Since Bending Spoons acquired Meetup in January 2024, many organisers have seen their subscription rise sharply, the public API turn paid in February 2025, and their members hit with Meetup+ or per-RSVP fees. The question is no longer "should I leave Meetup", but "how do I do it without breaking what I've built". This guide lays out the method in two parts: first the strategy, then six tactical steps.
Part 1: the migration strategy
What you can (and can't) recover from Meetup
Before any technical action, you need to understand what Meetup actually lets you export. This constraint shapes the whole migration.
| Recoverable | Not recoverable | |
|---|---|---|
| Member list | Yes (names, photos, in .xls) |
Not the emails (unless Meetup Pro, with conditions) |
| Attendees per event | Yes (CSV per event) | No overall history |
| Photos, discussions, past events | No | Everything |
| API access | Paid, GraphQL only since February 2025 | Restricted member fields |
The critical point: on the Standard plan ($16.49 to $47/month), you have no access to your members' email addresses. It's stated explicitly in the Meetup help docs ("The Contact Members tool doesn't give you access to your members' contact details or their email addresses"). The only plan that grants email access is Meetup Pro, starting at $55 per group per month, and even then under strict conditions: the member must have RSVP'd to an event after your upgrade to Pro (no retroactive access to existing members), and must have explicitly consented to share their email.
In other words, to retrieve your own members' emails, you have to pay for the most expensive plan and accept that you'll only recover a fraction of your base anyway. It's a lock-in choice: without the emails, you can't reach your members outside Meetup, so you can't leave without rebuilding from scratch. This won't change. That's exactly what keeps organisers on the platform. Practical consequence for your migration: you cannot "export your list and email everyone to announce the change".
The principle: run both platforms in parallel
As long as your Meetup subscription is active, you can post on your group and notify members through the built-in tools. Once you cancel, that channel disappears. This mechanic forces a precise sequence: don't close Meetup before you've transferred your base to the new platform.
Migrating a community isn't an instant switch. It's a transition period where Meetup and The Playground coexist, the time it takes for members to develop the habit of using the new place. Most organisers who failed their migration tried to move too fast: announcement without a concrete event, Meetup closed before the critical mass had moved.
A realistic timeline
| Phase | Duration | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Week 1 | Set up the Playground Community and the first events |
| Phase 2 | Weeks 2 to 6 | Announce, run the first events, keep both platforms active |
| Phase 3 | Weeks 7 to 8 | Close the Meetup group |
Four to eight weeks depending on how often you run events. The more frequent your events, the faster the migration: each event is a chance to announce the change and bring more members across.
What to accept upfront
You won't recover 100% of your members. A realistic transition rate sits between 40 and 60% in the first three months, then climbs back up if you stay active. Members inactive for a long time won't come back regardless of the platform: they weren't attending your events anyway. The migration acts as a filter. Those who follow are your real members.
Part 2: the six tactical steps
Step 1: create your Community on The Playground (day 1)
Take exactly what defines your Meetup group, without reinventing:
- Name: keep it identical if possible, it helps member recognition.
- Description: copy from Meetup, refresh if outdated.
- Cover image: in square (1:1) format, the standard on The Playground.
- Public or private: match what you had.
Note the URL of your new Community. You'll paste it everywhere over the coming weeks.
Step 2: recreate your upcoming events (day 2)
Migrate only the next two or three events. No need to recreate the history: Meetup doesn't really surface it anymore, and no one will dig through your new Community for a past event.
For each upcoming event:
- Title, date, time, location, description
- Cover image (square)
- Capacity if you set one
- Price if the event is paid
Create them as Drafts. You'll publish them at the official announcement, not before. A published event without an announcement sends a confused signal to the community.
Step 3: download your Meetup data (day 2 or 3)
Member list. Log in to Meetup, then open the URL https://www.meetup.com/[group-name]/members/?op=csv. The downloaded file is an .xls. Open it in Excel or Google Sheets and export to CSV if needed.
Attendees for the next event. From the event page on Meetup: Organizer Tools → Manage Attendees → Tools → Download attendees.
What's it actually for? Not to contact people directly (you don't have emails on the Standard plan), but to:
- Keep a record of who was a member before the migration.
