Snapchat Launches Event Planning Tools to Rival Partiful
Snapchat introduced Snapchat Plans, allowing users to create and manage invitations for real-world events. The feature supports up to 200 guests, RSVPs, and reminders, and is integrated into profiles. This move targets young users who prefer dedicated invitation apps like Partiful.
Snapchat's new tool allows hosts to invite up to 200 friends, with invitations delivered via direct messages. Guests can select from three RSVP statuses and receive a notification sixty minutes before the event begins. A dedicated "My Plans" tab on user profiles consolidates all upcoming, current, and past gatherings.
This launch positions Snapchat against established invitation apps like Partiful and Apple's Invites. The company is responding to a shift among younger demographics who increasingly prefer dedicated planning tools over group chats for organizing offline meetups, ranging from casual study sessions to larger celebrations. The company stresses that these plans are private and accessible only by invitation.
This feature could reshape how younger users coordinate offline gatherings, potentially reducing reliance on scattered group chats. By integrating RSVPs and reminders directly into a widely used social app, Snapchat may encourage more frequent real-world meetups. It also signals a broader industry shift toward blending digital platforms with physical social life, which could intensify competition among tech firms. Privacy remains a consideration, though the invite-only design may help mitigate concerns about event exposure.