Eventbrite alternatives: where to sell your tickets and how to leave cleanly
Six platforms in detail, one for each reason to leave, plus a six-step migration plan.
The short answer: Humanitix if you want lower fees than Eventbrite and your fees to fund charity, Luma for community events and meetups, Tito for paid conferences, and Zeffy if you run a US or Canadian nonprofit and want zero platform fees. Universe and Eventzilla cover the rest: low flat fees and registrations you can plug into other tools.
Two things before you move. Eventbrite stays free for free events, with no cap on how many you publish: if you sell nothing, switching saves you nothing. And on paid events, Eventbrite charges 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket plus 2.9% payment processing per order. That is the number to beat.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why organizers leave Eventbrite
Eventbrite does some things well: a marketplace where people browse for things to do, a solid check-in app, and a setup you can finish in an afternoon. People don't leave over missing features. They leave over money: how much goes to fees, when the rest arrives, and who pays when something goes wrong.
Fees that stack up on every ticket
On a paid ticket, Eventbrite takes 3.7% + $1.79, then 2.9% of the order for payment processing. On a $25 ticket, that is roughly $3.45, close to 14% of the price. Your buyers pay it by default, or you absorb it. Organizer reviews keep coming back to the same line: fees are high and they keep going up.
Your money arrives after the event
By default, Eventbrite pays you three days after your event ends. Payouts before the event exist, but you need a past paid event, a past payout and admin rights to qualify. Even then, Eventbrite holds back 20% of net sales until the final payout. If the venue wants its deposit up front, your own cash covers the gap.
Fees don't go back to the buyer
When you refund a ticket, Eventbrite usually keeps its fee. Buyers only get it back when the event is canceled or postponed, or for a duplicate order reported within 7 days. And you, the organizer, stay responsible for refunds: Eventbrite can refund a buyer and then recover the money from you.
A checkout your attendees complain about
Buyers describe too many steps, a required phone number, and upsells after purchase. One reviewer put it bluntly: "Four offers I had to reject before exiting." Your attendees live through that checkout, and they remember your event name, not the platform's.
Marketing tools that cost extra
Eventbrite Pro, the plan with built-in email marketing (up to 10,000 emails a day), starts at $15 a month. If you already pay for an email tool, you end up paying twice to reach the same list. Several alternatives below let you export your attendees and email them from the tool you already use.
A new owner reviewing how it makes money
Bending Spoons bought Eventbrite for around $500 million, a deal closed in 2026 and followed by layoffs. The new owner says it is reviewing monetization. Nothing has changed on your invoice yet. But Eventbrite already capped free events at 25 tickets in 2023 before reversing course, so a recent export of your data is a sensible habit.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right Eventbrite alternative depends on what's pushing you out. Usually only one line applies. Each card links to the full profile below.
Humanitix: 2.1% + $0.99 per ticket. Universe: 2% + $0.59 per ticket.
You run a US or Canadian nonprofitZeffyZero platform fees for nonprofits. Zeffy runs on optional tips from buyers.
You host meetups and community eventsLumaClean event pages, calendars people subscribe to, free plan with a 5% fee on paid events.
You run a paid tech or business conferenceTitoBuilt for conferences: discount codes, group registrations, paid through your own Stripe account.
You sell registrations and want them in your CRMEventzillaFlat $1.50 per registration on Basic, with ready-made Make and Zapier connections.
You need your cash before the eventTitoTito charges through your own Stripe account, so money lands on Stripe's schedule, not after your event ends.
Eventbrite alternatives, one by one
For each platform: why move there, who it fits, its limit, how to move from Eventbrite, and what it costs. We compared fees on a $25 ticket because that's where the pricing models split the most. Prices are those published by each company in 2026.
Humanitix: lower fees, and the profits go to charity
Best overall swapWhy switch to Humanitix. Humanitix charges 2.1% + $0.99 per ticket, plus 2.9% + $0.30 for payment processing. Free events cost nothing. Nonprofits and schools pay 1% + $0.99. The twist: Humanitix is a nonprofit itself and sends 100% of its profits to charity, which gives you a line to put on your event page.
