The Costs of Ticketing Systems Examined – An In-Depth Analysis

The costs of ticketing systems vary considerably, sometimes climbing to 15% of your revenue. Other platforms even claim to be free. In this article we clarify the differences between the pricing models you encounter when selling tickets with tickable.nl.

Curious how you can sell tickets online for free or at a low cost? Be sure to read our article about transparent pricing and payment methods.

What costs come with selling tickets?

Ticketing platforms always charge two primary types of fees: ticket fees and transaction fees.

• Ticket fees:
  These fees cover the use of the ticketing platform itself.
• Transaction fees:
  These are the costs of processing payments. Each payment method has its own pricing. For example, iDEAL is often €0.29 per transaction, while credit cards tend to charge 2 to 3 percent of the ticket price. Some platforms combine these into a single all-in rate, usually for iDEAL and Bancontact only. Other payment methods often incur additional fees.

In some cases you also encounter periodic costs or surcharges for specific functionality.

Free ticketing systems

Proceed with caution when a ticketing platform claims to be free, because there is usually a catch. The provider needs a business model to keep the system running.

• Free tickets are free:
  Some providers indeed let you sell free tickets at no charge, but fees for paid tickets can be steep.
• Free for organizers:
  Even if a platform charges nothing to organizers, it can still pass on high service fees to visitors, meaning the attendee pays more than you receive.
• Your visitors as the product:
  Certain platforms collect and resell visitor data or display advertisements to generate revenue.
• Free but limited functionality:
  Subscription-based systems often include a free module, yet you will quickly need to upgrade to access essential features.

Conclusion

Although many ticketing systems seem free at first glance, the reality is usually more nuanced. It is crucial to understand the provider’s revenue model and review the transaction fees for every payment method you want to accept. That way you can make an informed decision for your organization.

At Tickable we aim to keep pricing low and transparent. That is why we do not add extra transaction fees on top. Read more about our rates or start right away by creating your own ticket shop.