Free tools for event organizers in 2026

A practical comparison of free event management tools in 2026, from Eventbrite to Google Forms, and when to use each one.

Yupit Team7 min read

If you organize events, you have probably spent time searching for free tools that actually work. The good news: there are genuine options in 2026 that cost nothing. The bad news: each has trade-offs, and the right choice depends entirely on what kind of events you run.

This is a practical comparison based on what each tool does well and where it falls short.

Google Forms

Best for: one-off surveys and simple RSVPs

Google Forms is free, familiar, and works. For a simple "are you coming yes/no" question, it gets the job done. Responses flow into a Google Sheet automatically, which is useful if you want to manipulate the data later.

Limitations: There is no concept of capacity limits, waitlists, or attendee management. Respondents cannot see who else is coming. It does not feel like an event page. It feels like a form, because that is what it is.

Eventbrite

Best for: public events where you want discovery and ticketing

Eventbrite has a free tier for free events. It handles registration, ticketing, email confirmations, and has a built-in audience of people browsing for events. If you are running a public workshop, meetup, or conference, the discovery aspect is valuable.

Limitations: Eventbrite is built for one-off events with ticket-style registration. For recurring events (weekly sports, regular classes), the workflow is clunky. You create a new event each time, manage separate attendee lists, and deal with a heavy interface designed for much larger events. The free tier also puts Eventbrite branding on everything.

Facebook Events

Best for: social events within existing Facebook communities

If your audience is already on Facebook, events integrate naturally with the platform. People get notifications, can see which friends are going, and the social proof element helps with attendance.

Limitations: Facebook's "Interested" button is not a commitment. You will consistently see 50 people mark "Interested" and 15 actually show up. There is no way to enforce capacity limits. And you need everyone to have a Facebook account, which is increasingly not a given.

WhatsApp / group chats

Best for: very small groups where everyone knows each other

For a dinner with 6 friends, a WhatsApp message works fine. Everyone replies, you count the names, done. No tools needed.

Limitations: This breaks down quickly as group size increases. At 15 or more people, replies get buried, headcounts become unreliable, and the organizer ends up doing manual tracking that a tool should handle.

Luma

Best for: polished event pages for tech and professional events

Luma creates attractive event pages with good registration flows. It is popular in the tech community for meetups and conferences. The free tier is generous for basic events.

Limitations: Luma is designed for curated, professional events. It is more than what you need for casual recurring events like weekly sports or regular group activities. The aesthetic is very tech-startup, which may not fit every audience.

When to use what

Here is a quick decision framework:

  • Large public event (50+ people, ticketing, discovery): Eventbrite
  • Professional/tech meetup (polished page, curated feel): Luma
  • Quick survey or one-off RSVP (simple yes/no): Google Forms
  • Social event within Facebook community: Facebook Events
  • Tiny group of friends (under 10): Group chat
  • Recurring event with capacity limits (weekly sports, classes, clubs): Yupit

Yupit's sweet spot

Yupit fills a gap that the other tools leave open: small to medium recurring events where you need a reliable headcount, capacity limits, and a waitlist.

Think weekly 5-a-side football, fitness classes, running clubs, book clubs, or any regular gathering where the same group signs up each week. These events do not need ticketing, discovery, or professional event pages. They need a simple signup link that shows who is coming, enforces a cap, and handles cancellations automatically.

Yupit is free, works on any device, and takes seconds to set up. No account required for attendees. No branding imposed on your event. Just a clean list that answers the only question that matters: who is actually coming?