10 cheapest ticketing platforms (lowest fees for organizers in 2026)

10 event ticketing platforms with the lowest fees [2026]

If you're selling tickets online with a large event ticketing platform like Eventbrite, you've likely experienced the frustration of watching your ticket sales profits shrink due to high fees and rigid checkouts.

The initial promise of marketing exposure rarely justifies the financial hit and the lack of brand control.

This is when organizers start searching for the cheapest ticketing platform that offers real transparency. But 'cheapest' isn't just about the lowest single number; it's about the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for your event, sales volume, and branding needs.

We work with hundreds of organizers who switched from marketplace platforms to gain control and cost efficiency. We will show you how to find a solution that maximizes your revenue, regardless of whether you’re running a free workshop or a high-volume festival.

In this definitive updated guide for 2026, we cut through the confusion over fees to help you determine which ticket site has the lowest fees for your event.

Decoding event ticketing fees

The critical distinction: Platform vs. processing fees

To find the genuinely cheapest ticketing platform for your event, understanding the two core costs in every online ticket sale is the first step. Clarity over these costs will make the difference between keeping your profits and losing them to hidden or unnecessary charges.

1. Unavoidable cost: payment processing fees

These fees are non-negotiable and are charged by your payment gateway (e.g., Stripe, PayPal, Square). They are standard across all e-commerce and are not unique to event ticketing platforms.

  • Fee structure: Typically a percentage plus a fixed micro-fee (e.g., $2.9% + $0.30 per transaction).
  • What it covers: The cost of moving money digitally, running fraud checks, and securing the transaction.
  • Verdict: You cannot avoid this if you accept digital payments. The only way to lower this is to negotiate rates with your processor based on volume.

2. Avoidable cost: Platform commission fees

This is the fee the ticketing software charges you to use their tool, and is where the biggest cost variations and savings are found. Many event ticketing platforms charge a % commission per ticket, plus an additional per-ticket fee.

These commission fees can be avoided or contained by choosing platforms that offer a Predictable Cost Model, for example a monthly subscription without per ticket fees.

Predicting your costs: Per-ticket fees vs. subscriptions

When searching for the ticket platform with the lowest fees, your options will ultimately fit into one of two models. Experienced organizers know that choosing the right model based on event volume is the cheapest way to sell tickets online.

Cost model

How you pay

Ideal for...

Scaling per-ticket fees

A fee charged for every single ticket sold. Often includes a percentage and a fixed amount.

Organizers who run very few, small, or mostly free events (as seen in Scenario 1 below).

Predictable flat subscription

A fixed monthly price that scales based on your sales volume.

Organizers who sell high volumes of paid tickets or who run recurring events (as seen in Scenarios 2 & 4 below).

How platforms handle the "free" promise

Even platforms advertising "no ticket fees" still need to cover their costs. The cost typically appears in one of these forms:

  • For subscription models (like Checkout Page): The cost is pre-paid via the monthly plan, allowing you to pay $0.00 per ticket on the platform side. Your only cost is the monthly fee and the unavoidable processing fee.
  • For "free" platforms: The cost is often passed to the buyer (as a "service fee") or buried in a mandatory upgrade when you exceed a small sales volume.

Our observation: Whilst many event organizers start with low, per-ticket fees to minimize risk on small events, experienced, high-growth organizers quickly realize the financial benefit of the flat, predictable cost of a subscription.

Comparison chart: Platform fees, free trials, and free ticket sales

This chart summarizes the key financial trade-offs for 10 leading event ticketing platforms when searching for the lowest ticket fees.

The fees listed below exclude the unavoidable payment processing fees (typically $2.9% + $0.30), unless otherwise noted.

Platform

Pricing model

Platform fees (excl. processing)

Free trial?

Free tickets truly free?

Checkout Page

Subscription (tiered by revenue)

$29–$499/mo (no per-ticket fees)

✔ 7-day

❌ No. Subscription required

Ticket Tailor

Per-ticket (credits or PAYG)

$0.30–$0.75 per paid ticket

❌ No

✔ Yes, up to 5,000 free tickets / year

Ticket Source

Per-ticket or percentage

$0.99 per paid ticket or 3.5% + $0.99 (if using TS payments)

❌ No

✔ Yes. Always free

TicketSpice

Flat per-ticket

$0.99 per paid ticket

❌ No

✔ Yes, if also running paid events

RegFox

Flat per-registrant

$0.99 + 1% per registrant (capped at $4.99)

❌ No

❌ No. $0.99 per free registrant minimum

Tix

Flat per-ticket

$0.25 (box office) / $1.50 (online)

