Meetup API vs Luma: community events by GraphQL or your own calendar, or a free MCP
Meetup API is Meetup's GraphQL API for groups, events and members, authenticated with OAuth access tokens. Luma is Luma's JSON API for managing your own calendar's events and guests, plus a separate MCP server that can search public Luma events.
The short answer
- Meetup API: Finding community meetups and recurring group events, with a link to the Meetup page.
- Luma: Hosts automating their own Luma calendars, and agents finding public Luma events such as tech and community meetups through the MCP server.
Side by side
| Meetup API | Luma | |
|---|---|---|
| Searches | Events and groups (eventSearch and groupSearch replaced the old keywordSearch). | The API covers only the calendar its key was created on. The MCP server can search upcoming public Luma events by keyword, location and date range. |
| Returns | Event title, event URL, description, date and time, duration, hosts, featured photo, group and RSVPs. | Not stated on its pages |
| Before the first call | A Meetup account with a registered OAuth client and an access token. Rate limit: 500 query points every 60 seconds. | API: a Luma Plus subscription on the calendar and a per-calendar API key (200 requests a minute per calendar). MCP: any Luma account, signed in through OAuth. |
| Free | Not stated on its pages | The MCP server works with any Luma account, without Luma Plus. |
| Paid | Not stated on its pages | The API needs Luma Plus, listed at $59 a month billed annually. |
| Acting on a result | Event link: each event has its Meetup event URL (RSVP happens on Meetup). | Not stated on its pages |
| MCP server | No official server listed | Official MCP server at https://mcp.luma.com (searches public Luma events and manages events you host). |
Where Openpath fits
Openpath has no event listings yet. Events are on its roadmap, from organizers who list them themselves. Get listed.
Questions people ask
What do I need before I can use Meetup API?
A Meetup account with a registered OAuth client and an access token. Rate limit: 500 query points every 60 seconds.
Is Meetup API free?
Its pages listed no free use when we read them on October 15, 2026.
What do I need before I can use Luma?
API: a Luma Plus subscription on the calendar and a per-calendar API key (200 requests a minute per calendar). MCP: any Luma account, signed in through OAuth.
Is Luma free?
The MCP server works with any Luma account, without Luma Plus.
Sources
Every line about another company comes from its own pages. Prices and terms change, so check the source before you rely on one.
Meetup API, read on October 15, 2026:
- meetup.com/api/guide: “Meetup uses access tokens to authenticate GraphQL requests.”
- meetup.com/api/guide: “The API currently allows you to have 500 points in your queries every 60 seconds.”
- meetup.com/api/guide: “Split into: groupSearch, eventSearch”
- meetup.com/api/guide: “title eventUrl description dateTime duration eventHosts { memberId name }”
- meetup.com/api/authentication: “you need to either register a new OAuth client or add a redirect_uri to an existing client”
Luma, read on October 15, 2026:
- docs.luma.com/reference/getting-started-with-your-api: “To use the Luma API, you need a Luma Plus subscription.”
- docs.luma.com/reference/getting-started-with-your-api: “The Luma API is a JSON-based API that allows you to programmatically manage your events and guests.”
- docs.luma.com/reference/getting-started-with-your-api: “only grants access to the calendar it was created on”
- help.luma.com/p/luma-api: “The Luma API uses a per-minute rate limit shared across read and write requests:”
- luma.com/pricing: “$59 ... Per month, billed annually”
- luma.com/pricing: “API access”
- help.luma.com/p/mcp: “search upcoming public events on Luma by keyword, location, and date range.”
- help.luma.com/p/mcp: “Anyone with a Luma account can connect — you don’t need Luma Plus.”
- help.luma.com/p/mcp: “https://mcp.luma.com”