When you're running an event for charity, every penny that goes to fees is a penny that doesn't reach your cause. Charity events have specific needs -- donation add-ons, Gift Aid considerations, and the ability to demonstrate that funds are being used efficiently. Here's how UK ticketing platforms compare for charity and fundraising events.
What charities need from ticketing
- Minimal fees -- Donors and supporters expect their money to go to the cause. High platform fees can feel like a betrayal of that trust, even if they're standard in the industry.
- Donation add-ons -- The ability to add a voluntary donation at checkout can significantly increase per-transaction revenue.
- Gift Aid integration -- For UK charities, Gift Aid adds 25% to qualifying donations. If your platform can capture Gift Aid declarations at checkout, that's a meaningful revenue boost.
- Free ticket options -- Many charity events offer free entry with suggested donations. The platform needs to handle free tickets smoothly.
- Transparency -- Being able to show your trustees and supporters exactly where the money went, with clear reporting on fees versus revenue.
Platform comparison
Tickts
Tickts charges zero platform fees, which makes it immediately appealing for charity events. If you sell 200 tickets at £25 for a charity gala, you receive the full £5,000 minus only Stripe's payment processing costs (approximately 1.4% + 20p per transaction, roughly £110). That's £4,890 for your cause versus potentially £4,400-4,500 on platforms with higher fees. Tickts supports free ticket listings and multiple ticket tiers. The platform doesn't currently offer built-in Gift Aid capture, but you can include a Gift Aid declaration link in your confirmation emails.
Eventbrite
Eventbrite offers a 50% discount on fees for registered charities, bringing the rate down to approximately 3.5% + 59p per ticket. That's more affordable than standard rates but still adds up. On the £5,000 gala example, you'd pay around £293 in fees. Free events are genuinely free to list, which is useful for charity open days and awareness events. Eventbrite's brand recognition and discovery features can help charities reach new supporters.
Humanitix
Humanitix takes a distinctive approach -- it's a not-for-profit ticketing platform that donates its booking fee revenue to charity. The fees are similar to Eventbrite (around 4-5% plus a fixed per-ticket amount), but the fees go to charitable causes rather than corporate profits. This can feel more aligned with a charity's values, though the money still leaves your event's specific cause. It's worth noting that Humanitix primarily supports international development charities, which may or may not align with your organisation's mission.
TicketSource
TicketSource offers a free organiser tier where fees are passed to the buyer. For charity events, this means the charity receives the full ticket price while buyers pay a small booking fee. The platform supports donation add-ons and has a straightforward interface. It's widely used by community groups and local charities.
Ticket Tailor
Ticket Tailor offers a 50% discount for registered charities on its subscription plans. The flat monthly fee means no per-ticket charges, which is easy to budget for. If you run multiple charity events throughout the year, the subscription model can offer good value. The platform supports donation add-ons during checkout.
Gift Aid considerations
Gift Aid can only be claimed on the donation portion of a ticket purchase, not on the ticket itself (unless the ticket price is entirely a donation with no tangible benefit). For example, if a charity gala ticket costs £50 and includes a meal worth £20, Gift Aid can only potentially apply to the £30 above the benefit value -- and even then, the rules are complex.
Most ticketing platforms don't offer built-in Gift Aid processing. You'll typically need to:
- Capture donor details through your own Gift Aid declaration form
- Use a dedicated Gift Aid tool like HMRC's Charities Online service
- Integrate with a CRM like Donorfy or Beacon that handles Gift Aid claims
If Gift Aid is a significant revenue consideration, look at the platform's integration options rather than expecting it to be built in.
Making the case to trustees
If you're recommending a ticketing platform to your charity's board of trustees, they'll want to see the numbers. Calculate the total fees for your planned events over the next 12 months across two or three platform options. Show the difference in net revenue. For most small to medium charities, the difference between a zero-fee platform and a 5-7% fee platform is significant enough to justify a change.
Transparency matters too. Being able to tell donors that 100% of their ticket price goes to the cause -- minus only unavoidable card processing fees -- is a powerful message that builds trust and encourages future support.
Curious how tickts compares? See our side-by-side comparison of tickts vs Eventbrite: fees, payouts, and features for UK organisers.
FAQs about charity event ticketing
Can charity ticketing platforms claim Gift Aid?
Some can. The buyer must consent and meet UK taxpayer eligibility. Most ticketing platforms do not handle Gift Aid claims directly — instead they pass the donation portion through with a Gift Aid declaration that your charity then claims via HMRC. Always check whether the platform supports Gift Aid declarations at checkout.
What fees do charity events face on UK platforms?
Standard ticketing fees apply, with a few platforms offering reduced rates for registered charities. Tickts charges 0% platform fee on charity events at every tier — the only deduction is Stripe processing (around 1.5% for UK cards plus 20p). Eventbrite charges its standard fee structure regardless of charity status.
Can I add donations on top of ticket purchases?
Yes on most modern platforms. The cleanest approach is an optional "add a donation" amount at checkout that captures Gift Aid consent at the same time. Tickts supports this via the Add-ons feature on each event.
How do refunds work if the charity event is cancelled?
Same as any cancellation — buyers are entitled to full refund of ticket and booking fees under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The donation portion can be refunded or, if the buyer agrees, retained as a goodwill donation. Most platforms let you process this in two transactions for clarity.
Do charity ticketing platforms support multi-event series?
Yes. For recurring events like monthly fundraisers or summer charity bashes, look for a platform with the multi-date or season pass feature. Tickts supports both at all tiers, including charity events on the free tier.
What about white-labelling for the charity brand?
If brand consistency matters, look for platforms with custom subdomain support and the option to remove the platform branding from tickets and emails. Tickts Pro includes this; Eventbrite and Ticket Tailor charge extra for branding controls.
For the bigger picture, see our guide to the best ticketing platforms for small events in the UK.