Luma for a Private Party? When It Fits, and Alternatives (2026)
Luma (lu.ma) is built for community and public events: free for unlimited guests, a 5% fee on paid tickets, Luma Plus at $59 a month. When it suits a private party, and when an invitation tool fits better. Checked 3 October 2026.
Luma (lu.ma) is where a lot of meetups, tech events and community gatherings live. It’s generous and polished. It’s also built for a different job than a birthday party or a baby shower.
From Luma’s own pricing page, checked 3 October 2026.
What Luma costs
| Free | Luma Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $59/month, billed annually |
| Events and guests | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Invites and newsletters | 500 a week | 5,000 a week |
| Paid-event fee | 5% (plus card fees) | 0% (plus card fees) |
| API | Not listed | Included |
Where Luma shines
- Community events, where you keep inviting the same people.
- Paid events, with ticket sales built in.
- Newsletters to a community.
Where an invitation tool fits better
- Private parties where the guest list is your friends and family.
- Plus-ones and dietary needs as part of the reply.
- A designed invitation for the occasion, not an event listing.
- Weddings, showers and birthdays, where the invitation is part of the moment.
Alternatives for private events
| Tool | Free | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| TeamRally Invitations | 100 guests, no ads | — (100 guests per invitation) |
| Partiful | Free, no ads (guests give a phone number) | Optional add-ons |
| Evite | 750 guests, with ads | $17.99–$99.99 per event |
| Paperless Post | First 50 on free designs | $0.50–$1.44 per guest |
TeamRally Invitations is ours: designed covers for birthday parties, weddings, team events and more, email invitations and a share link, plus-ones, dietary and accessibility questions and a live guest list. Free for up to 100 guests. No ticket sales; for paid events, Luma is the better tool.
Frequently asked questions
Is Luma free? Yes, for unlimited events and guests, with a 5% fee on paid events.
Can I use Luma for a birthday party or wedding? You can, but an invitation tool usually fits a private party better.