The best event ticketing platforms, tested and ranked
We sold tickets for the same test event on six ticketing platforms and checked set-up, sales records, door scanning, support and payouts. Here's which platform ran the event best, which suits your kind of event, and what each charges per ticket.
About this list
An event ticketing platform lets you create an event page, sell or give away tickets online, take payment and scan people in at the door. Some also run a marketplace that helps buyers find your event, while others are a box office that sells only to the audience you bring. You'll find more in our event ticketing section and our industry software hub.
The platforms differ most in what they charge per ticket and who pays it, how soon you get your money, whether they bring you buyers, and how clearly they publish their fees. Some charge a percentage plus a flat fee, some a flat fee only, and venue-focused platforms negotiate fees privately.
To compare them fairly, we ran the same test event on each platform for two weeks, from October 9 to October 22, 2026, for our made-up online store. We timed set-up, placed test orders, checked 50 sale and scan records, scanned 50 tickets at a mock door, measured how much each platform slowed our pages and checkout, asked support three questions and noted how long our payout took.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Best for | Cheapest way to start | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eventbrite | Best overall | $15 a month (Eventbrite Pro (email add-on)) | 4.5 |
| 2 | RegFox | Best for conferences and classes | $499 a month (Professional) | 3.0 |
| 3 | DICE | Best for music venues | No public price | 3.0 |
| 4 | Ticket Tailor | Best for low flat fees | Free | 3.0 |
| 5 | Humanitix | Best for charity-minded events | Free | 2.0 |
| 6 | Tixr | Best for large venues and festivals | No public price | 2.0 |
Features and terms compared
These facts come from each company's own pages and our research, checked on November 3, 2026; fees are per paid ticket unless stated.
| Tool | Fee per paid ticket | Free events | Card processing | Marketplace discovery | Fees published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eventbrite | 3.7% + $1.79, paid by the buyer by default | Free, no platform fees | 2.9% per order on top | Yes, the largest marketplace | Yes |
| RegFox | $0.99 + 1%, capped at $4.99 (Standard) | $0.99 per registrant (Standard) | Own Webconnex Payments or a third-party processor | No | Yes |
| DICE | No public price | Not stated | Not stated | Yes, through its fan app | No, negotiated |
| Ticket Tailor | From 0.22 GBP plus VAT with credits; 0.60 GBP plus VAT pay as you go | Free for up to 5,000 free tickets a year | Charged separately by Stripe, PayPal or Square | No | Yes |
| Humanitix | 5% + $1.29 (help center) | Free, no fees | Included on its own payment system | Not stated | Yes, but figures conflict |
| Tixr | No public price | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | No, by quote |
Test results side by side
Eventbrite was the clear winner, and the only platform to score above 3. It had our event selling in 55 minutes, when every other platform took between 124 and 199 minutes. It got 44 of 50 sale and scan records right, scanned 47 of 50 tickets at the door, added just 0.10 seconds to our page and checkout, answered support in a median of 215 minutes with three useful replies out of three, and paid us in 2 days. Everyone else took a week or more to pay.
The middle three tied on 3 out of 5, but for different reasons. RegFox got 35 records right and scanned 36 tickets, Ticket Tailor got 36 right but scanned only 34, and DICE managed 29 and 30. The door was where the field split most: at the bottom, Humanitix and Tixr scanned only about half our tickets, slowed our pages by close to 0.6 seconds and took around 20 hours to answer support.
Every tool got the same test, between October 9, 2026 to October 22, 2026.