On a $25 ticket, Humanitix fees come to about $2.54 against roughly $3.45 at Eventbrite. On 300 tickets, that is a gap of more than $250 for the same event.
Who it's for. Community organizers, schools, charities and any event where the audience cares where its money goes.
The catch. No discovery marketplace on Eventbrite's scale: you bring your own audience. Advanced features for large festivals (complex seating, multi-day passes with add-ons) are less deep than at enterprise ticketing companies.
How to move. Rebuild your ticket types and checkout questions, then import your Eventbrite attendee export into your email tool and announce the new link.
- Paid ticket
- 2.1% + $0.99
- Nonprofits
- 1% + $0.99
- Processing
- 2.9% + $0.30
Luma: the easiest page for meetups and community events
Best for communitiesWhy switch to Luma. Luma is free for free events and takes a 5% platform fee on paid ones, plus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30. Luma Plus costs $59 a month (billed yearly) and drops the platform fee to 0%. Event pages look clean on a phone, and people can subscribe to your calendar, so your next event reaches them without a new campaign.
Who it's for. Founders' meetups, tech communities, workshops and recurring events where the audience comes back.
The catch. On the free plan, 5% is more than Universe. Against Humanitix it depends on price: on a $25 ticket Luma takes $1.25 against $1.52 at Humanitix, but Humanitix gets cheaper above roughly $34. Plus only pays off once you sell enough: at $59 a month, you break even around $1,180 of monthly ticket sales. Luma is light on venue tools such as reserved seating.
How to move. Create a Luma calendar first, then your events inside it. Invite your past Eventbrite attendees to subscribe, using the CSV export from your reports.
- Free plan
- 5% on paid events
- Luma Plus
- $59/mo (yearly), 0%
- Processing
- Stripe, 2.9% + $0.30
Tito: ticketing built for paid conferences
Best for conferencesWhy switch to Tito. Tito takes 3% per paid ticket (2.5% for nonprofits), capped at €25 per ticket (Tito only lists the cap in euros), and nothing on free tickets. Payments run through your own Stripe account at 2.9% + $0.30 for US cards, so cash follows Stripe's payout schedule rather than waiting for your event to end.
Who it's for. Tech conferences, paid meetups, trainings and trade events. Tito handles discount codes, tickets reserved for a list, name changes and group purchases for one company well.
The catch. No marketplace, and no on-site tools for a concert or festival crowd. You also need a Stripe account, which adds a verification step before your first sale.
How to move. Connect Stripe first, because verification can take a few days. Then rebuild your ticket types and discount codes. For past attendees who deserve an early-bird offer, generate a batch of codes in Tito and send them from your email tool.
- Paid ticket
- 3%, capped at €25
- Nonprofits
- 2.5%
- Processing
- Stripe, 2.9% + $0.30
Universe: Ticketmaster's self-serve option with low fees
Lowest flat feeWhy switch to Universe. Universe, owned by Ticketmaster, charges 2% + $0.59 per ticket on its Starter and Standard plans, before tax. Free events are free. On a $25 ticket, the platform fee is $1.09, among the lowest on this page.
Who it's for. Music events, parties and venues that want a recognizable checkout and a cheap per-ticket fee.
The catch. Payment processing comes on top of that fee, so check the full total on a sample order. Being part of Ticketmaster reassures some buyers and puts off others.
How to move. Rebuild your ticket tiers, then point your links and QR codes to the new page. Keep your Eventbrite event open until every ticket sold there has been scanned.
- Paid ticket
- 2% + $0.59
- Free events
- no fee
- Plans
- Starter, Standard
Eventzilla: flat-fee registrations you can automate
Easiest to connectWhy switch to Eventzilla. On the Basic plan, Eventzilla charges $1.50 per registration. Pro costs 1.9% + $1.50 and Plus 2.9% + $1.50 for more features. Eventzilla Payments adds 2.9% + $0.99. Nonprofits get 25% off. It connects to Make and Zapier without code, so each signup can land in your CRM or spreadsheet.
