12 Best conference ticketing platforms [2024]

Searching for the perfect conference ticketing platform to power your event and sell conference tickets online?

With countless options available, choosing the right ticketing software can feel like an overwhelming task. You want a platform that meets your specific needs and offers a seamless experience for your attendees at a price that fits your budget.

This article will guide you through identifying your conference's specific needs and present the top conference ticketing platforms of 2024, comparing their features, pricing, and benefits. By the end, you'll be equipped to make the best choice for your event.

Ready? Let's dive in.

Choosing the best conference ticketing software

When selecting the best conference ticketing system for your event, it's essential to consider your unique needs and priorities. Some key questions to ask yourself are:

🧑 Conference & attendee needs:

• Physical tickets: Do your attendees require physical tickets?
• In-person check-in: Will you need the software to verify attendance at the door?
• Seating allocation: Is assigned seating or tiered pricing based on location necessary?
• Event app: Will attendees benefit from an app with interactive features, surveys, or access control?
• In person, online or hybrid: Do you need a platform that supports virtual or hybrid attendance, including live streaming, Q&A sessions, polls and online networking tools?

👨🏾‍💻 Conference management & functionality:

• Tools & features: Do you require features like scheduling tools, speaker management, or vendor registration?
• Integrations: Does the platform integrate with other tools you use (CRM, email marketing, accounting, access control)?
• Event type features: Are there specific features needed for your event type (e.g., cashless payments, merch sales, donation management, live streaming)?

📣 Marketing & promotion:

• Built-in tools: Does the platform offer social media integration, email marketing, or discount code generation?
• Target audience: Does the platform's user base aligns with your ideal attendees?

💲 Cost & pricing:

• Pricing structure: Are upfront fees, per-ticket fees, transaction fees, and potential discounts transparent?
• Budget alignment: Have you compared pricing structures to find the most cost-effective option?
• Payout setup: How easily can you can access funds after attendees have paid for tickets?

🤔 Additional considerations:

• Customer support: Does the platform's customer support rank well in terms of responsiveness and support options?
• Ease of use: How user-friendly is the platform for both organizers and attendees?
• Scalability: Will the platform accommodate your conference's growth?

By carefully considering these factors, you can select a conference ticketing platform that aligns with your needs and ensures a seamless experience for you and your attendees.

How do you plan a conference?

Planning a conference requires careful consideration of various factors across several stages. There are many steps involved, from setting goals and attracting an audience to evaluating post-event outcomes.

To help people on their conference planning journey, we’ve written a comprehensive guide: The ultimate conference planning checklist

Key areas covered in the article include:

• Defining your conference goals.
• Building a dedicated team.
• Defining your target audience.
• Developing a budget and timeline.
• Selecting a venue and managing logistics.
• Building a compelling program.
• Attracting sponsors and exhibitors.
• Marketing and promotion.
• Post-conference evaluation.

And, we provide a free conference planning checklist template!

By following the steps and using the resources provided in this guide, you can successfully organize a conference that achieves your objectives and leaves a lasting impression on your attendees.

12 best conference ticketing platforms 2024

Let’s reveal our pick of the 12 best conference ticketing software choices for 2024. We’ve selected platforms that cater to a broad range of needs, conference styles and sizes—from niche single-day gatherings to multi-day corporate expos.

We review each platform’s highlights, who they work best for, who they are less suited to, and of course the all important question of pricing and payout.

1. Checkout Page

Checkout Page enables you to create professional, eye-catching conference and event registration pages using it's cost-effective, feature rich event page functionality. Our platform offers incredible ease of use, an array of customization options and outstanding customer support.

Plus, to top it off, you'll pay zero transaction fees!

Key features:

✔ Offer as many ticket types as you want, each with its own price and availability
✔ Collect a booking fee for each ticket sold and keep the revenue
✔ Offer both free and donation based tickets
✔ Accepts all major currencies
✔ Customizable fields for translating to other languages
✔ Outstanding, personable customer support from our founders
✔ Stress-free setup, no matter what your technical skills are!

💳 Pricing: Subscription model

Each option permits you to add an unlimited number of events and an unlimited number of paid or free tickets, making it unique in the market:

Founder: $29/month (up to $3k sales volume)

Funnel builder: $79/month (up to $10k sales volume)

Strategist: $149/month (unlimited volume)Save 30% by paying annually.

See full pricing

💸 Payout time: Immediate

🏆 Great for: Budget-conscious organizers who value rich customization options and exceptional, tailored support.

😞 Not so great for: Those hosting conferences that require seating management functionality and digital ticket check in.

2. Eventbrite

Eventbrite remains a widely known and popular platform for both event organizers and attendees. Organizers can easily create event pages, manage ticket sales, and gather valuable insights using its user-friendly interface.

