A Free Meetup Alternative for Finding Your People, One Connection at a Time
TL;DR
Souldaters suits people who want to find friends or partners through shared interests one to one, using free tribes with discussion boards that anyone can create. Meetup remains the better choice if your main goal is attending or organizing in-person group events, which is what it is built for.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Souldaters | Meetup |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | One-to-one friends and dating, through shared tribes | Organizing and attending group events |
| Price for members | 100% free, no paid tier | Free to join groups; some events charge fees; paid member options exist (varies) |
| Creating a group | Free: any member can create a tribe | Organizers pay a subscription to run groups |
| Group features | Tribe page and discussion board | Events calendar, RSVPs, group pages and messaging |
| One-to-one connections | Mutual wave or like, then private chat | Member messaging available; not designed for matching |
| Dating | Optional dating mode on the same profile | Not a dating service |
| Lifestyle filters | Free (vegan, sober, non-smoker, exercise often…) | Search by topic and location |
| Community size | New (launched 2026), growing | Very large, many cities worldwide |
Competitor features and pricing change often; check Meetup's own site for current details.
Why do people look for a Meetup alternative?
Meetup is the go-to platform for in-person group events: hiking clubs, language exchanges, tech talks, book groups and much more. It works well when you want to show up somewhere and meet a room full of people who share a hobby. People look for alternatives for different reasons. Some find large group events intimidating and would rather start with one person. Some want to find people who share a lifestyle, not just a hobby, such as a plant-based diet or an alcohol-free social life. Would-be organizers sometimes look for a free way to start a group. And some people simply want to find a partner or close friends, which group events do not always make easy.
What does Meetup do well?
- Events. Its event tools, from RSVPs to calendars and reminders, are mature and designed for organizers.
- Breadth. There are groups for nearly every topic in many cities around the world.
- Real-world focus. It gets people out of their homes and into shared activities.
- Low pressure. Attending a group event can feel less intense than a one-to-one meeting.
If you want regular group activities, Meetup is hard to beat, and it works well alongside other apps.
How is Souldaters different?
Tribes: groups anyone can create for free
On Souldaters, tribes are interest tags that are also groups. There are around sixty curated tribes, such as hikers, runners, wild swimmers, yoga, meditation, book lovers, gardeners, vegan, sober and digital nomads, and any member can create a new tribe at no cost. Each tribe has a public page and a discussion board. Member-created tribes become visible to search engines once they have at least three members and a real description, which helps like-minded people find them. See our guide on how to start a tribe.
One-to-one, with mutual consent
Where Meetup centers the event, Souldaters centers the individual connection. You browse people who share your tribes and wave or like the ones you would like to know. When it is mutual, a private chat opens. Nobody can message you unless you showed interest too, which keeps things calm and safe.
Friends, dating, or both
You choose your intent. Friends-only members only see and appear to others looking for friends. If you are also open to dating, you can say so clearly. Many people like having both on one profile rather than juggling a dating app and a separate events platform.
Lifestyle and values, not just topics
Free filters let you narrow to vegans or vegetarians, non-smokers, sober or non-drinkers, people who exercise often, verified members, or people sharing a tribe. A soul-match percentage with readable reasons helps you decide who to reach out to.
Completely free
No paid tier, no organizer fees, no boosts.
Can I use tribes to organize meetups?
Yes, informally. Tribe discussion boards are a natural place to suggest a walk, a potluck or a class and invite others along. Souldaters does not have Meetup's dedicated event tools such as RSVPs or ticketing, so for larger or recurring events, Meetup is still the stronger tool. Many people use both: Meetup for organized events, Souldaters for finding the specific people they want to get to know better. For ideas, read how to find an activity partner.
Tips for going from group events to real friendships
- Show up repeatedly. Friendships grow from repeated, easy contact.
- Follow up one to one. After a group activity, suggest a coffee with the person you clicked with.
- Use shared context. On Souldaters, open with something from a shared tribe: "Saw you're in wild swimmers too, where do you swim?"
- Stay safe. Meet in public and tell a friend where you are going.
What are the trade-offs?
Meetup is a far larger platform with dedicated event features and groups in many cities. Souldaters launched in 2026, is still building its community, and is focused on one-to-one connection rather than events. It is currently an installable web app, with native apps coming. If your main goal is to attend lots of group events this month, start with Meetup.
Features and pricing of other apps change often; check their site for current details.
Who is each best for?
| Souldaters | Meetup |
|---|---|
| You prefer meeting one person at a time | You enjoy group events |
| You want friends and possibly dating | You want activities, not dating |
| You want to start a group for free | You want full event tools with RSVPs |
| Lifestyle alignment matters (diet, sobriety) | You want the widest range of topics nearby |
How to get started
- Create a free account and choose friends, dating or both.
- Join the tribes that match your hobbies and values, and introduce yourself on their boards.
- If your niche is missing, create a tribe and write a clear description.
- Wave at people who share your tribes and suggest a simple, public first meetup.
Frequently asked questions
What is a free alternative to Meetup?
Souldaters lets anyone create an interest group, called a tribe, for free, with a public page and discussion board, and connect one to one through a friends mode. For organized group events with RSVPs, Meetup remains the main option.
Is Souldaters a dating app or a friends app?
Both. You choose dating, friends only, or both. Friends and dating matches both require mutual interest before chat opens.
Can I create my own group on Souldaters?
Yes. Any member can create a new tribe for free. Once it has at least three members and a real description, its public page can appear in search engines.
Does Souldaters have events like Meetup?
Souldaters does not have dedicated event tools like RSVPs. Members often suggest meetups on tribe discussion boards, and connect one to one after a mutual match.