Who it's for. Trainings, paid webinars and seminars that sell registrations more than tickets.
The catch. A flat $1.50 hurts on a $5 ticket. For expensive tickets, Tito's cap is friendlier.
How to move. Rebuild your forms, then connect your automation before sales open. Our Eventzilla on Make and Eventzilla on Zapier guides list the available triggers.
- Basic
- $1.50 per registration
- Pro
- 1.9% + $1.50
- Nonprofits
- 25% off
Zeffy: zero platform fees for nonprofits
Best for nonprofitsWhy switch to Zeffy. Zeffy charges nonprofits nothing. It funds itself through an optional tip that buyers can leave at checkout. For a charity gala selling 200 tickets, that is the whole Eventbrite fee line gone.
Who it's for. Registered nonprofits in the US and Canada running galas, fundraisers and community events, often alongside donations and memberships on the same platform.
The catch. Only nonprofits qualify, and only in North America. The optional tip shows up at checkout: some buyers find it confusing, so explain it in a line on your event page.
How to move. Set up your organization and verify its status, then create your event. Import your past attendees into your donor list so ticket buyers and donors sit in one place.
- Platform fee
- $0 for nonprofits
- Revenue model
- optional buyer tip
- Region
- US and Canada
The 6 alternatives side by side
Our default pick: Humanitix for most paid events, Luma for communities, Zeffy for nonprofits. For scale, on a $25 ticket Eventbrite takes roughly $3.45 with processing. Humanitix comes to about $2.54 with processing, and Universe's platform fee is $1.09 before processing.
| Fee per paid ticket | Free events and payouts | |
|---|---|---|
| EventbriteWhere you start | 3.7% + $1.79, plus 2.9% processing | Free and unlimited; payout 3 days after the event |
| HumanitixBest overall | 2.1% + $0.99, plus 2.9% + $0.30 | Free events at no cost |
| LumaCommunities | 5% on free plan, 0% on Plus ($59/mo) | Free events at no cost |
| TitoConferences | 3%, capped at €25 per ticket, plus Stripe | Free tickets at no cost; Stripe payouts |
| UniverseLow flat fee | 2% + $0.59 | Free events at no cost |
| EventzillaRegistrations | From $1.50 per registration | 25% off for nonprofits |
| ZeffyNonprofits | $0 platform fee | US and Canadian nonprofits only |
Entry prices published by each company in 2026, subject to change. Always rerun the math on your own average ticket price.
Leave Eventbrite in six steps
Order matters. Each step protects something: your money, your attendees, your sales links.
Switch between events, never during one
FirstDon't move an event that is already selling. Tickets sold on Eventbrite stay there, with their fees, refunds and payouts. Selling on two platforms at once means two capacities, two check-in lists and two support inboxes.
Simple rule: your next event launches on the new platform, the current one finishes on Eventbrite.
Collect every payout
After your last eventEventbrite pays three days after the event by default. With early payouts, 20% of net sales is held until the final payout. Wait for that final payout before you close anything, and make sure your bank details are current.
Keep a buffer for late refunds too: you are still responsible for them.
Export orders and attendees
About an hourFrom your Eventbrite reports, export orders and attendees as CSV or Excel, for every past event: names, emails, ticket types and checkout answers.
With dozens of events, the Eventbrite API (the interface that lets a script pull your data) saves you from exporting one by one. Check consent too: a ticket buyer did not necessarily sign up for your newsletter.
Rebuild tickets and check the checkout
Half a dayRecreate every ticket type, discount, promo code and checkout question. Then buy a cheap ticket yourself on the new platform. You'll see the confirmation email, the ticket and the total your buyer pays, fees included.
Compare that total with what buyers paid on Eventbrite. If you used to absorb fees, decide whether you still will.
Swap your links and tell your audience
Launch dayReplace the ticket link on your site, social profiles, email signature, posters with QR codes and event listing sites. Tell past attendees in one plain sentence where to buy now and why it's better for them: lower fees, shorter checkout.
