Short answer: on 200 tickets at $25 with the organizer absorbing every fee, Ticket Tailor's pay-as-you-go rate costs about $375 in total fees, the lowest of the general platforms we priced (October 28, 2026). Givebutter costs a nonprofit $0 when donor tips are on. Eventbee comes to $405, Ticketleap $450 and Luma's free plan $455. Eventbrite is the most expensive per-ticket option at $688, though its fees go to the buyer by default.
Nine platforms costed on one small US paid event with fees absorbed by the organizer, plus what changes when buyers pay them.
Ticketing fees look small per ticket and add up to a real line on an event budget. The total depends on three things: the platform's own fee per ticket, the card processing fee on each order, and whether you absorb both or add them to the buyer's price.
This guide prices one scenario on every platform: a US event selling 200 tickets at $25, one ticket per order, so $5,000 of face value. Where a platform uses an outside processor, we apply Stripe's standard US card rate of 2.9% + $0.30 per order, the figure Ticket Tailor and Luma quote on their own pricing pages. That is $1.025 per order and $205 across 200 orders (our arithmetic: 2.9% of the ticket price is $0.725, plus $0.30).
Toolradar data: Toolradar's event platforms category lists 94 tools, and 47% of them have a free or freemium plan. In ticketing, "free" usually means free for free events: every platform below charges once tickets cost money, so the fee table matters more than the plan name.
Methodology: we read each platform's own pricing page and fee help articles on October 28, 2026, applied the published US fee to the 200-ticket scenario and ranked the nine platforms by total cost to the organizer and fit for a small paid event. They were chosen from the 94 tools in the category because each sells self-serve ticketing with published per-ticket fees, plus one flat-license platform for contrast. For the full feature comparison, see the best event management software.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
A flat per-ticket fee that stays the same at any ticket price, with prepaid credits for regular sellers.
Starting price
$0.85 per ticket, pay as you go
4.9 (794 reviews)
Best for
Small and mid-sized paid events where a flat fee per ticket beats a percentage.
Fundraising events and ticket sales for nonprofits with no platform or processing fee when donor tips are on.
Starting price
0% platform fee with donor tips on
4.7 (3,088 reviews)
Best for
Nonprofit galas and fundraisers that can ask buyers for an optional tip.
The same per-ticket fee at any ticket price, with a small booking fee collected from attendees.
Starting price
$1 per ticket on Basic
4.2 (18 reviews)
Best for
Organizers with their own Stripe or PayPal account who want one small flat fee per ticket.
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket Tailor | $0.85 per ticket, pay as you go | 4.9 794 reviews | Small and mid-sized paid events where a flat fee per ticket beats a percentage. |
| Givebutter | 0% platform fee with donor tips on | 4.7 3,088 reviews | Nonprofit galas and fundraisers that can ask buyers for an optional tip. |
| Eventbee | $1 per ticket on Basic | 4.2 18 reviews | Organizers with their own Stripe or PayPal account who want one small flat fee per ticket. |
| Universe | 2% + $0.59 per ticket | 4.4 49 reviews | Growing promoters who want low per-ticket fees now and a route to Ticketmaster later. |
| Ticketleap | $1 + 2% per ticket | 4.2 73 reviews | Organizers who want to pass every fee to buyers and keep the full face value. |
| Luma | Free with 5% fee; Plus $59/mo yearly | n/a | Community and tech meetups that sell tickets often and value invites and reminders. |
| Eventzilla | $1.50 per registration on Basic | 4.4 559 reviews | Conferences and classes that need registration forms more than a ticket marketplace. |
| Eventbrite | 3.7% + $1.79 per paid ticket | 4.3 914 reviews | Events that need marketplace discovery and are happy for buyers to pay the fees. |
| Accelevents | From $7,500 for one event | 4.7 341 reviews | Large conferences where a fixed license beats thousands of per-ticket fees. |
Ticket Tailor
A flat per-ticket fee that stays the same at any ticket price, with prepaid credits for regular sellers.
- Starting price
- $0.85 per ticket, pay as you go
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.9 (794 reviews)
Best for: Small and mid-sized paid events where a flat fee per ticket beats a percentage.
