Event Management BasicsAdministrative

7 Top-Rated Ticketing Software

Barkha Bali profile picture
By Barkha Bali

Published
14 min read

Ticket sales is the cornerstone of success for any event manager. However, there are several other pre-event aspects of the ticketing process that need to align for an event to be successful, including ticket customization, pricing, payment processing, and attendee management. To simplify and enhance the ticketing process, event managers can rely on event ticketing software.

In this article, we highlight the seven best ticketing software for event planners, in alphabetical order, based on verified software reviews. Read more.

We’ve grouped these tools into two categories: ticketing-specific software and event management software with ticketing functionality. Ticketing-specific software is solely focused on ticket sales and attendee management, while event software with ticketing features offers a broader range of event-planning tools, including ticketing, event website design, schedule making, and more.

1. EventCreate

EventCreate is an event management platform with ticketing functionalities, including ticket sales tracking, customizations, and instant payouts. It has a built-in payment processing system, which enables payment collection directly through the platform. The tool supports various payment options, including credit cards and PayPal, providing flexibility to both organizers and attendees. EventCreate allows ticket holders the flexibility to transfer their tickets to others or change the name on the ticket in case they are unable to attend the event themselves.

Product features of interest:

  • Promotional tools: Leverage promotional tools, such as discount codes, marketing campaign tracking, social media sharing, and email marketing, to promote your event, drive ticket sales, and build a wider audience.

  • Affiliate tracking: Create unique referral links for your affiliates to promote the event. When a ticket purchase is made using an affiliate's referral link, the software tracks and attributes the sale to that specific affiliate. This helps you measure the effectiveness of affiliate marketing campaigns and make data-driven decisions.

  • Two-day payout transfers: Get your ticket sale proceeds transferred to your account and deposited into your bank account on a two-day rolling basis. This allows you to have better control and liquidity over your finances, enhancing event-related expense management.

Customer support options: Live messaging, call, email, and help desk

Who should consider EventCreate?

EventCreate’s free pricing option makes it particularly suitable for those with budget constraints. However, the ticketing platform applies a credit card processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. While evaluating the overall cost of using EventCreate, take all the additional costs into account, especially for events with significant ticket sales or transactions.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Starting price

Free + credit card processing fee (2.9% + $0.30)

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of May 2023

2. RSVPify

RSVPify is another event management software solution with ticketing features. It provides customizable event registration forms, enabling personalized registrations by asking custom questions (name, address, service preferences, etc.) and collecting guest information. Once sold out, RSVPify optimizes capacity limits and automatically disables ticket levels (such as early bird tickets) or add-ons (including merchandise or discount coupons). Event managers can also include an option for additional donations with the ticket orders and levy extra fees or tax charges, providing flexibility in pricing and revenue management.

Product features of interest:

  • Multi-tier ticket management: Create and manage multiple levels of tickets with varying prices, benefits, and access levels. This feature allows organizers to cater to diverse attendee preferences, maximize ticket sales, and enhance the overall event experience.

  • Ticket add-ons: Sell additional items or services alongside event tickets, such as merchandise, parking passes, and meal vouchers. This provides added value and customization options for attendees, increases revenue opportunities for organizers, and ensures a personalized ticketing experience.

  • Seating chart maker: Manage seating layouts for venues with the help of drag-and-drop functionality. This lets organizers allocate seats as per ticket types to attendees and optimize space utilization, simplifying seating logistics.

Customer support options: Email, live chat, and a knowledge base

Who should consider RSVPify? 

RSVPify's fee pass-through feature makes it a good option for event planners, organizers, and businesses that want to retain the full revenue generated from ticket sales. By directly handing over the associated fees to customers, RSVPify ensures individuals and organizations receive 100% of the ticket sale revenue without any deductions, maximizing their earnings.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Starting price

Service fee of 1.95% + $0.90 per ticket + credit card processing fees

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of May 2023

/ Pro tip

Determine the types of events you usually conduct, the number of attendees you expect, and your budget to identify the features and pricing plans that suit your objective. Ensure the software provides the functionality you need to host a successful event, including multiple ticket types, payment processing, data reporting, customer support, and marketing tools.