Key features:

✔ Eventbrite's online marketplace can help you reach a wider audience for your conference.
✔ Event organizer app streamlines tasks like monitoring sales and checking in guests.
✔ Create custom email templates to engage attendees and boost ticket sales.
✔ Gain real-time analytics and insights to measure event performance.
✔ Established reputation helps inspire trust in your attendees when purchasing tickets

💳 Pricing:
Eventbrite has very recently changed their pricing structure (which was rather unpopular) for event organizers in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Northern Ireland. In a nutshell, for the regions above:

• It is now free to publish events
• Ticketing fees stay the same as before 4th September
• A pro plan (subscription) has been introduced to offer advanced marketing email capabilities

Basic pricing:

As of 4th September 2024:

• Events of any size and with any number of tickets can be listed for free.
• Free tickets incur no fees.
• Paid tickets incur 3.7% + $1.79 service fee per ticket in the USA.*
• Paid tickets incur 6.95% + £0.59 service fee per ticket in the UK.
• A 2.9% payment processing fee is taken per order.

* The full fee breakdown per country can be found here and many countries will remain on their legacy pricing packages.

Note: Eventbrite states that fees are paid by ticket buyers on paid tickets, unless you, the organizer, elect to cover them.

Pro plans:
Eventbrite Pro offers enhanced email marketing capabilities for event organizers. Subscribers to the Pro plan can send up to 10,000 daily emails and have unlimited contacts.

The tiers for this plan are as follows:

• Pro 2k (formerly Pro 100): Send up to 2,000 daily emails for $15/month
• Pro 6k (formerly Pro 250): Send up to 6,000 daily emails for $50/month)
• Pro 10k (formerly Pro Unlimited): Send up to 10,000 daily emails for $100/month (USD)

Annual subscribers to a Pro plan will receive a 20% discount. Qualifying nonprofits can enjoy a 50% discount.

💸 Payout time:
Eventbrite offers a choice of the following payout schedules:

• After your event: We'll start processing a single payout 3 days after your event's end date.
• Twice a month: Payouts start processing on the 1st and 15th of the month.
• Every week: Payouts start processing weekly on Wednesdays.

🏆 Great for: Event organizers seeking to reach a wider audience who don't already have an established following.
😞 Not so great for: Those prioritizing extensive customization or budget-conscious organizers who may find the notoriously high fees prohibitive.

3. Whova

Whova is a powerful conference registration and ticketing platform that goes beyond the basics. It puts a spotlight on attendee engagement, offering advanced features in this area, and integrates seamlessly with its event app solution.

Key features:
✔ Allow attendees to create their own personalized agendas based on their interests.
✔ Gamification elements like leaderboards and challenges make the event more engaging
✔ Features like in-app messaging and group chats enable attendees to connect and network
✔ Simplify ticket purchases for groups with streamlined registration and payment processes
✔ Provide a seamless experience with an integrated event app
✔ Rich data analytics and reporting tools

💳 Pricing:
Whova's website does not display their pricing - you are invited instead to contact their sales team for a custom quote. We do know that as of March 2023 their pricing plans were roughly as follows:

Starter Plan: $1,499 for up to 500 attendees for a 2-day event

Standard Plan: $2,999 for up to 1,000 attendees for a 2-day event

Pro Plan: $5,999 for up to 2,000 attendees for a 2-day event

Pricing available on demand

💸 Payout time: Whova’s website states: “Receive early registration payouts to cover venue deposits, food, travel, and other event expenses sooner. Benefit from improved cash flow and stress-free event planning.”

🏆 Great for: Larger scale organizers who want a platform packed with audience engagement features.

😞 Not so great for: Small scale events with no app requirement and a focus on keeping budgets in check.

4. Bizzabo

Bizzabo offers a powerful suite of tools to help you create successful conferences, trade shows, and other events. It offers features like virtual event capabilities, attendee management, lead generation, and comprehensive analytics.

Key features:
✔ Host engaging virtual conferences with live streaming, networking, and interactive features
✔ Attendees can manage their tickets online, including viewing receipts, downloading PDFs, or transferring tickets to others.
✔ Waitlist feature to manage interested attendees who haven't yet secured tickets.
✔ Event website creation and customization tools
✔ Offers live streaming capabilities for hosts organizing online or hybrid conferences

💳 Pricing:
Platform access starts at $499 per user per year, including unlimited events and other features.

Premium add-ons are available and full pricing is given upon speaking to a Bizzabo representative.Further details can be found on their pricing page

💸 Payout time: We could not find this on the website.

🏆 Great for: Large scale and repeat event organizers looking for a comprehensive platform to cover all aspects of hosting.

😞 Not so great for: Anyone hosting small events or looking for low cost or free options such as charity or community organizers.

5. Eventbee

Eventbee is a versatile online ticketing platform designed to streamline the event planning process at an affordable price point. With its user-friendly interface, event organizers can easily create and customize event pages, sell tickets, manage attendees, and track performance.

