BuilderBase vs Luma

Registration is the start, not the event

Luma is the best event page and ticketing tool there is, and we use it ourselves for meetups. BuilderBase covers what a hackathon needs after sign-up: applications, screening, teams, submissions, judging, and sponsor ROI.

Where BuilderBase wins

The gaps organizers hit with Luma

Luma is built for events where people show up. Hackathons need people to apply, get picked, form teams, build, and be judged.

01

The hackathon layer Luma stops short of

Applications, AI-assisted screening, team formation, project submissions, and judging. Luma gets people registered; the work after that is what BuilderBase runs.

02

Sponsors as a funded side

A sponsor marketplace to find them and an ROI dashboard to show what they got back. Luma handles ticket revenue, not sponsor economics.

03

Built for multi-track builds

Tracks, prizes, mentors, and scoring rubrics as first-class objects, not a single guest list and a start time.

Feature by feature

BuilderBase vs Luma.

Everything below is checkable. Where a platform only partly covers something, we say so.

Feature comparison: BuilderBase vs Luma, 2026.
FeatureBuilderBaseLuma
End-to-End Event ManagementIncludedPartialRegistration and ticketing
Branded Event PageIncludedIncluded
Self-Serve LaunchIncludedIncluded
Published PricingIncludedIncluded
AI-Assisted SetupIncludedNot available
AI Application ScreeningIncludedNot available
Team FormationIncludedNot available
Project SubmissionsIncludedNot available
Judging & ScoringIncludedNot available
Multi-Track EventsIncludedNot available
Sponsor ROI ReportIncludedNot available
Sponsor MarketplaceIncludedNot available
Enterprise (SSO, Audit, GDPR)IncludedPartialEnterprise plan on request
Paid Ticketing & PayoutsNot availableIncludedCore product
Consumer Event DiscoveryPartialIncludedDiscover feed and mobile app

included partial not available.Based on publicly available information at the time of writing.

Pricing

What it actually costs.

BuilderBaseFree to start · €999 / flagship event
One 2-day hackathon€999, all-in
Occasional (2-3/yr)€999 per event
Heavy (10+/yr)Volume plan, ask us
Published pricing. No sales call required to see a number.
LumaFree · Luma Plus $59 / month
Pricing modelSubscription + platform fee
Free plan5% fee on paid tickets
Luma Plus$59/mo annually, 0% fee
Genuinely generous free tier. Stripe fees apply on top; enterprise plans on request.
The honest take

Luma makes the most beautiful event pages on the internet, the free tier is genuinely generous, and the discovery feed and mobile app bring an audience no hackathon platform can match. For meetups, launch parties, and community calendars, use Luma. We do.

Who should use which

BuilderBase or Luma?

Choose BuilderBase if

You are running a hackathon or open call where people apply and get selected, build in teams, submit projects, and get judged, and a sponsor is paying for it.

Choose Luma if

You are running meetups, talks, launch parties, or a community calendar, and you need a great-looking page, ticketing, and reminders without any selection process.

BuilderBase vs Luma: common questions.

Switching from Luma? Talk to us.

Is BuilderBase an alternative to Luma?
For hackathons and builder events, yes. For meetups, launch parties, and general ticketed events, Luma is the better tool and we would point you there. Luma covers registration and ticketing beautifully; BuilderBase adds applications, screening, team formation, submissions, judging, and sponsor reporting on top.
Can I run a hackathon on Luma?
You can take registrations on Luma, and many organizers do. What Luma does not cover is the rest of the event: screening applicants, forming teams, collecting project submissions, running multi-track judging, and reporting back to sponsors.
Can I use both Luma and BuilderBase?
Yes, and some organizers do, using Luma for the public listing and their wider community calendar while BuilderBase runs the event itself.
How does pricing compare?
Luma is free with a 5% platform fee on paid tickets, and Luma Plus is $59 per month billed annually for 0% fee and higher send limits. BuilderBase is free to start and €999 per flagship event, with no per-ticket cut.
Does BuilderBase sell tickets?
No. Ticketing and payouts are Luma’s core product and they do it far better. BuilderBase is built for events where people apply and get selected, rather than buy a ticket.

Run your next event on BuilderBase

Free to start. €999 for a flagship event, published up front. Live in days.