Groups.io vs Loomio (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Groups.io grades higher than Loomio: 2.6 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Groups.io grades higher on value for money, features and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Groups.io
Email discussion groups with files, calendar and wiki
Loomio
Group decision-making software for organizations and co-ops
Which one is for you
Pick Groups.io if
- Fits if your group already lives in email
- Works for clubs under 100 members that only need a mailing list
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you have more than 100 members, as free stops there
- Pricey if the list grows, as Premium bills per member
- Watch out: Paid Memberships is in early access and must be requested from support
- Not for you if you want a phone app, as none is listed
Pick Loomio if
- Fits if a group needs to decide things in writing
- Works for co-ops and boards that want a record of reasons
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if your group is over 30, as Starter caps at 30 and one group
- Skip it if you want one-off subgroups on Starter, as it has none
- Watch out: SSO and custom branding need the custom Private Loomio plan
- Watch out: after cancelling, data is kept 30 days before it is deleted
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAGroups.ioGood | 2.0GPALoomioFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPremium is $20 a month minimum at $0.04 per member, the cheaper-quarter line of the category. | CStarter is $33 a month billed annually for a whole group of up to 30, in the middle of the category's prices; Pro is $83. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree is a core email group for 100 members with 1 GB of attachments and no files, calendar, chat or wiki, and a 30-day Premium trial without a card. | CA 14-day trial for up to 10 people and 10 discussions. The card is not mentioned. No free plan. |
| Features | BEmail-first groups, files, photos, wiki, calendar, chat and paid memberships on Premium. Paid memberships is in early access. | CDiscussion, proposals and a searchable record cover decision-making fully, but it is a smaller job than running a community. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You set up groups, settings and members. | CNo store rating on record. You build groups, invite people and set up proposals. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb and email, with Stripe and Google Calendar listed. | CWeb only, and no integrations are listed apart from Zoom on Pro. |
| Best for | email groups with a small free plan | group decisions with discussion and voting |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Groups.io and Loomio. How we grade
Price against what you get
Groups.io starts at $20 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Loomio starts at $33 a month and scores 2.0.
Groups.io scores higher and starts $13 a month lower. Of the other course and community platforms on the chart, none scores higher than Groups.io for less, and 26 score higher than Loomio for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Loomio is open source, according to its own site.
- Groups.io also covers wiki, calendar and team chat.
At a glance
| Groups.io | Loomio | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $20 per month minimum, at $0.04 per member | $33 per month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Core email group for up to 100 members with 1 GB of attachment storage and no files, photos, calendar, chat or wiki. | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of Premium, no card needed | 14-day free trial, up to 10 people and 10 discussions |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Groups.io, Inc. | Loomio Cooperative Limited |
| Price read from | groups.io | loomio.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Groups.io
- The free plan stops at 100 members and has no files, calendar, chat or wiki.
- After the 30-day trial a group with more than 100 members must pick a paid plan to continue.
- Premium is billed per member, so cost grows with the list.
- Paid Memberships is in early access and has to be requested from support.
Loomio
- Starter is for one group of 30 people with no subgroups; larger groups need Pro.
- Prices are for the whole group, and the figures above are the commercial rate.
- After cancelling, data stays available for 30 days before it is deleted.
- Single sign-on and custom branding need the custom Private Loomio plan.
Key features
Groups.io
- Email-first groups
- People can take part by email or on the web, and the site says it does not sell member data to advertisers.
- Files, photos and wiki
- Premium and Enterprise groups share files and photos and keep a wiki. Attachments count toward storage; messages do not.
- Calendar with RSVPs
- Single and recurring events with reminders, attendee limits with a wait list, guests, attendee export and printable name tags.
- Paid memberships
- Premium and Enterprise groups can charge for membership tiers through their own Stripe account. This is in early access and needs approval.
- Enterprise options
- White-label web and email, a custom domain, single sign-on and a customizable home page.
Loomio
- Discussion with context
- Put the question, background and documents in one thread, and invite the right people to take part.
- Voting with reasons
- People record their position along with the reasoning, so concerns show up early and the proposal can change.
- A searchable record
- The discussion, reasons and final outcome stay searchable for later reference.
- Subgroups
- Pro allows unlimited subgroups for teams and working groups within one organization.
- Data export and regions
- Group admins can export data as CSV, HTML or JSON, and choose hosting in the USA, EU or Australia.
Plans
Groups.io
Free$0
Core email group for up to 100 members, 1 GB attachment storage, no files, photos, calendar, chat, wiki or integrations.
Premium$20
per month minimum, at $0.04 per member
30 GB storage, files, photos, wiki, calendar, chat and member data. Annual: $0.44 per member, minimum $220 a year.
Enterprise$200
per month and up, commercial ($100 non-profit)
White-label web and email, single sign-on, 1 TB storage and custom home page, plus $0.10 to $0.20 per member.
Loomio
Starter$33
per month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly)
Commercial rate. One group of up to 30 members, no subgroups, email support. $399 a year when paid annually.
Pro$83
per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly)
Commercial rate. Up to 3,000 members, unlimited subgroups, Zoom and email support. $999 a year when paid annually.
Private LoomioCustom
Dedicated server and database, SAML or OAuth single sign-on, custom branding and domain, unlimited users.
Ways to pay less
Groups.io
- Annual discount
One month free on annual Premium
Premium billed annually is $0.44 per member with a $220 minimum, and the pricing page says it includes one month free.
- Nonprofit
50% off Enterprise for nonprofits
Legally recognized non-profits get a 50% discount on the Enterprise plan after verification.
Loomio
- Nonprofit
Nonprofit pricing
Eligible nonprofits and member-funded groups pay less: Starter is $299 a year and Pro $499 a year, with Pro covering up to 300 members.
- Annual discount
Save about 15% by paying annually
The pricing page shows annual payment saving about 15% on Starter and 16% on Pro at the commercial rate.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Groups.io or Loomio?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Groups.io is cheaper to start with: $20 a month, against $33 a month for Loomio. Groups.io starts at $20 per month minimum, at $0.04 per member, and Loomio starts at $33 per month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Groups.io or Loomio?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Groups.io has a free plan. Loomio does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.