Yano feature

Only go ahead if enough people join: the minimum guest goal

By the Yano team · 9 October 2026 · 6 min read

Every new host has the same fear: what if only four people buy? You have booked a venue, ordered food, told the DJ — and the room stays empty. Cancelling then means refunds, awkward messages and lost trust.

Yano’s minimum guest goal flips the order. People say “I’m in” first, for free. You only collect money once enough of them have.

How it works

Create your event as usual and set your prices.
In Features, turn on “Only go ahead if enough people join” and enter your minimum (for example 15). Optionally add a “decide by” date so guests know when you will confirm.
Share the link. Guests reserve with their name, phone and email and pay ₹0 now. Your event page shows how many have joined so far.
When the minimum is reached, the event is confirmed and Yano emails everyone who reserved a link to pay. You can also confirm early from your dashboard whenever you are ready.
Guests pay and get their QR pass by email, like any other booking.

Who it is for

First-time hosts testing whether a format works in their city.
Trips and treks that only make sense with a full bus or a minimum group.
Workshops and classes that need a minimum batch size.
Pop-up dinners, screenings and socials where the venue cost is fixed.
Anyone running a new idea before committing money to it.

Why it works

Saying “count me in” for ₹0 is easy, so more people commit early. The visible count (“11 of 15 joined”) also tells the next person that others are going — real momentum, not fake urgency.

And if the goal is never reached, nobody has paid anything. There is nothing to refund and nothing to explain.

Things to know

People who reserved still have to pay once the goal is met — a reservation is not a payment. Expect some drop-off and set the minimum with that in mind.
Only guests who reserved with an email get the payment link automatically.
Guests on the goal list are not charged and get no pass until they pay.

Try it for your next gathering

Free to start. Guests pay you directly; Yano never holds your ticket money. Free events cost nothing.

Create your event — free How it works for trips & getaways with strangers

Questions people ask

What happens if the minimum is never reached?

Nobody has paid, so there is nothing to refund. You can cancel the event from its Manage tab; Yano shows how many people will be emailed before anything is sent.

Can I confirm the event before the goal is reached?

Yes. Tap Confirm early on your event dashboard; everyone who reserved is sent the payment link.

Does a reservation cost the organiser anything?

No. Credits are used only for paid passes that are actually issued (₹6–₹10 each). Free reservations cost nothing.