Zola Wedding Planner

Overview

Zola Wedding Planner brings wedding websites, vendor discovery, guest and budget management, invitations, and registry services into one planning suite. It best suits couples who want a broad set of planning tasks connected, particularly those comfortable using the web and an iOS app. Its free tools cover a lot, but registry privacy is limited and planning information uploaded to its tools is not encrypted or otherwise secured.

Key features

The vendor marketplace lets couples discover, contact, and book vendors, with recommendations tailored to their wedding. That can keep vendor search within the planning workflow; couples who have already chosen their suppliers may get less from this part of Zola.

Guest management covers RSVPs, meal selections, and plus-ones, and supports spreadsheet imports. A drag-and-drop seating chart with customizable table names and seat counts carries guest planning through to reception assignments. These tools suit couples coordinating a detailed guest list, though they depend on keeping that information current.

The registry supports gifts, experiences, zero-fee cash funds, group gifting, and virtual exchanges for credit before gifts ship. Couples can password-protect their wedding website, but not their registry. That distinction matters to anyone who wants to limit who can view gift selections.

Budget tracking, vendor and guest management, RSVP tools, timeline planning, guest messaging, multiple events, travel information, and registry support round out the planning tools. Team collaboration and custom domains are also supported, making the suite useful for couples coordinating with others or building a more personalized wedding presence.

Zola says Team-Z expert advisors are available by chat or email. Its stated account protections include two-factor authentication, lockouts after too many access attempts, suspicious-IP monitoring, and an external security company. Online payments are processed by Stripe, and Zola says it does not store guests’ complete credit card information. Those measures do not change the separate limitation that uploaded planning information is not encrypted or otherwise secured.

Pricing

Zola is freemium, with a free plan and paid options from $17.99. The free “Zola wedding planning tools” plan costs nothing for personal, non-commercial use with a registered account. It includes a wide range of core planning functions, including budget tracking, vendor and guest management, RSVP tracking, timeline tools, collaboration, custom domains, messaging, events, travel information, and registry support.

There is no free trial. The stated starting price gives couples a way to assess paid options, but no paid-plan inclusions or terms are established here, so compare the plan details before paying. The free plan is the clearest fit for couples seeking broad planning tools at no cost, provided personal, non-commercial use meets their needs.

Platforms

Zola is available on the web and iOS. Its free wedding app is currently available only on iOS, and supports managing a wedding website, guest list, checklist, invitations, registry, gift notifications, and Gift Tracker. Android users can use the web service, but not the iOS app.

Who it's for

Zola is a strong fit for couples who want vendor discovery, guest coordination, registry features, and planning tools under one roof, and who can work with the iOS app or web experience. It is a weaker choice for couples who need registry access controls or want planning information encrypted or otherwise secured.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Broad planning coverage: Guest, vendor, budget, timeline, registry, and event tools reduce the need to split those jobs across separate services.
• Useful guest workflow: Spreadsheet import, RSVP and meal tracking, plus-ones, and seating assignments cover several stages of guest coordination.
• Flexible registry: Gifts, experiences, cash funds, group gifting, and virtual exchanges give couples several ways to manage contributions.
• Free core tools: The personal-use plan includes many central planning functions without a subscription.

Cons

• Registry cannot be password-protected: Couples can restrict their wedding website, but not registry access.
• Planning information is not secured: Uploaded information is not encrypted or otherwise secured, a significant drawback for privacy-conscious couples.
• App availability is limited: The free wedding app is currently iOS-only, so Android users must rely on the web service.

Alternatives

Compare wedding planning software if you want to weigh more options by category.

• Colara is another freemium option with a free Couples plan for guest management, vendor coordination, checklists, and a photo gallery, and supports extension, iOS, and web.
• Bridebook is a free choice across Android, iOS, and web, with a personalized checklist, budget management, guest and RSVP tools, supplier and venue search, and a wedding website.
• Folia may suit couples who want a web-based free tier capped at 500 guests and 10 vendors, plus budget tracking; its paid Monthly plan is $11.99 a month.
• Marry Planner is worth considering for Android, iOS, or web users who can work within its free-plan cap of one wedding, 30 guests, and one collaborator, with unlimited vendors, venues, budget tracking, and checklist items.
• Moposa is another freemium option with a free plan across Android, iOS, and web.
• Lumière offers a web-based free tier with 5 AI planner messages per month, 20 tasks, 5 vendors, 50 guests, and a limited budget tracker.
• WedSetGo is a free Android and web option whose wedding planning tools are supported by advertisements.
• ForeverAfter is a freemium Android, iOS, and web alternative with a free Starter plan that includes unlimited guests and one contributor.

Verdict

Choose Zola if you want a free, broad planning suite that connects guest management, vendors, budgets, events, and registry tasks, with an iOS app for key jobs. Look elsewhere if registry privacy controls or protection for uploaded planning information is essential.