shouldiuse.io

Comparison

Odd Circles vs Meetup

Odd Circles and Meetup both land on Depends.

Odd Circles

Depends
Confidence: Low

Buy only if you are an indie organizer wanting community plus ticketing at low fees and accept a tiny, unproven vendor.

Meetup

Depends
Confidence: Medium

Great as a free attendee hunting local interest groups; nothing else matches its density.

Odd Circles versus Meetup
CompareOdd CirclesMeetup
VerdictDependsDepends
Best forIndie community buildersFinding local hobby and interest groups
Who it's not forLarge orgs needing vendor stabilityOne-off or ticketed event hosts . use Eventbrite
PrivacyNo known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.142020 high-risk flaws enabled group takeovers and payment redirection (44M members exposed, since patched); one 2024 privilege-escalation CVE exists.
Support qualityUsers cite excellent communication and support1.9/5 ratings; complaint-heavy feedback
Public sentimentEarly users like the ease of use and responsiveness, but the independent review base is very small.¹Reviews are polarized: attendees still find real community, while recent organizer complaints about aggressive price hikes dominate.15
Biggest gotchaTiny vendor (Om Sai Raam Ltd); export your member data early in case it folds12Organizer prices tripled with under a month's notice in 2024; expect more hikes

Pick Odd Circles when

  • Indie community builders
  • Small event organizers monetizing tickets
  • Meetup users tired of fees
  • Hobby and local groups

When Odd Circles is not a fit

  • Large orgs needing vendor stability
  • Buyers demanding verified reviews or security docs
  • Revenue-critical communities fearing shutdown lock-in
  • Anyone wanting transparent published pricing upfront

Pick Meetup when

  • Finding local hobby and interest groups
  • Regular attendees joining existing groups
  • Organizers running recurring in-person communities
  • Brands managing many groups via Meetup Pro

When Meetup is not a fit

  • One-off or ticketed event hosts . use Eventbrite
  • Budget-sensitive organizers; fees rose sharply
  • Online-only webinar and virtual event teams
  • Small casual friend circles . fees outweigh value

Sources

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