Event ticketing platforms charge in a handful of distinct ways, and the model matters far more than the headline rate. The two big families are per-ticket fees (a fixed amount plus a percentage on every ticket sold) and flat or subscription fees (you pay for the software and keep the ticket revenue). The key takeaway is simple: per-ticket and percentage fees scale with your volume, so the more you sell the more you pay, while flat fees do not move whether you sell 100 tickets or 100,000. There are also hybrid models, "free" platforms with a catch, and a separate layer of payment processing fees that almost every platform passes through regardless of its model. This guide explains each one, shows what it costs at realistic volumes, and helps you work out which is cheapest for the events you actually run.
All figures below are illustrative, using representative industry rates so you can compare the shape of each model. Your real costs depend on ticket price, the specific vendor, and your country. The worked examples assume an average ticket price of £20 (paid tickets) to keep the comparison fair.
1. Per-ticket fees (fixed amount plus percentage)
This is the classic marketplace model used by the largest consumer platforms, Eventbrite-style. You pay a fixed fee per ticket plus a percentage of the ticket price, on every ticket sold. A representative rate is around £0.59 fixed plus roughly 3.5% to 6.95% of the ticket price, and that is often before payment processing is added on top.
The appeal is that there is no upfront cost. You only pay when you sell, which suits one-off or small events. The catch is that the cost rises in lockstep with volume, so a successful event can hand a meaningful slice of revenue to the platform.
For a like-for-like look at one of the best known examples, see our Eventbrite comparison.
2. Percentage-only / commission models
Some platforms drop the fixed per-ticket component and charge a straight percentage, a commission, on each sale. A representative rate sits somewhere between 2% and 7% of the ticket value.
Percentage-only pricing is easy to understand and can be cheaper than per-ticket models for low-priced tickets, because there is no fixed fee eating into a £5 ticket. The trade-off appears at higher ticket prices and higher volumes, where a flat percentage on a £150 conference pass becomes a large number very quickly. As with the marketplace model, your bill grows every time you sell more.
3. Subscription / flat-fee models
Here you pay for the software, monthly or annually, and keep your ticket revenue. There is no per-ticket, per-booking or per-transaction fee taken by the platform. This is the model used by tools aimed at organisers who run regular or larger events.
As one example, eventcloud charges a flat $125 per user per month (about £95 or €110), with zero per-ticket, booking or transaction fees, unlimited events and tickets, and direct Stripe payouts. The only variable cost is standard card processing, which goes to Stripe rather than to eventcloud. You can see the full breakdown on the pricing page.
The maths favours flat fees at volume: the cost per ticket falls as you sell more, because a fixed monthly figure is spread across more tickets. The honest caveat is that flat fees lose for tiny or infrequent events. If you sell 50 tickets a year, a subscription is poor value and a free or per-ticket tool will cost less.
4. Hybrid models
Hybrid pricing combines a smaller subscription with a smaller per-ticket fee, aiming to sit between the marketplace and flat-fee camps. A representative shape might be a modest monthly plan plus around 1% to 2% per ticket, or a fixed fee of a few pence per ticket.
Hybrids can be sensible for organisers whose volume is steady but moderate, where a full flat fee is not yet justified but marketplace per-ticket rates feel steep. The thing to watch is that you are still paying a variable fee, so the cost still climbs with volume, just more gently than a pure per-ticket model.
5. "Free" platforms
Several platforms advertise themselves as free to the organiser. The free label is usually true in one of two ways, and both have a catch.
- The attendee pays. The platform is free to you because it adds a service or booking fee to each ticket at checkout, paid by the buyer. You keep the face value, but your customers pay more, which can dampen conversion and is effectively a per-ticket fee wearing a different hat.
- Free for free events only. Many tools are genuinely free when you are not charging for tickets, then switch to a per-ticket or percentage model the moment you sell paid tickets.
"Free" can be the right answer for genuinely free events, community meetups and RSVPs. For paid events, read the checkout flow carefully to see who actually absorbs the fee.
