WedBuild vs Zola
Zola is free for couples. It's paid for by registry and stationery sales, and by vendors who pay Zola for leads. WedBuild is paid for by couples, so it's built around one job: making your planning easier, from the first RSVP to the last seat.
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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.
Zola
Zola is free for couples. It sells registry gifts, invitations and paper, and app extras such as a US$14.99 seating chart. Vendors pay Zola for leads, as they go or on a monthly plan, and its Say Hello feature lets them reach out to couples first.
That's a common way to keep a wedding app free, and it means Zola's planning tools sit beside a shop and a vendor marketplace. WedBuild has neither, so its tools only have to help you plan.
WedBuild and Zola side by side
| Feature | WedBuild | Zola |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays for it | The couples who use it. No vendor listings, no ads, no registry store. | Free for couples. Zola sells registry gifts, invitations, paper and app extras, and charges vendors for leads. |
| 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. App extras include a US$14.99 seating chart and Premium SMS from US$59.99. |
| Wedding website | Yes, free on every plan | Yes, free |
| Online RSVPs | Yes, free, with your own questions | Yes |
| Seating chart | Drag and drop on Standard. A visual floor plan on Pro. | Yes, drag and drop |
| 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. | Tag guests by meal or dietary need on the chart, then download a print-ready PDF |
| Find My Seat for guests | Yes, on Pro. Guests scan a QR code, type their name and see their table and seat. | Not mentioned on its seating chart page |
| Budget tracker | Yes, with invoices and payments (Standard and Pro) | Yes, a budget tool |
| One connected guest list | Yes. One list runs RSVPs, dietaries, the seating chart and Find My Seat. | The seating chart pulls in your Zola guest list |
| Vendor marketing and enquiries | None. No vendor listings, no enquiries passed on, no ads. | Vendors pay Zola for leads, and can reach out to couples first |
- Zola's prices are in US dollars, from its App Store list of in-app purchases. WedBuild's are in Australian dollars; the pricing page shows yours.
- On WedBuild, seating and the budget are part of the 7-day Pro trial, then they're on Standard and Pro. The free seating chart maker needs no account, but it doesn't save.
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.
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 Zola 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 Zola. 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.