Let’s be honest – When it comes to choosing an online event ticketing system, there are so many options to choose from it can quickly turn into a mind-boggling exercise. With all the things you need to be considering before you start selling tickets or running an event, the last thing you want is confusion around what online ticketing platform provider is best for you.
There are several different platforms out there that offer vastly different services at very different prices. You might not even be 100% sure of exactly what features you’ll need right now.
That’s ok. By the time you have finished reading this comparison of different ticketing platforms, you’ll have a much better idea of what to look for that will best suit your needs.
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Today, we’re going to lay out the pros and cons of four different event ticketing systems so you can compare them for yourself to help you decide which would be the best for you and your organisation.
Two things to think of before you consider an event ticketing system
To properly compare online ticketing software, you should first consider two things. If you already have experience running events, then you will know the answers straight away, but if not, you should put some thought into it as they will be defining factors when it comes to identifying the ticketing platforms that would be best suited to your needs.
1. How many tickets for how many events do you think you are likely to sell in a year?
Some event organizers and ticketing platforms work on a sliding scale and charge a fee per ticket, which changes depending on how many tickets you sell. Others do it differently, with a flat fee for each ticket, regardless of the quantity sold. That’s why you need to know how many tickets you plan on selling before you consider the exact event ticketing platform or software.
2. Do you want the sales process to take place on your own website or mobile app?
Some online ticket sales and event management suite ticketing platforms can be integrated with your existing website or mobile app; others can’t. If that’s important to you (which we feel should be), then it’s something to consider.
Directing customers to another website to checkout means you have less control over the process. The checkout process is important as it’s when you should be upselling, promoting your brand and ensuring excellent customer service. On the other hand, if you don’t mind handing over the responsibility of closing the sale, then it might not be a dealbreaker for you.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Ticketing Platform
Selecting the right ticketing solution and platform is crucial for many event planners, organisers, venues, and businesses looking to sell tickets efficiently and enhance their attendees’ experience. With numerous other ticketing systems and platforms available, it can be overwhelming to determine which one is best suited for your specific needs. To help you make an informed decision, here are some essential factors to consider when choosing a ticketing platform.
- Ease of Use and Setup: One of the primary considerations is the platform’s ease of use and setup process. Look for a ticketing platform that offers a user-friendly interface, intuitive event creation tools, and straightforward ticket setup. A platform with drag-and-drop functionality, customisable templates, and seamless integration with your website and social media channels can significantly streamline the ticketing process.
- Ticket Customisation and Branding: Maintaining your brand identity and creating a cohesive event experience is vital. Ensure that the ticketing platform allows you to customise and brand your tickets, event pages, and confirmation emails. Look for options to add your logo, colours, event details, and promotional images. This way, you can maintain consistency and provide attendees with a branded ticketing experience.
- Ticket Types and Pricing Flexibility: Consider the flexibility the platform offers in creating different ticket types and pricing options. Whether you need general admission, VIP passes, early bird discounts, or tiered pricing, the platform should accommodate your requirements. It should also allow for setting up promotional codes, discounts, and bundling options to maximise your ticket sales strategy.
- Payment Processing and Fees: Review the payment processing options provided by the ticketing platform. Ensure that it supports various payment gateways and offers secure transactions. Additionally, consider the platform’s fee structure, including transaction fees, processing fees, and any additional charges. Strike a balance between competitive pricing and the value provided by the platform’s features and services.
- Data and Analytics: Access to comprehensive data and analytics can help you understand your attendees better, make informed decisions, and improve future events. Look for a ticketing platform that provides real-time reporting, sales insights, attendee demographics, and tracking of marketing efforts. This data can enable you to analyse ticket sales trends, target specific audiences, and measure the success of your promotional campaigns.
- Customer Support and Service: Reliable customer support is crucial when dealing with ticketing issues and technical glitches. Research the platform’s customer service options, such as phone, email, or live chat support. Read reviews or seek recommendations from other event organisers to gauge their responsiveness and willingness to assist.
- Mobile Accessibility and Ticket Scanning: In today’s mobile-driven world, a ticketing platform should offer mobile accessibility and seamless ticket scanning capabilities. Check if the platform provides mobile ticketing options, allowing attendees to use their smartphones for ticket validation. Additionally, ensure that the platform supports barcode scanning or QR code technology, making the entry process swift and efficient.
Choosing the right ticketing platform is vital for successful event management and ensuring a positive ticket-purchasing experience. By considering factors such as ease of use, ticket customisation, pricing flexibility, payment processing, data analytics, customer support, and mobile accessibility, you can make an informed decision and select a platform that aligns with your specific requirements.