3. ThunderTix

So far we have seen event management tools that feature ticketing functionality. If you want a standalone ticketing solution, consider ThunderTix with customizable ticketing options, box-office management, reserved seating, barcode ticket scanning, and other ticketing features. The tool lets you generate custom coupon codes or import them in bulk from daily deal platforms to boost ticket sales. ThunderTix integrates with Square Terminal for on-site payment processing, allowing you to securely accept credit card payments and improve revenue management.

Product features of interest:

  • Barcode ticket scanning: Authenticate tickets by scanning the unique quick response (QR) codes. This feature expedites the check-in process and reduces manual errors, protecting against ticket duplication and fraud.

  • Online and box-office ticketing: Sell tickets online and at the box office by utilizing any computer or tablet as a point-of-sale (POS) system, which is included in ThunderTix. The sales made at the box office and online are synced for real-time inventory management, ensuring ticket availability tracking and preventing overselling or inventory discrepancies.

  • Ticket sales insights: Leverage Google Analytics integration to track event website traffic, conversion rates, and revenue generated from ticket sales and gain valuable insights into customer behavior.

Customer support options: Live chat, query form, and a knowledge base

Who should consider ThunderTix?

If you are looking for a standalone ticketing solution with the option of offering flexible pricing to your customers, consider ThunderTix. The pay-what-you-can (PWYC) ticket pricing in this software offers flexible pricing options, allowing attendees to choose the amount they want to pay for tickets. This feature promotes inclusivity, expands audience reach, and gives you the ability to gather valuable data on attendee preferences and pricing trends.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Starting price

$1 per ticket ($20 monthly minimum)

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of May 2023

4. TicketSpice

TicketSpice is one more specialized ticketing software solution. Its ticket-scanning app lets you scan unique QR codes and verify tickets using a smartphone or tablet's camera. The app works offline, detects duplicate tickets, and provides real-time attendance updates. It simplifies ticket validation, enhances security, and provides valuable data about event performance and conversions. With TicketSpice, your customers can choose their preferred electronic delivery method (such as text message) without any additional charges, making it easy for them to share and save tickets.

Product features of interest:

  • Custom box-office overrides: Tailor your on-site ticket sales process and pricing with the help of the custom box-office override feature, which lets you set different prices for different types of tickets, track sales and inventory, and control when and how certain types of tickets are displayed or made available for purchase.

  • Timed entry ticketing: Select the desired date range for ticket sales, offer tickets by specific time slots, and set blackout dates, i.e., dates when rewards or special discounts are unavailable, as needed. This feature allows you to ensure a controlled flow of attendees and provides flexibility in ticket sales.

  • Exports and reports: Generate custom reports and export ticketing data for analysis. This helps you gain valuable insights into sales, attendance, revenue, and customer information, to make data-driven decisions and understand event performance.

Customer support options: Message, call, email, and help center

Who should consider TicketSpice?

Besides core ticketing features, if you want your ticketing tool to improve cash flow management, consider TicketSpice. It offers daily, weekly, or monthly event revenue payouts as per your preferred selection. This standardizes the payment settlement process, reducing the waiting time for organizers to access their funds. TicketSpice also lets you track individual sales by payment type and generate cashier reports, simplifying the reconciliation of on-site ticket sales.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Starting price

$0.99 per ticket + 2.99% credit card fees

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of May 2023

/ Pro tip

Evaluate the pricing structure of the ticketing software you're considering. Some tools have a pay-as-you-go pricing model to charge based on the number of tickets sold or a percentage of ticket sales, while others charge a flat fee per event. Don’t forget to factor in any hidden or additional fees such as credit card processing fees.

5. Ticket Tailor

Ticket Tailor is a registration platform that helps businesses improve ticketing and waitlisting processes. With this ticketing-specific software, you can create ticket orders for extra guests using a centralized dashboard and track the number of sales using revenue indicators. You can generate unique URLs or shareable links for events and share them on social media platforms. When users click on these links, they are directed to the event page or ticket purchase page, improving event exploration and ticket acquisition.

