What is a good, web 2.0, alternative to Evite?

August 25, 2007 9:53 AM

What is a good, web 2.0, alternative to Evite? Preferably one that doesn't require invitees to register in order to RSVP...

Okay, I'm officially sick of Evite. The site is too damn ugly, and the interface is clunky to say the least. I just want something clean, intuitive, simple. Is that too much to ask?

Also, there is one element of Evite that I would need any new site to keep: not requiring invitees to register for the site in order to RSVP.

Suggestions?

posted by stilly to Computers & Internet (12 answers total)

stilly, I totally agree and am yearning for a good alternative to the hateful Evite. So far Renkoo is what I've tried but I think you have to register for it even just to RSVP.
posted by sneakin at 10:53 AM on August 25, 2007

The stock answer to this used to be "upcoming.org" but that is now part of Yahoo!1 so I imagine they will be doing what they can to enforce Yahoo! signups. For now it is less unpleasant than evite, although that's not saying much.
posted by nowonmai at 11:01 AM on August 25, 2007

crush3r.com is new. haven't used it but heard it was alright. its buzzword compliant.
posted by modernnomad at 11:07 AM on August 25, 2007

If you have a Facebook account:

In case you didn't already know, you can invite friends to events and groups through their email addresses, and they can RSVP without signing up for Facebook. However, unlike messages, they will have to sign up to get in on the discussion boards and Wall posts.

It's clean enough, in that Facebook way.
posted by Partial Law at 11:16 AM on August 25, 2007

With Google Calendar, you can set up totally public, totally private or visible to some events or calendars. You can then use its "invite" feature to send invitations to any e-mail address, and they can click "yes" "no" or "maybe". This info will show up only to you if the event is private and to everybody who visits the calendar (no need to register if you don't want to create a calendar) if the event is public.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 11:41 AM on August 25, 2007

Does anyone know of any software like this I could install on a server?
posted by astruc at 11:42 AM on August 25, 2007

I'm pretty sure MeetWithApproval.com can handle this. It even gives you the option to have other people pick when they are available.
posted by ThFullEffect at 4:50 PM on August 25, 2007

I am currently using mypunchbowl for a party and am very pleased. It has all the good features from evite (rsvp tracking, etc.) and none of the bad stuff (terrible layouts, ads everywhere). There's a messageboard as well as a way to upload flickr sets to the event afterwards.
posted by jules1651 at 9:47 AM on August 26, 2007

I forgot to add -- your guests don't have to register to RSVP.
posted by jules1651 at 9:47 AM on August 26, 2007

Your description of this service is almost exactly what Socializr was designed to be. See founder Jonathan Abrams' comparison of the services.

Skeptical as I am of the name, I haven't hated any of the invites I've gotten through the service.
posted by anildash at 9:03 PM on August 26, 2007 [1 favorite]

Seconding Socializr. It is the anti-evite.
posted by chunking express at 7:18 AM on August 27, 2007

Goovite is clean, intuitive, and simple. I'm not sure how web 2.0-y it is.

My favorite thing about it is that it sends you all the information in the email, so that when you need somebody's address 2 months later, you can find it in the invite. Also, it allows you to set non-public RSVPs.

I found it after getting so angry at Evite that I wrote a string of incoherent ranting emails filled with stern indictments of Evite, culminating in "it's like a spoon that's only shaped like a spoon 40% of the time." I have no idea what that means, but I know that Goovite was a soothing balm by compare.
posted by averyoldworld at 11:49 AM on August 28, 2007