The 6 Best Event Planning Apps in 2026
You said you'd just throw something together. Now the guest list is in your notes app, the budget is on a napkin and three people want to know what time it starts.
The short answer
Gathr Best free event plannerThe best event planning app for most private parties and weddings is Gathr. It keeps invitations, RSVPs, a checklist, a budget and a schedule in one free iPhone and iPad app, and guests reply from a link with no app. For public community events, pick Luma. For casual parties with fun invites, choose Partiful.
We checked every app's store page, prices and privacy label in October 2026, then scored each on 5 things. How we rank
Which one is for you?
Best free event plannerGathrHosts planning parties or weddings with lots of guests and functions
2
Best for community hostsLumaOrganizers running recurring meetups, classes or community nights
3
Best for party planningPartifulFriends planning birthdays, dinners and house parties
4
Best for selling ticketsEventbriteOrganizers selling tickets to workshops, gigs and public events
5
Best for weddingsZolaEngaged couples who want a website, registry and RSVPs together
6
Best for running a groupMeetupOrganizers of hobby groups that meet again and again
- Gathr is the top pick: invites, RSVPs, checklist, budget and a co-host, free for hosts and guests.
- Luma suits recurring community events, with ticketing, QR check-in and a map of events nearby.
- Partiful makes the most fun party invites, Eventbrite sells tickets and Zola adds a registry.
Planning an event is mostly chasing people. Who's coming, who's bringing a plus-one, who paid for the cake? A good event planning app keeps the guest list, the replies, the to-dos and the money in one place, so you stop digging through group chats to learn whether your cousin said yes.
Keep reading
These picks are ranked for hosts: how easily guests can reply, what each app tracks for you and what it costs. Some are built for private parties and weddings, others for public events with tickets, so check the labels.
No pick ticks every box.
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Best free event planner
1. Gathr
0Invites, RSVPs, checklist and budget in one free app, and your guests never install a thing.
- Free
- iPhone
- No subscription
8.6Your sister's engagement has a dinner, a dance night and a Sunday brunch, each with its own guest list. Gathr gives every function its own replies, and guests answer all of them on one screen from a link. No app, no account and no fee for anyone.
More about Gathr
The checklist counts due dates back from the big day, the budget tracks who owes whom, and a co-host can edit alongside you. Pick one of twelve themes and it carries through to the RSVP page. The catch: hosts need an account, it's iPhone and iPad only, and it never handles money, so no registry or paid tickets.
Great forHosts planning parties or weddings with lots of guests and functions
The catchiPhone and iPad only, with no registry or paid tickets
Source: thebighead.ca -
Best for community hosts
2. Luma
0Built for run clubs, meetups and community nights, with a good-looking page in seconds.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Android · Web
8.9You host a book swap that keeps growing, and half the regulars forget when it's on. Luma gives each event a good-looking page in seconds, sends invites by email, SMS or WhatsApp, and lets people follow your calendar so the next one lands in front of them.
More about Luma
The free plan covers unlimited events and guests. You can sell tickets, check people in with QR codes and see who registered in an Insights view, while newcomers find you on a map of events nearby. The catch: paid tickets carry a platform fee unless you pay for Plus, and Plus is pricey for occasional hosts.
Great forOrganizers running recurring meetups, classes or community nights
The catchA platform fee on paid tickets, and Plus is pricey for casual hosts
Source: luma.com -
Best for party planning
3. Partiful
0The invite is half the party, and guests reply from a text without downloading anything.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Android · Web
9.1Nobody can agree on a night for the birthday dinner. Partiful runs a date poll, then turns the winner into a playful event page you send by text. Guests RSVP from the link without downloading the app, and text blasts keep everyone posted when the plan changes.
More about Partiful
After the party, a shared photo album gathers everyone's pictures in one spot. Hosts in the US and UK can also sell tickets with QR check-in. The catch: guests must log in with a phone number to RSVP, and it's still light on tools for formal events.