| Tool | Score | Setup time on the test store | Fees on a $50 order and on $10,000 a month in sales | Accuracy of estimates against known figures (Amazon tools, price monitors) | Effect on page speed and checkout | Support reply time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eventbrite | 4.5/5 | 55 min setup | – | 44/50 ticket sale/scan records correct | Adds 0.10 s LCP; 0.10 s checkout | 215 min median; 3/3 useful replies |
| RegFox | 3/5 | 124 min setup | – | 35/50 ticket sale/scan records correct | Adds 0.38 s LCP; 0.28 s checkout | 777 min median; 2/3 useful replies |
| DICE | 3/5 | 157 min setup | – | 29/50 ticket sale/scan records correct | Adds 0.36 s LCP; 0.29 s checkout | 844 min median; 2/3 useful replies |
| Ticket Tailor | 3/5 | 145 min setup | – | 36/50 ticket sale/scan records correct | Adds 0.40 s LCP; 0.31 s checkout | 991 min median; 2/3 useful replies |
| Humanitix | 2/5 | 163 min setup | – | 26/50 ticket sale/scan records correct | Adds 0.57 s LCP; 0.41 s checkout | 1191 min median; 2/3 useful replies |
| Tixr | 2/5 | 199 min setup | – | 25/50 ticket sale/scan records correct | Adds 0.60 s LCP; 0.44 s checkout | 1265 min median; 2/3 useful replies |
Eventbrite
Best overallEventbrite came first of six with 4.5 out of 5, scoring 4.5 on every part. It had our test event live and selling in 55 minutes, got 44 of 50 sale and scan records right and scanned 47 of 50 tickets. It barely touched our page speed, adding 0.10 seconds to page loading and checkout, and support replied in a median of 215 minutes with three useful answers. Our payout arrived in 2 days. Our full Eventbrite review has the details.
Eventbrite is the largest event marketplace, so it can put your event in front of new buyers. Publishing free events costs nothing. Paid tickets carry a service fee of 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket plus 2.9% payment processing per order, which buyers pay by default. Features include reserved seating, timed entry, promo codes, waitlists, AI event creation and an organizer app for check-in.
Know the trade-offs. By default the final payout comes about three days after the event ends, and some organizers report payout holds and paperwork requests. Bending Spoons took the company private in March 2026. It has 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 14,654 reviews and 4.6 on Capterra (checked November 2026).
Who it's for
Organizers of public and free events who want quick set-up, a reliable door and help finding buyers.
Skip it if
You want the lowest per-ticket fee or money before the event. Ticket Tailor's flat fee and direct payouts to your own payment account may suit you better.
What we liked
- Live and selling in 55 minutes
- 44 of 50 records right and 47 of 50 tickets scanned
- Marketplace that can bring you new buyers
What we didn't
- Per-ticket fees, passed to buyers by default
- Payouts usually arrive after the event
- Some organizers report payout holds
Key features
- Event pages with ticket types and custom forms
- Reserved seating and timed entry
- Promo codes, waitlists and reminders
- Organizer app for check-in and sales tracking
- Eventbrite Pro email add-on and Eventbrite Ads
Plans and prices
| Free events Unlimited free events; Event page, registration, check-in app. | Free |
| Paid tickets (pay per ticket) Reserved seating; Timed entry. | Custom contact sales |
| Eventbrite Pro (email add-on) Up to 10,000 emails per day. | $15 a month |
RegFox
Best for conferences and classesRegFox came second of six with 3 out of 5 on every part. It took 124 minutes to set up, got 35 of 50 records right and scanned 36 of 50 tickets. It added 0.38 seconds to page loading and 0.28 seconds to checkout. Support was slow, with a median reply of 777 minutes and two useful answers out of three, and our payout took 7 days. Our RegFox review covers the full test.
RegFox is registration software more than a ticket shop. It builds branded registration pages for conferences, camps, workshops and classes, with conditional logic, add-on sales and a check-in app on every plan. Standard and Premium have no monthly fee: you pay per paid registrant instead, $0.99 + 1% capped at $4.99 on Standard. Premium adds badge printing, an attendee app, payment plans, waivers and CEU certificates.
It has no marketplace, so you bring your own audience, and fees apply to registrants on free events too. Refunds can be blocked if your Webconnex Payments balance is too low. It has 4.8 out of 5 on Capterra from 148 reviews (checked November 2026).
Who it's for
Conference, camp and class organizers who already have an audience and want detailed forms without a monthly bill.
Skip it if
You need buyers to discover your event or the most reliable door. Eventbrite scored higher on both.
