Head-to-head · checked October 2026
WedBuild vs Zola
Zola is a free US website, registry and stationery store, paid for by what it sells and by vendors buying leads. WedBuild is Australian, paid for by couples, and built around one guest list from RSVP to seating chart. They answer different needs, and the registry and currency decide most cases.
Verdict
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 and Zola 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 | Zola |
|---|---|---|
| Gift registry | No. Link to a registry you keep elsewhere from your website. | Yes, Zola's own registry store. Check shipping to your country on zola.com. |
| Currency | AUD, with prices also shown in USD, NZD, GBP, EUR, JPY and CAD. | USD. |
| Where it's made | Australia. Available worldwide. | United States. |
| 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. App extras include a US$14.99 seating chart and Premium SMS from US$59.99 (App Store, US). |
| Who pays for it | The couples who use it. No vendor listings, no ads and no registry store. | Free for couples. Zola sells registry gifts, invitations, paper and app extras, and charges vendors for leads. |
| Seating chart | Drag and drop with seating rules on Standard (A$99). Visual room designer and automatic Smart Seating on Pro (A$199). | Yes, drag and drop, with a print-ready PDF. Listed as a US$14.99 extra in the App Store. |
| Seat finder 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 payment tracking, on Standard and Pro. | Yes, a budget tool. |
| Vendors | Compare and score the vendors you've found against your budget (Pro). No vendor directory. | A vendor marketplace. Vendors pay Zola for leads, and its Say Hello feature lets them contact couples first. |
| 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. |
| Guest list and dietaries | Yes, free up to 50 guests, unlimited on Standard and Pro. The RSVP asks about dietaries by default. | Yes. Guests can be tagged by meal or dietary need on the seating chart. |
| Connected tools | One guest list runs RSVPs, dietaries, the seating chart and Find My Seat. Vendor quotes feed the budget on Pro. | The seating chart pulls in your Zola guest 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 a registry guests can shop. |
| 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
Registry
Zola has its own registry store. WedBuild has no registry: you keep yours wherever you like and link to it from your WedBuild website. If a registry is the main thing you need, Zola does that and WedBuild doesn't.
Currency and local relevance
Zola is a US company and its prices are in US dollars. WedBuild is Australian-made, prices in AUD (with six other currencies shown), and its text messages reach Australian mobile numbers. For an Australian wedding, WedBuild is the local choice.
Who pays
Zola is free for couples; vendors pay it for leads and can contact couples first. WedBuild is paid for by couples, with no vendor listings or ads, and is free for up to 50 guests.
Seating and the day
Both have a drag and drop seating chart; Zola lists it as a US$14.99 extra in the App Store. WedBuild adds seating rules, Smart Seating, table cards with a dietary legend and a QR seat finder for guests on Pro (A$199).
Budget
Both have a budget tool. WedBuild's tracks invoices and payments, and on Pro ties vendor quotes to the budget.
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.
Zola
- Prices are in US dollars.
- Vendors pay for leads and can reach out to you first.
- The seating chart is a paid extra in the app.
Which suits whom
Choose WedBuild if
- You're marrying in Australia and want to pay in AUD, once.
- You want RSVPs, dietaries, seating and Find My Seat on one guest list.
- You don't want vendors contacting you.
- You're happy to keep a registry somewhere else and link to it.
Choose Zola if
- You're in the US and want a registry and stationery store with your website.
- You want everything free and don't mind vendors reaching out.
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 Joy
WedBuild if you need a real seating chart and a budget; Joy if you only need a free website, RSVPs and a registry.
- 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.