Zola review
Free all-in-one US wedding hub: website, registry, guest list, budget and vendor marketplace.
Zola is the best free all-in-one choice for US couples on iPhone: the website, registry, guest list and budget tools work well together and cost nothing. Be ready to pay $14.99 for a seating chart over 15 guests, to pay extra for group texts, and for marketing email. There's no Android app.
- Price
- Free + paid extras
- Platforms
- Web, iOS
- Rating
- 4.9/5 on Apple App Store (97,659)
- Last checked
- September 30, 2026
Who Zola is for
Pick it if: US couples on iPhone who want one free place for their website, registry, guest list and budget, and who plan to register for physical gifts.
Skip it if: Android users, couples who want a free full seating chart, or anyone who wants to keep marketing emails and vendor contact to a minimum.
What we like, and what to watch out for
What we like
- Website, registry, guest list, budget and checklist are free and all connected in one account.
- Guest list and RSVPs are strong: per-event RSVPs, meal choices, a Contact Collector link for addresses, and CSV/Excel export.
- 20% completion discount on unpurchased Zola registry items for six months after the wedding.
- Cash funds have a zero-fee Venmo option; card gifts carry 2.5%, which guests pay by default.
- The iOS app is rated 4.9 from roughly 98,000 ratings, one of the highest in the category.
Watch out for
- No Android app since January 2023, so Android couples plan in the mobile browser.
- The seating chart is free only up to 15 guests ($14.99 to unlock) and, per Zola's help center, iOS-only.
- Texting your whole guest list is a paid upgrade ($59.99–$79.99 in-app).
- Only one partner can be invited; wedding planners have to share a login.
- Zola shares data with ad partners, and couples report a lot of marketing email and vendor contact.
- Trustpilot sits at 1.2/5 from 185 reviews, mostly about registry shipping delays, damaged items and slow support.
How much does Zola cost?
Core planning tools, website and registry are free; a few add-ons (seating chart, guest texting, website effects) cost extra.
| Plan or add-on | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Wedding website, registry, guest list and RSVPs, budget tracker, checklist, vendor search. Zola earns money from registry and stationery sales. |
| Seating Chart (iOS in-app purchase) | $14.99 one-time | Free for up to 15 guests; Premium unlock needed for more. Zola's help center says the seating chart is iOS-app only. |
| Premium Guest Messaging (SMS) | $59.99–$79.99 | Listed as iOS in-app purchases; Zola's help center says texting your whole guest list requires a paid upgrade. US phone numbers only. |
| Premium Website Effects | $1.99–$9.99 one-time | Animations, page transitions and font effects. |
Costs that are easy to miss
- Card cash gifts carry a 2.5% fee that guests pay by default as a 'Handling Fee'; couples can choose to absorb it.
source
We are proud to offer a low fee of 2.5%. We also let you choose who covers the credit card processing fee in your account settings! The default option is for guests to cover the fee—we've found that it’s the most popular selection by couples. The fee will show up as a “Handling Fee” when guests check out on Zola, and will be added to the total payment at checkout.
Zola Help Center: How do we choose who covers the 2.5% credit card processing fee for cash gifts?Checked September 30, 2026 - Zola's seating chart is free for up to 15 guests; more guests require unlocking the Premium Version in the iOS app.
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Head to Seating Chart on the Zola iOS App. You will see the option to try it for free (for up to 15 Guests), or unlock the Premium Version to add more Guests.
Zola Help Center: How do I use the Zola seating chart?Checked September 30, 2026 - Texting your whole guest list requires a paid plan.
source
Want to send a message to your whole guest list? You’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
Zola Help Center: How does Zola's Premium Guest Messaging feature work?Checked September 30, 2026
Features
| Feature | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Guest list | Included | Plus-ones, children, addresses, Contact Collector link, spreadsheet and AI import, free envelope addressing. App reviewers note only two adults per household unit. |
| Online RSVP | Included | Online RSVP on your wedding website, meal choices, custom questions, RSVP per event. |
| Seating chart | Paid extra | Drag-and-drop tables, custom shapes, PDF/Excel export, pulls in guests from your list. Free up to 15 guests, then $14.99; help center says iOS app only. |
| Budget tracker | Included | Allocation suggestions based on total budget, payment reminders, contract upload. |
| Checklist | Included | Customizable month-by-month checklist tied to your wedding date. |
| Vendor tracking | Included | Message and track vendors in the app. |
| Vendor marketplace | Included | US vendor directory; vendors pay Zola for leads. |
| Wedding website | Included | Free templates matched to Zola stationery; animations and effects are a paid add-on. Custom domain extra. |
| Registry | Included | Universal registry with group gifts and cash funds; 2.5% card fee on cash gifts (guest-paid by default) or zero-fee Venmo option; 20% completion discount for 6 months after the wedding. |
| Invitations | Paid extra | Printed and digital save-the-dates and invitations sold by Zola, matched to your website; envelope addressing is free. |
| Partner access | Limited | You can invite one partner to the account; no separate planner logins. |
| Data export | Included | Export RSVPs and addresses as CSV/Excel; seating chart as PDF/Excel. |
| Multi-event | Included | Guests can RSVP to several events (rehearsal, welcome party, etc.) on your site. |
| Mobile app | Limited | iOS app rated 4.9 (about 98K ratings). The Android app was shut down on January 1, 2023; Android users must use the mobile website. |
Privacy: what happens to your data?