- Pro: Pay as you go costs $0.85 per ticket, so 200 tickets add $170 before processing
- Pro: Prepaid credits start from $0.30 per ticket, and a 500-credit pack costs $300
- Pro: The first five ticket sales are free, and free events stay free up to 5,000 tickets a year
- Con: Fees cannot all be passed on automatically; you set a booking fee yourself to cover them
- Con: Credits are sold in packs of 100 or more, so a one-off small event pays the higher rate
Ticket Tailor's pricing is unusually generous for ticket platforms, offering a free tier for up to 5,000 tickets per year and per-ticket fees as low as £0.22 when buying credits upfront.
Givebutter
Fundraising events and ticket sales for nonprofits with no platform or processing fee when donor tips are on.
- Starting price
- 0% platform fee with donor tips on
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.7 (3,088 reviews)
Best for: Nonprofit galas and fundraisers that can ask buyers for an optional tip.
- Pro: With tips enabled, nonprofits pay 0% in platform fees and no processing fees
- Pro: The Givebutter Guarantee covers processing fees that donors choose not to cover
- Pro: Givebutter Plus starts at $29 a month billed annually and keeps the same fee options
- Con: With tips off, a flat 3% platform fee plus 2.9% + 30¢ processing applies, $355 on our scenario
- Con: Built for nonprofits, so a for-profit concert or workshop is a poor fit
Givebutter's pricing is incredibly generous, especially with its robust free tier offering core fundraising functionalities.
- Starting price
- $1 per ticket on Basic
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.2 (18 reviews)
Best for: Organizers with their own Stripe or PayPal account who want one small flat fee per ticket.
- Pro: Basic charges the same flat fee per ticket regardless of the ticket price
- Pro: You can collect the service and processing fees from attendees, split them or pay them
- Pro: No setup fees, monthly fees or contracts
- Con: Since February 5, 2024, attendees pay a 1% booking fee on the total purchase, $50 across our 200 tickets
- Con: Eventbee's own card processing costs 4.95% + 50c, so connecting your own processor is the cheaper route
The Basic tier at $1/ticket is quite competitive for simple ticketing needs.
- Starting price
- 2% + $0.59 per ticket
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.4 (49 reviews)
Best for: Growing promoters who want low per-ticket fees now and a route to Ticketmaster later.
- Pro: Starter and Standard both charge 2% + $0.59 per ticket, $1.09 at the scenario price
- Pro: Both the service fee and processing can be passed to buyers as a separate line
- Pro: Free events carry no service fee
- Con: Fees exclude processing, which adds the Stripe rate if you connect your own account
- Con: Selling on Ticketmaster and a dedicated account manager sit on the custom-priced Pro plan
Universe Ticketing's pricing model, starting at 2% + $0.59 per ticket for both Starter and Standard tiers, is competitive and generally fair for event organizers.
Ticketleap
A ticket fee of a dollar plus 2%, processing handled in-house, and free to organizers who pass fees on.
- Starting price
- $1 + 2% per ticket
- Free plan
- Free to use
- Rating
- 4.2 (73 reviews)
Best for: Organizers who want to pass every fee to buyers and keep the full face value.
- Pro: The ticketing fee is capped at $20 per ticket, which protects premium tickets
- Pro: Tickets of $5 or less pay a flat $0.49 fee, and door sales pay a flat dollar per ticket
- Pro: Ticketleap processes payments itself, so there is no separate processor account to set up
- Con: The 3% online transaction fee per order has no cap
- Con: Absorbed at the scenario price, the fees come to $2.25 per ticket, above Ticket Tailor and Eventbee
TicketLeap offers a fair and transparent pricing model, especially for free events and lower-priced tickets.
Watch out
3% credit card processing fee is always additional
- Starting price
- Free with 5% fee; Plus $59/mo yearly
- Free plan
- No
Best for: Community and tech meetups that sell tickets often and value invites and reminders.
- Pro: The free plan includes unlimited events and guests, and reminders by email, SMS and WhatsApp
- Pro: Luma Plus drops the platform fee to 0% and pays for itself past $14,160 a year in ticket sales (our arithmetic)
- Pro: Plus includes 5,000 invite and newsletter sends a week
- Con: The 5% platform fee on Free is $1.25 per scenario ticket, and Stripe's fee comes on top
- Con: Plus is shown at $59 a month billed annually, a $708 yearly commitment
Luma's pricing is fair, offering a generous Free tier for personal events.
