's more a Casual Group for very young people in their early twenties but not one that can be taken seriously as a Legitimate Networking Group.

Thumbnail of user ruudj
Netherlands
1 review
4 helpful votes
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September 1st, 2017

Don 't trust this organisation they don 't Pay their bill in Utrecht (holland) and their contact person "Lucian Naie"(*******253)will scam you! Don"t ever take their reservation

Thumbnail of user rennas
Colorado
1 review
17 helpful votes
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March 13th, 2017

My complaint is not political.

I thought I might find some useful comments here about the on-going changes that have made Meetup a huge headache: Changes in how people can/can't pay (dumping user-friendly PayPal for weird and pricey WePay, inc. actual manipulation to drive users toward WePay), we can no longer require payment to RSVP (which means lots of no-shows), add pictures, etc. EVERYTHING seems redesigned ONLY with concern for how it looks on a smart-phone, even if function and ease-of-use are lost. And it's IMPOSSIBLE to reach anyone like Customer Service even though I'm paying to do business with Meetup (and have been for over 10 years). I can email questions. MAYBE someone will respond. Eventually. This is unreachability is unique in ANY on-line company I do business with.

All I'm seeing here are complaints about a political stance #Resist that has NEVER showed up on any of my stuff.

Whatever they're about politically, Meetup has become deaf to its customers, remote and out of reach, making changes based on what? That serve who?

I used to feel like I was really connecting and getting my money's worth as an organizer. The site made sense and was easy to use. Now, every new event posting I add reveals another goofy new glitch. What the heck happened?

Thumbnail of user susanc212
California
1 review
7 helpful votes
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October 16th, 2016

The new Meetup Site is awful... confusing & frustrating. The old site was great. Easy to use & the calendar was so much more functionable...
Upgrade is really a downgrade!

Thumbnail of user williamb71
Missouri
1 review
13 helpful votes
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July 30th, 2013

This site is a huge scam. Once you sign up you'll be harassed with endless e-mails, and changing your e-mail preferences is a major pain if you sign up to any of the groups. If you complain about the e-mail volume on their suggestion forum your account will be banned. If you say ANYTHING even slightly criticizing them on that forum your ENTIRE account will be banned. And if you paid money? Too bad, so sad, you voicing your opinions apparently means you're no longer entitled to the money you spent.

Not to mention the fact that if you don't give in at first and don't pay them to create a group, a few days later they'll send you a 50% off coupon. You have to be a pretty disgusting company to run your business like that. Trick people into paying full price but offer the reluctant ones HALF OFF. I mean, wow.

Aside from the unethical business practices the membership base itself if FULL of fake profiles. 90% of your members won't attend a meetup, won't respond to messages, aren't active in any way, and have stock photos on their profiles. Digging a it deeper you'll be hard pressed to find any of them are real.

AVOID THIS SCAM SITE AT ALL COSTS!

Thumbnail of user terryr133
California
1 review
4 helpful votes
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May 31st, 2018

Web site is hard to maneuver no real help unless your signed in etc and have to put in password too often... no real help from the managers of the site.

Thumbnail of user karenh219
Colorado
1 review
8 helpful votes
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May 2nd, 2017

WORST COMPANY IN THE WORLD. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY! DONT WASTE YOUR TIME. STUPID COMPANY. THEY WANT YOUR MONEY. BUT THEY DONT WANT TO LET YOU ORGANIZE MEETUPS. DONT EVEN BOTHER GOING TO MEETUPS. NO ONE SHOWS. SAVE YOUR GAS, MONEY, AND TIME.

Thumbnail of user miked236
California
1 review
20 helpful votes
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February 14th, 2017

Please don't email me information regarding your new RESIST propaganda...
I'm not interested, and I did not join Meetup to be indoctrinated with your politics.

Thumbnail of user irvl
Illinois
5 reviews
14 helpful votes
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March 19th, 2013

Many people have asked about Meetup.com. They are a complete scam and ripoff!

First, they take your money (subscription), then a week later pick and choose who they do not want on their site. Without notice, they cancel your account and say it was due to a term violation and they will refund the money. After several emails and phone calls, all we received was a standard form email saying they will not discuss it any further and the case has been closed!

Second, so far, there has bee no refund and no emails returned on that as well.

Third, we forwarded several "identical" groups to ours that did the exact same group that we did but they ignored our objections and the one "local" competitor (who turned us in) remains on meetup with their group!

Fourth, we found through a source that actually offered up proof, that a "voluntary, additional contribution" to Meetup would get you what you wanted. Such as a competitor terminated!

This is a total scam and a simple sear around the internet will reveal additional Meetup "ripoff reports as well. Here are a few examples...

http://www.ripoffreport.com/lucy-from-meetup-com/event-planners-sites/internet-internet-fb91a.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/seminars/meetup-com/meetup-com-meet-up-com-meetup-082b8.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/media-outlets/meetup-inc/meetup-inc-i-paid-for-an-on-*******.htm

Thumbnail of user louisea8
California
1 review
18 helpful votes
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December 5th, 2014

My stalker found me through Meetup.com because of their lax Privacy Policies in which case they did nothing to ban her from the site. Organizers don't want to deal with the "drama" so they ignore any requests for bans. And, because anyone can start a group with no guidelines or expectations set in place by Meetup.com for Organizers, Organizers can chose to do whatever they want without reprocutions, such as ignoring pleas for help.