Connect signups to your other tools
Once liveUse the switch to stop copying attendees by hand. With Make, Zapier or n8n, each new order can create a CRM contact, a spreadsheet row or a welcome email. While you still have events on Eventbrite, our Eventbrite on Make, Eventbrite on Zapier and Eventbrite on n8n guides show how to pull that data without manual exports.
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes an Eventbrite switch go wrong
The same mistakes come up again and again when organizers change platforms. None is technical. They're oversights, and each costs more than the time it would have taken to avoid it.
Comparing percentages, not totals
A lower percentage can cost more once the fixed part kicks in. Price your average ticket on each platform and look at what the buyer pays at the end.
Forgetting processing fees
Most platforms here add Stripe or their own processing on top of the platform fee. Put both in your math, or the cheapest option on paper won't be the cheapest on your statement.
Closing your account too early
Keep Eventbrite open while a payout, refund or chargeback can still come in. A closed account means lost history and exports.
Leaving old links live
A printed QR code or a listing site pointing to Eventbrite will keep selling there. List every place your link appears before launch day.
Emailing every past buyer
Not every buyer opted in to marketing. Send the announcement to people who agreed to hear from you, and follow CAN-SPAM basics: a clear sender and an unsubscribe link.
Forgetting door check-in
Each platform has its own scanning app. Install it on staff phones before the event, and keep the Eventbrite app for tickets sold there.
- No event still selling on Eventbrite
- Final payout received, 20% hold released
- Orders and attendees exported as CSV for every event
- Tickets, discounts and promo codes rebuilt
- Sample purchase made, buyer total checked
- Links, QR codes and listing sites updated
- Announcement sent to contacts who opted in
- Check-in app installed on staff phones
Eventbrite alternatives: common questions
What is the cheapest alternative to Eventbrite?
For nonprofits in the US or Canada, Zeffy: zero platform fees. For everyone else, it depends on your ticket price. Universe has the lowest fixed part (2% + $0.59), Luma Plus drops the platform fee to 0% for $59 a month, and Tito takes 3% ($0.75 on a $25 ticket) plus Stripe. Humanitix (2.1% + $0.99) also comes out well ahead of Eventbrite once processing is included. On a $25 ticket, Eventbrite costs roughly $3.45 with processing, Humanitix about $2.54.
How much does Eventbrite charge per ticket?
In the US, 3.7% + $1.79 per paid ticket, plus 2.9% per order for payment processing. Buyers pay these fees by default, and you can choose to absorb them. Free events have no fees.
Is Eventbrite free for free events?
Yes, you can publish unlimited free events at no cost. In 2023, Eventbrite briefly limited free events to 25 tickets unless you picked a paid plan, then reversed it. If your events are free, the main reason to leave is the checkout experience, not cost.
When does Eventbrite pay organizers?
By default, three days after your event ends. To get paid before the event, you need a past paid event, a past payout and admin rights, and Eventbrite still holds 20% of net sales until the final payout. Tito charges through your own Stripe account, so you get paid on Stripe's schedule.
Does Eventbrite refund its fees?
Only in specific cases: a canceled or postponed event, or a duplicate order reported within 7 days. Otherwise, buyers get the ticket price back but not the fee. The organizer stays responsible for refunds.
What is the best Eventbrite alternative for nonprofits?
Zeffy if you're a US or Canadian nonprofit, since it charges no platform fee. Humanitix cuts its fee to 1% + $0.99 for nonprofits and schools. Tito charges nonprofits 2.5%, and Eventzilla takes 25% off.
How do I export my attendee list from Eventbrite?
Open the event's reports, then export the attendee or order report as CSV or Excel. Repeat for each event. For many events, use the API or an automation in Make, Zapier or n8n that copies every new order into a spreadsheet.
Can I sell on Eventbrite and another platform at the same time?
You can, but it's risky. You have to split capacity by hand between the two, or you oversell the venue. If you do it, give each platform a fixed quota and close the old one once its quota sells out.
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