Last verified
Alternatives to Vistage
Founders look past Vistage when they miss the bar, want a different format, or need a different stage mix. Founders who need a venture-scale-only room or who reject paid facilitators.
Ranked alternatives
- Alliance of Chief Executives · in-person format vs hybrid.
- Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles) · staff-convened vs paid facilitator.
- The Founders Forum · in-person format vs hybrid; peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage.
- Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) · peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth.
- FounderNexus · venture-specific focus; staff-convened vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage.
- Hampton · venture-specific focus; in-person format vs hybrid.
- YPO · peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Growth, Late stage.
Comparison table
| Rank | Group | Cost | Stage fit | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alliance of Chief Executives | $750 one-time enrollment + $11,000 annual dues (monthly/quarterly opt… | Series A, Growth, Late stage | in-person format vs hybrid. |
| 2 | Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles) | $5,995/year (includes monthly meetups, private app, national referral… | Series A, Growth, Late stage | staff-convened vs paid facilitator. |
| 3 | The Founders Forum | No membership fee (potluck; optional donations) | Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage | in-person format vs hybrid; peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage. |
| 4 | Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) | US$2,630 annual global dues + US$3,500 one-time initiation; chapter d… | Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth | peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth. |
| 5 | FounderNexus | Not published | Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage | venture-specific focus; staff-convened vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage. |
| 6 | Hampton | Not published | Series A, Growth, Late stage | venture-specific focus; in-person format vs hybrid. |
| 7 | YPO | USD 4,790 one-time initiation + USD 4,790 annual global dues; local c… | Growth, Late stage | peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Growth, Late stage. |
Vistage vs the top alternatives
| Field | Vistage | Alliance of Chief Executives | Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles) | The Founders Forum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | hybrid | in-person | hybrid | in-person |
| Structure | facilitated forum | facilitated forum | mastermind | peer-led forum |
| Facilitation | paid facilitator | paid facilitator | staff-convened | peer-led |
| Group size | 12 to 16 | About 12 per Alliance Group (target ~8 in-meeting) | 15–30 (typical monthly meeting) | Not published |
| Stage fit | Series A, Growth, Late stage | Series A, Growth, Late stage | Series A, Growth, Late stage | Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage |
| Revenue / capital floor | Chief Executive program: $5M+ revenue / typically 20+ employees. Small Business program: $1–4M revenue. | Not published as a numeric floor; membership is fit-based, not balance-sheet gated | Must meet at least one: >$1M net revenue (gross minus direct COGS); OR owner net income ≥ $250K; OR senior executive at $10M+ company; OR recent exit that met above | None stated; founders at every stage welcome |
| Annual cost | Not published | $750 one-time enrollment + $11,000 annual dues (monthly/quarterly options). Charged only after first private-group meeting confirms fit. | $5,995/year (includes monthly meetups, private app, national referrals, digital resources, event discounts, annual summit). City Founders Rate Not published. | No membership fee (potluck; optional donations) |
| Application model | application | invite-only | application | application |
| Venture-specific | No | No | No | No |
| Other requirements | CEO/owner peer groups of non-competing members; Chair-led. Qualify via form. | Qualified leadership position (CEO / senior leaders); personal fit interview; confidentiality and no-selling principles | Invitation-only after application + fit call; attend a meeting before finalizing; confidentiality code of conduct | Current or past founder who built a business from the ground up; must love Jesus (Christ-centered fellowship); Austin-based |
| Time commitment | Monthly peer group meetings plus monthly 1:1 with Chair; speakers and events | About 40 hours/year on Alliance participation (site claim); private group meetings plus roundtables/dinners | One monthly local ~3-hour meetup; optional annual summit | Weekly in-person gatherings alternating Bee Cave and Downtown Austin |
| Geography | Global chapters; local groups | San Francisco Bay Area / Northern California / Silicon Valley | Los Angeles chapter; drop-in at other Speakeasy city chapters | Austin, TX |
| Best for | CEOs and owners who want a Chair-facilitated confidential peer group with coaching, across a wide range of company sizes. | Bay Area CEOs who want confidential, facilitated strategic peer forums with industry-diverse operators. | Established LA entrepreneurs who want a high-bar monthly in-person mastermind plus multi-city network access. | Austin founders who want weekly in-person peer support integrating business, leadership, faith, and family — without dues. |
| Not for | Founders who need a venture-scale-only room or who reject paid facilitators. | Pre-revenue founders seeking a startup-only room, or anyone unwilling to invest significant annual time. | Pre-revenue or sub-threshold founders, or people seeking a venture-only peer room. | Founders seeking a secular or venture-only peer board, or remote-only participation. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-26 | 2026-10-16 | 2026-10-28 |
Sources
Primary public pages used for the fields above.
25 sources from 10 sites
allianceofceos.com
- allianceofceos.comRetrieved 2026-10-26 · Alliance of Chief Executives
- /about_overviewRetrieved 2026-10-26 · Alliance of Chief Executives
- /exp_membersRetrieved 2026-10-26 · Alliance of Chief Executives
eonetwork.org
- eonetwork.orgRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /membershipRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /join-eoRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /acceleratorRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /accelerator/faqsRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
foundernexus.com
- foundernexus.comRetrieved 2026-09-15 · FounderNexus
joinhampton.com
- joinhampton.comRetrieved 2026-10-18 · Hampton
- /explore-membershipRetrieved 2026-10-18 · Hampton
- /faqRetrieved 2026-10-18 · Hampton
luma.com
- /FounderNexusRetrieved 2026-08-21 · FounderNexus
member.eonetwork.org
- /global/about-our-chapterRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /useastbridge/membership-qualificationRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
speakeasymastermind.com
- /losangelesRetrieved 2026-10-16 · Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles)
- /membershipsRetrieved 2026-10-16 · Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles)
thefoundersforum.net
- thefoundersforum.netRetrieved 2026-10-28 · The Founders Forum
vistage.com
- vistage.comRetrieved 2026-10-20 · Vistage
- /membershipRetrieved 2026-10-20 · Vistage
- /membership/programs/chief-executive-programRetrieved 2026-10-20 · Vistage
- /membership/programs/small-business-programRetrieved 2026-10-20 · Vistage
ypo.org
- ypo.orgRetrieved 2026-10-17 · YPO
- /membership-requirementsRetrieved 2026-10-17 · YPO
- /become-a-memberRetrieved 2026-10-17 · YPO