FYI: If your name is used for your account or if your name is listed in any comments in any group, you will come up in any online search of your name and every single group you are a member of will show up. This is a great way for stalkers, employers, or anyone else to find you!

Mine did this, and then proceeded to sign up for every group I was a part of, then proceeded to slander me in groups, and act like she was going to show up to an event - only to never show up, but only psych me out from attending anything fearing she'd be there.

Did Meetup do anything? Nope.

Tip for consumers:
In this day and age, when our information and privacy, is a thing of the past, and companies like this chose to do nothing to better protect the online identity of their patrons, I really do believe there are other, more effective ways to go out and have fun and meet new people than heavily relying on sites like this.

I can better protect myself and my information "off-line" and "in person" through other means than through online sites that don't care what victims of stalkers go through.

Service
Value
Thumbnail of user reesem25
California
1 review
21 helpful votes
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February 15th, 2017

I've used meetup.com on and off for many years, but after receiving their #Resist email, I am deleting and encouraging all I know to do the same.

It is obvious to me that Meetup hates our country, our President, and the American people. Their hashtag of #Resist is not only disrespectful to the electoral process and the many, many Americans who voted to put Trump in office, but also insinuates a call to violence. Dispicable, disgusting, and treasonous. I voted for Obama in the last two elections and have identified as Democrat for 15 years, but activities and attitudes such as this have pushed me Right, and I plan never to return to the Democratic Party again.

When will businesses learn that their SMARTEST move is to stay neutral and not alienate half of their customer base?

Additionally, I've used this site on-and-off for years to find hiking groups, and have continually found myself fed up with the pervs using it as a hookup site... thus the on-and-off. Don't waste your time... or money!

Thumbnail of user ninaw14
Wisconsin
1 review
14 helpful votes
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January 6th, 2018

Go back to the old version! We are PAYING to use this site and it's unusable! You have added so many new features and taken out the old ones. Get back to the concept! NO ONE LIKES IT!

Thumbnail of user laharld
Canada
20 reviews
69 helpful votes
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February 20th, 2016

No disrespect to anyone, we will all get to that age, but most meetup groups in my town is just for old people.

Thumbnail of user paulm204
Spain
1 review
7 helpful votes
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July 21st, 2015

Nasty, use something else. Someone I know was block in the middle of a meetup. Negative star if it was possible.

Thumbnail of user christopherg80
Florida
2 reviews
4 helpful votes
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June 6th, 2017

This is for all of you people in the Central Florida area that are considering to enroll your kids with ASD in Transform your life coaching in Altamonte Springs FL. For those of you that have heard about this company and know about Paula Breeden who is running it, think twice about enrolling your kids with her. Paula Breeden is a scam artist and a liar and is more interested in making money rather than helping your kids with ASD. Whatever you decide to do is your decision, but I would recommend you to enroll your kids with UCF CARD in Orlando instead of with her. You can save your money a whole lot worth it that way.

Thumbnail of user johnm1351
Texas
1 review
6 helpful votes
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April 8th, 2018

Love the idea of having website functionality to help manage and inform a group without being a web designer. Meetup could be awesome. Instead, it has been one of the worst experiences with any company for me.

First, their customer service is non-existent. I tried to contact them on multiple occasions for various issues such as having a very strange URL assigned to our group and also billing questions. No response, until the 3rd attempt. And that response was basically, 'tough, deal with it'.

Second, I cancelled my meetup membership after 2 months because it just wasn't working for the group and I decided to go back to using a website. Apparently, the membership canceling process was ignored or didn't work. They billed me for 2 additional month despite me removing my credit card information from the site. (this is when I received the 'tough, deal with it answer'.

Third, apparently the new UI defeatured the site. It is really not functional at least for our group. You can only post pictures. Navigation is awkward at best. It seems like a UI from about 2003. Just not good.

Thumbnail of user dicks84
Texas
1 review
2 helpful votes
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July 29th, 2023

I have been wanting to cancel my subcription but you all are not responding at all! 3 months. $37 Each

Thumbnail of user ta5385
Arizona
1 review
13 helpful votes
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December 13th, 2015

We run a sports meetup on MEETUP and guy pulled a knife and was upset and threatening. He then harassed members for several weeks.

We emailed police report, photos of him at events, and testimony from several members TO MeetUp Headquarters.

Naturally we banned him, so what did MeetUp HQ ask: did we ban him. WHEN he was banned he immediately attempted to start his own group on MeetUP.

What did MeetUp do? They took his money and started his MeetUp while he harassed members several more weeks.

We asked, why are you profiting from this guy?

They said go to your local cops. We had already sent MeetUp police report, so it was pointless.

