Run a language exchange in London without paying Meetup fees

Hosts are the bottleneck for language nights. A table needs one person to pick a café and turn up. This page covers what some organisers say running a Meetup group costs. Then it shows how to host a table on Nearly Fluent, where hosting is free.

What organisers say Meetup costs

We quote only named pages. Prices change, so check Meetup's own page before you decide.

• The Birmingham LGBT Meetup page says its group "now costs around £350 per year". It says one person paid this for years from their own pocket. Fees are due every six months. Each event organiser is asked to run one collection a year. The page gives no date for the figure. We read it on 18 October 2026. See the group page.
• Josh Bernoff wrote on 16 October 2019 that Meetup changed pricing without making it clear. He said organiser fees had been $9.99 to $23.99 a month. For some groups they were cut to $2 a month. That is old, and in US dollars. See his post.
• Meetup's own pricing page showed no organiser prices when we looked on 18 October 2026. See the Meetup Pro page.

We have not tested Meetup ourselves. If you run a group, tell us what you pay.

What a table needs

A language table is simple. You need a public café or pub, a time, and four to six people. Pick one or two languages. Everyone pays for their own drink. Read the full steps in how to host a language table.

How to host on Nearly Fluent

Hosting is free. Here is the order:

1. Join free with your email.
2. Choose Host a table in the app.
3. Add the venue, the time, the languages and the number of places.
4. Share the link. Members book a place and the app shows who is coming.

The host page has the short version.

Picking a café

Choose somewhere with room for a small group. Some noise is fine, because it makes quiet people feel less watched. Quiet weekday mornings and late Saturday mornings work well. If you can, tell the staff a small group is coming.

Keeping it going

• Hold it at the same place and time each week.
• Use the weekly option when you add the table. It repeats the table for you.
• Share the calendar link so people can add the table to their phone.
• Welcome newcomers at the door and explain the plan.

Guidelines and safety

Tables meet in public places and Nearly Fluent is for adults aged 18 and over. Everyone agrees to the community guidelines when they join. Read the safety page before your first table.

Ready?

Join free and add your first table. Or read the first table cards to plan what to talk about.