Key features:

✔ Transparent per ticket pricing model
✔ Ideal for charitable events, Eventbee simplifies the donation process and provides tools for tracking contributions.
✔ Create unique and branded event pages to reflect your event's identity.
✔ Tailor your event pages and registration forms to match your specific needs.
✔ Attendee check-in functionality
✔ Access your funds as your tickets are selling

💳 Pricing:
Eventbee has four plans, each with a flat fee applied per ticket. As of February 2024, they also apply a 1% booking fee to attendees. The for plans are:

Basic: $1 fee on each ticket sold
Pro: $1.50 fee on each ticket sold
Advanced: $2.50 fee on each ticket sold
Business: $3.50 fee on each ticket sold

Hidden/additional fees:
A one-time fee of $199.95 is applied for those wanting seating digitization. No additional fee is applied if the same seating is used for future events.

Further details of what each plan includes can be found on their pricing page

💸 Payout time: Eventbee offers immediate payout

🏆 Great for: Rich social media integration, with comprehensive social media sharing functions, Facebook commenting on your event page and rewarding attendees for sharing on their platforms.

😞 Not so great for: Some users have been frustrated by Eventbee not offering template features to make event page setups easier

6. Eventzilla

From conference ticketing and registration to attendee engagement features Eventzilla is a comprehensive event management platform that offers tools for ticketing, registration, attendee engagement, and virtual events. It's designed to help organizers create successful events with ease.

Key features:
✔ Customizable registration emails, session info, name badges, and event reminders.
✔ Self-service options for registration, modification, cancellation, and refunds.
✔ Enhanced attendee engagement through online communities, forums, and chat functionalities.
✔ Industry-specific solutions which cater to conferences, fundraisers and more.
✔ Customizable event pages with enabling orgazniers to create professional branded content

💳 Pricing:

Basic plan: $1.50 per registration
Pro plan: 2% + $1.50
Plus plan: 2.9% + $1.50 per registration
Custom plan: For a bespoke configuration, contact their sales team

Full pricing information

💸 Payout time: Daily, weekly or monthly options.

🏆 Great for: Popular with hosts of conferences, and larger events that utilize a hybrid format. Its inbuilt CRM is praised by its users.

😞 Not so great for: Some users have reported that it's fiddly to use some of the advanced platform features.

7. Webex Event

Webex Events (formerly Socio) is a comprehensive enterprise event ticketing and management platform that offers a range of features for hosting virtual, in-person, and hybrid events. It's particularly well-suited for large-scale conferences and trade shows.

Key features:
✔ Flexible ticketing enables multiple ticket types, prices, groups, discount codes
✔ Supports virtual events with interactive features like live streaming, Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities
✔ Offers a dedicated mobile app for easy access to event information, networking, and session schedules
✔ Encourages attendee participation through features like polls, surveys, and gamification
✔ End-to-end conference managing capabilities for the lifecycle of an event
✔ Multi-track agendas with speaker & content management

💳 Pricing:
Webex Events pricing is by enquiry only via their website and is based on a license per user structure.

💸 Payout time: Their website states that they offer instant payout for on ticket purchases.

🏆 Great for: Those organizing large scale conferences and need to support complex setups such as hybrid events with multi track agendas and rich attendee interactive elements.

😞 Not so great for: Anyone for whom budget is a priority or has simple attendee management needs that can be met with alternative low cost or free solutions.

8. Cvent

Cvent is a comprehensive event management platform that offers a wide range of tools to streamline the entire event lifecycle. From planning and marketing to on-site execution and post-event analysis, Cvent aims to provide a one-stop solution for event organizers.

Key features:
✔ Offer a range of ticket types with different pricing, availability, and benefits (e.g., early bird discounts)
✔ Design branded registration pages with a drag-and-drop builder.
✔ Manage delegate hotel bookings with real-time insights and automated records
✔ Integrate with global payment options (Stripe, Flutterwave, etc.) and benefit from easy tax incorporation
✔ Supports virtual as well as in-person events
✔ Simplify registration for teams with group discounts, bulk options and customization capability.

💳 Pricing:
Cvent’s pricing structure includes an annual license fee + a per-registration fee. Their pricing scales are tailored to your needs and you are asked to get in touch to request a quote.

💸 Payout time: There is a waiting period for funds to be settled, which varies depending on setup. For more information visit their support page.

🏆 Great for: Anyone immersed in the conference planning industry seeking a high end, enterprise scale highly customizable solution.

😞 Not so great for: The platforms advanced features the fact it’s heavily customizable can make individual set ups challenging to navigate as a user.

9.TicketBud

Ticketbud is a versatile platform that caters to a variety of conference formats, from in-person to hybrid. It's especially suitable for organizers on a budget who are looking for a user-friendly experience.