Product features of interest:

  • Ticket grouping: Create different ticket types and group them together based on specific criteria, such as ticket price, access level, or seating section, helping attendees navigate and select the ticket options that best suit their preferences.

  • Auto-show and hide ticket types: Use dynamic ticketing to automatically display or conceal specific ticket types based on predefined conditions. For example, hiding early-bird tickets for a concert from the selection page once they are sold out.

  • Password-protected tickets: Restrict access to certain ticket types (for example, VIP tickets) by setting a password and ensuring that only authorized individuals can view and purchase them. This feature provides an added layer of exclusivity and control over ticket availability.

Customer support options: Messaging and help center

Who should consider Ticket Tailor? 

If you typically plan free events or community gatherings for non-profit organizations or are still a beginner when it comes to the event management space, you might want to look into Ticket Tailor. It offers a "zero fee" pricing option for free events. This means that you can use the tool to sell tickets to your free event and manage sales without incurring any fees or additional costs.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Starting price

$0.26 per ticket

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of May 2023

6. Webex Events

Webex Events is another event management platform in our list that offers ticketing features. It lets you embed ticketing and registration widgets on your own event website, ensuring a flexible registration experience. With its real-time registration analytics, you can gather attendee demographics, registration rates, ticket sales, and other key metrics. This helps you understand registration trends and patterns, identify areas of improvement, optimize marketing strategies, and make data-driven decisions to enhance the event experience.

Product features of interest:

  • Branded registration: Customize the registration process by tailoring the registration page to match your event's branding, including the use of logos, color schemes, and custom messaging. 

  • Dynamic ticketing: Create different ticket types with varying prices, access levels, or privileges for attendees. This helps implement tiered pricing structures, early bird discounts, VIP passes, and more. Dynamic ticketing lets you set limits on ticket availability, create promotional codes for discounted tickets, and offer group discounts.

  • Payment processing: Collect payments from event attendees securely, ensuring data compliance. You can also benefit from a 0% ticket commission, meaning you don't have to pay additional fees to Webex Events for each ticket sold. However, Stripe fees (or fees charged by other payment gateways) may still apply.

Customer support options: Live chat, email, call, and a knowledge base

Who should consider Webex Events? 

If you are an individual planning a small-scale event or a company organizing large conferences or virtual gatherings, consider Webex Events for end-to-end event management and ticketing. It lets you create multiple ticket options, embed a ticketing widget on your event website, and enhance engagement by offering special attendee discounts. Additionally, if you prefer not to purchase your own check-in kiosk, Webex Events provides the option to rent an iPad check-in kiosk and have it delivered directly to your event venue.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Starting price

Available upon request from vendor

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of May 2023

/ Pro tip

Assess the integration of your ticketing software with social media and email systems. This allows you to promote your event on social media, send out mailers to your target audience, and share discount codes to increase your event's reach and boost your ticket sales.

7. Xola

Xola is neither an event management suite nor standalone ticketing software. It is primarily an online booking and reservation platform for tours and activities with event ticketing as a part of its offering. Its front desk management capabilities, including ticket printing, reduce check-in times by generating physical tickets directly from the software. This eliminates manual ticketing, standardizes ticketing operations, and ensures a smooth check-in experience for customers. Xola helps you access and update bookings from anywhere with real-time availability updates, eliminating manual tracking and minimizing the risk of overbooking or scheduling conflicts.

Product features of interest:

  • Custom tickets: Create custom tickets by adding event details, including date and time, seat numbers, and more. You can also use design elements, such as logos, images, and text, to suit your brand requirements.

  • Online check-in kiosk: Speed up the check-in process with Xola’s self-service kiosk app that lets customers scan their tickets and check in online to complete the process quickly. This reduces waiting times and improves customer satisfaction.

  • Lobby display: Design a branded lobby display by showcasing upcoming events, activities, and tours to customers as they enter the premises. You can customize it by adding images, videos, and other promotional content to attract customers and increase sales.

Customer support options: Help center

Who should consider Xola? 