❌ No

✔ Yes - Box office free events are free

Yapsody

Percentage + per-ticket

$0.59 + 1.75% per ticket (general seating)

✔ 30-day

✔ Yes. Within the free tier

ThunderTix

Subscription + per-ticket

$20–$175/mo + $1.00–$1.95 per ticket (after included)

❌ No

✔ Yes. Truly free (confirm limits)

Eventzilla

Percentage + per-ticket

$1.50 (basic) up to 2.9% + $1.50 (plus)

❌ No

✔ Yes. Free registrations are free

Showpass

Percentage + per-ticket

1% + $0.59 CAD up to 2.5% + $1.69 CAD

❌ No

✔ Yes. Free tickets are free

Finding the 'cheapest' platform: 5 real-world event scenarios

This is the most critical section for determining what ticket site has the lowest fees for you. We put various pricing models to the test with the added context of real world scenarios, calculating the TCO for five distinct events.

NOTE: For these scenarios, we have assumed a standard Stripe processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 for platforms where the organizer uses their own gateway.

Note: Pricing reflects publicly listed fees as of January 2026.

Scenario 1: The small, free community workshop

This scenario identifies the platforms that truly offer zero costs for free registration.

  • Event profile: A small, recurring, free community event (e.g., a local book club, non-profit seminar).
  • Tickets sold: 100
  • Ticket price: $0.00
  • Total revenue: $0.00
  • Key insight: Which platform is truly free for the organizer?

Checkout Page tier used: The Launch plan (required as there is no free tier).

Platform

Platform fee calculation

Card processing fee

Total cost to organizer (TCO)

Ticket source

100 x $0 (truly free events)

$0

$0.00

Ticket Tailor

100 x $0.00 (free up to 5k/year)

$0

$0.00

Checkout Page

$29 (Launch plan monthly subscription)

$0

$29.00

RegFox

100 x $0.99 (minimum per registrant)

$0

$99.00

The verdict: The 'truly free' test

When your event generates no revenue, you need a platform that charges nothing for registration. Both Ticket source and Ticket Tailor are the clear winners here, as they charge nothing at all for free tickets.

The subscription model of Checkout Page or the minimum registrant fee of RegFox are not the best choices for this specific use case.

The lesson: if your event is free, the cheapest ticketing platform is one with a truly free tier.

Scenario 2: The high-volume festival

This scenario demonstrates where the fixed-cost subscription model offers the highest savings for large events over per-ticket fees, even when accounting for a multiple month sales cycle.

  • Sales period: 2 months
  • Tickets sold: 5,000 (sold evenly over 2 months, 2,500/month)
  • Ticket price: $20.00
  • Total revenue: $100,000 ($50,000/month)

Checkout Page tier used: The Grow $299/month tier (required to cover the $50K monthly revenue limit).

Platform

Platform fee calculation (2 months)

Card processing fee

Total cost to organizer (TCO)

Checkout Page

$299 x 2 + $0.00 = $598

2.9% x $100,000) + 5,000 x $0.30) = $4,400

$4998

Ticket Tailor

$5,000 x $0.38 = $1,900

2.9% x $100,000) + 5,000 x $0.30) = $4,400

$6,300

Eventzilla pro

1.9% x $100,000 + 5,000 x $1.50) = $1,900 + $7,500 $9,400

2.9% x $100,000) + 5,000 x $0.30) = $4,400

$13,800

The verdict: Subscription vs. per-ticket at scale

Even with a short, intense sales period requiring a high-tier subscription, Checkout Page is the clear winner. The flat monthly cost is dramatically lower than Ticket Tailor's scalable per-ticket fee at this volume.

Scenario 3: The high-ticket course

This scenario highlights how percentage-based platform fees severely penalize high-value sales, even when the sales cycle is longer.

  • Sales period: 3 months (typical marketing/sales cycle)
  • Tickets sold: 50
  • Ticket price: $500.00
  • Total revenue: $25,000

Checkout Page tier used: The Grow $99 tier (covers up to $10K/month).

Platform

Platform fee calculation (3 months)

Card processing fee

Total cost to organizer

TicketSpice

$50 x $0.99= $49.50

2.9% x $25,000) + 50 x $0.30) = $740

$789.50

Checkout Page

$99 x 3 months = $297

2.9% x $25,000) + 50 x $0.30) = $740

$1,037.00

Eventzilla Pro

1.9% x $25,000 + 50 x $1.50 = $475 + $75 = $550

2.9% x $25,000) + 50 x $0.30) = $740

$1,290.00

The verdict: Where percentage fees hurt

For high-ticket sales, TicketSpice wins the cost comparison due to its extremely low, single flat per-ticket fee. However, platforms using percentage fees (like Eventzilla) become prohibitively expensive, costing almost twice as much as the cheapest solution.

