Joy (WithJoy)
Joy is a wedding-planning service that brings a customizable website, registry, and planning dashboard together for couples and their guests.
What Joy (WithJoy) is
Joy is a wedding-planning service that brings a customizable website, registry, and planning dashboard together for couples and their guests. The free dashboard includes a guest list, online RSVPs, and wedding website tools. Couples can combine Joy Shop products, gifts from other stores, and cash funds in one registry. Cash contributions can use Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App; card contributions go through Stripe. Guests can find travel details, map previews for schedule events, accommodation booking, and ride-sharing integrations. Through the mobile app, guests can add photos to a shared album and leave messages in a virtual guest book. Couples can password-protect event pages and manage whether an event appears in Joy search or search engine results. Turning off indexing may take a few days to a few weeks to affect search results. Email messaging is free, but text delivery and scheduled messages require the paid Messaging Plus upgrade. Joy has a free plan and is available on Android, iOS, and the web.
Good
- Free plan includes a guest list and online RSVP.
- Registry combines store gifts and cash funds.
- Guests can add photos and guest-book messages.
- Couples can password-protect event pages.
- Available on Android, iOS, and web.
Watch out
- Card contributions have a 3.5% guest processing fee.
- Transferring the Stripe balance costs $1.70.
- Text and scheduled messages require Messaging Plus.
- Search result updates can take days or weeks.
Who it suits
Joy suits couples organizing wedding details and guests who need event, travel, registry, and RSVP information. It may also suit couples who want a shared place for guest photos and messages.
Verdict
Joy combines planning, registry, guest communication, and event information in a free service. Couples should account for card contribution and Stripe transfer fees, and note that text messaging is a paid extra.
Plans and prices
From Joy (WithJoy)'s own pricing page, checked 29 Sep 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Joy | Free | Unlimited guests · planning dashboard · wedding website · all-in-one registry · mobile app · online RSVP · hundreds of digital invites · multiple editor accounts · personal customer support |
| Joy core plan | Free | Planning dashboard · wedding website · all-in-one registry · mobile app · unlimited guests · online RSVP · hundreds of digital invites · multiple editor accounts · unlimited photo storage · customer support · No recurring charge |
| Premium Digital Save the Date | $0.39, paid once | Premium digital card designs · email delivery included · SMS delivery costs extra · minimum order 50 cards · From $0.39 per card |
| Classic Paper Save the Date | $1.69, paid once | 5 × 7 inch card · printed stationery · free US shipping shown on product page · From $1.69 per card |
The facts
Each one read from Joy (WithJoy)'s own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API documentation
- An independent scan of Joy's common API and OpenAPI discovery URLs found no published OpenAPI or Swagger specification.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Card contribution fees
- For card contributions, the page states a 3.5% processing fee paid by the guest and a $1.70 fee for transferring the Stripe balance.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Cash fund integrations
- Joy supports Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App for cash fund contributions; credit and debit card contributions are processed through Stripe.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Custom domains
- A custom domain typically costs about $19.99 per year and Joy supports forwarding but not domain masking.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- Joy's help center lists 99 website articles covering design, editing, travel, photos, RSVPs, messaging, domains, apps and privacy.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Funding
- Joy announced a $60 million Series B in November 2022, bringing announced total funding to $106.5 million.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Guest list
- The connected guest list supports household grouping, tags, spreadsheet import and export, address collection and multiple editors.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Intended audience
- Joy was founded to make wedding planning more intuitive and personal, and its tools are designed for couples and their guests.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Licence
- Joy's EULA describes the app and sites as proprietary service content and provides no open-source licence.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Limit: accommodation bookings
- Trustpilot and BBB complaints allege missing hotel reservations, unexpected fees, booking changes and refund disputes.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Limit: registry reliability
- Reviewers report out-of-stock registry items, replacement credits restricted to Joy merchandise, synchronization problems and difficult registry support.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Limit: support responsiveness
