2026 list
Networking and community platforms for tech professionals in 2026
In the tech ecosystem, meeting people usually happens through an event, a community or someone you both know. Each of these tools does a different job well: one is good for event pages, one for finding local groups, one for your professional profile. On this page we cover the five most used platforms by what they're good for. We put Masqot on the list too, and we'll say it up front: it's our own product. We tried to describe the others fairly, using the information on their own pages.
Last updated: 04.11.2026 · Updated at least once a year.
Quick comparison
Five platforms at a glance
| Platform | Best at | Free start for organizers | Paid tickets | Connecting with people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masqot | Tech communities, events and a lasting network | Yes, no time limit (1 community, 250 members, 2 events a month) | None yet | Mutually approved introductions, then messaging |
| Meetup | Local groups on every topic | First-time organizers only (10 attendees per event) | Included | Messaging anyone with Meetup+ or a paid plan |
| Luma | Event pages, registration and tickets | Yes, unlimited events | Yes (5% on Free) | Message any user |
| Kommunity | Community, events and membership sales | Yes, no monthly fee | Yes (5% when collected through Kommunity) | Follow communities |
| Professional profile and business network | Free for individuals | — | Connection requests and messages |
Best at
- Masqot
- Tech communities, events and a lasting network
- Meetup
- Local groups on every topic
- Luma
- Event pages, registration and tickets
- Kommunity
- Community, events and membership sales
- Professional profile and business network
Free start for organizers
- Masqot
- Yes, no time limit (1 community, 250 members, 2 events a month)
- Meetup
- First-time organizers only (10 attendees per event)
- Luma
- Yes, unlimited events
- Kommunity
- Yes, no monthly fee
- Free for individuals
Paid tickets
- Masqot
- None yet
- Meetup
- Included
- Luma
- Yes (5% on Free)
- Kommunity
- Yes (5% when collected through Kommunity)
- —
Connecting with people
- Masqot
- Mutually approved introductions, then messaging
- Meetup
- Messaging anyone with Meetup+ or a paid plan
- Luma
- Message any user
- Kommunity
- Follow communities
- Connection requests and messages
Masqot
Masqot is the networking platform of the tech ecosystem. AI, software, data and startup communities, their events and the people working in these fields are in one network. Members get people suggestions every day based on their interests, and introductions happen only when both sides approve. Organizers manage their members, events, announcements and insights from the Masqot Creator panel.
- Who it's for. Tech professionals, community founders, startups, universities and technology parks.
- Strengths. A network that lives on after the event; 8 languages including Arabic; servers in Germany; individual membership is free.
- What's missing. No paid ticket sales yet. Opening a community requires a Creator application.
- Price. Starter free; Plus ₺149/month + VAT; Pro ₺249/month + VAT.
Meetup
A long-established platform where local groups on every topic organize events. It has a large general audience.
- Who it's for. Groups that organize local meetups on any topic.
- Strengths. Brand recognition, ticket sales, QR check-in.
- Caution. Organizer plans are paid (Standard from $29.99/month, price varies by location). The free Starter plan is only for first-time organizers. Seeing other members' full profiles and messaging anyone are part of the Meetup+ member subscription.
Luma
A fast tool for event pages, registration, invites, tickets and check-in. Communities are kept as "calendar" pages.
- Who it's for. People who run conferences, launches and frequent one-off events.
- Strengths. Unlimited events and guests on the free plan, ticket sales; 49 languages.
- Caution. 5% platform fee on ticket sales on the free plan. Doesn't support right-to-left languages (like Arabic). Data is stored in the US.
Kommunity
A platform where communities create events and sell tickets and memberships; widely used in Türkiye too.
- Who it's for. Communities that sell tickets or paid memberships.
- Strengths. No monthly fee; ticket types, QR check-in, segmented email.
- Caution. 5% on top of Stripe fees for sales made through Kommunity (0% if you connect your own Stripe account). The web interface's language picker offers English.
The largest network for your professional profile and business connections.
- Who it's for. Everyone, especially job seekers, recruiters and people building a personal brand.
- Strengths. Audience size and professional profile.
- Caution. Not designed for managing communities and events; connecting with someone you met at an event is still a separate step.
- Together with Masqot. They're used side by side, not instead of each other: you can also connect on LinkedIn with someone you met on Masqot.
Choosing
Which one should you choose?
- If you're building a tech community and want your members to get to know each other. Masqot.
- If you're running a one-off event and selling tickets. Luma or Kommunity.
- If you run a non-tech local group. Meetup.
- If you're growing your professional profile and business connections. LinkedIn, with Masqot alongside it to meet people in the tech ecosystem face to face.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What's the best networking platform?
It depends on your goal. Masqot for meeting people in the tech ecosystem through communities and events; LinkedIn for a general professional network; Meetup for local groups; Luma for event pages and tickets.
Is there a free community platform?
Yes. Masqot's Starter plan is free with no time limit; Kommunity has no monthly fee; Luma has a free plan. Meetup's free plan is only for first-time organizers.
What are some apps like Meetup?
Masqot, Luma and Kommunity. The differences are in the table above.
Who made this list?
The Masqot team. You know Masqot is our own product; we took the other platforms' information from their official pages and noted the date. If you spot something wrong or out of date, write to us and we'll fix it.
Sources
Competitor information comes from each platform's own official pages, read on 04.11.2026. Prices and features can change over time. If you spot something wrong or out of date, write to us and we'll fix it.
- Meetup: Organizer Subscription prices overview
- Meetup: Meetup Starter
- Meetup: Event fees
- Meetup: Meetup+
- Meetup: Messaging
- Meetup: Languages
- Meetup: Privacy Policy
- Luma: Pricing
- Luma: Languages
- Luma: Chat
- Luma: GDPR & Security
- Kommunity: Pricing
- Kommunity: Tickets
- Kommunity: Communication
- Kommunity: Download
- Kommunity: Privacy Policy
- Masqot pricing
Build your network in the tech ecosystem
Joining Masqot is free. Join communities, sign up for events and meet people in your field.