Checkout Page remains a strong, predictable contender, prioritizing brand control over the minimal cost savings of a flat-fee system.

Scenario 4: The small event series

This scenario shows the cost difference for the consistent, low-volume organizer over a short period.

  • Sales period: 1 month
  • Tickets sold (monthly): 250
  • Ticket price: $10.00
  • Total revenue (monthly): $2,500

Checkout Page tier used: The Launch $29 plan (covers up to $3K/month).

Platform

Platform fee calculation (1 month)

Card processing fee

Total cost to organizer

Checkout Page

$29 + $0 x 250 = $29

2.9% x $2,500 + 250 x $0.30 = $147.50

$176.50

Ticket Tailor (PAYG)

250 x $0.75 = $187.50

2.9% x $2,500 + 250 x $0.30 = $147.50

$335.00

ThunderTix GA

$20 + 230 x $1.00= $250

2.9% x $2,500 + 250 x $0.30 = $147.50

$397.50

The verdict: The cheapest for consistency

For organizers running regular, smaller events, the fixed cost of Checkout Page's Launch plan is unequivocally the cheapest solution. Because your volume fits easily under the revenue limit, your platform cost is minimal and fixed.

Per-ticket models, even low-cost ones like Ticket Tailor, quickly become twice as expensive.

Scenario 5: The reserved seating show

This scenario highlights the cost of 'advanced' features like assigned seating.

  • Tickets sold: 150
  • Ticket price: $45.00
  • Total revenue: $6,750
  • Sales period: 1 month

Checkout Page tier used: The $99 Scale plan (assuming the organizer uses a 3rd party tool for seating charts).

Platform

Platform fee calculation (1 month)

Card processing fee

Total cost to organizer

Checkout Page

$99

2.9% x $6,750 + 150 x $0.30 = $240.75

$339.75

ThunderTix (Reserved)

$25 + 130 x $1.25 = $187.50

2.9% x $6,750 + 150 x $0.30 = $240.75

$428.25

Yapsody (Reserved)

2.49% x $6,750 + 150 x $0.98 = $671.55

2.9% x $6,750 + 150 x $0.30 = $240.75

$912.30

The verdict: The hidden cost of features

This shows that if you require advanced features like reserved seating, you may need a dedicated provider. However, the per-ticket fee model remains highly competitive.

ThunderTix, with its dedicated reserved seating fee, is very strong. However, Checkout Page is the cheapest solution here, assuming the organizer uses a low cost or free seating template tool and uses Checkout Page to sell the tickets.

Comparison of event ticket platforms & fees

To make this comparison both useful and as painless as possible, we've broken down the cheapest ticketing platforms using a simple, consistent format.

Use this section to quickly see which ticket site has the lowest fees for your event size, budget, and branding needs by comparing key features, real costs, and specific pros and cons.

1. Checkout Page

Best for: High-volume paid events, recurring event series, and organizers prioritizing full brand control and minimal platform fees.

Ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: Checkout Page homepage

Overview: Checkout page is a no-code, Stripe-based solution designed specifically to help organizers maximize revenue by eliminating percentage-based platform fees.

It enables you to build branded event pages in minutes using a simple point and click visual editor and embed the entire checkout directly into your existing website. This allows you to own the customer experience and data, avoiding reliance on external marketplaces and middlemen.

Your event guests benefit from a single-page, high-converting checkout with no forced logins and cart abandonment recovery built in. You get instant payouts via Stripe and predictable monthly pricing.

Key features

  • Zero commission fee: Platform charges a flat monthly fee with $0 per-ticket platform fees.
  • Customizable logic: Includes conditional logic and dynamic pricing to fully customize and adapt checkouts based on buyer behavior.
  • Revenue recovery: Cart abandonment recovery features are built in to automatically win back customers.
  • Instant payouts: Direct integration with Stripe ensures instant access to funds upon purchase.
  • Event management tools: Features an event check-in app included in all tiers.
  • Sales optimization: Enables the sale of merchandise and digital products as one-click upsells and cross-sells.
  • International support: Suitable for global events with all major currencies accepted and customizable fields for translations.