- Trustpilot reviewers complain about slow or unhelpful support and the lack of phone or live-chat assistance for some issues.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Map and rideshare integrations
- Joy embeds Google Maps directions and links for guests to book Uber or Lyft rides.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Maps
- Joy can show a Google Maps preview for each schedule event so guests can get directions.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Messaging limit
- Text delivery and scheduled messages require the paid Messaging Plus upgrade; email messaging is free.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Messaging limits
- Messaging Plus allows up to 3,000 SMS messages for one event and SMS delivery is limited to US and Canadian numbers.checked 14 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Browser requirements
- Joy supports current Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge browsers with JavaScript and cookies enabled.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Guest photos
- Guests can upload wedding photos to a shared album and leave messages in a virtual guest book through the mobile app.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Limit: app and RSVP glitches
- Google Play reviewers report blank screens, confusing navigation and RSVP records appearing simultaneously as attending and unanswered.checked 14 Oct 2026
The company
- Company identity
- The legal entity named in Joy's EULA is Joy Life, Inc., with a San Francisco address.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Company size
- LinkedIn lists Joy as a privately held company with 11–50 employees.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2016checked 23 Sep 2026
- Founded and headquarters
- LinkedIn lists Joy as founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- 790 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, United Stateschecked 23 Sep 2026
The full review of Joy (WithJoy)
Overview
Joy (WithJoy) is a wedding-planning service that brings a customizable website, registry, guest list and RSVP tools together. It suits couples who want one shared hub for planning and guest information, rather than a website alone.
Its free plan is unusually broad for couples managing a guest list and registry together, though card contributions carry fees and text messaging costs extra.
For a website-first comparison, browse Wedding Website Builders; couples focused on invitation design can explore AI Invitation Generators.
Key features
Planning, website and RSVP
The free dashboard combines a guest list, online RSVPs and website tools, with support for multiple events and editor accounts. That makes Joy practical for couples coordinating information with others, while unlimited guests avoid the cap common to some free wedding tools. The website can be password-protected, and couples can control whether the event appears in Joy search or search-engine results. Turning off indexing does not remove results immediately; search engines may take a few days to a few weeks to update.
Registry and contributions
One registry can combine Joy Shop products, gifts from other stores and cash funds. Cash contributions can use Venmo, PayPal or Cash App; card payments run through Stripe. For card contributions, guests pay a 3.5% processing fee, and transferring the Stripe balance costs $1.70. Those charges matter if a couple expects substantial card-funded gifts; the other supported methods offer a way to avoid that particular card fee.
Guest information and memories
Guests can find travel details, map previews for schedule events, accommodation booking and ride-sharing integrations. After the wedding, the mobile app lets guests upload photos to a shared album and leave messages in a virtual guest book. These features make Joy more than an invitation page, especially for couples who want practical logistics and guest memories in the same service.
Messaging and support
Email messaging is free, but text delivery and scheduled messages require the paid Messaging Plus upgrade. Couples who rely on timed text reminders should account for that extra rather than assume messaging is included with the free plan. Joy says its support team is available every day, including weekends, by email at [email protected].
Pricing
Joy uses a freemium model, with no free trial and a core plan listed as free. The Joy plan includes unlimited guests, the planning dashboard, wedding website, all-in-one registry, mobile app, online RSVP, hundreds of digital invitations, multiple editor accounts and personal customer support. It is the clear starting point for couples who want the central planning and guest-management features without paying a subscription.
Optional upgrades include a custom domain, text messaging and premium digital or printed stationery designs. Text messaging requires Messaging Plus; email remains free. Couples who need those extras should weigh their costs against the benefits, particularly if a standard web address and digital invitations are sufficient. No free trial is offered.
Platforms
Joy is available on Android, iOS and the web. The mobile app supports guest photo uploads and guest-book messages, while the broader planning and website tools give couples a web-based option.
