How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Fee structure is the whole decision: per-ticket fees, percentage cuts and who pays them vary wildly, so model your real ticket price before choosing.
- Eventbrite gives you the biggest built-in audience; Ticket Tailor gives you the lowest ongoing cost if you bring your own audience.
- Zeffy charges nonprofits nothing, which makes it the obvious first look for charities, schools and churches.
- If you sell complex reserved seating, TicketSpice and ThunderTix handle seating charts better than the generalist platforms.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Eventbrite | Events that need discoverability | See website | Free to list |
 Ticket Tailor | Low flat-fee ticketing without per-ticket cuts | See website | Free trial |
 TicketSpice | Fully custom-branded ticket pages | See website | No |
 TicketLeap | Simple events on a budget | See website | Free to list |
 ThunderTix | Theaters and reserved seating venues | See website | No |
 Eventzilla | Affordable all-round event ticketing | See website | Free for free events |
 Weezevent | Events in Europe | See website | No |
 TicketSource | Free events and small venues | See website | Free tier |
 Zeffy | Nonprofits that want zero fees | Free | Yes |
 Brown Paper Tickets | Organizers who want human support | See website | Free to list |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree to list
Eventbrite is the default because of its audience. Millions of people browse Eventbrite looking for things to do, which means your event can sell tickets to strangers, not just your mailing list. The organizer tools are mature: discount codes, multiple ticket types, refunds, payouts and a solid check-in app.
The price of that reach is fees. Eventbrite's service fees sit at the high end of the market, and they land on your buyers, which can suppress conversion on price-sensitive events. If you already have an audience and just need a checkout, cheaper options below will keep more money in your pocket.
What we like- Huge built-in marketplace of ticket buyers
- Polished organizer app and check-in tools
- Strong integrations and API
Watch out for- Fees are among the highest
- Your event competes with thousands of others on the platform
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Ticket Tailor flips the pricing model: you pay a flat monthly fee based on how many tickets you sell, and keep 100 percent of the ticket price. For organizers with steady volume, the math beats percentage fees quickly. Your box office lives on your own site under your own brand, with no Ticket Tailor logo taxing your buyers.
What you lose is discovery. Nobody browses Ticket Tailor for weekend plans, so you bring the audience. If your marketing already fills seats, this is one of the cheapest professional options available.
What we like- Flat monthly pricing instead of per-ticket percentages
- Your brand stays front and center
- No ticket-buyer fees by default
Watch out for- No built-in marketplace audience
- Smaller feature set than Eventbrite
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
TicketSpice is built for organizers who care how the checkout looks. The page designer lets you build a ticket page that matches your event brand instead of a generic template, which matters for fundraisers, conferences and anything where perception drives price. It handles donations, merchandise upsells and complex ticket bundles well.
Pricing is a flat per-ticket fee with no percentage cut, which is transparent but can sting on expensive tickets at volume. Like Ticket Tailor, there is no built-in audience. Buy it for control and presentation, not discovery.
What we like- Deep page customization that looks like your own site
- Strong for galas, fundraisers and multi-day events
- Good customer support reputation
Watch out for- Flat per-ticket fee adds up at high volume
- No marketplace
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree to list
TicketLeap keeps things simple: list your event free, pay when tickets sell. The setup flow is friendly to first-time organizers running a workshop, class or small fundraiser. It covers the basics, ticket types, promo codes, refunds, without drowning you in options.
Power users will outgrow it. Reserved seating, complex schedules and deep integrations are thinner here than on the bigger platforms. But for straightforward paid events where you want minimal hassle and no upfront cost, it does the job.
What we like- Free to list with fees only on paid tickets
- Simple setup for first-time organizers
- Decent mobile check-in
Watch out for- Fewer advanced features
- Smaller company with less ecosystem
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
ThunderTix is one of the few affordable platforms with proper reserved seating charts. Theaters, concert halls and performing arts groups can sell specific seats without paying enterprise ticketing prices. The flat-fee model keeps costs predictable across a season.
The interface feels older than the newer platforms, and general-admission events will find the seating focus unnecessary. But if your venue has seats with numbers on them, ThunderTix solves your core problem at a fair price.
What we like- Real seating charts for reserved-seating venues
- Flat-fee pricing
- Good for performing arts
Watch out for- Dated interface
- Not ideal for general-admission or festival events
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree for free events
Eventzilla positions itself as the affordable Eventbrite alternative, and the comparison is fair. It handles registrations, classes, conferences and fundraisers with low per-ticket fees, and free events cost nothing. The feature set is broader than its price suggests, including surveys, promo codes and attendee management.
Discovery is the gap. Eventbrite's marketplace drives real ticket sales; Eventzilla's does not move the needle the same way. If your audience comes from your own channels, you will barely notice the difference and you will pay less.