What each model costs at 100 to 10,000 tickets
The table below shows total platform fees (excluding payment processing) at four volumes, assuming a £20 average ticket. Figures are illustrative and rounded. The flat-fee row assumes a single £95 monthly plan, billed over the month the event runs in.
| Model (illustrative rate) | 100 tickets | 1,000 tickets | 5,000 tickets | 10,000 tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per-ticket (£0.59 + 5%) | £159 | £1,590 | £7,950 | £15,900 |
| Percentage-only (5%) | £100 | £1,000 | £5,000 | £10,000 |
| Flat fee (£95/month) | £95 | £95 | £95 | £95 |
| Hybrid (£40/month + 1.5%) | £70 | £340 | £1,540 | £3,040 |
| "Free" (attendee pays £1.50/ticket) | £0 to you (£150 to buyers) | £0 to you (£1,500 to buyers) | £0 to you (£7,500 to buyers) | £0 to you (£15,000 to buyers) |
The pattern is clear. At 100 tickets the flat fee is roughly the same as the alternatives or slightly more. By 1,000 tickets it is dramatically cheaper, and by 10,000 tickets the gap is enormous. The "free" row shows the catch plainly: the money does not vanish, it just moves to your attendees.
Payment processing fees are separate
Almost every model above sits on top of payment processing fees, which are set by the card processor (such as Stripe, PayPal or Square), not the ticketing platform. A typical rate is around 1.5% plus £0.20 for UK and European cards, and higher for international or American Express cards. Some marketplace platforms bundle processing into their per-ticket fee, which can look cheaper but makes it harder to see the true split. Flat-fee tools like eventcloud pass processing straight to the processor, so you pay Stripe directly and nothing extra to the platform on top.
Who absorbs the fees: organiser or attendee
Most platforms let you choose whether you absorb fees yourself (your payout shrinks) or pass them on to the buyer (the ticket price at checkout rises). Passing fees on protects your margin but raises the headline price and can hurt conversion, especially for price-sensitive audiences. Absorbing fees keeps the advertised price clean but eats into revenue. The bigger your volume, the more this choice matters, and the more a flat-fee model simplifies it, because there is far less variable fee to push around in the first place.
Payout timing and holds
How and when you get your money varies as much as the fees. Some marketplace platforms hold funds until after the event, releasing your payout days or even a week later, which can strain cash flow if you need to pay suppliers in advance. Direct-payout models, where ticket money lands in your own connected processor account (for example direct Stripe payouts), give you access to funds on the processor's normal schedule rather than waiting for the platform to release them. Always check the payout terms before committing, particularly for large or expensive events.
Add-on costs to watch
The headline fee is rarely the whole story. Common extras include:
- Printed badges and on-site hardware, such as scanners and badge printers, charged per unit or per event.
- White-label or branding-removal tiers, where removing the platform's logo or using your own domain costs more.
- Premium support, API access or advanced reporting, often gated behind higher plans.
- Payment add-ons, such as fees for refunds, chargebacks or currency conversion.
When comparing platforms, total the likely add-ons for your specific event, not just the per-ticket rate. Our compare hub lays out the major platforms side by side so you can see where these costs sit.
So which model should you choose?
There is no single winner, only a best fit for your volume and frequency. For a one-off or tiny event, a per-ticket or free model keeps your outlay near zero. For steady, moderate volume, a hybrid can balance cost and predictability. For regular or high-volume organisers, a flat or subscription fee almost always wins, because your cost stops climbing while your revenue keeps growing. Work out your realistic annual ticket volume, run it through the table above, and pick the model where you keep the most.
Frequently asked questions
Why are event ticketing fees so high on some platforms?
Marketplace platforms combine a fixed fee per ticket, a percentage of the ticket price, and bundled payment processing, all on every sale. Because these charges scale with volume, a successful event can pay a large total even at a modest-looking rate. Flat-fee platforms avoid this by charging only for the software.
What is the difference between ticketing fees and payment processing fees?
Ticketing fees are what the platform charges to use its software and sell tickets. Payment processing fees are set separately by the card processor, such as Stripe or PayPal, to handle the card transaction. Some platforms bundle the two together, which can make the true cost harder to see.
Is a flat-fee ticketing platform always cheaper?
No. A flat fee wins at higher volumes because the cost is fixed while your sales grow. For tiny or infrequent events, where you might sell only a few dozen tickets a year, a free or per-ticket tool is usually cheaper because you avoid paying a monthly subscription.
Should I pass ticketing fees on to attendees or absorb them?
Both are valid. Passing fees on protects your revenue but raises the checkout price and can reduce conversion. Absorbing them keeps the advertised price clean but reduces your payout. The higher your volume, the more this choice affects your bottom line.
What hidden costs should I check before choosing a platform?
Look beyond the per-ticket rate for payout timing and holds, payment processing charges, and add-ons such as badge printing, on-site hardware, white-label or branding-removal tiers, premium support, and refund or chargeback fees. Total these for your specific event before comparing platforms.
