In general, group organizers set their own policies for member dues and event fees, including when a member is eligible for a refund.
Prohibited Payments
Meetup’s integrated payment processors cannot be used to process payments for the following activities:
- Adult content, escort services, or sex solicitation
- Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, drug paraphernalia, or similar items
- Gambling or betting
- Weapons, ammunition, or weaponry accessories
- Multi-level marketing businesses, pyramid or Ponzi schemes
- Unlawful activities or items, or the promotion of unlawful activities or items
Refund guidance for organizers
At a minimum, Meetup advises organizers to provide refunds to members under the following circumstances:
Annual member dues
- The group was closed (or a member was removed from the group) within 3 months of payment, and the member account is in good standing (e.g., not blocked from the platform); OR
- There have been no scheduled events within 3 months since a member paid to join the group, and the member account is in good standing.
Monthly member dues
- Refund a member’s most recent monthly member dues if the group was closed (or a member was removed from the group) within 1 week of payment, and the member account is in good standing.
- Refund a member’s most recent 3 months of monthly member dues if the group has not held an event within 3 months of payment, and the member account is in good standing.
Ticketing fees for upcoming events
- The group was closed before the event takes place, and the member account is in good standing; OR
- The event was rescheduled or canceled, the member can no longer attend the event, and the member account is in good standing; OR
- The member was removed from the group before the event takes place, and the member account is in good standing.
Refund guidance for members
Start by asking the organizer
To pursue a refund, start by requesting a refund from the organizer. Locate the transaction in question and select Contact organizer for refund. For more specific information, see this article in the Help Center.
Seeking assistance from Meetup
If the organizer does not issue a refund, you may contact Meetup’s Trust & Safety team to ask them to review the payment dispute.
Meetup can only issue a refund if a member has used our integrated payment processor, Stripe, to make the payment in question. Meetup cannot resolve disputes regarding payments that are made outside the Meetup platform, in cash, or using a payment processor other than Stripe. However, even when Meetup cannot issue a refund itself, our team may try to help you obtain a refund from the organizer.
Our team will issue a refund (if the payment was made through the Meetup platform using Stripe) or try to get you a refund from the organizer (if the payment was made any other way) under the following circumstances:
- Meetup advises an organizer to provide a refund in that situation (see Refund Guidance for Organizers); OR
- The refund policies for that specific group state that a refund is available under the circumstances, and the member account is in good standing; OR
- Meetup’s Trust & Safety team determines that the refund is in the best interest of maintaining the integrity of the Meetup platform, to moderate fraud, misuse, or risk.
What payments will Meetup not assist in refunding?
- Optional member fees - If dues are not required to join the group or attend an event, it is the member’s choice whether to pay the fees and Meetup will not assist in obtaining a refund.
- Member dues that automatically renew - Members agree to automatic renewal of member dues payments upon their initial payment to the group. Refunds will not be issued as a result of failure to turn off renewal.
- Fees for an event that didn’t meet your expectations - Meetup will not help you obtain a refund simply because an event did not meet your expectations.
In these situations, you can still request a refund from the organizer by locating the transaction in question and selecting Contact organizer for refund. For more specific information, see this article in the Help Center.