Meetup in London: how it works, what it costs, and the alternatives
Meetup is a site and app for interest groups. In London you can join groups for almost anything, from running to languages to dinners, and go to the events their organisers post. Joining is free. The UK App Store also lists paid plans from £3.49 to £22.99 (checked 14 October 2026). The biggest London groups have more than 40,000 members.
By the Siena team, who run a dinner with strangers in London every Thursday. Updated .
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We run Siena, a dinner with strangers in London every Thursday, so we compete with some of the services we review. We say where each one does better than us. Every fact about Meetup below comes from its own website or store listing, checked on the date shown and linked in the sources. If something has changed, tell us at hi@sienasociety.com and we will fix it.
Meetup is not a dinner club. It is a place where anyone can start a group and post events. Some of those events are dinners, so people who search for a dinner with strangers often land on it.
How Meetup works in London
- Find a group. Search by topic or browse what is popular near you. Each group has a page with its organiser, members and past events.
- Join and RSVP. You join the group, then say you are going to an event. Some events are free, and some organisers charge a fee.
- Turn up. The organiser runs the event. Who comes, how many people and what happens on the night depend on the group.
On Meetup's London events page, the two most popular London groups showed 40,019 and 31,325 members on 14 October 2026. Meetup says it has more than 60 million members and 330,000 groups worldwide.
What Meetup costs
You can join groups and go to free events without paying Meetup. Organisers pay to run a group, and Meetup sells optional subscriptions to members. The UK App Store lists these in-app purchases:
| In-app purchase | Prices listed |
|---|---|
| Member Subscription | £3.49 (1 month) and £9.99 |
| Meetup Plus Subscription | £4.99 and £9.99 |
| 1-Month Unlimited Subscription | £7.99 and £10.99 |
| Meetup Subscription, 1 month | £22.99 |
| Standard Organizer | £12.99 |
Event fees are separate. A dinner event usually means you pay for your own meal at the restaurant, on top of any fee the organiser sets.
Meetup dinner groups
Some London Meetup groups run dinners for people who want to meet others. Each organiser sets the size, the venue and the rules, so no two groups work the same way. Before you RSVP, check three things on the event page: how many people have said yes, whether the organiser books the table, and whether there is a fee.
Ratings
On the UK App Store, Meetup has an average of 4.6 out of 5 from about 33,000 ratings, and an age rating of 13+ (checked on 14 October 2026). The listing names Bending Spoons US Inc. as the copyright holder.
Who it suits, and who it does not
A good fit if you
- have a hobby and want to meet people who share it
- want something on most nights of the week
- are happy in a big group and do not mind who else turns up
Not a good fit if you
- want a small table where everyone can talk
- want people of a similar age
- do not want to read through groups to find a good one
Where Meetup beats Siena
- Choice. There are groups for almost every interest, and events most nights. Siena is one dinner, on Thursdays.
- Price. Many groups and events are free. A Siena seat costs £12.99.
- Hobbies. If you want to meet people through running, board games or a language, Meetup has a group for it. Siena is dinner only.
- Outside London. Meetup works in most cities. Siena is London only.
A Meetup dinner or Siena
| Meetup | Siena | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Most cities, London included | London only |
| When | Set by each group | Thursday, 7:30pm |
| Group | Set by each group, often large | Usually 6 (tables of 5 to 8), matched |
| Price | Free to join. Some events charge a fee. Optional subscriptions | £12.99 a dinner, or Premium from £21.99 a month with dinners included |
| Food and drinks | Usually paid at the venue | Paid at the restaurant |
| Cancellation | Change your RSVP. Fees depend on the organiser | Full refund if you cancel 24 hours before |
| Age | 13+ on the UK App Store | 18 and over, similar age at each table |
| App | iOS and Android app, and web | Web, no download |
Want a small table instead of a big group? Siena seats five to eight people every Thursday at 7:30pm, for £12.99.
Questions people ask
Is Meetup free in London?
Joining Meetup and its groups is free, and many events are free too. Some organisers charge an event fee, and Meetup sells optional member subscriptions (the UK App Store lists them from £3.49, checked 14 October 2026).
Are there Meetup dinner groups in London?
Some London groups run dinners for people who want to meet others. Sizes and formats differ by group, so read the event page before you RSVP.
Is Meetup good for making friends in London?
It can be, if you go back to the same group. Seeing the same people again is what turns a stranger into a friend. A one-off event with 40 people rarely does it.
What is an alternative to Meetup for dinners in London?
A matched dinner gives you a small table instead of a big room. Siena seats five to eight strangers of a similar age at a London restaurant every Thursday for £12.99 a seat. See our London Social Dining Finder for more.