Great forFriends planning birthdays, dinners and house parties
The catchGuests must log in with a phone number to RSVP
Source: help.partiful.com -
Best for selling tickets
4. Eventbrite
0For events with a door, a ticket price and a line of strangers waiting to be scanned in.
- Free
- iPhone · Android · Web
8.4You're putting on a workshop or a gig, and people you've never met need to find it, pay and get in. Eventbrite handles that whole path: your event shows up in local discovery, buyers get mobile tickets with QR codes, and you check them in at the door.
More about Eventbrite
Organizers recently got faster event creation, drafts and a printable QR-code flyer, and buyers can save tickets to Apple or Google Wallet. Free events cost nothing to run. The catch: paid tickets add service and processing fees, and promoted listings can crowd the feed.
Great forOrganizers selling tickets to workshops, gigs and public events
The catchService and processing fees on most paid tickets
Source: eventbrite.com -
Best for weddings
5. Zola
0Website, registry and RSVPs share one dashboard, so wedding admin leaves the spreadsheet.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Web
8.6Guests keep texting to ask where you're registered and when to show up. Zola answers both with a free wedding website, and their online RSVPs land straight in your guest list. The registry mixes store gifts, experiences and cash funds with no fees.
More about Zola
A budget tracker, seating chart and vendor search round out the planning side, and the designs are easy to match to your invitations. The catch: there's no Android app, so Android users plan on the website, and expect steady nudges toward paid extras.
Great forEngaged couples who want a website, registry and RSVPs together
The catchNo Android app, and steady nudges toward paid extras
Source: zola.com -
Best for running a group
6. Meetup
0For events that happen again and again and need members, not just guests.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Android · Web
7.7Your hiking club has outgrown the group chat. Meetup gives it a proper home: people join the group, RSVP to each outing, get reminders and message each other in between. Online and in-person events both work, so the rainy-week online session fits too.
More about Meetup
Joining is free for members, and new people can find your group through map and keyword search. The catch: organizers pay a subscription, which pushes some groups to charge dues, the app is cluttered with upsells and ads, and it tracks more than most apps here.
Great forOrganizers of hobby groups that meet again and again
The catchOrganizers pay a subscription, and the app tracks more than most
Source: App Store
Side by side
How to choose
What should you look for in an event planning app?
Start with your guests. Every extra step costs you replies. Gathr guests answer from a link with no app or account, while Partiful guests skip the app but log in with a phone number. Then list what you need to track: a budget, a checklist, several functions or paid tickets.
Last, check the money side. Gathr, Partiful and Luma are free for free events, but selling tickets usually means fees: Eventbrite adds service and processing fees, Luma takes a platform fee and Partiful adds a service fee.
Do you need a party planning app or an event app?
For a private party, a party planning app like Gathr or Partiful does the job: invites, replies and a headcount. For a public event that strangers find and pay for, you want Eventbrite or Luma, with discovery, ticketing and check-in at the door.
Get Gathr if you're hosting a party or wedding and want the guest list, checklist and budget in one free app. Running public events with tickets? Luma makes the page, the invites and the check-in easy.
See why Gathr is #1Compare the top picks
Questions people ask
What is the best free event planning app?
Gathr is the best free event planning app: it's free for hosts and guests with no ads and nothing to buy, on iPhone and iPad. Partiful and Luma are also free to use, with fees only on paid tickets.
Is Gathr or Luma better for planning an event?
Gathr is better for private parties and weddings, with replies per function, a checklist, a budget and a co-host. Luma is better for public community events that sell tickets and need new people to find them.
What is the best party planning app?
Gathr is the best party planning app if you want invites, RSVPs, a checklist and a budget in one place. If you mostly want a fun invite your friends will tap, Partiful is the most playful option.
What is the best event planning app for Android?
Gathr and Zola have no Android app, so on Android choose Partiful for parties, Luma for community events or Eventbrite for ticketed events. All three run on iPhone, Android and the web.