Meetup has been acquired by Bending Spoons

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Meetup’s acquisition by Bending Spoons, the owner of Evernote and FiLMiC, is raising concerns that the platform may face further cost-cutting, layoffs, and “enshittification,” especially given Bending Spoons’ track record with previous buys. Commenters describe how tech meetups were already struggling due to COVID, remote work, changing social habits, and rising organizer fees, even as some non-tech and regional communities remain vibrant. Many see an opening for alternatives and open, federated event platforms, but note that Meetup’s discoverability and network effects are still hard to replace.

Acquisition & Initial Reactions

  • Many see the sale as expected given Meetup’s post-pandemic struggles and earlier WeWork ownership.
  • Some hope Bending Spoons, a software-focused company, will modernize UX and keep the platform alive.
  • Others interpret the deal as a “sunset industry” move: buy cheap, cut costs, squeeze remaining revenue.

Bending Spoons’ Track Record (Evernote, FiLMiC, etc.)

  • Multiple comments link Bending Spoons with “enshittification” of Evernote and FiLMiC: higher prices, reduced free tiers, layoffs.
  • Wikipedia is cited: prior acquisitions (FiLMiC, Evernote, Mosaic Group) were followed by broad layoffs.
  • This fuels pessimism that Meetup will face staff cuts, rising prices, and more aggressive monetization.

Post‑Pandemic Meetup Landscape

  • Many report tech meetups have withered: low attendance, high no‑show rates, burned-out organizers, fewer company hosts, and diminished “tech excitement.”
  • Others say non‑tech activities (hiking, board games, movies, social groups) still thrive in some cities.
  • Some regions (e.g., parts of Germany, Asia, smaller US metros) describe Meetup as a ghost town; others (Vienna, Helsinki, Chicago, some US cities) report a strong or rebounding scene.
  • COVID, remote work, inflation, housing costs, and lingering health concerns are all cited as reasons habits changed.

Monetization, Pricing & Product Frustrations

  • Organizer fees (e.g., ~$180/year) are widely criticized as excessive for “a glorified calendar and email list,” pushing out hobby and support groups.
  • Complaints include: intrusive ads, “special offers,” gamification, search that works worse when logged in, API restrictions, and lost RSS feeds.
  • Some see Meetup’s revenue experiments (charging attendees, ads) as signs of a faltering model.

Alternatives & Competitors

  • Mentioned options: lu.ma, Eventbrite, Mobilizon (federated, non‑commercial), alf.io, meetabit.com, guild.host, Discord, Facebook/Instagram, LinkedIn, coworking/makerspace mailing lists.
  • Discoverability remains Meetup’s main moat; several organizers say they’d leave if they could keep equivalent reach.

Future Outlook

  • Some think tech meetups will slowly bounce back and that new tools or protocols (e.g., federated event sharing) could replace Meetup.
  • Others view this acquisition as another step in Meetup’s decline but expect niche communities and local organizers to persist somewhere, even if not on Meetup.