Cactoide vs Partiful

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.

Partiful helps people invite guests, track RSVPs, and share updates through an event link. Hosts can customize invitations with backgrounds, fonts, animations, and posters, then contact guests through text blasts. Guests can RSVP with a phone number and add photos to the event page after the party. Hosts can make events public or private, hide the guest list, require a password, or enable guest approval. Events can sync with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar, although Google Calendar event information updates roughly every 24 hours. Hosts can collect money through Venmo, CashApp, or PayPal, and sell tickets through Partiful. Ticketing fees depend on event size and ticket price; free tickets have no fees, and hosts can choose whether to cover fees or pass them to guests. The core platform is free on Android, iOS, and the web. Optional premium invite designs cost extra. Partiful sends reminders to invited users who have signed up: two hours before for guests marked Going and one week before for guests marked Maybe or not yet RSVP'd.