Eventzilla
A flat fee per registration on Basic, with higher tiers adding a percentage for more features.
- Starting price
- $1.50 per registration on Basic
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.4 (559 reviews)
Best for: Conferences and classes that need registration forms more than a ticket marketplace.
- Pro: Basic is a flat $1.50 per registration with unlimited events
- Pro: Nonprofits get 25% off the platform fee
- Pro: Annual pricing from $1,999 a year removes per-registration fees
- Con: Eventzilla Payments costs 2.9% + $0.99 per transaction, which makes our scenario $643
- Con: Pro adds 1.9% and Plus 2.9% on top of the flat registration fee
Eventzilla's pricing structure is generally fair, especially for smaller events with the Basic tier at $1.50 per registration.
Watch out
Payment processing fees are extra on top of Eventzilla's fees.
Eventbrite
The largest ticketing marketplace, with fees passed to buyers by default and the highest absorbed cost here.
- 4.3 on G2 (914 reviews)
- Starting price
- 3.7% + $1.79 per paid ticket
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.3 (914 reviews)
Best for: Events that need marketplace discovery and are happy for buyers to pay the fees.
- Pro: Fees go to buyers by default, so passing them costs the organizer nothing extra
- Pro: Eventbrite says its marketplace reaches 89 million monthly users
- Pro: Free events carry no fees, and door sales in the US carry a lower flat service fee per paid ticket
- Con: Absorbed, the fees come to $3.44 per scenario ticket, so 200 tickets cost $688
- Con: Fees vary by payout country: the UK service fee is 6.95% + £0.59 per ticket
Eventbrite's pricing for free events is excellent, as there are no fees.
Watch out
Payment processing fee (2.9%) on top of ticket fee
- Starting price
- From $7,500 for one event
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.7 (341 reviews)
Best for: Large conferences where a fixed license beats thousands of per-ticket fees.
- Pro: Professional covers one event with unlimited admin seats
- Pro: Business from $13,500 covers unlimited events
- Pro: Check-in, badge printing and offline and online payments are in the plan
- Con: On the 200-ticket scenario, the license alone exceeds the $5,000 of ticket revenue
- Con: Enterprise and White Label prices are quote-only
Accelevents' pricing is on the expensive side for smaller organizations, with the 'Professional' plan starting at $7,500/year for just one event.
Watch out
No transparent pricing for additional events on Professional
Other Event Platforms worth considering
More published tools from our Event Platforms category, ordered by our category ranking. They are not part of the editorial picks above.
How ticketing platforms charge
A ticketing platform sells tickets on your behalf, collects the money and pays it out, and it charges in one of four ways.
A flat fee per ticket, the same at $10 or $100: Ticket Tailor on pay as you go, Eventbee on its Basic plan and Eventzilla per registration. A percentage plus a flat fee: Eventbrite charges 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket in the US, Ticketleap a dollar plus 2% and Universe 2% + $0.59. A percentage only: Luma's free plan takes a 5% platform fee. A subscription or license that drops the per-ticket fee: Luma Plus at $59 a month billed annually, or an Accelevents license per event.
Card processing sits on top almost everywhere. Eventbrite adds its own 2.9% of the total order, Ticketleap a 3% online transaction fee per order, and most others pass you to Stripe, PayPal or Square at their rates.
Why the fee model matters more than the headline
Flat per-ticket fees punish cheap tickets; percentage fees punish expensive ones. On the scenario ticket, Eventbrite's US service fee alone is $2.715, about 11% of the price, while Ticket Tailor's flat fee is under a third of that. On a pricier ticket the percentage part grows while a flat fee stays put, so flat-fee platforms keep their lead; only on very cheap tickets do small-ticket rates such as Ticketleap's reshuffle the order.
Who pays is the second lever. Eventbrite passes its fees to buyers by default, Ticketleap's platform is free to the organizer when buyers cover the fee, and Universe can put both its service fee and processing on the buyer's receipt. Ticket Tailor works differently: you add your own booking fee to cover its charge, because it cannot pass every fee automatically at checkout.
US events carry one more constraint. Ticket Tailor's help center notes that under the FTC rule on unfair or deceptive fees, in effect since May 12, 2025, the total price including booking fees must show upfront on events selling in USD. Passing fees on no longer hides them, so a lower total fee is also a lower advertised price.