Who it's for
Joy is best for couples who want a single place for planning, RSVPs, registry contributions and travel information, and who value guest participation before and after the event. Its unlimited-guest free plan also suits larger gatherings. It is less compelling for couples who want scheduled text communication without an upgrade, or who prefer to avoid card-processing and balance-transfer fees.
Pros and cons
- Pros: The free plan includes unlimited guests, RSVP management, a registry, website tools and multiple editor accounts, so couples can coordinate the essentials without a guest cap.
- Pros: Guests can access travel logistics, event map previews, shared photos and a virtual guest book across the wedding experience.
- Cons: Card-funded registry contributions incur a 3.5% guest processing fee, plus $1.70 to transfer the Stripe balance.
- Cons: Text delivery and scheduled messages are behind the paid Messaging Plus upgrade; the free messaging option is email.
Alternatives
The Knot Wedding Websites is a sensible alternative for couples who want a free, customizable website with RSVP collection, registry links and guest messaging, rather than Joy's broader planning and guest-photo set.
Kleap is a web-based site builder with a free account, hosting and SSL, plus 5 AI credits per day up to 30 per month; choose it when those site-building tools matter more than wedding-specific planning features.
GettingMarried offers a free web plan capped at 75 guests with a website builder, guest list and simple RSVP form. It may suit smaller weddings, while Joy's free plan has no guest cap.
Zola Wedding Planner offers free wedding planning tools for registered accounts and is available on iOS and the web; consider it if those platforms and planning tools are your priority.
Aisle is another wedding-focused option with a free setup for building and previewing a website, organizing guests and groups, and using a planning checklist.
Appy Pie Wedding Website Builder has a free web plan capped at 50 RSVPs, with standard templates, an Appy Pie subdomain and branding; it is an option for a smaller event with a straightforward website brief.
Celebrate offers a free single-event plan for up to 50 guests, including a website, guest list, RSVP, registry, budget tracker and checklist. Its guest cap makes Joy the better fit for larger lists.
Minted Wedding Websites provides a free website, with an optional custom URL priced at $15 once and renewing at $15/year after one year.
Verdict
Choose Joy if you want a free, guest-friendly wedding hub that connects planning, RSVPs, a mixed registry and event logistics without limiting guest numbers. Its main trade-offs are the cost of card contributions and the paid upgrade for text messaging, so couples who need those features—or want a simpler website-only service—should compare alternatives before committing.
Getting started
- Visit https://withjoy.com/.
- Use the web service or choose the Android or iOS app.
- Start with the free Joy plan, which includes the planning dashboard and wedding website.
- Add guest-list and RSVP details, then configure the registry and event information.
- Use email messaging for free; text delivery and scheduled messages require Messaging Plus.
Limits worth knowing
The free plan includes planning and email messaging, but text delivery and scheduled messages require Messaging Plus. Card contributions carry a 3.5% processing fee paid by the guest, and transferring the Stripe balance costs $1.70.
Questions
Does Joy have a free plan?
Yes. The Joy plan costs nothing and includes unlimited guests, a planning dashboard, a wedding website, a registry, a mobile app, online RSVP, digital invites, multiple editor accounts, and personal customer support.
Which platforms can I use Joy on?
Joy is available on Android, iOS, and the web.
What payment options can a registry use for cash funds?
Joy supports Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App for cash fund contributions. Card contributions are processed through Stripe, with a 3.5% processing fee paid by the guest and a $1.70 Stripe balance transfer fee.
Can couples control who finds their event?
Couples can password-protect event pages and control whether the event appears in Joy search or search engine results. Search engines may take a few days to a few weeks to update after indexing is turned off.
Are text messages included?
Email messaging is free. Text delivery and scheduled messages require the paid Messaging Plus upgrade.
What optional paid extras are available?
The pricing page lists custom domains, text messaging, and premium digital and printed stationery designs as optional upgrades.
Alternatives to Joy (WithJoy)
- 1
RSVP Hub
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The Knot Wedding Websites
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Minted Wedding Websites
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Drops
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Duva
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