- Identify your most active members so you can reach out individually (via Meetup messages) at the switch.
- Measure your transition rate later.
Step 4: announce the migration to your members (start of week 2)
The most important moment. One rule: be transparent, short, with a concrete next step.
Announcement template (post on the Meetup group + message to members through Meetup's tools):
Hi everyone,
We're moving to a new platform: The Playground.
Why: [your reason, in one sentence. Example: "Meetup has become paid for both organisers and members. We want a free, smoother platform."]
Our Community lives here: [Playground URL]
Our next event, [title + date], is already open for registration: [event URL]
We're keeping this Meetup group active for a few more weeks while everyone makes the switch. See you on the other side.
Multiply the channels: Meetup group, WhatsApp if you have one, LinkedIn as a personal post (not a company page), your email signature. The more the message travels, the smoother the transition.
The trap to avoid: announcing the migration without a published Playground event ready. Without a concrete next step, members don't move. They vaguely note "I should sign up over there one day" and never come back.
Step 5: nail the first Playground events (weeks 2 to 6)
The first event on The Playground is critical. It proves the community is still alive and installs the reflex "I sign up via Playground" for the future.
A few tactics that help:
- Prime the social proof. Ask two or three regulars to sign up first. The visible avatars on the event page trigger more registrations.
- Share the link multiple times, at different moments (Monday morning, Thursday evening, weekend). One post isn't enough.
- Remind on Meetup 48 hours before the event, with the direct link to the Playground page. That's the legitimate use of your Meetup subscription during the transition.
On The Playground, joining an event automatically adds the Member to the Community. That's different from Meetup, where you first join the group, then RSVP. Less friction, better conversion.
After the event, repeat: announce the next one within the week, on both platforms. Regularity creates the habit.
Step 6: close the Meetup group properly (weeks 7 to 8)
When to close: after two or three successful events on The Playground, when you can see the new member base is rotating and new members come directly through the Playground channel. Not before.
How to close:
- Post a final message at the top of the Meetup group:
This group will close on [date]. Our community continues here: [Playground URL]. All upcoming events are posted there. Thanks to everyone who made this group come alive for [X] years.
- Keep that message pinned for two weeks, so the least active members see it.
- Cancel your Meetup subscription before the renewal date (otherwise you pay for one more cycle).
- Delete the group or leave it inactive. Deleting is cleaner but irreversible. Leaving it inactive keeps a public trace, which can help old members find their way to your new Community.
Migration FAQ
Will I lose members?
Yes, it's inevitable. Expect 40 to 60% transition in the first three months, then a gradual rise if you stay active. Members inactive for six months or more won't follow, but they weren't participating anyway.
How long should I plan for?
Four to eight weeks depending on your event cadence. With one event per month, count two full months. With one event per week, it's faster: less risk that members forget the change between two announcements.
Should I keep both platforms running for long?
No. The longer the parallel period lasts, the more it dilutes your members' attention, and the more you pay Meetup for a channel you're abandoning. Four to six weeks is a healthy balance.
How do I make up for losing Meetup's directory visibility?
That's a real loss if you relied on organic discovery to recruit new members. Three levers partially compensate:
- The Explore page on The Playground (directory of public Communities).
- A personal LinkedIn post for every new event (the best channel for professional meetups).
- Word of mouth from existing members, which is actually the most effective recruitment channel.
I have paid events still selling on Meetup, how do I handle the transition?
Honour the events already sold on Meetup until their date. For new events, switch to The Playground with Stripe Connect: the organiser receives the payment directly, no platform commission. Only standard Stripe fees (around 2.9% + €0.30) apply.
What if some members refuse to leave Meetup?
That's their call. Don't force, don't remove anyone. The announcement and the regular reminders are enough. Most holdouts migrate after the second or third announced event. Those who never migrate were probably already disconnected from the community.
In summary
Migrating away from Meetup isn't a risk, it's a filter. The members who follow are the ones who actually keep your community alive. The others were already gone, even if they remained technically registered.
Leaving Meetup also means taking back control: your Community, your members, your data, no fees or paywall for anyone. The work takes 4 to 8 weeks. The benefit lasts years.