Key Features to Look For
Platform fee per ticket (Essential)
The flat, percentage or mixed fee the platform keeps on each paid ticket, before card processing.
Card processing (Essential)
Charged by the platform's own processor (Eventbrite, Ticketleap, Universe Payments) or by Stripe, PayPal or Square on most others.
Absorb or pass on (Essential)
Whether the fee can be added to the buyer's price at checkout, and whether processing can be passed too.
Fee caps and small-ticket rates (Important)
Ticketleap caps its ticketing fee at $20 and charges $0.49 on tickets of $5 or less; Ticket Tailor halves usage for tickets under $5.
Free events (Important)
Free tickets cost nothing on every platform here, though Ticket Tailor applies fair-usage limits above 5,000 free tickets a year.
Payout timing (Nice to have)
Direct payouts through your own Stripe account versus a platform that holds funds until after the event.
What to Consider
-
Price your own scenario: a small flat fee beats a percentage fee on mid-priced and premium tickets, but small-ticket rates can change the order for tickets of $5 or less
-
Decide who pays before you compare, since Eventbrite and Ticketleap cost the organizer nothing extra when buyers cover every fee
-
Count processing separately: Stripe's standard US rate adds $205 to our 200 single-ticket orders
-
Nonprofits should check Givebutter first, where enabling donor tips removes both platform and processing fees
-
Run the break-even on subscriptions: Luma Plus saves 5% of ticket revenue against a yearly fee
Evaluation Checklist
Create a free account and build a test ticket at your real price to see the fee preview
Confirm whether the fee is charged per ticket or per order, which matters when buyers purchase several tickets
Check which payment processors you can connect and what each charges in the US
Read the refund policy: Ticket Tailor keeps its usage fee on refunded orders
Confirm when payouts arrive, especially for events with large upfront costs
Pricing Overview
Flat fee per ticket
Low and mid-priced tickets where a fixed charge is a small share of the price: Ticket Tailor, Eventbee, Eventzilla.
$0.85 to $1.50 per ticket, plus processing
Percentage plus flat fee
Organizers who want fees passed to buyers by default and a marketplace for discovery: Eventbrite, Ticketleap, Universe.
From 2% + $0.59 per ticket
Subscription or license
Frequent sellers (Luma Plus, 0% platform fee) or large conferences that want a flat budget line (Accelevents).
$59 a month billed annually to $7,500+ per event
Pricing Comparison
| Platform | Platform fee (US) | Card processing | Fees per ticket, absorbed | 200 tickets, organizer cost | Pass fees to buyers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Givebutter (nonprofits) | 0% with donor tips on; 3% with tips off | Covered by tips and the Givebutter Guarantee; 2.9% + 30¢ with tips off | $0 with tips; $1.775 without | $0 with tips; $355 without | Donors are offered tips to cover fees |
$0.85 per ticket, pay as you go; prepaid credits from $0.30 | Stripe, PayPal or Square at their rates | $1.875 | $375 (first five sales free) | Manual booking fee you set | |
Eventbee | $1 per ticket on Basic, plus a 1% booking fee from attendees | Your processor, or Eventbee's at 4.95% + 50c | $2.025 plus the 1% buyers pay | $405 | Service and processing fees, or split |
Universe | 2% + $0.59 per ticket on Starter and Standard | Universe Payments, or Stripe at its rates | $2.115 | $423 | Service and processing fees |
Ticketleap | $1 + 2% per ticket, capped at $20 | 3% online transaction fee per order | $2.25 | $450 | All fees; free to the organizer |
Luma | 5% on Free; 0% on Plus at $59 a month billed annually | Stripe, typically 2.9% + 30 cents | $2.275 on Free | $455 on Free; $205 plus the Plus fee | Not stated on the pricing page |
Eventzilla | $1.50 per registration on Basic | Your processor, or Eventzilla Payments at 2.9% + $0.99 | $2.525 with Stripe | $505 with Stripe; $643 with Eventzilla Payments | Service fee |
Eventbrite | 3.7% + $1.79 per paid ticket | 2.9% of the total order | $3.44 | $688 | Default: buyers pay both fees |
Accelevents | License from $7,500 for one event | Not part of the license price | Not per ticket | From $7,500 | Not applicable |
