Evento

Evento is an open-source event platform that combines guest management, community networking and a self-custodial Bitcoin wallet. It suits organizers of meetups, workshops, hackathons and similar community-led programs, particularly when Lightning payments are useful. Its broad coordination toolkit is compelling, but conventional ticketing needs and API-heavy integrations may point elsewhere.

Overview

Evento covers both event administration and the social layer around it. Hosts can control access, collect registrations and communicate with guests, while attendees get profiles and an Events Hub for discovering activity. The wallet adds peer-to-peer Bitcoin transfers and paid-event checkout over Lightning without a platform cut.

That combination is most valuable to communities that want these functions in one service. Organizers who only need publishing and ticket sales may not benefit as much from the Bitcoin and networking features.

Key features

Event and guest management

Password protection, custom registration forms, RSVP approval and guest removal provide meaningful control over attendance. Nested sub-events help structure multi-part programs, while co-host management and CSV guest import reduce administrative work. Hosts can message guests and send trackable email campaigns, so communication does not have to stop at registration. Registration tools and an agenda builder round out the core event workflow.

Community layer

Profiles include bios, interests, prompts, follows and a displayed Lightning Address. The Events Hub brings together followed events, invitations, co-host requests and a curated feed. These features favor organizers building an ongoing community rather than running isolated one-off events.

Bitcoin wallet and payments

The self-custodial wallet sends and receives Bitcoin both on Lightning and on-chain. It is built on Breez and Spark, supports Bitrefill spending, and provides on- and off-ramps for buying and selling Bitcoin. Hosts can set an event price and Lightning Address to accept Lightning payments. Peer-to-peer payments carry no cut for Evento, which is attractive when Bitcoin is already part of the audience’s workflow, though it is not a substitute for broader conventional payment coverage.

API and security

The read-only Public API exposes event and user data, while the no-auth Embed API supports widgets. Public API keys are limited to 1,000 requests per day, a practical ceiling for high-volume or frequently refreshed integrations. Login uses magic links and six-digit one-time passwords; HTTPS/SSL protects data in transit, databases are encrypted at rest and backups run daily. Evento states a commitment to GDPR and CCPA compliance and accepts deletion requests. MFA for sensitive actions and SMS verification are on its security roadmap, so teams requiring those controls immediately should account for that gap.

Pricing

Free — free. Evento is open source and free to use for events. The free plan includes registration tools and an agenda builder, with no event-use charge stated. That makes it a strong fit for volunteer organizers, community groups and pilots that want the full event and wallet feature set without a subscription. There are no published seat, attendee, event-count or renewal charges to factor into a budget, but API users still face the 1,000-request daily limit.

Platforms

Evento is available on Android, iOS and the web, and provides API access. The multi-platform reach suits organizers and attendees who move between mobile and browser workflows.

Who it's for

Choose Evento for community-led meetups, workshops, hackathons, conference satellite events and community spaces that need registrations, agendas, guest communications and social discovery together. It is especially well matched to Bitcoin-oriented communities or paid events comfortable collecting Lightning. Look elsewhere if you need a conventional ticketing-first product, mandatory enterprise authentication today, or an API allowance above 1,000 public requests per day.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Broad event controls: approvals, custom forms, password protection, sub-events, co-hosts, CSV imports and messaging handle more than basic publishing.
• Community continuity: profiles and the Events Hub support discovery and relationships between events.
• Bitcoin-native payments: self-custodial Lightning and on-chain transfers, plus paid-event checkout, without an Evento payment cut.
• Free and open source: organizers can use event features at no cost.

Cons

• Specialized payment model: Lightning-focused checkout is less suitable when attendees expect standard payment methods.
• API quota: public keys allow 1,000 requests per day, constraining busy integrations.
• Security roadmap items: MFA for sensitive actions and SMS verification are upcoming rather than current features.

Alternatives

For a broader directory of options, see Event Website Builders.

• EventCreate is a freemium Android, iOS and web service whose free tier permits one event, 50 attendees, one user and a 5% ticketing fee; choose it for a tightly capped conventional event.
• Eventbrite offers free event publishing, unlimited publishing and no ticketing fees for free tickets; choose it when mainstream event publishing is the priority.
• Eventzilla provides unlimited events and free registration types on its Basic plan at $1.50 a month billed per registration; choose it for registration-led paid plans.
• Indico is open-source and self-hosted with no pricing plans stated; choose it when hosting the software yourself matters most.
• Luma offers unlimited free events and guests, with 500 invitations or newsletters per week and three calendar admins; choose it for high-volume invitations.
• Event Schedule is an open-source API, self-hosted and web option; choose it when a self-hosted schedule is the central requirement.
• Goldcast targets paid web events with plans that include 12 or 25 events and unlimited attendees; choose it for that structured event-production model.
• Hi.Events offers a free cloud plan with unlimited events and ticket types, charging 1.25% plus 0.60 USD on paid tickets; choose it for conventional ticketing with a transparent per-ticket fee.

Verdict

Evento is a strong choice for community organizers who want sophisticated event administration, social discovery and self-custodial Bitcoin payments in one free, open-source product. Choose it primarily for that combination; look elsewhere if standard ticketing, stronger present-day authentication controls or a larger public API quota matters more than Bitcoin and community features.