Zola shares your details with vendors when you contact or book them, and vendors pay Zola for leads. Its privacy policy (updated October 9, 2025) says it sells or shares personal information with advertising partners for targeted ads, which you can opt out of, and that it occasionally gives its postal mailing list to other companies for marketing. Couples on Reddit report heavy marketing email after signing up, and some use a separate email address for wedding planning.
- Zola shares personal information with advertising partners and offers an opt-out of targeted ads and the 'sale/sharing' of your data.
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As we described above, we share your Personal Information with third-party partners who provide advertising and marketing services to us. If you would like to exercise your right to opt-out of targeted advertising, as well as the sale/sharing of your Personal Information, please visit our Privacy Center and fill out our Opt-Out Request Form.
Zola Privacy Policy (last updated October 9, 2025)Checked September 30, 2026 - Zola uses ad networks that track your activity across websites over time to show you tailored ads.
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These networks track your online activities over time by collecting information through automated means, including the use of Cookies. The ad networks use this information to show you advertisements that are tailored to your individual interests.
Zola Privacy Policy (last updated October 9, 2025)Checked September 30, 2026 - Zola says it occasionally gives its postal mailing list (names and addresses) to other companies for marketing.
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Occasionally, we provide our postal mailing list (consisting of customer names and postal addresses) to other companies for purposes of marketing our Website or other Services that may be of interest to you.
Zola Privacy Policy (last updated October 9, 2025)Checked September 30, 2026 - Zola shares your information with vendors with your consent or at your direction, and may tell vendors you booked that you used them.
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Other Zola Users (Including Vendors) with your consent or at your direction, including if we notify you through our Services that the information you provide will be shared in a particular manner and you provide such information. This may including providing certain information to Vendors that you have identified to us as having been booked or used by you so that these Vendors can understand which Zola users have used their services
Zola Privacy Policy (last updated October 9, 2025)Checked September 30, 2026
What couples say about Zola
Summarized from app store reviews, Trustpilot and Reddit threads. Paraphrased, not quoted.
Praised for
- Couples like having website, registry, guest list and RSVPs in one place, with the site matching their invitations.
- The RSVP flow and guest list are easy for guests and simple to track.
- The registry is easy to set up, and group gifts and cash funds are popular.
- The iOS app is described as polished and handy for checking RSVPs and gifts on the go.
Complaints
- Lots of marketing email from Zola and, after inquiries, from vendors; some couples use a separate email.
- Registry gifts arriving late, damaged or not at all, with slow or hard-to-reach customer service.
- The 2.5% cash fund card fee isn't obvious until you look in settings or checkout.
- Paid add-ons for features other apps include, especially the seating chart and guest texting.
- Occasional gift-tracker glitches, such as gifts disappearing and reappearing.
Alternatives to Zola
- Amovera8.8/10 · $129 once. Couples who want one calm, ad-free place for guests, RSVPs, seating and budget, especially for multi-event or multi-currency weddings, and would rather pay once than be marketed to.
- WedSites7.1/10 · $39 once. Organized couples who want a website, RSVPs and planning tools in one place for a single one-time payment and can live without an app.
- Bridebook6.6/10 · Free. UK couples who want a free all-in-one planner built around finding and booking a venue and suppliers.
Related: The best Zola alternatives, sorted by why you're leaving · Amovera vs Zola · Zola vs Joy · Zola vs The Knot
Sources (17)
- Zola - Wedding Planner (Apple App Store, US) checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Help Center: Who covers the 2.5% credit card processing fee for cash gifts? checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Wedding Registry Completion Discount Terms and Conditions checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Help Center: How do I use the Zola seating chart? checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Help Center: Does Zola offer a seating chart? checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Help Center: How does Zola's Premium Guest Messaging feature work? checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Help Center: What does the price of Premium Website effects include? checked September 30, 2026
- Zola: An update on the Zola Android app checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Wedding Planning App page (iOS only FAQ) checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Guest List & RSVP tools checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Privacy Policy checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Help Center: How do I invite my partner to join Zola? checked September 30, 2026
- Zola Help Center: Can I export or print my guest list? checked September 30, 2026
- App Pricing Lab: Zola in-app purchase prices checked September 30, 2026
- Trustpilot: Zola reviews checked September 30, 2026
- Unstar: Zola, The Knot, Joy, WeddingWire and Minted apps ranked (2026) checked September 30, 2026
- Paperlust: Wedding website builders compared (August 2026) checked September 30, 2026