VenueWSCompare / VenueWS vs Luma
Luma or VenueWS? It depends on the event.
Luma is built for public events: a beautiful page, RSVPs and ticket sales. VenueWS is built for private, seated events where the guest list, the tables and the door matter.
Choose Luma when…
- You sell tickets — Luma takes payments, VenueWS doesn't.
- It's a free community meetup with an open RSVP: Luma's free plan has no guest limit.
- You want your event discovered on a public calendar.
Choose VenueWS when…
- The event is invitation-only and guests come as families or parties.
- You need a seating chart, a floor plan, or guests choosing their own table.
- Several people scan at the door, and you want to know who is inside, live.
- Guests sign a waiver before their QR works.
- You run many events in the same room — a venue, a hall, a club.
Side by side
| Luma | VenueWS | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Unlimited events and guests; 5% platform fee on paid tickets | Small events free (seating, door and invitations); floor plans and waivers from the event pass up |
| Paid plan | Plus: $59/month billed annually (0% platform fee) | Event pass per event, or Pro monthly / yearly |
| Ticket sales and payments | Yes (card processing fees on top) | No — import buyers from your ticketing tool |
| Invitations by email and WhatsApp | Yes | Yes — WhatsApp from your own number |
| RSVP by family or party | Not listed on their pricing page | Yes — one invitation, the party confirms who's coming |
| Seating chart and floor plans | Not listed on their pricing page | Yes — drag-and-drop tables on every plan; saved room layouts from the event pass up |
| Guests choose their table | Not listed on their pricing page | Yes (optional, by section) |
| Check-in at the door | Yes | Yes — many scanners, door-only staff accounts, re-entry |
| Waivers and e-signatures | Not listed on their pricing page | Yes — the QR works once it's signed |
| API and Zapier | Plus plan | Pro plan |
| Spanish | Not listed on their pricing page | Every screen, email and guest page |
What Luma offers is taken from its public pricing page as of October 2026: luma.com/pricing. “Not listed on their pricing page” means exactly that — check with them. Luma is a trademark of its owner; VenueWS is not affiliated with it.
Sell on Luma, run the room on VenueWS
If you already sell tickets on Luma, keep doing it. Export the buyers, import them into VenueWS, and use it for what happens after the sale: tables, waivers and the door.
Questions
- Is VenueWS cheaper than Luma?
- Not for a free public meetup — Luma's free plan is hard to beat there. For a seated private event, compare what you would otherwise pay for: a seating tool, a check-in app and hours of spreadsheets.
- Can I move my guest list from Luma?
- Yes. Export the guest list from Luma as CSV and import it into a VenueWS event; invitations and QR codes are generated for everyone.
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