Plan

Monthly

Yearly

Revenue limit

Launch

$29 / month

$24 / month ($290 billed annually)

Up to $3K sales per month

Grow

$99 / month

$83 / month ($990 billed annually)

Up to $10K sales per month

$169 / month

$141 / month ($1690 billed annually)

Up to $20K sales per month

$239 / month

$199 / month ($2390 billed annually)

Up to $30K sales per month

$299 / month

$249 / month ($2990 billed annually)

Up to $50K sales per month

$399 / month

$333 / month ($3990 billed annually)

Up to $75K sales per month

$499 / month

$416 / month ($4990 billed annually)

Up to $100K sales per month

Enterprise

Custom quote

Custom quote

Above $100K per month

Pros

  • Often the cheapest platform for high-volume paid events (see scenarios 2 and 4).
  • Fully white-label and embeds directly into your website for superior branding.
  • No per-ticket or percentage fees, only a fixed monthly cost.
  • Extremely fast setup with instant payouts via Stripe.
  • Cart abandonment feature automatically recovers sales.

Cons

  • Requires Stripe for payment processing.
  • The monthly fee is not suitable for smaller, one-off or free events (see scenario 1).

The bottom line: If you want predictable, fair pricing, full branding control, and $0 per-ticket platform fees, Checkout page is one of the strongest choices for maximizing your revenue as you scale.

2. ThunderTix

Best for: Performing arts venues, theatres, music venues, and organizations requiring reserved seating and seasonal ticket management.

Cheapest ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: ThunderTix homepage

Overview: ThunderTix is designed for venues rather than generalized events, offering a deep suite of tools for organizations that rely heavily on reserved seating, season passes, memberships, and box-office operations.

While it does have a strong feature set, its per-ticket fee structure means it's not the cheapest option for large-scale, general admission events.

Key features

  • Custom seating: Robust reserved seating for theatres and venues, including ADA seating options and seat maps.
  • Subscription management: Offers season passes and flex subscriptions for recurring or multi-show events.
  • Patron tools: Built-in memberships, donation processing, and a full patron CRM.
  • Team management: Includes volunteer management tools to assign roles and oversee community teams.
  • Merchandise sales: Supports merchandise and add-on sales both online and at the box office.

Pricing overview

Platform fee structure: Subscription + per-ticket fee (fees exclude payment processing).

Plan

Best for

Monthly fee

Tickets included

Per-ticket fee

General admission

Live music, community theatres, open seating

$20/mo

First 20 tickets included

$1.00 per ticket

Reserved seating

Performing arts centers, table seating

$25/mo

First 20 tickets included

$1.25 per ticket

Pros

  • Excellent for reserved seating and theatre-style events.
  • Strong membership, subscription, and donation tools.
  • Built-in volunteer management and patron CRM.
  • Good branding control with customizable event pages and tickets.

Cons

  • Per-ticket fees make it expensive as volume grows (not ideal for high-volume festivals).
  • Can be overkill for simple or one-off events.
  • Extra costs for features like merchandise sales and thermal printing.

The bottom line: ThunderTix is ideal for traditional venues that need to have seating charts and a suite of box-office tools. Its scaling per-ticket fees mean it is not the cheapest choice for general admission organizers focused purely on ticket volume, however.

3. TicketSource

Best for: Small venues, community theaters, schools, and charities that need a $0 cost option for free or in-house bookings.

Cheapest ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: TicketSource homepage

Overview: TicketSource is a long-standing, budget-friendly platform known for its simplicity and fast setup. It is often marketed as "free," and it truly is free for free events and in-house cash/check bookings.

For paid tickets, however, organizers do incur a fee unless they bypass TicketSource's payment system using their own Stripe account (which would also charge a fee for processing funds).

Key features

  • Truly free option: Zero fees for free events and in-house box office bookings.
  • Seating options: Supports general admission and allocated seating via a simple seat map designer.
  • Ticket formats: Offers multiple ticket formats (eTickets, mobile/wallet tickets, and postal delivery).
  • Promotional tools: Includes discount codes, packages, and automated event listings.
  • Merchandise: Allows merch and add-on sales during checkout with stock tracking.
  • Check-in: Free scanning apps (iOS, Android, and offline PC mode) are supported.

Pricing and fees

TicketSource does not have any pricing tiers, no contracts, and no feature limitations based on plan level. Pricing only applies to paid online bookings.

Payment method

Cost to organizer

Notes

Ticket source payments

3.5% + $0.99 per paid ticket

Includes all card processing costs.

Your own stripe account

$0.99 per paid ticket

Stripe processing fees apply on top of this cost.

Pros

  • Very quick to set up and easy to use.
  • Truly free for free events and in-house bookings.
  • Offers both general admission and simple seating plans.
  • Good discounting and marketing features for small organizers.

Cons

  • Percentage-based fees (3.5%) add up fast on paid tickets if you use their processor.
  • Branding control is limited compared to white-label alternatives.
  • Not the cheapest choice at scale due to per-ticket fees.

