Head-to-head · checked October 2026
WedBuild vs Joy
Joy is a free website, guest list and registry, paid for by registry sales, upgrades and vendor connections. WedBuild adds the planning Joy doesn't list: a seating chart, a budget and a seat finder for guests.
Verdict
WedBuild if you need a real seating chart and a budget; Joy if you only need a free website, RSVPs and a registry.
WedBuild and Joy side by side
Every criterion from how we compare, in each platform’s own terms. The ones that decide this matchup come first.
| Criterion | WedBuild | Joy |
|---|---|---|
| Seating chart | Drag and drop with seating rules on Standard (A$99). Visual room designer and automatic Smart Seating on Pro (A$199). | Table tags on the guest list. No seating chart listed. |
| Budget tracker | Yes, with invoices and payment tracking, on Standard and Pro. | Not listed among its tools. |
| Seat finder for guests | Yes, on Pro. Guests scan a QR code, type their name and see their table and seat. | Not listed among its tools. |
| Gift registry | No. Link to a registry you keep elsewhere from your website. | Yes, Joy's own registry. |
| Guest list and dietaries | Yes, free up to 50 guests, unlimited on Standard and Pro. The RSVP asks about dietaries by default. | Yes, free, unlimited guests, with dietary needs on each guest. |
| Price to the couple | Essentials free for up to 50 guests, no time limit. Standard A$99 or Pro A$199, paid once for 2 years. Every new account gets 7 days of Pro free, no card. | Free. Paid upgrades include custom domains, text messaging and premium designs; prices on withjoy.com/pricing. |
| Who pays for it | The couples who use it. No vendor listings, no ads and no registry store. | Free for couples. Joy's pricing page says it earns from registry gifts it sells, optional upgrades and connecting couples with vendors. |
| Currency | AUD, with prices also shown in USD, NZD, GBP, EUR, JPY and CAD. | Not stated on the pages we read. Check withjoy.com/pricing. |
| Where it's made | Australia. Available worldwide. | Not stated on the pages we read. |
| Wedding website | Yes, free on every plan. Your own domain on Pro. | Yes, free. |
| Online RSVPs | Yes, free, with your own questions. RSVP reminder emails from Standard. | Yes, free, with meal choices. |
| Vendors | Compare and score the vendors you've found against your budget (Pro). No vendor directory. | Joy says it connects couples with vendors. |
| Connected tools | One guest list runs RSVPs, dietaries, the seating chart and Find My Seat. Vendor quotes feed the budget on Pro. | Guest details, RSVPs and dietary needs sit in one list. |
| Guest experience | A personal link for every guest, online RSVP, QR Find My Seat (Pro), and Guest Memories for photos and messages (Pro, or A$49 on other plans). Text packs from A$19 for 50, to Australian mobiles for now. | A free website with RSVPs and meal choices, and a registry. |
| Planner support | Yes. WedBuild Planner runs every client wedding from one workspace, from A$29.99 a month, with a 14-day free trial. | Not mentioned on the pages we read. |
Sources
Where they differ
Seating
Joy tags guests with a table on its guest list. WedBuild has a drag and drop chart from Standard and a visual room designer on Pro.
Budget
Joy lists no budget tool. WedBuild's budget, with invoices and payments, is on Standard and Pro.
Registry
Joy has its own registry; WedBuild doesn't, so link to yours from your WedBuild website.
What each doesn’t do
WedBuild
- Not a gift registry: keep your registry elsewhere and link to it.
- Not a vendor marketplace: it compares vendors you've found, it doesn't list them.
- The free plan stops at 50 guests; the seating chart and budget need Standard or Pro after the 7-day trial.
- Paid plans cover 2 years, then an optional monthly extension.
- Texts to guests reach Australian mobile numbers only, for now.
Joy
- No seating chart or budget tool listed.
- Earns from vendor connections as well as registry sales.
Which suits whom
Choose WedBuild if
- You need a seating chart and budget beside your guest list.
- You're planning in AUD.
- You want no vendor connections.
Choose Joy if
- You need a free website and registry, with a large guest list, and plan seating elsewhere.
More head-to-heads
- WedBuild vs WedSites
WedBuild for most couples: the website and RSVPs are free, and seating and the budget start at A$99 where WedSites puts them on its A$319 Pro plan.
- WedBuild vs Zola
WedBuild for Australian couples and anyone planning seating and budget in AUD; Zola for US couples who want a registry store with their free website.
- WedBuild vs The Knot
WedBuild for planning without a marketplace around it; The Knot for US couples still finding vendors.
- WedBuild vs Easy Weddings
Both are Australian: WedBuild for planning tools with no supplier leads; Easy Weddings for browsing a supplier directory.
- WedBuild vs Say I Do
WedBuild for the whole plan, budget included; Say I Do for a website and RSVPs with texts to guests.
- Zola vs Joy
Zola if you want a seating chart and budget with your registry; Joy if a free website, guest list and registry are enough.
- Zola vs The Knot
Zola if the registry and stationery matter most; The Knot if finding vendors does.