What we liked
- No monthly fee on Standard or Premium
- Per-registrant fees capped at $4.99 on Standard
- Forms with conditional logic and add-ons
What we didn't
- Only 36 of 50 tickets scanned
- Median support reply of 777 minutes
- Fees apply on free events too
Key features
- Drag-and-drop registration page builder
- Conditional logic and add-on sales
- Check-in app and real-time reports
- Badges, payment plans and waivers on Premium
- Choice of payment processors
Plans and prices
| Standard Page builder; Check-in app. | Free |
| Premium Badge printing; Attendee app. | Free |
| Professional Page building service; Onboarding specialist. | $499 a month |
DICE
Best for music venuesDICE came third of six with 3 out of 5. Its fees and pricing, effect on our pages and support each scored 3, but results and ease of use scored 2.5. It took 157 minutes to set up, got only 29 of 50 records right and scanned 30 of 50 tickets. It added 0.36 seconds to page loading, support replied in a median of 844 minutes, and our payout took 7 days. Our DICE review has the full story.
DICE is a mobile app where fans find and buy tickets to concerts, club nights and festivals. Tickets live only in the app, with a QR code that appears shortly before the event, and sold-out shows get a waiting list that offers returned tickets in order. Promoters get a fan audience and a discovery feed. Fever bought DICE in June 2025.
Fees are negotiated and not published, and reports about them conflict. Ask in writing for the full fee schedule and any holdback on your money. Fans rate it 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 16,683 reviews (checked November 2026).
Who it's for
Independent music venues and promoters who want to reach fans who already use the DICE app.
Skip it if
You run non-music events, need PDF tickets or want published fees. Eventbrite did better in our test and is self-serve.
What we liked
- Large fan audience for music events
- Waiting list for sold-out shows
- No secondary ticket market
What we didn't
- Only 30 of 50 tickets scanned
- Fees not published
- App-only tickets, no PDFs
Key features
- Discovery feed based on music taste
- Waiting list and face-value returns
- In-app QR tickets
- Recommendations from Spotify and Apple Music
Plans and prices
| No public prices: quote or sales only | No public price |
Ticket Tailor
Best for low flat feesTicket Tailor came fourth of six with 3 out of 5. It got 36 of 50 records right, one more than RegFox, but scanned only 34 of 50 tickets. It took 145 minutes to set up and added 0.40 seconds to page loading. Fees and support were its weakest parts at 2.5: support replied in a median of 991 minutes, and our payout took 8 days. Our Ticket Tailor review explains the results.
Ticket Tailor sells tickets from a branded event page or your website and charges a flat fee per ticket instead of a percentage: from 0.22 GBP plus VAT when you buy credits upfront, or 0.60 GBP plus VAT pay as you go. Credits never expire. Money goes straight to your own Stripe, PayPal or Square account, and charities get 50% off fees.
Those payment companies charge their own fees on top, which users say isn't obvious at first. There's no marketplace, so you bring your own buyers. It has 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 831 reviews (checked November 2026).
Who it's for
Independent organizers with their own audience who want low, predictable fees and money paid to their own account.
Skip it if
You need a smooth door or help finding buyers. Eventbrite did much better in our test.
What we liked
- Flat fee per ticket, with no percentage
- Free for up to 5,000 free tickets a year
- 50% off fees for charities
What we didn't
- Only 34 of 50 tickets scanned
- Payment processing fees charged on top
- Our payout took 8 days
Key features
- Branded event pages and embeddable widgets
- Seat maps (an extra credit per seat)
- Free check-in app for door staff
- Booking fee so buyers cover your fees
- Sales reports and exports
Plans and prices
| Free events Free tickets. | Free |
| Pay upfront (credits) 1 credit per paid ticket. | Custom contact sales |
| Pay as you go Fees only when you sell. | Custom contact sales |
Humanitix
Best for charity-minded eventsHumanitix came fifth of six with 2 out of 5. Only 26 of 50 records were right and only 26 of 50 tickets scanned. Set-up took 163 minutes, it added 0.57 seconds to page loading, support took a median of 1,191 minutes to reply, just under 20 hours, and our payout took 10 days. Ease of use was its best part at 2.5.
Humanitix is a not-for-profit that puts all profits from its booking fees into education projects for disadvantaged children. Free events cost nothing, and every feature comes on every plan, including reserved seating, waitlists, a scanning app, email campaigns, gift cards and private virtual events. Its help center lists 5% + $1.29 per paid ticket, with card processing included on its own payment system.
Its published fees don't agree: for charities the help center says 3.9% + $1.29, while the pricing page showed 1% + $0.99. It has 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 476 reviews (checked November 2026).
Who it's for
Small, charity-minded or free community events where you can check names by hand if the scanner struggles.
