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GatherNearby vs Luma

Beautiful event pages for an audience you already have.

Luma makes genuinely beautiful event pages and calendars, and it's a favorite for tech and startup events. But it's bring-your-own-crowd: discovery is limited, so it works best when you already have an audience to invite. Paid events carry a 5% fee unless you upgrade to Luma Plus. GatherNearby adds true neighborhood discovery and a community layer, so you grow past your existing list — at a flat 5%, with no upsell.

GatherNearby vs Luma, side by side

GatherNearby compared with Luma — features and pricing as publicly listed, June 2026.
FeatureGatherNearbyThat’s usLuma
Local discovery feed (find gatherings near you)YesLimited
Built for recurring classes & clubsYesLimited
Native paid bookings & checkoutYesYes
No organizer subscription to hostYesYes
Free events cost the host nothingYesYes
Platform fee on paid tickets5% flat5% (0% on Plus)
Member profiles & social graphYesLimited
Classes, clubs & spaces in one homeYesNo
Independent & founder-ownedYesNo
YesLimitedNo / not the focus

The honest version

Luma

Venture-backed
What Luma is great at

Beautiful event pages and calendars for an audience you already have — a favorite of tech and startup events.

The GatherNearby difference

Luma is bring-your-own-crowd with limited local discovery, and paid events carry a 5% fee unless you upgrade to Luma Plus. GatherNearby adds true neighborhood discovery and a community layer so you grow past your existing list — at a flat 5%, no upsell.

Which should you use?

Choose Luma if…

You have an existing audience and want polished event pages and calendars.

Choose GatherNearby if…

You want to be discovered locally, build recurring community, and keep a flat 5% without paying for a higher tier.

Frequently asked

Does GatherNearby have local discovery that Luma doesn’t?

Yes. GatherNearby is built around local discovery — a feed, city pages, and search that surface your gatherings to nearby people. Luma is primarily a tool for inviting an audience you already have.

How do the fees compare?

Both are 5% on paid events on their base plans. Luma drops to 0% only on the paid Luma Plus tier; GatherNearby is a flat 5% with no subscription to lower it.

Is GatherNearby good for non-tech events?

Yes — it's built for neighborhood community: classes, clubs, walks, workshops, and more, across every interest, not just tech meetups.

Compare GatherNearby with others

Find your people nearby

Browse what's happening near you, or start hosting in minutes. Free to attend, and free for hosts until you get paid.

Comparison reflects GatherNearby and Luma's publicly listed features and pricing as of June 2026. Pricing and features change often — check each provider for current details. Luma is a trademark of its respective owner; GatherNearby is not affiliated with or endorsed by it.