Luma vs Eventbrite for startup events.
Luma has the cleaner event page and charges nothing on free events. Eventbrite has the bigger discovery site and a fee on every paid ticket. Neither pays out to India-based organisers or helps founders meet investors at the event. MyStartupValley Events is the free third option built for startup events.
Updated by the MyStartupValley team.
Luma vs Eventbrite vs MSV Events
Checked on 25 Oct 2026 from each vendor's public pages. Sources are on the Luma and Eventbrite pages.
| Feature | Luma | Eventbrite | MSV Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Unlimited events and guests; 5% fee on paid tickets (0% on Plus, USD 59 a month billed yearly) | Free events cost nothing; paid: 3.7% + USD 1.79 per ticket + 2.9% processing (US) | Free, no limits on events or registrants |
| Paid registration in India | Not for India-based hosts | India is not an Eventbrite payout country | Founder fee in INR via Razorpay; no ticket tiers |
| Registration form | Custom questions, no conditional logic | Order form with custom and conditional questions | Founder, investor, enabler and guest forms on one link |
| Register without an account | Yes, no email verification step | Not documented | Yes, confirmed with a 6-digit email code |
| Application review | Approve or decline guests | No approval step | Shortlist and accept founders, approve guests |
| QR pass and check-in | QR check-in; staff role needs Plus | Organizer app with QR scan | Event Pass on the phone, offline scanner, walk-ins |
| Attendee networking | Guest list with names and photos | No | Who's here; a connect needs the other person's yes |
| Who to meet, by fit | No | No | Top 5 to meet, each with a reason |
| 1:1 meeting requests | No | No | Yes, free at events |
| Agenda and sessions | No agenda; one event per session | Basic agenda on the event page | Agenda, halls and live updates |
| Website embed | Register button or mini event page | Embedded checkout | Register button, event card or full form |
| Startup and investor fields | Company, website and LinkedIn questions | Generic questions only | Sector, stage, traction and deck ready; MSV users auto-fill |
Pick Luma if
- You run open community meetups and want a polished event page and calendar.
- You send invites and newsletters to a large subscriber list.
- You sell tickets from outside India.
Pick Eventbrite if
- You want discovery on a large ticketing site.
- You sell many paid ticket types to the public.
- Your payouts go to a country Eventbrite supports.
Pick MSV Events if
- Your organisation is in India and your audience is founders, investors and enablers.
- You review who gets in: demo days, pitch events, cohort intake.
- You want Top 5 to meet and meeting requests, free.
Luma vs Eventbrite: questions.
Is Luma or Eventbrite better for free events?
Both are free for free events. Luma gives a cleaner page with unlimited guests and approval; Eventbrite adds event discovery but has no approval step (checked 25 Oct 2026).
Can Indian organisers sell tickets on Luma or Eventbrite?
Luma's help centre says it cannot support Stripe accounts based in India. India is not an Eventbrite Payment Processing payout country; Eventbrite points other currencies to PayPal (checked 25 Oct 2026).
What is a free alternative to both for startup events?
MSV Events: free for organisers with no limits, with startup fields, Event Pass and QR check-in, Top 5 to meet and meeting requests between founders and investors.
Or run it free on MSV Events.
Registration, Event Pass, check-in, networking and meeting requests on one link.