The bottom line: TicketSource is ideal for occasional events thanks to its no-tier pricing and truly free options for free bookings. For paid events though, its per-ticket fees mount up, making it less cost-effective than flat-fee or subscription alternatives for scaling organizers.

4. Showpass

Best for: Large-scale, complex events, festivals, and venues that require assigned seating, timed entry, package creation, and ticket resale infrastructure.

Cheapest ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: Showpass homepage

Overview: Showpass is a powerful platform built to support complex events that need advanced features like assigned seating, timed entry, memberships, and official ticket resale.

While its infrastructure is solid and is designed for high-volume, multi-day operations, its broad feature set means it is often overkill and more costly for organizers who have more simple ticketing requirements.

Key features

  • Advanced management: Features assigned seating, timed entry, ticket transfers, and self-serve exchanges.
  • Complex ticketing: Supports memberships, season passes, ticket packages, and add-ons.
  • Anti-scalping: Includes official ticket resale and virtual waiting rooms for high-demand drops.
  • Branded experience: Fully customizable, mobile-friendly event pages for consistent branding.
  • Operational control: Provides box office tools, gate control, and multi-venue/multi-organizer coordination.

Pricing overview

Platform fee structure: Percentage + per-ticket fee (fees are in CAD).

Plan

Organizer fee

Use case notes

Essential

1% + $0.59 CAD

Smaller teams that want core ticketing with strong features.

Professional

2.5% + $1.69 CAD

Growing events needing advanced tools (assigned seating, packages, waitlists).

Pros

  • Extremely feature-rich, ideal for complex events like festivals and sports organizations.
  • Strong support reputation and self-serve ticket management reduces admin.
  • Built-in resale and anti-scalping tools are useful for high-demand events.

Cons

  • Not the cheapest as its feature depth comes with higher per-ticket or percentage fees.
  • Overkill for small or occasional events due to its complexity.
  • `Entails a steeper learning curve than more simple no-code tools.

The bottom line: Showpass is a powerful tool for large, complex events that require advanced levels of operational control. This depth of function of course brings higher complexity and costs, so if your priority is the simplest, cheapest way to sell tickets, it's very likely more than you'll ne needing.

5. Eventzilla

Best for: Organizers of conferences, training sessions, and multi-session events who need an all-in-one platform for registration, engagement, and virtual/hybrid hosting.

Cheapest ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: Eventzilla homepage

Overview: Eventzilla is an all-in-one event management platform aimed at organizers who want more than just basic ticketing functionality. It's built to handle everything from registration and branding to attendee engagement, mobile networking, virtual events, and onsite check-in.

The platform's fee structure does means it can become expensive quickly for paid, high-volume tickets.

Key features

  • Versatile hosting: Supports in-person, hybrid, and virtual events from the same dashboard.
  • Attendee engagement: Includes an event hub mobile app with interactive agendas, attendee networking, and push notifications.
  • Fast setup: No-code builder for customizable event websites and branding.
  • On-site solutions: Offers badge printing, check-in tools, and exhibitor lead capture for in-person events.
  • Data privacy: It's privacy-first data policy ensures attendee data is not cross-promoted or shared.

Pricing overview

Platform fee structure: Percentage + per-registration fee.

Plan

Pricing

Best for

Basic

$1.50 per registration

Small events & beginners (no percentage fee).

Pro

$1.9% + $1.50 per registration

Growing events needing more customization.

Plus

2.9% + $1.50 per registration

Advanced events needing white-label + more controls.

Unlimitec

From $4,999/year flat fee

Agencies & high-volume event planners.

6. Ticket Tailor

Best for: Independent organizers, nonprofits, and community groups focused on simple events with predictable, small-scale ticket sales.

Cheapest ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: TicketTailor homepage

Overview: Ticket Tailor is a popular low-fee platform known for simple setup and transparent costs, aimed at organizers who don't want a heavy enterprise system.

While its core pricing is inexpensive, the value it offers changes once organizers require advanced features like seating charts, white labeling, or full CRM integrations, which are often charged as add-ons.

Key features

  • Transparent pricing: Flat per-ticket pricing with 0% fees on free events (up to 5,000/year).
  • Customization: Offers customizable event pages with themes, colors, and layout controls.
  • Simple events: Works well for recurring, time-slot, and community events with unlimited ticket types and team members.
  • Payment flexibility: Integrations with Stripe, PayPal, Square, and major CRM tools.
  • Check-in: Free check-in app for scanning QR codes.

Pricing overview

Ticket Tailor uses a per-ticket pricing model with no mandatory monthly subscription.

