Where SignUpGenius is stronger
It has years of features behind it. Payment collection, reporting, custom themes, and integrations all exist there and do not exist here. If your group needs to take money for tickets or run detailed reports across many sheets, it is the better tool and you should use it.
Where we are different on purpose
Sign-up pages here carry no ads and never will. That is a positioning choice, not a free tier we plan to close later. The people signing up never make an account, because the person who opens your link is usually standing in a school corridor with one hand free.
Creating a sheet is one page. There is no theme picker, because a theme has never once helped anyone find out who is bringing the plates.
How the links work
You get two links when you publish. A public one to share with everyone, and a private manage link that lets you edit the sheet, see who signed up, and close it. Keep the manage link private. Anyone with it can edit your sheet.
Anyone who signs up with an email gets their own link to change or cancel their spot, so a change does not have to come through you.