For years, Facebook was the default platform for planning events – but as more people leave the site, finding a universal way to organize gatherings has become increasingly difficult. Many other event platforms require accounts or app downloads, making it frustrating to coordinate with friends and family who don’t use the same services.
Now, Apple is stepping in with a solution: Invites is a new event planning app that makes it easy to design custom invites, manage RSVPs, and even collect event photos, all without the need for social media. Guests don’t need an Apple account, or even an Apple device – anyone with an email address and an internet connection can view event details and submit an RSVP.
However, there is one catch: only iCloud+ members can host events. We expect many iPhone owners are already paying for the extra storage and other perks of iCloud+, which starts at a very reasonable $1/£1 per month. But it still puts up a barrier to making this a truly accessible, open invites app.
Still, it’s a neat app and will likely prove very useful for many people. Once an event is created, hosts can choose custom backgrounds or personal photos for their invites, add location details with Apple Maps integration, and even provide a weather forecast for the day of the gathering.
Apple Music users can set up collaborative playlists, letting guests contribute to the event’s soundtrack. Shared Albums allow attendees to easily upload and relive memories from the event, keeping everything in one place. For those using Apple Intelligence, the app also includes Image Playground for generating unique invite artwork and Writing Tools to help craft the perfect event description.
It respects user privacy, too. Unlike Facebook Events, Apple Invites gives hosts complete control over who sees their invite and what information is shared. Guests can decide how their details appear to others and have the ability to leave or report an event at any time.
Invites is available now on iPhone (via the App Store) and the web (icloud.com/invites).