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 is a cost-effective, feature rich platform that enables you to build fully customizable online ticketing and registration pages—and our events page functionality offers comprehensive ticketing options with zero transaction fees!

Key features:

✔ Offer any number of tickets, each with its own price and availability
✔ Collect a booking fee for every ticket sold and keep the revenue
✔ Supply free and donation based tickets
✔ All major currencies accepted and customizable fields for translations
✔ Top-notch customer support from the founders
✔ Easy as pie to set up with, irrespective of tech skills

💳 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: Those looking for a budget friendly option with plenty of customization and adaptability with exceptional customer service to ensure your setup makes the most of our features.
😞 Not so great for: Those hosting events that call for seating management and e-ticket check in.

2. Eventbrite

Eventbrite has become one of the go-to platforms for both event organizers and attendees. For organizers, it offers a user-friendly interface to create event pages, manage ticket sales, and gain valuable buyer insights.

Key features:

✔ Boasts the world's largest online event ticketing marketplace
✔ Event organizer app allows you to monitor sales and check in guests at events
✔ Custom email templates for email marketing
✔ Real time event analytics and insights
✔ Because it’s well known, buyers feel a sense of trust in the platform

💳 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: For hosts without an established audience, creating an event on this platform automatically puts it on the public listings, maximizing its exposure to potential attendees.
😞 Not so great for: Those wanting to whitelabel or customize their event pages or those wanting a budget friendly option. Those fees mount up!

3. Whova

Whova is a powerful conference ticketing and registration platform with a strong focus on attendee engagement and experience. It offers advanced features, integrates seamlessly with their event app solution, and provides valuable data insights.

Key features:
✔ Create diverse ticket tiers with varying prices and access levels to cater to different attendee budgets and interests
✔ Restrict event registration or specific ticket types to a pre-approved list, ideal for exclusive events
✔ Simplify ticket purchases for groups by allowing them to register and pay together
✔ Integrated event app experience
✔ Rich data analytics and reporting tools

💳 Pricing:
Whova do not provide pricing on their site - you need to request a quote with a sales representative. However, as of March 2023 their pricing plans were approx:

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 seamless event experience with an integrated app that offers data-driven insights for future planning.
😞 Not so great for: Small, one-off events with limited ticketing needs, no app requirement and a keen eye on budget.

4. Bizzabo

Bizzabo is a leading, feature rich conference management platform designed to help organizations plan, execute, and analyze all aspects of their events, from virtual conferences to trade shows and local community gatherings.

Key features:
✔ create different ticket tiers with varying prices based on access levels, early bird discounts, or VIP packages
✔ Allow attendees to easily manage their tickets online, including viewing receipts, downloading PDFs (if offered), or transferring tickets to others (if permitted)
✔ For events with limited capacity, Bizzabo offers waitlist features to manage interested attendees who haven't secured tickets yet
✔ Event website creation and customization tools
✔ Live Streaming capabilities for virtual or hybrid events

💳 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 ticketing and registration to attendee engagement tools and virtual event solutions, Eventzilla empowers event organizers to create successful conferences with a user-friendly platform and the features you need to streamline your conference ticketing and planning system.

Key features:
✔ Self-service options to register, modify, cancel and get refunds
✔ Customizable registration emails, session info, badges, and reminders
✔ Eventzilla allows for branding elements and visual design to personalize event pages, creating a professional presentation
✔ Facilitate attendee interaction before, during, and after the event with features like online communities, forums, or chat functionalities
✔ Industry specific solutions offered for fundraisers, conferences, training/classes and more

💳 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 payout options.
🏆 Great for: Popular with hosts of conferences, fundraisers and larger events that call for a hybrid approach. Its inbuilt CRM is praised by its users.
😞 Not so great for: Some users have found it hard to get to grips with some of the more advanced features of this platform.

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 software designed to go beyond basic registration to offer a powerful suite of tools that streamline the entire event lifecycle, from pre-event planning and marketing to on-site execution and post-event analysis.

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

💳 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, depending on your chosen setup. More information can be found on this support page.
🏆 Great for: Anyone immersed in the event planning industry looking for a high end, enterprise scale highly customizable solution.
😞 Not so great for: Some users have complained about the complexity of use - the fact it’s heavily customizable can mean individual set ups are difficult to navigate.

9.TicketBud

Ticketbud is a strong choice for conference organizers of in-person, online and hybrid events, and especially those starting out or looking for a budget-friendly option. The free plan allows you to test the platform's capabilities, and the user-friendly interface makes it easy to create multi-day event pages.

Key features:
✔ Create an unlimited number of events and offer various ticket types (single tickets, group tickets, VIP packages) with different pricing tiers
✔ 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 provide 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 prides itself on being great for those getting started on their ticket sales journey with a nice range of features and a user friendly setup.
😞 Not so great for: Anyone looking for a more customizable platform.

10. RegFox

Regfox positions itself as an affordable and comprehensive event ticketing platform that also caters to broader aspects of conference management, from attendee registration and communication to marketing and analytics.

It prioritizes user experience and prides itself on its budget friendliness and transparency around fees.

Key features:
✔ Check in app and attendee management functionality
✔ Create workflows, dynamic pricing and custom questions
✔ Badge print onto avery labels
✔ Social media promotion tools
✔ Create visually appealing event registration pages with a user-friendly 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 prioritize affordability, user-friendliness, and a streamlined registration process that does not need to cater to complex 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 popular ticketing platform that allows event organizers to easily create, promote, and sell tickets for various events such as concerts, festivals, conferences, and more. It offers a range of features including customized event pages, ticket scanning apps, and seating charts.

Key features:
✔ User-defined ticketing options
✔ Ability for hosts to transfer guests to different ticket types or events
✔ Automatically show tickets available on the door if the event is not sold out
✔ Limit ticket numbers available per customer to prevent scalping
✔ Email communication tools for sharing important information with attendees

💳 Pricing:

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

Full pricing

💸 Payout time: Payouts happen on the first Thursday proceeding your event
🏆 Great for: Budget-conscious organizers of free and lower cost events looking for a great range of features for the price point.
😞 Not so great for: Hosts wanting to customize their setup or who require enterprise level features.

12. Ticket Tailor

Ticket Tailor caters specifically to independent event organizers, offering a straightforward interface for creating event pages, managing ticket sales, and gaining valuable audience insights.

Key features:
✔ Create different ticket tiers with varying prices to cater to different attendee budgets or offer VIP packages
✔ Free check-in app
✔ 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 various 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 ticket50% charity discount50% discount for low-price tickets

See full pricing

💸 Payout time: Typically it takes 7 days for a paid ticket to arrive in your account, or you can set up batch payments.
🏆 Great for: Small to medium event organizers who have some experience with event ticketing and registration platforms. Users have said they needed to be more tech savvy setting up with this platform over Eventbrite.
😞 Not so great for: Some users have found that the lack of customization options for landing pages and overall branding adjustments to be frustrating. It would also be less of a great candidate for complex ticketing structures.

What is the best conference ticketing platform?

Shortlisting platforms is challenging because conference requirements are so diverse, however, based on features, cost and what customers are saying about the different solutions, we’ve decided to champion the following solutions.

🥁 Cue drumroll…

🏆 For its specialized event features, cost effectiveness, customization potential AND winning customer support: Checkout Page

🏆 For a fully integrated event registration and management platform that customers and attendees love: 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!