Completely agree. Tried using meetup several times, but the experience as a free user is too limited... Can't view all event details, can't create a group, etc.
It depends on the group. Tech events tend to be undercover head hunting events so they are usually sponsored so they waive the fee.
The smaller groups have to pay a fee too which gets put on the members. Usually it's very small and I'm happy to pay two dollars a year to goto a language exchange if it helps keep the group alive.
This. Apparently all of the things I'm interested in like SDR and Robotics and what not the groups don't pony up the cash to make things visible to non-paying members.