Zola vs The Knot
Both give you a free wedding website, a guest list and free digital save-the-dates, and both sell paper invitations. Neither sends a digital invitation of its own, which is what letsparty does: texted or emailed, for the wedding and every party around it.
From each one’s own pages, checked October 25, 2026. Sources are at the bottom.
The short version
- Zola: a free website and RSVP with meal choices, plus a registry.
- The Knot: a free website, vendor listings and paper.
- letsparty: the digital invitations themselves, for every wedding event.
What one party costs
| Invitations | letsparty | Zola | The Knot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Free | No digital invitations; paper from $1.79 each | No digital invitations; paper from $1.29 each |
| 30 | $29 (Party) | No digital invitations; paper from $1.79 each | No digital invitations; paper from $1.29 each |
| 50 | $29 (Party) | No digital invitations; paper from $1.79 each | No digital invitations; paper from $1.29 each |
| 100 | $29 (Party) | No digital invitations; paper from $1.79 each | No digital invitations; paper from $1.29 each |
letsparty counts invitations: one per household or couple, however many people are on it. letsparty’s launch prices are being finalized.
Where Zola and The Knot are better
Zola
- All-in-one wedding hub: website, registry, guest list and paper suite under one brand
- Free multi-event RSVP with meal choices
- Printed invitations with free addressing and free samples
- Strong wedding brand trust
The Knot
- Best-known wedding brand in the US; couples already have accounts
- Free website with registry and guest list in one app
- Thousands of paper invitation designs with coordinating website themes
- Free digital save the dates
Sending, and what guests need
| letsparty | Zola | The Knot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A free plan | Yes Up to 15 invitations a party. | Yes Website, guest list manager, online RSVP and digital save the dates are free. Only a custom domain costs extra on the website. | Yes The Knot says the website is 'completely free' with no required fees; only the custom domain is paid. |
| Ads on free invitations | No | Not confirmed Not stated | Not confirmed Not stated |
| Texts are sent from | Your own phone One tap sends them all from an iPhone after a one-time setup, or one at a time from any phone. | Paste the link yourself No digital invitations. Digital save the dates go out as a link the couple shares, or by text through the iOS app. The couple can send a bulk plain-text email from the guest list. App Guest Messaging sends reminders by text or another sharing option, with no custom text. For address collection, Zola can message contacts on the couple's behalf. | Paste the link yourself Guests reach RSVP through the website URL. Digital save the dates are a shareable link sent by email or text. 'Quick group texts or emails' with message templates are offered; the sender isn't stated. |
| Invitations by email | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Guests need an app | No | No Zola: guests just visit the website and enter their names; no app or password needed. | No Not stated |
| Guests sign up or verify to answer | No Each household’s own link already knows who they are. | No Zola: guests just visit the website and enter their names; no app or password needed. | Not confirmed Not stated |
Features side by side
“Not confirmed” means we couldn’t find it on their pages, not that it’s missing.