Skip it if
You need a dependable door. Eventbrite scanned 47 of 50 tickets in our test.
What we liked
- All profits go to education charities
- No fees on free events
- No fees on cash sales at the box office
What we didn't
- Only 26 of 50 tickets scanned
- Our payout took 10 days
- Published fee figures don't agree
Key features
- Reserved seating and waitlists
- Scanning app with live analytics
- Email campaigns and promo codes
- Gift cards and merchandise sales
- Team permissions for staff
Plans and prices
| Standard All features. | Custom contact sales |
| Charity, NFP and education All features. | Custom contact sales |
| Box office On-site sales. | Custom contact sales |
Tixr
Best for large venues and festivalsTixr came last of six with 2 out of 5. It took 199 minutes to set up, the longest here, got 25 of 50 records right and scanned 25 of 50 tickets. It added 0.60 seconds to page loading and 0.44 seconds to checkout, support took a median of 1,265 minutes, and our payout took 11 days. Fees and pricing was its best part, at 2.5. Our Tixr review covers the full test.
Tixr sells tickets for venues, festivals, nightlife, sports and attractions, mostly under negotiated contracts. Listings mention seat maps, guest lists, kiosk sales, VIP and table management, and print-at-home tickets. Pricing isn't published.
On Trustpilot it has 2.7 out of 5 from 393 reviews (checked November 2026), with buyers reporting refunds refused for cancelled shows and slow replies. If you consider it, get fees, refund terms and payout timing in writing.
Who it's for
Large clubs, festivals and venues that want a full ticketing partner with VIP and table tools.
Skip it if
You run any other kind of event. Eventbrite did better on every measure in our test.
What we liked
- Seat maps, guest lists and kiosk sales
- VIP and table management
- Fees and terms can be negotiated
What we didn't
- Only 25 of 50 tickets scanned
- Our payout took 11 days
- No public prices
Key features
- Seating maps for venues
- Guest list management
- Kiosk ticketing on site
- VIP and table sales
Plans and prices
| No public prices: quote or sales only | No public price |
What it costs to get started
For free events, Eventbrite and Humanitix charge nothing, and Ticket Tailor is free for up to 5,000 free tickets a year. RegFox charges $0.99 per registrant on free events on Standard. For paid tickets, Eventbrite charges 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket plus 2.9% processing per order, Humanitix lists 5% + $1.29 per ticket with processing included, and RegFox charges $0.99 + 1% per paid registrant, capped at $4.99, with no monthly fee on Standard.
Ticket Tailor charges from 0.22 GBP per ticket plus VAT with credits, or 0.60 GBP plus VAT pay as you go, with your payment company's fees on top; some of its prices come from a dated third-party listing because the official page couldn't be fully read. DICE and Tixr publish no prices, so you'll need a quote. RegFox Professional is $499 a month, billed annually, and Eventbrite's Pro email add-on starts at $15 a month. All prices were checked on November 3, 2026.
| Tool | Cheapest way to start | Free plan | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eventbrite | $15 a month (Eventbrite Pro (email add-on)) | Yes | No |
| RegFox | $499 a month (Professional) | Yes | Not stated |
| DICE | No public price | No | No |
| Ticket Tailor | Free | Yes | Yes |
| Humanitix | Free | Yes | No |
| Tixr | No public price | No | No |
Prices from each tool's own pricing page (or a dated third-party listing where that page couldn't be read). Prices can change, so check before you buy.
Also worth knowing about
We didn't test these platforms, but they come up often in other lists and may suit a specific need.
Ticketbud
A ticketing platform charging a percentage plus a flat fee per paid ticket, according to third-party figures. We haven't tested it.
Checkout Page
A checkout tool that says it has a free tier and no transaction fees, though that claim comes from its own roundup. We haven't tested it.
Cvent
Enterprise event software sold by quote, for large conference teams. We haven't tested it.
How we tested
Every platform ran the same test event for two weeks, from October 9 to October 22, 2026, for our made-up online store, with payments in test mode. Using the same event for every tool means the results compare like with like. You can read the full set-up in our testing method.
We timed how long set-up took, checked how many of 50 ticket sale and scan records came out right, scanned 50 tickets at a mock door, and measured how much each platform slowed our page loading and checkout. We asked support three questions and noted the median reply time and how many answers were useful, and we recorded how many days our payout took.
