Eventbrite is the biggest name in event ticketing. It has been around since 2006 and processes millions of events worldwide. Tickts is a newer, UK-focused alternative built specifically for independent organisers. This comparison covers the key differences honestly, so you can decide which platform is right for your events.
Fees and pricing
This is the biggest difference between the two platforms, and for most organisers, it is the deciding factor.
Eventbrite charges 6.95% + 59p per paid ticket on its standard plan. For a £15 ticket, that is £1.63 per ticket. Over 1,000 tickets, you pay £1,633 in platform fees.
Tickts charges zero booking fees and zero commission. There is no monthly subscription and no per-ticket charge. The only cost is standard Stripe card processing (1.5% + 20p per transaction), which applies to any platform that accepts card payments.
Payment handling
Eventbrite collects all payments centrally and pays organisers on a schedule, typically within 5 business days of the event. This means Eventbrite holds your money until they choose to release it. For events weeks or months away, your cash is sitting in Eventbrite's account, not yours.
Tickts uses Stripe Connect, which means payments go directly to the organiser's own Stripe account at the moment of sale. Stripe then pays out to the organiser's bank account within 2 business days (or faster with Stripe's instant payout option). The platform never holds or controls your funds.
For organisers who need cash flow to pay artists, book venues, or cover upfront costs, direct payment is a significant advantage.
Features comparison
Both platforms cover the core ticketing basics, but they differ in scope and focus:
Event creation and management
- Both offer event page creation with descriptions, images, and multiple ticket types.
- Eventbrite has a more mature event page builder with additional customisation options and a built-in event discovery marketplace.
- Tickts offers multi-date events, seated ticketing with interactive seat maps, and promo code management.
Scanning and door management
- Eventbrite provides a dedicated scanning app (Eventbrite Organiser) that must be downloaded and configured.
- Tickts uses browser-based scanning via a magic link -- no app installation required. Door staff open a URL on any smartphone and start scanning.
Marketing and discovery
- Eventbrite's marketplace is its strongest differentiator. Your event appears alongside thousands of others, which can drive organic discovery from people browsing the platform.
- Tickts does not operate a marketplace. Your event page lives on Tickts, but traffic comes from your own marketing (social media, website, email list).
Reporting and analytics
- Both platforms offer sales dashboards and attendance tracking.
- Eventbrite provides more detailed marketing analytics, including source tracking and conversion data.
- Tickts provides real-time sales and scanning data with a straightforward dashboard.
Who Eventbrite suits best
Eventbrite is a strong choice if:
- You rely heavily on the Eventbrite marketplace for event discovery and do not have a strong existing audience.
- You need advanced marketing analytics and audience segmentation tools.
- You run very large events and need enterprise-level support and custom contracts.
- The fees are an acceptable cost relative to the marketing value the platform delivers.
Who Tickts suits best
Tickts is a strong choice if:
- You already have an audience and your own marketing channels (social media, website, mailing list).
- Minimising fees is a priority -- every pound saved goes directly to your bottom line.
- You want payments to go directly to your bank account via Stripe, not held by a platform.
- You run grassroots sports, independent music, comedy, or community events where margins are tight.
- You want a simple, fast setup without the overhead of a feature-heavy platform.
The honest verdict
Eventbrite is a well-established platform with a broad feature set and a large marketplace. If that marketplace drives meaningful ticket sales for your events, the fees may be worth it.
For the majority of independent UK organisers, however, the marketplace benefit is minimal. Most ticket sales come from the organiser's own promotion, not from people browsing Eventbrite. In that scenario, you are paying significant fees for a checkout page and a scanning app.
The best way to decide is to try both. List your next event on Tickts and compare the experience and the financial outcome. You do not need to cancel anything on Eventbrite to test an alternative -- just use a different platform for your next event and see the difference in your payout. For more detail, visit the full comparison page.