| letsparty | Zola | The Knot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSVPs tracked as they come in | Yes Sent, opened and answered, for every household. | Yes Website RSVP feeds the guest list | Yes Free; exportable for vendors |
| A meal choice for each person | Yes A question beside each name, with choices like “Chicken, Fish, Veggie”. | Yes Meal preferences on the RSVP form | Yes RSVP questions 'like meal choices' |
| Kids counted on their own | Yes Asked on every RSVP unless you turn it off. | Yes Children can be added and tracked with RSVPs | Not confirmed Not found |
| Plus-ones limited or off | Yes How many guests each invitation can bring, or none, and a plus-one for one guest alone. | Yes Only authorized guests can RSVP; plus-ones are tracked | Not confirmed Not found in official pages |
| A head-count limit and waitlist | Yes · Party plan Past the limit, yeses join a waitlist you let in. | Not confirmed Not found | Not confirmed Not found |
| Reminders and nudges | Yes A “can you make it?” email before the RSVP date and a reminder before the party. | Yes Free RSVP reminders | Yes RSVP reminders |
| A date poll | Yes Guests mark the dates that work; you pick, and the poll turns into the RSVP. | Not confirmed Not found | Not confirmed Not found |
| Co-hosts | Yes Plan together in a shared group with one address book, or add a co-host to one party. | Not confirmed Not found | Not confirmed Not found |
| A what-to-bring sign-up | Yes · Party plan A sign-up with limits, and write-ins. | Not confirmed Not found | Not confirmed Not found |
| Guests’ photos in one place | Yes · Party plan A photo wall from a table QR code, with a slideshow. | Not confirmed Not found | Not confirmed Not found |
| Guest comments or a wall | Yes · Party plan Notes from guests before the party. | Not confirmed Not found | Partly App shows 'notes from guests' |
| Your own photo on the card | Yes Photo designs put your picture on the card. | Yes Photo save the dates; upload-your-own paper designs | Yes Photo save the dates and upload-your-own designs |
| An invite that opens like an envelope | Yes Every invite opens like an envelope with their name on it; other openings (a wax-sealed letter, a gift box, French doors) are on the Party plan. | Not confirmed Not found | Not confirmed Not found |
| Designs | 334 On the design wall today, each one a live invite you can open. | 2,261 Paper invitations listing showed 2,261 results; website templates 'over 600' | 3,000 Paper invitations listing showed 3,000 items; 100+ website designs; 86 digital save-the-date designs |
| Save-the-dates | Yes Save-the-date designs and a save-the-date start in the planner. | Yes Free digital and paper from $0.99 | Yes Free digital; paper also sold |
| Several events on one invite | Yes · Host Pass plan Make it a weekend: each guest gets one link to the parties they’re invited to, and answers each one. | Yes RSVP to multiple wedding events on the website | Yes RSVP page configured with events, from the shower to the reception |
| A wedding website | Yes · Wedding plan Your story, every event, travel, the registry and questions, with an optional password; guests RSVP on their own invites. | Yes Free | Yes Free |
| Thank-yous | Yes · Party plan A thank-you message to everyone who came; thank-you cards in your designs with the Host Pass. | Yes Paper thank-you cards | Yes Paper 'Thank Yous' collection |
| Guests confirm their address | Yes Guests confirm their own address and phone. | Yes Text or email guests a form, or have Zola message them | Yes Simple form to email or text to guests |
| Printed invitations | No Digital only. | Yes From $1.79 each, free addressing, free samples | Yes Large paper catalog |
| Add to calendar | Yes Apple, Google and Outlook, plus a feed that keeps every party current. | Not confirmed Not found | Not confirmed Not found |
Sources
Zola
- Free website, custom domain from $17.99, 600+ templates (2026-10-25)
- Guest list features: multi-event RSVP, meals, plus-ones, kids, address collection, reminders, free (2026-10-25)
- 'Right now we don't offer digital invitations on Zola'; RSVP and reminder options (2026-10-25)
- How digital save the dates are shared (2026-10-25)
- Digital save the dates are free; app texting (2026-10-25)
- Save the dates from $0.99, invitations from $1.79, free addressing, free samples, thank-you cards (2026-10-25)
- 2,261 invitation designs (2026-10-25)
- No app or password for guests; reminders; plus-one control (updated 2026-04-17) (2026-10-25)
The Knot
- Website completely free; custom domain optional (updated 2026-05-22) (2026-10-25)
- Custom domain $19.99/1 yr or $39.98/2 yrs; 100+ website designs (2026-10-25)
- Guest list, RSVP, meal choices, address collection, reminders, matching emails (2026-10-25)
- Free digital save the dates (86 items), shareable link by email or text (2026-10-25)
- 3,000 paper invitations; per-card prices (2026-10-25)
Zola and The Knot are trademarks of their owners; letsparty isn’t affiliated with them. Prices and features change: check their sites before you choose. See something out of date? Write to invites@letsparty.rsvp and we’ll fix it.