The four ticketing platforms we will be comparing
- Seatlab
- Eventbrite Professional
- Showclix
- Ticketleap
Seatlab
- Seatlab at a glance:
- We do not charge a booking fee.
- Fully customisable
- Suitable for medium to large venues
- Can be supplied as a white label ticketing solution
The Seatlab ticketing platform is our proprietary ticket software and package that can be used by any industry. Since you’re already on the Seatlab website, why don’t you book a free demo so you can see some of our top features for yourself?
Our event ticketing platform is fully customisable and was developed with artists event producers, performers and event organisers in mind. Unwanted backend features can be swapped out for something more useful to you. Any additional functionality you need can be developed and implemented. The frontend user interface is totally customisable and brandable; it can also be integrated with an existing website and/or app.
The standout feature of our Seatlab ticketing system when comparing it to other platforms is our pricing structure. We guarantee our fees are the lowest in the industry.
Furthermore, you can take advantage of our package as a white-label solution, saving you tens of thousands in development fees.
Furthermore, you are free to charge your own booking fee which you’ll retain 100% of.
For a full price breakdown, and to see how much you’ll save in comparison to all of our competitors, get in touch by emailing hello@seatlab.com.
Get started with Seatlab’s system
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Eventbrite Professional
Eventbrite at a glance:
- Service fee of 3.5% + $1.59 per ticket
- Can sell tickets on your own website
- Only basic customisations can be made
Eventbrite has three levels for selling tickets on their platform: Essential, Professional and Premium.
To keep this comparison fair, we will take an in-depth look at the Professional plan since that plan is most suited to medium/large organisations. The Essential plan is for causal ticket sellers with very limited options, whereas the Professional plan is aimed at organisations that run multiple venues and cater to hundreds of thousands, even millions, of customers.
Eventbrite charges 3.5% + $1.59 per ticket sold, which makes it the most costly ticketing system we are going to talk about in this comparison. For example, if you sell 50,000 tickets for $20 each over the course of a year, you’ll end up paying $114,500 in fees to Eventbrite.
You can sell tickets on your own website, but customisation options are limited. Things like the registration process could be more flexible.
One benefit of using Eventbrite is that you can issue free show tickets online for, well, free. They only charge when you actually sell a ticket. Since listing an event page is also free, you could use this event management platform without spending a penny. Great if you organise free-to-attend events like meetups, book signings etc.
Ticketleap
Ticketleap at a glance:
- $1 + 2% booking fee per ticket sold
- Can’t integrate the system with your existing website
- Mainly service the North America region
With Ticketleap, you’ll pay $1 + 2% in fees for every ticket you sell on their platform. If you were to sell 50,000 tickets at $20 each over the course of a year you would pay $70,000 in fees. However, there is a low-fare price where you only pay a $0.25 booking fee for any tickets you sell under $5. So depending on the average price you expect to sell tickets at, this may be a suitable option.
The Ticketleap system can’t be integrated into an existing website or mobile app. Instead, they offer a customisable events page on their own website. Great for people with little technical knowledge and who aren’t interested in retaining visitors to their own website. However, it’s less appropriate for people looking for a more flexible option.
Since they are based in the US, their service is tailored toward a North American audience which will create issues for people outside of the continent. Contact hours are from 9am-6pm EST, which is again likely to be an issue for people outside of North America.
ShowClix
ShowClix at a glance:
- Founded in 2007 as an event discovery platform
- Can sell on own website
- Limited customisable features
ShowClix is owned by Patron Technology, which also owns several other event platforms. Established in 2007 originally as an event discovery platform and event page for fans and event professionals, they moved into event ticketing with the goal of offering a branding, inventory management and marketing package with event ticketing.
The size of Patron Technology means that its suite of products is a fairly comprehensive package for large-scale events. However, this also comes with the caveat that all the tools for various different platforms that Patron Technology owns are less customisable than other solutions.
ShowClix charges a small fee for each ticket sold, which is usually passed on to their client’s customers, but their website is unclear as to what the exact fee is.
The scale of the ShowClix ecosystem means that there is slightly limited flexibility in the platform, making it harder to customise events for small-mid scale shows.
A Quick Recap Of The Different Event Ticketing Platforms
When you’re comparing different live event ticketing companies, you need to keep in mind the number of tickets you expect to sell over the course of a year and how you want to sell them.
If you would like to learn more about our dynamic pricing structure and how our system can work for you, then get in touch using the contact details at the bottom of this page.
We hope this event ticketing software system comparison has gone some way towards helping you understand which live event ticketing company could work well for you.
Start selling tickets online today!
Schedule a 30-Minute product demo with an expert Q&A
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