What products does Partiful offer?
One hundred dollars can get you 8 pounds of glitter, 10 pizzas, 406 mini disco balls, or 100 cans of beer. For one birthday bash, Ayla D’Silva splurged $100 on sour candy to create a “sour candy salad.” The best part? She didn’t pay for it herself; the funds came from Partiful.
As a college ambassador for the startup, D’Silva received a monthly stipend to host parties on her campus. There were minimal rules and no pressure regarding RSVPs or ticket sales; the only requirement was that the event had to be organized through the Partiful app. With traditional platforms like Facebook events losing steam, party planning had become a fragmented experience. Partiful emerged at the perfect moment, and by the time D’Silva graduated, it had gained traction beyond just being another app to download.
“I can’t even remember how we organized events before Partiful,” D’Silva reflects. (Partiful is pronounced like “beautiful.”)
Founded in 2019, Partiful isn’t groundbreaking in terms of functionality — it’s essentially an invitation and events platform. What stands out is its vibrant visual style, reminiscent of a nostalgic era many users didn’t even experience: think neon text, Y2K flyers, and remixed memes. One birthday invite mimics the Now That’s What I Call Music! series, humorously titled “Now That’s What I Call Old.” Stripped of its aesthetics, Partiful offers a straightforward service: create an event, invite friends, and the app sends them reminders.
In contrast to the lively vibe of the app, the Partiful office in downtown Brooklyn is a typical open-concept tech space, filled with natural light and rows of shared desks. It’s an unremarkable office that could belong to any B2B SaaS company, except for the abundance of Partiful merchandise scattered throughout. Neon lights in the windows form the Partiful logo, and there are stickers and bracelets everywhere. In one corner, a framed thong serves as a gag gift related to a feature that lets users anonymously name crushes.
Partiful has become a buzzword among young people in urban and college settings. Co-founder and CEO Shreya Murthy expressed a desire for Partiful to become as ubiquitous as “calling an Uber” or “using a Kleenex” for event invitations. While the app primarily targets Gen Z, it carries a distinctly millennial vibe, reminiscent of a time when startups promised to revolutionize various industries without immediate profitability. Back then, the focus was on growth and building a massive user base first.
Despite its simple offering, Partiful has garnered significant attention and sparked numerous discussions. Critics have labeled it a “vibey nightmare” with invitation etiquette that’s “out of control.” Some have even called for an end to Partiful invitations, likening it to a “yassified Evite.” The company also faces scrutiny due to Murthy and co-founder Joy Tao’s previous work at Palantir, a controversial data-mining firm with ties to government agencies. This connection has fueled outrage and misinformation, especially in an era where tech companies are often viewed with skepticism regarding data privacy.
In a conversation, Murthy emphasized that Partiful is designed to be a social experience, creating a dynamic event page that serves as a memory box for gatherings. Unlike platforms where users simply buy tickets, Partiful allows attendees to see who else is going, share photos, and interact on the event page. This social aspect is a key differentiator for the app, which Murthy insists is rooted in a genuine love for partying.
Partiful is often compared to Facebook events but also competes with established platforms like Eventbrite and music-focused services. The app was named Google’s app of the year in 2024 and raised over $20 million in funding in 2022. While the company doesn’t collect detailed demographic data, it estimates that most users are younger millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha, with millions of active users and rapid growth. Despite the launch of a competing app, Partiful continues to thrive.
The app’s success among younger users is no accident; it’s part of a targeted marketing strategy on college campuses. Many young ambassadors, like D’Silva, helped promote Partiful, receiving monthly stipends and bonuses for bringing local organizations onto the platform. D’Silva found value in the experience of hosting events and connecting with friends, even without a traditional paycheck.
Partiful also allocates funds for users to host their own events, such as birthday celebrations or themed gatherings. The company features interesting events on its public explore page and often attends viral events to create social media content. Event discovery is becoming increasingly important, with brands using the app for public events and collaborations with artists to encourage planning.
In June, Partiful introduced a ticketing feature, allowing hosts to sell tickets directly through the app. While the primary use remains casual events, the company has seen a rise in community gatherings that require funding. The fee structure varies based on ticket price and event size, but hosts need to account for fees to ensure they profit.
Despite the new monetization feature, Murthy reassured that the company is well-capitalized and not under pressure from investors to generate revenue. The decision to introduce ticketing was based on filling a gap in the platform rather than a rush to monetize. The core product will remain free, with potential for a “freemium” model in the future.
In a lighthearted tweet, Partiful’s account stated that it wouldn’t prioritize profit, emphasizing its mission to help users enjoy their social lives. The startup embodies a vision of a benevolent tech company focused on connection rather than profit, reminiscent of a time when users enjoyed services funded by venture capital. However, this has led to feelings of betrayal for some, given the founders’ ties to Palantir.
Concerns about Partiful’s relationship with Palantir have been a recurring theme, with some users expressing distrust. Murthy has distanced Partiful from her past, asserting that the company doesn’t sell user data and that her experience at Palantir doesn’t reflect the values of Partiful. She acknowledges the scrutiny but maintains that the two companies are not financially connected.
Murthy and Tao both left Palantir before launching Partiful, and while they keep in touch with former colleagues, they don’t follow the company closely. Murthy has expressed her disapproval of Palantir’s controversial practices and emphasizes that Partiful operates independently.
Critics like Jessica Hallock have raised concerns about Partiful’s origins and data handling practices. Some users worry about the extensive data the app collects, which goes beyond social connections to include real-world interactions. While Murthy insists that the data is valuable for improving user experience, the potential for misuse remains a concern.
Others are exploring alternatives to Partiful that don’t carry the same baggage. One such platform, Ephemeral, offers similar event features without the ties to Palantir. Its creator aims to provide a space for users to connect without the ethical dilemmas associated with larger tech companies.
Murthy envisions a future where Partiful becomes integral to users’ social lives, facilitating everything from birthday parties to group trips. The platform aims to foster community connections and enhance user experiences, proving that it’s more than just an RSVP app. The smallest interactions may reveal the true potential of Partiful, as it continues to evolve in a complex tech landscape.