Key features:
✔ Create diverse ticket options to cater to different attendee needs and budgets.
✔ Track sales data, attendee demographics, and other key metrics to measure event success.
✔ Track offline ticket sales and manage guest lists for registrations received outside the platform.
✔ Access your ticket sales revenue quickly with flexible payout options, including daily, weekly, or monthly schedules.
✔ Design custom event pages with your branding to create a professional look and feel.

💳 Pricing:

Free: Free events totally free!
Paid events: 2% +99c per ticket sold
Nonprofits & schools: 1.75% + 99c per ticket sold
Payment Processor Fee: 2.9% + 30c per ticket

See full pricing

💸 Payout time: Daily, weekly or monthly payout options available.

🏆 Great for: Ticketbud is a beginner-friendly platform that provides a range of features for selling tickets.

😞 Not so great for: Conference organizers looking for a more customizable platform.

10. RegFox

Regfox is a budget-friendly and user-friendly platform that caters to both event ticketing and broader conference management needs. With features for registration, communication, marketing, and analytics, Regfox is a comprehensive solution for event organizers.

Key features:

✔ Create workflows, dynamic pricing and custom questions
✔ Print badges directly onto avery labels
✔ Social media promotion tools
✔ Check in app and attendee management functionality
✔ Create professional conference registration pages with a simple drag-and-drop interface
✔ “Shenanigan’ free pricing (their words, not ours)

💳 Pricing:
Flat 99¢ + 1% fee per paid registrant (capped at $4.99 per registrant)This applies to free tickets also.

See full pricing

💸 Payout time: Direct and instant payouts are possible on a daily basis

🏆 Great for: Those who value affordability, user-friendliness, and a streamlined registration process that suits simple ticketing structures.

😞 Not so great for: Event hosts looking for more bespoke features like the ability to sell different workshops within a single event.

11. Purplepass

Purplepass is a versatile ticketing platform that empowers event organizers to create and manage successful events. With features for creating customized event pages, selling tickets, and managing attendees, Purplepass offers a comprehensive solution for a variety of events, including concerts, festivals, and conferences.

Key features:
✔ User-defined ticket types and options
✔ Transfer guests to different ticket types or events easily
✔ Show tickets available on the door if the event is not sold out
✔ Limit the amounts of tickets available per customer to prevent scalping
✔ Email communication tools for updating your attendees

💳 Pricing:

Fees for free events: None
Non-profit service fees: 2.0% + $0.99/ticket
For-profit service fees: 2.5% + $0.99/ticket

Full pricing

💸 Payout time: Payouts happen on the first Thursday after your event

🏆 Great for: Budget-conscious organizers of free and low cost events looking for a good range of features for the price.

😞 Not so great for: Hosts wanting more richly customizable setups or who require enterprise level features.

12. Ticket Tailor

Ticket Tailor is a user-friendly ticketing platform specifically designed for independent event organizers. It offers a straightforward interface for creating event pages, managing ticket sales, and gaining valuable insights into your audience.

Key features:
✔ Set up different ticket tiers with varying prices to cater to different attendee budgets
✔ Free app for checking in your attendees
✔ Personalize event pages with your branding and visuals
✔ Flat fee structure and free tier for events with 50 tickets or less
✔ Integrate Ticket Tailor with other marketing and management tools you might already use
✔ Offer attendees convenient mobile ticketing options

💳 Pricing:

Free events: Free
Pay up front: from $0.28 per ticket
Pay as you sell: from $0.75 per ticket

50% charity discount
50% discount for low-price tickets

See full pricing

💸 Payout time: It usually takes 7 days for a paid ticket to arrive in your account, or you can set up batch payments.

🏆 Great for: A good choice for experienced event organizers with smaller to medium-sized events, looking for a user-friendly ticketing platform.

😞 Not so great for: Some users have found that limited customization options for landing pages and overall branding adjustments is limiting. It's also not a great candidate for complex ticketing structures.

What is the best conference ticketing platform?

Given the diverse needs of conferences, choosing the right ticketing platform can be challenging. After careful consideration, we've decided that the awards for best conference ticketing platform go to...🥁

🏆 For its specialized event page features, cost effectiveness, AND outstanding customer support: Checkout Page

🏆 For a fully integrated conference registration and management platform that both organizers and attendees love to use: Bizzabo

If you’d like to road test Checkout Page’s conference ticketing and registration abilities, you can sign up for a free trial, no card required!

Our founders are dedicated to supporting you in getting the most from Checkout Page. They also happen to be very enthusiastic about sharing our conference and event features with you, so feel free to reach out using the chat feature on our website or book a demo call.

Need some pro tips on how to sell conference tickets online? Check out
5 proven tactics to increase event ticket sales and sell out your next event

We hope to support you on your journey!