  • Core pricing: Free for free events (up to 5,000 free tickets per year).
    • Pay-as-you-go: $0.75per paid ticket.
    • Prepaid credits: $0.30–$0.60 per ticket depending on volume (credits never expire).
  • Extra costs to note:
    • Reserved seating: uses 1 additional credit per seat reserved.
    • White label (remove branding): $39/month.
    • CRM integrations (HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, etc.): $25/month each.

Pros

  • Very transparent pricing with no commission structure.
  • Extremely easy to set up and manage, even for new organizers.
  • Truly low cost option for free events and low-volume prepaid sales.
  • Offers a 50% discount for charities and nonprofits.

Cons

  • Per-ticket fees add up quickly for higher-volume events (see scenario 2).
  • Limited advanced marketing and automation tools.
  • White-label checkout and CRM integrations require extra monthly fees, increasing the true cost significantly.

The bottom line: Ticket Tailor can be extremely cheap for simple events, especially if you prepay for credits. But for paid tickets, once you add seating charts or white labeling, the true cost rises quickly, making it less simple and cheap than it initially appears.

Dive deeper into Ticket Tailor fees: Check out our article comparing Ticket Tailor and Checkout Page

7. Tix

Best for: Performing arts organizations, universities, and venues requiring a traditional, full-service box office workflow with strong support and no monthly fees.

Cheapest ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: Tix homepage

Overview: Tix is a long-established, full-service ticketing platform that caters to organizations needing stable, dependable operations and responsive customer support.

It is known for its no-monthly-fee model, which is appealing for organizations that have predictable onsite or box office sales, though its online per-ticket fee is higher than budget platforms.

Key features

  • Full integration: Offers a fully integrated box office and online ticketing system.
  • Seating flexibility: Supports reserved seating, general admission, and hybrid seat maps (programmed for free).
  • CRM tools: Includes customer history, segmentation, and email marketing features.
  • Ticketing packages: Supports season ticket packages, including same-seat renewals.
  • Mobile sales: Mobile box office with real-time sales and credit card acceptance.
  • Check-in: Barcode scanning via TixScan for attendance tracking.

Pricing and fees

Platform fee structure: Pay-per-ticket with no monthly fees or contracts.

Channel

Platform fee (per ticket)

Notes

Box office sales

$0.25 per ticket

Very low cost for in-person transactions.

Online sales

$1.50 per ticket

Higher fee than most budget competitors.

Note: Organizers can pass all fees on to buyers. An optional 5% credit card processing fee applies if you use Tix’s merchant account.

Pros

  • No setup fees, monthly fees, or long-term contracts—you pay only per ticket.
  • Excellent customer service with 24/7 support.
  • Very low platform fee for box office (in-person) sales.

Cons

  • Not the cheapest option for high-volume online ticket sales ($1.50 per ticket).
  • Interface and workflow feel more traditional compared to modern no-code builders.

The bottom line: Tix is a good fit for traditional venues and organizations that value reliability and support over rock-bottom online fees. Its "no monthly fees" model is a reliable option for organizations with very predictable onsite sales.

8. TicketSpice

Best for: Attractions, churches, and organizers seeking deep customization, conditional logic, and strong branding control at a competitive flat-fee price point.

Cheapest ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: TicketSpice homepage

Overview: TicketSpice is a highly customizable, event-focused platform built for organizers who want strong branding control and lower, simpler fees than mainstream platforms.

It is popular because it offers dynamic pricing, conditional logic, and advanced page customization without requiring an expensive enterprise contract.

Key features

  • Custom page builder: Drag-and-drop builder for ticketing pages with full branding control.
  • Seating: Includes reserved seating tools for theatres, concerts, and structured layouts.
  • Advanced logic: Supports conditional logic for custom fields, dynamic pricing, and workflows.
  • Timed events: Built-in tools for timed-entry and recurring event ticketing.
  • Compliance: Includes built-in digital waivers and liability forms.
  • Fee control: Ability to set and keep 100% of your own convenience fees.

Pricing

Platform fee structure: Flat fee per ticket with no required subscription.

  • Core pricing: $0.99 per ticket (plus standard payment processor fees).
  • Notes: Organizers can add their own convenience fee and keep 100% of it. No contracts, setup fees, or required monthly subscription.

Pros

  • Highly customizable pages and workflows without needing developers.
  • Lower ticketing fees than many mainstream platforms.
  • Strongest contender for high-ticket courses when sales cycles are long (see scenario 3).
  • Flexibility to add and keep your own convenience fees.

Cons

  • More complex than simple budget tools, resulting in a learning curve for new organizers.
  • Not a true flat-fee option like Checkout Page, so high-volume per-ticket costs can still add up.