US fees checked on October 28, 2026 on each vendor's own pages: Givebutter pricing, Ticket Tailor US pricing, Ticket Tailor billing help, Eventbee pricing, Universe pricing, Ticketleap pricing, Luma pricing, Eventzilla pricing, Eventbrite organizer pricing, Eventbrite fees by country and Accelevents pricing. Stripe-based rows use 2.9% + $0.30 per order as quoted on Ticket Tailor's and Luma's pages. Totals are our arithmetic for 200 single-ticket orders.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Comparing platform fees without processing: Stripe's standard rate adds $1.025 to every single-ticket order in our scenario
- ×
Assuming passing fees makes them invisible, when US events must show the all-in price upfront
- ×
Picking a percentage-fee platform for cheap tickets, where a flat per-ticket fee costs less
- ×
Forgetting attendee-side fees such as Eventbee's 1% booking fee when quoting a ticket price
- ×
Buying a subscription for a single event: Luma Plus needs $14,160 of yearly ticket sales to break even
Expert Tips
- →
Set your ticket price as the all-in amount and absorb fees, so the price buyers see matches the price you advertise
- →
On Ticket Tailor, add a booking fee equal to its per-ticket charge if you want buyers to cover it
- →
Ask attendees to buy tickets together where possible, since per-order processing fees fall as orders get larger
- →
For nonprofits, test Givebutter's tip prompt before switching it off, because the 3% fee only applies without tips
- →
Re-run this math at the extremes: Ticketleap's small-ticket fee for tickets of $5 or less and its $20 cap on very expensive tickets both move its position
Red Flags to Watch For
-
A pricing page that shows only the platform fee and leaves card processing to the fine print
-
Fees that change by payout country with no fee preview before you publish
-
Payouts held until after the event when you have deposits to pay
-
Refund policies that keep the platform fee on refunded tickets
The Bottom Line
For a small paid event where you absorb fees, start with Ticket Tailor, the lowest general option we priced on our 200-ticket scenario. Nonprofits should look at Givebutter first, since tips can bring fees to zero. Choose Ticketleap or Eventbrite if you want buyers to pay every fee and you keep the full face value, and Eventbrite in particular if marketplace discovery is worth its higher fee. Pick Luma Plus only if paid ticket sales top its break-even, and Accelevents only for conferences large enough to dwarf its license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which event ticketing platform has the lowest fees in 2026?
For our 200-ticket US scenario with fees absorbed, Ticket Tailor is the lowest general platform at about $375 in total fees, as of October 28, 2026. Givebutter costs a nonprofit nothing when donor tips are on, and Eventbrite is the most expensive per-ticket option at $688 absorbed.
How much does Eventbrite charge per ticket?
In the US, Eventbrite charges a 3.7% + $1.79 service fee per paid ticket and a 2.9% payment processing fee on the total order. Buyers pay these by default; absorbed on the scenario ticket they come to $3.44. Fees differ by payout country.
Is there a free ticketing platform for paid events?
Not for most organizers: free plans are free for free events, and paid tickets carry fees. Givebutter is the exception for nonprofits, with 0% platform and processing fees when tips are on, and Ticketleap is free to organizers who pass its fee to buyers.
Should I absorb ticket fees or pass them to buyers?
Passing fees protects your margin, but US events selling in dollars must show the all-in price upfront, so buyers see the fee either way. Absorbing fees on Ticket Tailor costs about $1.875 per scenario ticket; on Eventbrite it costs $3.44.
Ticket Tailor vs Eventbrite: which costs less?
Ticket Tailor costs less on mid-priced tickets: a flat per-ticket fee plus processing, against Eventbrite's 3.7% + $1.79 plus 2.9%. On our 200-ticket scenario that is about $375 against $688 absorbed. Eventbrite adds a marketplace, and see Eventbrite alternatives for more options.
Do ticketing platforms charge for free events?
No platform here charges for free tickets. Ticket Tailor applies fair-usage limits above 5,000 free tickets a year, and Eventzilla keeps free events free with premium features as a paid add-on from $49 a month.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Event Ticketing Platform Fees Compared in 2026", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/event-ticketing-platform-fees-compared
Spotted an outdated price or a wrong fact? Suggest a correction: we check it against the vendor's own page. Work for one of these vendors? Claim your listing to update it yourself.
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