Last updated: April 29, 2025
Planning events should be as enjoyable as attending them, but traditional tools often make the process tedious and uninspiring. That’s where Luma comes in—a fresh approach to event management that combines beautiful design with powerful functionality.
As someone who’s hosted hundreds of gatherings and tested countless event platforms, I’ve found Luma stands out for its sleek aesthetics and intuitive interface.
Whether you’re organizing a casual meetup, a professional networking event, or a ticketed workshop, Luma offers the tools to create stunning invites, manage RSVPs, and engage your community—all without the technical headaches or dated designs of older platforms.
In this comprehensive review, I’ll walk you through why Luma has become a favorite among tech-savvy hosts and how you can leverage its features for your next event.
TL;DR: Main Takeaways
- Luma is a free, user-friendly app for creating beautiful event pages, sending invites, and managing RSVPs.
- Features like QR code check-ins, Zoom integration, and customizable event pages make it stand out.
- Users love the sleek design, but some report occasional glitches with notifications.
- It’s perfect for everything from casual hangouts to professional networking events.
- Alternatives like Eventbrite or Canva offer similar features but lack Luma’s all-in-one appeal.
Why you should trust me: Hi! I’m Nick Gray. I’ve hosted hundreds of parties, and I’ve used a dozen different event platforms. I’ve even written a whole page of my tips and tricks for other RSVP platforms. For this article, I talked to Luma support staff for advanced tips. I also interviewed a few friends who have used Luma recently for their own events.About the Luma Event Platform
Luma is an event management platform that goes beyond basic digital invites, offering a seamless way to create, share, and manage events.
The Luma platform claims to “provide a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of setting up event websites, designing branded registration pages, and creating customized ticketing options.”
Whether you’re hosting a tech meetup, a wellness retreat, or a backyard BBQ, Luma streamlines the process with a focus on aesthetics and functionality. It’s popular among Gen Z and tech-savvy planners for its clean design and community-driven features.
Beautiful Event Pages
Create stunning event pages in seconds by choosing a cover image, setting a location, and adding details. Luma offers a gallery of vibrant, pre-designed cover images (party posters, happy hour vibes) or lets you upload your own. The result? Invites that feel like they were designed by a pro, not a dated clip-art generator.
Effortless Invites via Email & SMS
Sync your contacts to send mass SMS or email invites with calendar integration. Luma’s invites are visually appealing and include RSVP options, making it easy for guests to respond. You can also invite past guests or send reminders to keep your event top-of-mind.
Ticketing & Payments
Sell tickets or collect donations directly through Luma with Stripe integration. Set fixed ticket prices or allow flexible donations, with next-day payouts to your bank account. This is ideal for paid events like workshops or fundraisers.
QR Code Check-Ins
Luma’s built-in QR code scanner lets you check in guests effortlessly at in-person events. Guests can show their QR code or be looked up by name/email, streamlining entry and tracking attendance.
Zoom Integration
For virtual or hybrid events, Luma automatically creates Zoom Meetings or Webinars, embedding join links into the event page. This eliminates the hassle of separate Zoom setups, perfect for online workshops or global meetups.
Attendee Engagement
Tools Luma fosters interaction with features like guest chat, event referrals (guests can invite friends), and post-event feedback surveys. These tools help build community and keep guests engaged before, during, and after the event.
From their website:
One of the great features of Luma is its attendee engagement tools. It facilitates seamless communication between hosts and guests through personalized event agendas, push notifications, and interactive event apps, which enhance the guest experience by enabling real-time feedback and surveys.
One other big benefit of Luma: it has additional integrations, like with Zapier.
How to Use Luma
With Luma, you can sign up using your email address or your phone number.
Then, you’ll receive a verification code, and you can now start creating your RSVP page.
Once you’re logged in, you can now create your RSVP page by clicking on the “Create Event” button.
Then you will fill out the details for your event including:
- Event name
- Party venue (In Person or Virtual)
- Event location
- Date and Time (Single event or Event series)
- Description
- Page Design
How to Display the Guest List
This is very important!
Most new hosts are neglecting to turn this setting on in Luma, displaying your guest list.
You must do it in order to create the social proof, as discussed in my book, which will drive up your attendance rate.
On the Manage Event Page, you can click on Show Who’s Coming to display the guest list publicly.
How to Share your RSVP page
After finalizing your event page, you’ll see the option to share it to different platforms and to see your RSVP page live.
Sending Reminder Messages
A significant component of my 2-Hour Cocktail Party book is the use of detailed party reminder messages.
As a host, your job is to generate excitement for your event. Keep it at the forefront of your mind from the moment you send invitations until the day of the party. Sending party reminders and sharing guest bios will highlight the uniqueness of your event and persuade guests to attend.
When you utilize them, you’ll stand out even before the party begins.
In order for you to send the three reminder messages to your guests, you need to download your guest list to get their email addresses. This is what I usually suggest.
