JoinRun vs Heylo: the run club platform comparison (2026)
Both platforms help you run a club — events, RSVPs, members, analytics. The difference is how you pay: Heylo layers transaction fees and email metering on top of its plans, while JoinRun charges one flat price per group. Here's the honest side-by-side, with Heylo's figures taken from their public pricing page in July 2026.
The 30-second version
- JoinRun Plus is $25/mo and includes group analytics and advanced event management. On Heylo, that combination sits across Plus ($19/mo) and Pro ($59/mo) — most growing clubs end up on Pro.
- JoinRun has no transaction fees and no email metering. Your plan price is your total price. Heylo charges 1–5% + $0.10–$0.59 on every payment (depending on tier) and meters email sends with overage charges.
- Heylo has a real free tier; JoinRun starts every club on a free trial instead. If you never collect money and stay small, Heylo free is genuinely hard to beat.
How the price ladders line up
Both products price per group, per month, with no contracts. JoinRun sells three tiers, Heylo sells five — they don't map one-to-one, so here is what actually competes with what:
| JoinRun tier | Competes with (Heylo) |
|---|---|
| Base — $15/mo (launch price, was $25) | Base $0 → Plus $19/mo |
| Plus — $25/mo (launch price, was $59) | Plus $19 → Pro $59/mo |
| Enterprise — custom | Business $199/mo → Organization custom |
The tier most clubs need: $25 vs $59
The features clubs usually upgrade for — analytics on attendance and growth, and advanced event management — cost $25/mo on JoinRun Plus. On Heylo, analytics arrives at Plus ($19) but the fuller event tooling, waivers, and priority support push clubs to Pro at $59/mo — more than twice the price.
| What you get | JoinRun Plus | Heylo Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price per group / month | $25 (Plus) | $59 (Pro) |
| Unlimited members & admins | ||
| Unlimited events & RSVPs | ||
| Group analytics | ||
| Advanced event management | ||
| Transaction fees | None | 2% + $0.29 per txn |
| Email metering / overages | None | 20,000/mo, then $0.005/email |
| Waivers & embedded events | ||
| API access | Enterprise | $199/mo (Business) |
| Custom domain & branding | Enterprise |
The fee structure is the real price difference
Sticker prices only tell half the story. Heylo's revenue model leans on per-transaction payment fees: 5% + $0.59 per transaction on the free tier, stepping down to 1% + $0.10 only once you pay $199/mo for Business. Email blasts are metered too — 500/mo free, with $0.005/email overages.
Run the numbers for a club collecting dues: a club moving $2,000/month through Heylo's free tier pays roughly $100+/month in transaction fees — more than JoinRun's Plus plan costs outright. On Heylo, the paid tiers are partly fee-reduction purchases; on JoinRun, the subscription is the whole price.
API access: $199/mo vs a conversation
Heylo sells API access self-serve at $199/mo on its Business tier. JoinRun includes the read-only Data API with Enterprise, alongside things Heylo doesn't list on any tier — a custom domain and personalized branding for your club.
Where Heylo is ahead (for now)
An honest comparison cuts both ways. Today, Heylo offers things JoinRun doesn't:
- a genuinely free forever plan with unlimited members and events;
- waiver collection and an embedded events widget (Pro and up);
- member dues and payment collection (with the fees above);
- built-in email blasts;
- a multi-chapter “Organization” product with cross-chapter analytics.
If waivers or dues collection are must-haves this month, Heylo may be the better fit today. Payments and more are on JoinRun's roadmap — announced in advance, per our Terms.
What JoinRun does differently
- Beautiful public event pages with custom registration forms — your members register in seconds, no app download required.
- Verified attendance: QR scan and geofenced check-in, with location requested only at the moment of check-in — never in the background.
- Flat, predictable pricing: unlimited members, admins, events, and RSVPs on every plan, and no fees on top.
- Your data stays yours: built-in exports on every plan and a documented Data API on Enterprise.
Frequently asked questions
Is JoinRun cheaper than Heylo?
At the tier most clubs actually need, yes. JoinRun Plus is $25/month and includes group analytics and advanced event management — features that sit on Heylo's $59/month Pro plan. JoinRun also charges no transaction fees and no email metering, so the plan price is the total price.
Does Heylo have a free plan?
Yes — Heylo's Base plan is free with unlimited members and events. But if your club collects money through Heylo, the free tier charges 5% + $0.59 on every transaction and includes only 500 emails/month, so an active club that collects dues is rarely paying $0.
Does JoinRun charge transaction fees?
No. JoinRun publishes no transaction fees and no email metering on any plan — the monthly subscription is the whole price.
What does Heylo have that JoinRun doesn't?
Today Heylo offers waiver collection, an embedded events widget, member dues/payment collection, email blasts, and a multi-chapter Organization product. If those are must-haves right now, Heylo may fit better; JoinRun focuses on event pages, custom registration forms, verified attendance (QR and geofenced check-in), analytics, and a data API.
Heylo pricing and features referenced from heylo.com/pricing as of July 13, 2026 — check their site for current figures. JoinRun launch pricing is shown on our pricing page.
One flat price. No fees on top.
Start your club on JoinRun — Plus is $25/mo at launch pricing.