We literally email MeetUp photos of this guy at an event, UN invited (not rsvp d), AND we email testimony from members that he was stocking group, AND MEETUP TOOK HIS MONEY TO START A NEW MEETUP? They are scum.

MeetUp totally sucks if there is an issue, and since you are dealing with the public, in time, there will be an issue.

MeetUp actively promotes violence BY watching and not acting.

It is like the teacher who watches bullying and then blames it on the bully. The violent guy acts out because he knows there is an environment that encourages it.

I do not doubt that one day they'll be a big news story on MeetUp for being sued for this type of non-action.

Tip for consumers:
avoid MeetUp

Service
Value
Thumbnail of user jamiles
Georgia
1 review
13 helpful votes
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December 6th, 2017

Meetup is going through a transition and things are not good.

I have been an organizer or assistant organizer for multiple Meetup.com groups over the past five years. It's a great way to meet new people who have similar interests, it's usually a safe way to meet new friends, and it can offer new experiences at events to teach you a new skill.

That said, Meetup was sold in late 2017 and they have been undergoing a re-programming of the website and it has been a disaster. As an organizer, I find it harder and harder each day to use either the website or the mobile app because links are broken, tools I used to use are no longer working or missing, and members of my group are being dropped from event without their permission.

Meetup corporate has changed their phone number and emails to their team are bouncing back unanswered. The few people who used to be there to help with web problems are gone. I'm still paying almost $200 a year for the ability to use Meetup with my group, but getting more frustrated each week as more problems arise.

It's not that we organizers cannot learn their new system. It's that the new system does not work as promised. If anyone is checking reviews and thinking of becoming an organizer and using Meetup my advise would be to wait 4-6 months and not sign up right now. You will pull your hair out waiting for things to be fixed. If I didn't have so many events already on the calendar I would walk away from Meetup today.

Update 2/28/18. Website is still not usable. I and my members are fed-up with the lack of support from Meetup management. This week I told Meetup I will not renew when my group comes up for the next payment.

Thumbnail of user deniseh94
California
1 review
17 helpful votes
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January 8th, 2018

As an organizer, Im shocked that any functionality is all but lost with the new system. To schedule a meetup, you cant format text, cant add price, or change number of guests allowed. The max number of guests you do set doesnt get set. Forget copying an old meetup and keeping the same settings. Worst of all, If you do want to set price, youre directed to the old interfaceand guess what? If you didnt save first, if you click on go to the old interfaceyou just lost your copy. THEN when you manage to get a meetup scheduled... the rsvp list is unreliable. Users rsvp or un-rsvp and the system doesnt always record it. The syncing between the mobile app isnt reliable... also it doesnt seem to show maximum number of participants to users... and thats just from an organizers POV -my community of users isnt happy either. What the heck? Meetup currently owns this market - how could their systemtheir ONE PRODUCTfail so badly?

Thumbnail of user printm4
GB
1 review
5 helpful votes
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April 25th, 2020

Hi, I asked meetup to make adjustment to my subscription payment since it is an outdoor events group that I took over this year. They declined and asked me to do online events (what?), So I decided to cancel, however it was difficult, on the iPhone and web browser no option to cancel subscription (really), you have to send email to support. Even then they will not cancel but send you and offer with a discount on next renewal fee. What I did find (web search) is that the Android app does allow you to cancel within the App very easily (i do have a spare Android phone luckily). So cancelled using Android platform, and stepped down as organizer using the PC web browser (because I wanted to delete grp), however it didn't allow me to delete group, that option appeared and vanished quickly (new owners). I would recommend to all of you to cancel your subscription on this platform with the current situation I feel this platform is NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE AND MANAGEMENT HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO ORGANIZERS WITH REAL WORLD SOLUTIONS THEY ARE only after your money, it is not going to spend any money on an new concepts and are definitely not interested in your well being.

Thumbnail of user kathys123
California
1 review
3 helpful votes
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August 16th, 2016

Customer service is horrible, they don't know the basic integrity and quality of a human being. I contacted them for a fraut organizer who charged my money but lied. Who pretended to be a some kind of facility to help! Very apparant scam. I asked a refund, the organizor didn't reply me but told her members that she would like to refund me if I reached out to her, said I never requested a refund. I reported to the customer service, but you know what, the customer service people blocked my account, deleted my comment for the fraud. I showed them the evidence of messenger. They just said they can't confirm the organizor is fraud! And deleted my true comment and blocked my account.
I think they just try to charge business money, do not care anything happened with customer. The service is so horrible, bad people together.

Stupid people go there and be manupilated.
They should shut the door, they don't deserve exist for our normal people. Super bad. Hopefully they can bankrupt and close their door soon.

Thumbnail of user sarias
Texas
1 review
6 helpful votes
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July 30th, 2018

Web logins dont work; terrible and shockingly poor. No point trying to sign up and use meetup when you can't even login easily or join groups. Lol

Thumbnail of user fuckheads
New Jersey
1 review
6 helpful votes
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September 30th, 2017

Great idea. Lousy execution. I host a meeetup group as well. Its what I would expect in say the year 1999.

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