But Luma also allows you to send reminders via the platform, too. You can send scheduled emails and edit the content as well.
Luma Examples/Templates for Popular Event Types
Luma makes it easy to create invites for any occasion, from birthdays to professional mixers. Below are examples and inspiration to spark ideas.
Invite Examples & Inspiration
- Luma’s Discover page showcases real events, like crypto meetups, wellness retreats, and social hangouts.
- For instance, a “Tech Happy Hour” event featured a neon-lit cover image and a concise agenda, while a “Summer BBQ” used a playful, sunny poster vibe.
Canva Templates
- While Luma offers built-in cover images, you can design custom ones on Canva.
- Search “event invite” on Canva for templates like “Minimalist Networking Event” or “Vibrant Birthday Bash.”
Luma Templates
- Luma’s gallery includes pre-made designs for birthdays (confetti-themed), happy hours (cocktail glass visuals), and workshops (sleek gradients).
Fun & Funny Ideas
- For a birthday, try a cover image with a cheeky phrase like “Officially Too Old to Count the Candles.”
- For a game night, use a retro arcade-style design with “Bring Your A-Game” as the tagline.
Luma’s Pricing
Luma still offers its Free Forever plan, which includes most features recommended in The 2-Hour Cocktail Party. However, for those hosting large ticketed events, there’s an option to upgrade to a monthly subscription. Note: Prices remain the same in 2024.
Here are the inclusions of Free and Luma Plus:
Feature | Free Forever | Luma Plus ($59 per month billed annually) |
Beautiful event pages | Yes | Yes |
Unlimited event guests | Yes | Yes |
Zoom Integration | Yes | Yes |
Attendance and analytics | Yes | Yes |
5,000 invites per week | No | Yes |
Accept all credit cards | Yes | Yes |
Apple Pay & Google Pay | Yes | Yes |
Platform fee | 5% | 0% |
Chat Support | No | Yes |
Automate workflows with Zapier | No | Yes |
API Access | No | Yes |
Pros and Cons
Here are the things I like and don’t like about Luma:
Pros
- Advanced features
- Easy to add custom fields
- Easy integration with Zapier (Available in Luma Plus)
- No ads, no spam
Cons
- A bit difficult to use for first-time hosts, so I only recommend this for advanced users
Luma Alternatives: Not Always a Direct Comparison
While Luma is a robust all-in-one platform, some alternatives offer specific features that overlap. Note that not all are direct competitors, as some focus on single aspects like invites or ticketing.
Eventbrite
- What It Does: A ticketing and event management platform for large-scale events.
- Key Differences: Eventbrite excels at ticketing but lacks Luma’s aesthetic invites and community features like guest chat. Its interface feels less modern.
- Reddit Feedback: Users on r/eventplanning call Eventbrite “functional but clunky” compared to Luma’s sleek design.
Evite
- What It Does: A digital invite platform for casual events.
- Key Differences: Evite offers basic invites but lacks Luma’s ticketing, QR check-ins, or Zoom integration. Its designs feel dated.
- App Store Reviews: Evite users complain about limited customization, praising Luma’s modern templates.
Canva
- What It Does: A design tool for creating custom event invites.
- Key Differences: Canva is great for static designs but doesn’t offer event management features like RSVPs or ticketing. Use it to create Luma cover images.
- Product Hunt Buzz: Canva’s templates are popular, but users note it’s “not a full event solution like Luma.”
Conclusion
Luma is ideal if you want advanced customizations and data integrations. I’ve especially seen companies using Luma for their events and when they have multiple events scheduled. It makes a great alternative to Eventbrite.
For other options on event platforms, read my list of suggested party RSVP platforms. I still highly recommend Mixily for people using my book The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, but I think I’m going to try different platforms to give more detailed reviews for other hosts.
Do you have some additional Luma tips and tricks? Send me an email, and I’ll add your notes to this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What Is a “Boop” on Luma?
A: A “boop” is Luma’s playful term for a guest’s RSVP or interaction with an event page, like registering or joining a chat. It’s a lighthearted way to track engagement.
Q: How Does Luma Compare to Apple Invites?
A: Apple Invites (via Calendar or Messages) are basic, allowing simple event creation but lacking Luma’s customizable pages, ticketing, or QR check-ins. Luma is better for complex or public events, while Apple Invites suit small, informal gatherings.
Q: Can I Use Luma for Virtual Events?
A: Yes, Luma’s Zoom integration makes it ideal for virtual or hybrid events. It auto-generates Zoom links and embeds them in the event page.
Q: Is Luma Secure for Paid Events?
A: Luma uses Stripe for secure payments and is GDPR compliant. Your data is only used for event management, not sold or shared.
We love Lu.ma as we host over 78 events a year however they really need an option for customers to pay their events off. Eg Afterpay, Zip, Pay in Four