Cactoide vs InvitiApp

Cactoide is a free, open-source event RSVP platform for web use or self-hosting. Organizers create events without accounts, receive a unique URL, and share it through platforms or messaging apps. Guests follow the link and enter their name without registering. Events can accept unlimited responses or use a capacity limit, and special invite links can restrict participation to people who have them. Public events may be discovered and shared across connected Cactoide instances. Event pages provide ICS or webcal calendar links, with Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Outlook listed as compatible. Self-hosting documentation uses Docker Compose and a database; operators can enable federation with the FEDERATION_INSTANCE environment variable and configure instance details. The project is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and described as community-supported. Its README positions it as an alternative for small companies and groups. Proper internationalization is not implemented, although translation files are included.

InvitiApp creates digital invitations as interactive web pages that guests open in a browser to respond to an event. Templates cover weddings, birthdays, baby showers, graduations, anniversaries, first communions, Christmas parties, dinners, and other occasions. Hosts can personalize invitations with photos, text, fonts, music, background video, and interactive maps, then share a link through WhatsApp, email, or social networks. Guest confirmations appear in real time, and hosts can add custom RSVP questions or import and export guest lists in CSV or Excel formats. Each guest receives a QR code for phone-based check-in, with live arrival statistics; invitations and QR codes can also be saved to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. Gift links and collaborative song suggestions are available, while InvitiApp says it does not handle gift money. The free plan allows five invitations per account and ten unique guest views per invitation, with a watermark. Paid plans start at $19.99, paid once and are activated per invitation.