Xola ticketing software is ideal for businesses in the tours and activities industry looking for a tool to amplify their ticketing and booking management. This may include tour operators, activity providers, event organizers, and other similar businesses. Whether you offer guided tours, outdoor adventures, workshops, concerts, or any type of ticketed experience, you can leverage Xola’s on-site ticket printing and check-in kiosks to accelerate your operations and improve customer experience.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Starting price

Available upon request from vendor

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of May 2023

How much does event ticketing software cost?

A ticketing software solution can cost as low as $0.26 per ticket, or all the way up to $2+ per ticket sold, depending on various factors—features, number of events, business size/type, training availability, integrations, and storage. Most ticketing software typically includes the following pricing plans:

  • Free trial: No-cost trial plans ranging from 14 to 30 days, giving users access to either all or limited features of the software.

  • Free version: Free software plans offer basic features and limited premium feature access. These are ideal for small businesses or individuals with a limited budget.

  • Entry-level: Starts at $0.26 per ticket and offers limited features, such as custom confirmation emails and PDF tickets. It is a good option for event organizers with basic requirements.

  • Mid-tier: Ranges from $0.65 to $1.50 per ticket (excluding service charges) and offers features such as bundle pricing, tracking links, and more. These are ideal for businesses that have outgrown basic ticketing solutions but don’t require the full range of functionality offered by enterprise-level tools.

  • High-end: Advanced plans offer unlimited events and tickets, a dedicated account manager, on-site training, and ticket scanning hardware. These are ideal for established businesses that need a customized solution.

Many online ticketing software vendors use a pay-as-you-go pricing model (such as Ticket Tailor and RSVPify), which charges users based on the number of tickets processed or requests fulfilled. This model can be good for organizations with unpredictable ticket volumes but may be more expensive for businesses with consistently high ticket volumes, compared to other pricing models such as flat fee or tiered pricing.

Hidden costs associated with an event ticketing system

Besides the software license itself, there may be additional costs associated with online ticketing software, including credit card fees, event service charges, data migration, training, hardware and IT, and maintenance/upgrades, which small businesses should budget for when considering a new tool.

Frequently asked questions when selecting event ticketing software

What are the available security features?

The software should have robust security measures in place to protect attendee information and payment details from fraud and data breaches. This can include encryption, two-factor authentication, and secure payment processing.

What type of analytical insights does this software offer?

Choose a tool that collects various types of data, including the audience's demographics, feedback, payment methods, and seat preferences. Using this data, you can generate interactive reports on audience and ticket sales and leverage attendee feedback for future event planning.

Does the software support mobile ticketing and scanning?

By allowing attendees to purchase and access tickets through their mobile devices, mobile ticketing eliminates the need for physical tickets and reduces the risk of lost or stolen tickets. Additionally, mobile scanning technology simplifies the check-in process, reducing wait times and improving the overall attendee experience.


Methdology

To be considered for this list, products had to:

  • Have at least 20 unique product reviews published on Capterra within the past two years, with an average rating of 3.0 or higher, as of May 17, 2023. We selected the top seven products from Capterra’s shortlist report for ticketing software, having the highest ratings to feature in this article.

  • Include point of sale (POS), reporting/analytics, and ticket reservations as core features.

  • Meet our ticketing software market definition: “Ticketing software manages and automates online, kiosk, and box-office ticketing for special events, theaters, parks, festivals, fairs, travel, and other activities.”

Read more about our editorial independence.

Products evaluated for the pricing calculation were taken from Capterra’s ticketing software directory. The pricing ranges exclude freemium versions of the products. The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in the Capterra directory that offer them. Only products with publicly available pricing information, as of May 17, 2023 were considered for pricing calculation.


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About the Author

Barkha Bali profile picture

Barkha Bali is a writer at Capterra, providing expert insights to help small businesses identify the right software for their needs by analyzing user reviews data for the highest rated products in relevant software categories. She has worked in finance, lifestyle, education, and medical. With expertise in marketing and content strategy, Barkha’s work has been featured in Medium and educational websites. When not working, she can be found re-watching “The Office” or “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”

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