The bottom line: TicketSpice is one of the strongest low-fee options if you want deep customization and modern tools like conditional logic. It strikes an excellent balance between cost and flexibility, making it a standout option for organizers who need control without enterprise pricing.

9. Yapsody

Best for: Theatres, casinos, and global venues requiring advanced tools like reserved seating, white-labeling, and support for multiple international payment gateways.

Cheapest ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: Yapsody homepage

Yapsody is a feature-rich platform popular with venues and organizers who need highly configurable tools. It markets itself as offering one of the lowest ticketing fees, although its percentage-based model means that costs scale directly with ticket price. This makes it more expensive for high-priced events compared to flat-fee models.

Key features

  • White-labeling: Fully customizable white-label ticketing for pages, emails, receipts, and tickets.
  • Reserved seating: Includes a reserved seating designer with pricing tiers and seat selection.
  • Payment flexibility: Supports global payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Square, etc.).
  • Revenue generation: Advanced add-on sales for merch, parking, and VIP upgrades.
  • Security: Features fraud blocking via email, domain, and IP filtering.

Pricing

Platform fee structure: Per-ticket model with percentage and fixed fees, varying by seating type.

Seating type

Platform fee (per ticket)

Notes

General seating

$0.59 + 1.75% per ticket

Fees scale with ticket price.

Reserved seating

$0.98 + 2.49% per ticket

Higher percentage for advanced feature use.

Note: Standard payment gateway fees also apply. Organizers can pass fees to attendees.

Pros

  • Very strong seating, branding, and multi-gateway payment flexibility.
  • Competitive low per-ticket rates for general seating.
  • High feature depth for international and professional venues.

Cons

  • Percentage-based pricing adds up quickly for higher-priced or high-volume events (see scenario 3).
  • Feature depth can be excessive for simple or occasional organizers.

The bottom line: Yapsody is ideal for professional venues and organizations that value configurability and white-labeling. Its costs scale with ticket price and volume, meaning it is not the cheapest option when compared to subscription or flat-rate alternatives.

10. RegFox

Best for: Conferences, workshops, camps, and training events that need deep registration customization, conditional logic, and sophisticated email marketing/communication tools.

Ticketing platforms with the lowest fees: RegFox homepage

Overview: RegFox is a registration-focused platform built for organizers who want powerful workflow, customization, and strong marketing tools at a lower-than-enterprise cost. It is particularly popular for events where registration workflow (conditional logic, payment plans, badge printing) is more important than simple ticket sales volume.

Key features

  • Custom registration: Drag-and-drop event page builder with field types.
  • Dynamic workflow: Conditional logic for dynamic pricing, workflows, and upsells.
  • Communication: Includes text and email communication tools, including drip campaigns.
  • On-site tools: Features a check-in app, badge printing, and attendee management.
  • Revenue tools: Supports add-ons, merchandising, and payment plans built into registration.

Pricing

Platform fee structure: Pay-as-you-go per-registrant model with fee caps.

Plan

Platform fee (per registrant)

Features

Standard plan

$0.99 + 1% (capped at $4.99)

Core registration and customization.

Free events

$0.99 per registrant

Note: not free for free events (see scenario 1).

Note: Payment processing fees still apply. The fee cap helps prevent runaway charges on very high-priced tickets.

Pros

  • Very strong marketing and workflow tools for the price, including drip campaigns.
  • Predictable fee caps prevent runaway per-ticket charges on expensive items.
  • Sophisticated customization surpasses most competitors in attendee engagement.

Cons

  • Not free for free events ($0.99 per registrant).
  • Per-registrant fees still add up for high-volume events.
  • More complex than needed for simple, one-off ticket sales.

The bottom line: RegFox is a powerful, marketer-friendly platform with sophisticated customization at a reasonable cost. Its fee caps keep pricing predictable, but its cost structure makes it a poor choice for free events and is not the cheapest option for high-volume public events.

Should you pass ticketing platform fees to the attendee?

The decision to absorb platform fees (pay them yourself) or pass them on to the attendee as a separate line item is one of the most important pricing choices you’ll make.

Your final answer should align with your brand's philosophy and your audience's price sensitivity. Here’s what to consider when making the choice:

Pros of passing fees to attendees

  • Zero out-of-pocket cost: You run your event registration without paying platform or processing fees from your budget. The attendee covers the full cost of the transaction.
  • Clear advertised price: Your core ticket price remains clean and competitive in your advertising (e.g., "$50 ticket").
  • Cost recovery: You preserve 100% of the revenue you intended to collect.