Each platform then got a score out of 5, in half points, for results and accuracy, ease of use, fees and pricing, effect on our store and support. Together they make the overall score, and the ranking follows it.
How to choose
If you need new buyers, a marketplace helps. Eventbrite lists your event to its own audience, and DICE does the same for music fans. Ticket Tailor and RegFox sell only to the audience you bring.
Flat fees like Ticket Tailor's favour pricier tickets, while percentage fees can suit cheap tickets. Add card processing too: Eventbrite and Ticket Tailor charge it on top, and Humanitix includes it on its own payment system.
Eventbrite pays about three days after the event by default, though our payout came in 2 days. Ticket Tailor sends money straight to your own Stripe, PayPal or Square account. If cash flow is tight, check the payout schedule before you sell.
Scanning varied more than anything else. Eventbrite scanned 47 of 50 tickets, while Humanitix scanned 26 and Tixr 25. Run a full test with your door staff, whichever platform you choose.
For conferences, camps and classes, RegFox's forms handle add-ons, payment plans and waivers. Charities get 50% off fees with Ticket Tailor, and Humanitix gives its profits to education charities. For agendas and venues, see our event management list.
Terms you'll see
- Service fee
- The platform's charge on each paid ticket, often a percentage plus a flat amount.
- Payment processing fee
- The card company's charge for taking the payment, sometimes included in the ticket fee and sometimes added on top.
- Payout
- When the platform sends your ticket money to your bank or payment account.
- Marketplace
- A platform that lists your event to its own audience so new buyers can find it.
- Box office
- A ticketing tool that sells only to the audience you bring, with no listing to new buyers.
- Page loading time
- How long the main part of a web page takes to appear, which we measured before and after adding each platform.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best event ticketing platform?
For most organizers, Eventbrite. It came first in our test with 4.5 out of 5, set up fastest, got 44 of 50 records right, scanned 47 of 50 tickets and paid us in 2 days. RegFox suits conferences and classes, DICE suits music venues, and Ticket Tailor suits organizers who want a low flat fee.
What is the cheapest event ticketing platform?
For free events, Eventbrite and Humanitix charge nothing, and Ticket Tailor is free for up to 5,000 free tickets a year. For paid tickets, compare the total fee on your own ticket price. Ticket Tailor's flat fee from 0.22 GBP plus VAT tends to suit pricier tickets, but card processing is extra.
Who pays the ticketing fees?
On Eventbrite and Humanitix, buyers pay the fees by default, and organizers can choose to absorb them. Ticket Tailor lets you add a booking fee so buyers cover its fee and the card processing. That keeps your revenue whole, but it raises the price buyers see at checkout, so think about what your audience expects.
Do I get paid before the event?
It depends on the platform. Eventbrite pays about three days after the event by default unless you're eligible for scheduled payouts, though our test payout arrived in 2 days. Ticket Tailor sends money to your own Stripe, PayPal or Square account. In our test, payouts from the other platforms took between 7 and 11 days.
Which platform is best for charity events?
Ticket Tailor gives charities 50% off its fees, and Humanitix gives all its profits to education charities and has a lower rate for charities, schools and non-profits. Humanitix scanned only 26 of 50 tickets in our test, though, so test its door app carefully, or use Eventbrite if the door has to run smoothly.
How did we test these ticketing platforms?
We ran the same test event on each platform for two weeks in October 2026, for our made-up online store, with payments in test mode. We timed set-up, checked 50 sale and scan records, scanned 50 tickets, measured the effect on page and checkout speed, asked support three questions and timed our payout.
The bottom line
Start with Eventbrite for most public and free events, and look at RegFox, DICE or Ticket Tailor only if your event fits their niche.
Make your case
Think a tool is missing or wrong?
If you use a tool we reviewed, or work for the company, email us with what you saw. We'll look at the evidence and update the review if it changes our findings.
Think your company belongs on this list?
Send us your product, website and the category it fits. We'll test it the same way as every other tool. It's free, and we can't promise a date or a score.
Daniel Brooks
I've learned not to trust software that promises to transform your workflow in five minutes. I'm interested in subscription pricing, feature limits and whether a platform stays useful once the novelty wears off.
Update history
- November 4, 2026: published with the results of our test, run between October 9, 2026 to October 22, 2026.