WedBuild vs Joy
Joy is free for couples. In its own words, it's paid for by registry gifts it sells, optional upgrades and connecting couples with vendors. WedBuild is paid for by couples, so it's built around the planning itself: a seating chart, a budget and dietaries that reach your caterer.
Checked
Free for up to 50 guests, with every Pro tool for your first 7 days. No card needed.
Who pays for it, and why it matters
When a wedding platform is free, someone else is usually paying for it. Here's who pays for each, and what that means for the tools you get.
WedBuild
WedBuild is paid for by the couples who use it, and nobody else. There are no vendor listings, no ads and no registry store, so every tool in it is there to make your planning easier.
Joy
Joy is free for couples. Its pricing page says it makes money when guests buy registry gifts that Joy sells, from optional upgrades such as custom domains and text messages, and by connecting couples with vendors and travel suggestions.
That keeps Joy free, and it means Joy's tools sit beside a registry store and vendor and travel suggestions. WedBuild has none of those, so its tools only have to help you plan.
WedBuild and Joy side by side
| Feature | WedBuild | Joy |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays for it | The couples who use it. No vendor listings, no ads, no registry store. | Free for couples. Joy says it earns from registry sales, optional upgrades and connecting couples with vendors. |
| Price to the couple | Free up to 50 guests, no time limit. Standard A$99 or Pro A$199, paid once for 2 years. | Free. Paid upgrades include custom domains, text messaging and premium designs. |
| Wedding website | Yes, free on every plan | Yes, free |
| Online RSVPs | Yes, free, with your own questions | Yes, free, with meal choices |
| Guest list with dietaries | Yes, free up to 50 guests. The RSVP asks about dietaries by default. | Yes, free, unlimited guests, with dietary needs on each guest |
| Seating chart | Drag and drop on Standard. A visual floor plan on Pro. | Tag guests with a table on the guest list |
| Dietaries on the chart and for the caterer | RSVP answers land on each guest and export on any plan. On Pro the chart shows them and table cards print with a dietary legend. | Export the guest list sorted by meal choice |
| Find My Seat for guests | Yes, on Pro. Guests scan a QR code, type their name and see their table and seat. | Not listed among its tools |
| Budget tracker | Yes, with invoices and payments (Standard and Pro) | Not listed among its tools |
| One connected guest list | Yes. One list runs RSVPs, dietaries, the seating chart and Find My Seat. | Guest details, RSVPs and dietary needs sit in one list |
| Vendor marketing and enquiries | None. No vendor listings, no enquiries passed on, no ads. | Joy says it connects couples with vendors |
- Joy's pricing page, homepage, guest list page and app listing don't list a seating chart, a seat finder for guests or a budget tool, so those cells say what Joy describes.
- On WedBuild, seating and the budget are part of the 7-day Pro trial, then they're on Standard and Pro.
Checked . Products change; if something here is out of date, email hello@wedbuild.com and we'll fix it.
Why couples choose WedBuild
Couples pay for WedBuild, so everything in it is there to make planning easier: no vendor listings, no sales calls, no ads.
A seating chart, not just table tags
Lay out round and long tables, drag guests (or whole families) onto seats, and keep more than one version until you decide. Try it on the free seating chart maker, no account needed.
One guest list, from RSVP to reception
A guest's RSVP updates your guest list, dietary answer included. On Pro the seating chart shows it, table cards print with a dietary legend for your caterer, and Find My Seat uses the same list. Nothing is typed twice.
Find My Seat on the night
On Pro, guests scan a QR code, type their name and see their table, their seat and where it is in the room. Move someone at the last minute and Find My Seat shows the new seat.
The whole plan in one place
Your checklist and wedding day itinerary are free. The budget, with invoices and payments, is on Standard and Pro, and vendor comparison is on Pro, all next to the guest list that drives most of the cost.
No vendor sales calls
WedBuild doesn't list vendors, sell enquiries or pass your details on. Its vendor tools are for comparing the ones you choose, against your budget.
Free to start, then pay once
Essentials is free for up to 50 guests with no time limit, and every new account gets Pro free for 7 days. Standard (A$99) and Pro (A$199) are one payment for 2 years, never a subscription, with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Questions couples ask
Where these facts come from
What we say about Joy comes from the pages below, all checked on . What we say about WedBuild comes from our pricing page and the app itself.
Try WedBuild free, then decide
Bring your guest list and see how WedBuild feels next to Joy. It costs nothing to find out.
Start planning freeFree for up to 50 guests, with every Pro tool for your first 7 days. No card needed.
Pay once if you upgrade, never a subscription.