Best event ticketing platforms [2024]

Searching for your perfect ticketing platform match?

With endless features and options calling for your attention, it's easy to feel overwhelmed before you even begin.

You don’t want to be frustrated by a lack of useful features, or pay for shiny functionality that’s beyond your requirements—so, before diving into a feature frenzy, it’s vital to take a step back and consider the needs of your event.

Whether you're hosting a sprawling music festival, an intimate charity gala, or a community yoga session—the ideal ticketing platform will help you on your ticket sales journey with the right features and a fair price.

To support you in your search, this article will guide you through key questions to ask yourself about your platform requirements and offers reviews of 10 popular platforms—breaking down their features, pricing structures, and what kinds of events they serve best.

What should I look for in an event ticketing platform?

Starting with this question will help steer your search and prevent you getting lost in a sea of features.

Many platforms offer much more than just ticket sales functionality and have become powerful tools allowing organizers to manage complex registrations with custom forms, integrate cashless payments for food and beverages, generate insightful data reports, and even facilitate attendee networking through built-in community features.

🗝️ The key to finding out what’s right for you is asking yourself the right questions.Which features are non-negotiables for you, which are ‘nice-to-have’ and what is surplus to requirements?

To help you in your search, here are some good questions to consider:

❓Event & Attendee Needs

• Do my guests need physical (PDF) tickets? Consider your audience's demographics and comfort level with technology.
• Do I need in-person check-in functionality? Will your event require staff to scan tickets or verify attendance at the door?
• Do I need seating allocation? This is crucial for events with assigned seating or tiered pricing based on location.
• Will attendees need to download an event app? Consider functionalities like interactive features, surveys, or access control through an app.
• Do I need to collect additional attendee information beyond basic registration? Platforms might offer custom forms to gather dietary restrictions, preferred workshops, or T-shirt sizes for merchandise pre-orders.

❓Event Management & Functionality

• What level of event creation and management tools do I need? Do you require features like scheduling tools, speaker management, or vendor registration?
• Does the platform integrate with other tools I use? Consider integrating with CRM software, email marketing platforms, accounting software, or access control systems.
• Do I need features for specific event types? Look for features like cashless payments (food & beverage), merch sales, donation management (charity events), or live streaming capabilities (virtual/hybrid events).

❓Cost & Pricing

• What is the platform's pricing structure? Consider upfront fees, per-ticket fees, transaction fees, and potential discounts for high-volume events.
• Do the fees align with my budget? Compare pricing structures across different platforms to find the most cost-effective option for your event type and expected ticket sales.
• What is the platform payout setup? Can I access funds with ease or will I have to wait until after my event is finished?

❓Marketing & Promotion

• Does the platform offer built-in marketing tools? Look for features like social media integration, email marketing tools, or discount code generation.
• How will the platform help me reach my target audience? Consider the platform's user base and the demographics of your ideal attendees.

❓Additional Considerations

• Customer support: Evaluate the platform's customer support options (phone, email, live chat) and their responsiveness to inquiries.
• Security and data protection: Ensure the platform adheres to industry standards for data security and payment processing.
• Ease of use: Consider the platform's user interface and how user-friendly it is for both event organizers and attendees.
• Scalability: Will the platform be able to handle your event's size and potential growth in future events?

By carefully considering these questions, you can make an informed decision and select an online ticketing platform that ticks all the right boxes.

Best event ticketing platforms 2024

Let’s dive into our 10 top event ticketing platform picks for this year, which cover a broad range of needs and event styles and sizes, from intimate yoga workshops to multi-day conferences.

We’ll look at platform 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)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 you make 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:
Free: $0 for up to 25 tickets

Flex: pay as you go options$9.99 per event for up to 100 tickets$24.99 per event for up to 250 tickets$49.99 per event for unlimited tickets

Pro: subscriptions$29 per month for up to 100 tickets
$79 per month for up to 250 tickets
$159 per month for unlimited tickets

Opting for yearly billing saves you 20% on the pro plans

❗Additional/hidden fees:
Example fees per location:
UK 6.95% + £0.59 per sold ticket (no payment processing fee)
USA 3.7% + $1.79 per sold ticket + processing fee of 2.9% The full fee breakdown per country can be found hereSee full pricing

💸 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. Bizzabo

Bizzabo is a leading, feature rich event management software 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 addons 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.

4. 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 ticket

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

💸 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.

5. Eventzilla

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

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
Plus plan: 2.9% + $1.50 per registration (at the time of writing there is 50% off this plan)

Custom plan: For a bespoke configuration, contact their sales teamFull 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.

6. RegFox

Regfox positions itself as an affordable and comprehensive event ticketing platform that also caters to broader aspects of event 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 labels
✔ Social media promotion tools
✔ Create visually appealing event registration pages with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface

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.

7. 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.

8.TicketBud

Ticketbud is a strong choice for event organizers of in-person, online and hybrid events, 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
Non-profits & 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.

9. Whova

Whova is a powerful event 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.

10. 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.

What is the best event ticketing platform?

🏆 For its brand new event page feature, cost effectiveness, customization a AND outstanding support: Checkout Page

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

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

Want to experience Checkout Page’s fantastic new event page feature first hand? Why not sign up for our free trial - no card required!

To get you off to a flying start we have a library of event templates like this one. If you want to start from scratch we know you’ll find it intuitive and slick. And as an added bonus, our founders are on hand to assist you set things up optimally for your event!

If you’d like to learn more about selling event tickets online like a pro, read our article How to sell event tickets online

We hope to support you on your journey!