Cons of passing fees to attendees

  • Cart abandonment: Surprise fees revealed late in the checkout process are a leading cause of cart abandonment. This is often referred to as "drip pricing" and can significantly reduce conversions.
  • Negative perception: Attendees can feel "nickel-and-dimed" or misled when they see a separate "service fee" or "convenience fee," which can often erode trust in your brand.
  • Higher final price: The total cost the buyer pays is higher than your advertised price, which can discourage price-sensitive buyers.

Pro Tip: If you want to use the pass-on strategy but avoid your customers feeling surprised by fees, consider building the fee into your ticket price. This is called all-in pricing. The buyer sees one clean, higher price (e.g., "$55 all-in ticket") and no separate fee column, which often leads to higher conversion rates.

Conclusion: What ticket site has the lowest fees?

The core takeaway from this extensive fee comparison and scenario analysis is clear: the cheapest ticketing platform depends upon your event's unique volume and pricing structure.

You are always going to be balancing two primary cost structures: per-ticket fees (like Ticket Tailor or TicketSpice) versus a predictable monthly subscription (like Checkout Page).

The cheapest winner for every scenario

Scenario

Cheapest platform

Cost model winner

Why it won

Free events

Ticket Source / Ticket Tailor

$0.00 (truly free)

Subscription and per-registrant fees are too costly for zero revenue.

High-volume festival

Checkout Page

0% + subscription

The fixed monthly fee of $499 over 2 months was vastly cheaper than per-ticket costs (e.g., Ticket Tailor's $1,900).

Small event series

Checkout Page

Low monthly subscription

The $29/month launch plan was the most cost-effective solution for consistent, low-volume sales.

High-ticket course

TicketSpice

Low flat per-ticket fee

The $0.99 flat fee was slightly cheaper than the 3-month subscription cost $297 of Checkout Page.

Why checkout page stands out from the crowd

For the majority of professional organizers who charge for their tickets and run recurring or high-volume events, the subscription model of Checkout Page provides the greatest protection of your profit margins:

  • Volume-based pricing: Instead of a per-ticket fee, you pay a tiered monthly subscription fee.
  • Zero commission fee: With 0% platform fees, you only ever pay your subscription fee and the standard Stripe payment processing fees.
  • Full control: You retain full ownership of your customer data, branding, and checkout experience, without having to pay extra for white-labeling or CRM integrations.

Switching to a $0 per-ticket model is the fastest way to increase your revenue.

Want to find out for yourself how user-friendly our no-code event page builder is? Try it out with our 7-day free trial—no credit card needed!

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. What ticket site has the lowest fees?

The ticket site with the lowest fees depends on your event’s size and pricing model. For high-volume paid events, platforms with a fixed monthly subscription and 0% per-ticket fees are usually cheapest. For small or occasional events, a flat low per-ticket fee platform may cost less. The key is comparing total cost, not just headline fees.

2. What is the cheapest way to sell tickets online?

The cheapest way to sell tickets online for most paid events is to avoid percentage-based platform fees. Subscription-based platforms with $0 per-ticket commissions offer the most predictable and scalable costs, especially as ticket volume increases. This model protects profit margins and prevents fees from rising alongside ticket price or sales volume.

3. Are there any truly free ticket selling platforms for free events?

Yes, some ticketing platforms are truly free for free events, meaning they charge no platform fees when tickets cost $0. These platforms are ideal for community events, nonprofits, or workshops with no revenue. However, always check for feature limits, branding restrictions, or attendee marketing rights, which can represent indirect costs.

4. Which online ticketing platforms offer the best value?

The best-value ticketing platforms balance low fees with useful features like branding control, flexible pricing, and automation. Platforms that offer predictable pricing, either through low flat per-ticket fees or fixed subscriptions, often deliver better value than percentage-based models, especially when they help increase conversion rates and reduce admin work.

5. What are the best event ticketing platforms for small organizers?

The best ticketing platforms for small organizers are those with no contracts, low setup effort, and flexible pricing. Pay-as-you-go platforms work well for occasional events, while low-cost monthly subscriptions can be cheaper for small organizers running regular paid events. The right choice depends on consistency, not just event size.

6. Which is the cheapest ticket selling platform UK organizers can use?

The cheapest ticket selling platform for UK organizers depends on ticket price and sales volume. Many UK-friendly platforms offer similar fee structures, so the lowest-cost option is usually the one that minimizes per-ticket or percentage fees based on your event model. Comparing total monthly or per-event costs is essential.


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Sarah McCunn

Sarah McCunn

Sarah is a content writer, retreat facilitator and coach. She has a passion for helping businesses and people grow.


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