What we like- Low fees and free events are genuinely free
- Covers conferences, classes and fundraisers
- White-label options
Watch out for- Less brand recognition than Eventbrite
- Marketplace is small
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Weezevent is the European answer to full-service event ticketing. Beyond online sales, it offers on-site cashless payment systems and access control, which makes it popular with festivals and large venues across France and neighboring markets. Local payment methods and tax handling fit European organizers better than US-centric tools.
American organizers should look elsewhere; support, payouts and integrations skew European. But if your event is in Europe, especially a festival, Weezevent's on-site capabilities put it ahead of pure online sellers.
What we like- Strong European presence with local payment methods
- Cashless payment wristbands for festivals
- Access control hardware
Watch out for- US support and presence are limited
- Pricing is quote-based for larger events
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree tier
TicketSource is refreshingly honest about pricing: if your event is free, the platform is free. Small theaters, community groups and class instructors get a working box office with no monthly fee and no per-ticket charge on free tickets. Paid tickets carry a modest booking fee.
The trade-off is a leaner feature set. You will not get Eventbrite-level marketing tools or deep customization. For community-scale events where every dollar matters, though, the free tier is hard to argue with.
What we like- Free events are completely free
- Simple box office for small venues
- No monthly fees
Watch out for- Fewer marketing and customization features
- UK roots show in support hours
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Zeffy is the rare platform with no catch for its target users. Registered nonprofits pay nothing: no subscription, no per-ticket fee, no percentage. The company is funded by optional tips donors add at checkout. It covers ticketing alongside donations, memberships, raffles and e-commerce for charity shops.
The obvious limit is eligibility. If you are not a nonprofit, move on. If you are, and you are currently paying Eventbrite fees on a gala or fundraiser, switching to Zeffy is close to free money.
What we like- Actually free for nonprofits, funded by optional donor tips
- Ticketing plus donations, memberships and raffles
- No per-ticket fees at all
Watch out for- Nonprofits only
- Optional donor tips can confuse some buyers
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree to list
Brown Paper Tickets has served independent organizers for years with a simple pitch: low fees and a human being who answers the phone. The 24/7 support is real and well regarded by venue managers who have dealt with faceless platforms. Pricing is straightforward with no monthly fee.
The product itself is not winning design awards, and the discovery marketplace is modest. But for organizers who value a support line over a slick dashboard, it remains a solid, honest option.
What we like- Low fees with 24/7 human phone support
- Long track record with independent venues
- Straightforward pricing
Watch out for- Website and tools feel dated
- Smaller marketplace than Eventbrite
How we chose
We compared platforms on fee structures, payout timing, check-in and box office tools, customization, and fit for different event types and sizes. We verified each vendor's homepage and current positioning, and checked fee pages and organizer reviews where pricing was published. We did not run live events or process real ticket sales.
Understanding ticketing fees before you commit
Ticketing fees come in three flavors: a percentage of the ticket price, a flat per-ticket fee, or a monthly subscription. Most platforms charge the percentage plus a flat fee, and most pass at least part of it to the buyer as a service charge. A 3.5 percent plus $1.59 fee on a $25 ticket is about $2.47, which your buyer sees at checkout and may blame on you.
Model your actual numbers. A $100 gala ticket and a $10 workshop ticket produce very different fee totals under the same structure. Flat-fee platforms favor expensive tickets; percentage platforms favor cheap ones. Also ask about payout timing: some platforms hold your money until after the event, which can strangle cash flow for events with upfront venue costs.
Frequently asked questions
Which platform has the lowest fees?
For nonprofits, Zeffy charges nothing. For everyone else, flat-fee models like Ticket Tailor usually win at volume, while free-to-list platforms like Eventbrite and TicketLeap cost nothing upfront but take more per ticket. Run your ticket price and volume through each fee structure.
Can I sell tickets on my own website?
Yes. Ticket Tailor, TicketSpice and Eventzilla all offer embeddable widgets or white-label checkouts that live on your domain. Eventbrite also offers embeds, though its branding is harder to hide.
How do payouts work?
Most platforms collect payments and transfer them to your bank on a schedule, often weekly or after the event. Ask specifically about payout timing and whether early payouts are available, since venue deposits often come due before event day.
Do I need reserved seating software?
Only if you sell assigned seats. Theaters, performing arts venues and some conferences need real seating charts, which ThunderTix and TicketSpice handle well. General admission events should not pay for seating features they will not use.
What about refunds and cancellations?
Every platform on this list handles refunds, but policies differ on who absorbs the fees. Some platforms refund the ticket price but keep their service fee. Read the refund terms before you need them, not after a cancellation.
Can these platforms handle donations too?
TicketSpice, Zeffy and Eventzilla include donation features alongside ticketing, which suits fundraisers and galas. If donations are your main revenue, a dedicated nonprofit platform like Zeffy is usually the better fit.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://www.eventbrite.com/
- https://www.tickettailor.com/
- https://www.ticketspice.com/
- https://www.ticketleap.com/
- https://www.thundertix.com/
- https://www.eventzilla.net/
- https://weezevent.com/
- https://www.ticketsource.com/
- https://www.zeffy.com/
- https://www.brownpapertickets.com/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.