Best Ticketing Platforms for Class Reunions 2026: High School, College & Family
Last updated: August 19, 2026
Class reunions are volunteer projects with real money on the line. You're chasing classmates across three time zones, collecting +1 names for nametags, and promising the venue a headcount. Ticketing fees shouldn't quietly skim the open-bar budget.
On 150 tickets at $65, platform choice is a few hundred dollars. That is DJ upgrades vs Spotify, not a rounding error.
This guide is the platform comparison for reunions in 2026: fees, +1 workflows, and which tool fits high school, college, family, military, and scholarship nights. For the full planning timeline and committee playbook, see the complete reunion planning guide.
Quick comparison (US fees, August 2026)
| Platform | Fee model | Best for | Reunion fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| TixFox | $0.39 flat | Most paid reunions | Lowest fee, +1 ticket types |
| Ticket Tailor | ~$0.85 PAYG | Branded pages | Clean, still pricier than TixFox |
| SimpleTix | $0.79 + 2% (cap $9.99) | Seated dinners | Reserved seating strength |
| Humanitix | 2.1% + $0.99 (+ Stripe) | Mission-driven | NFP/schools: 1% + $0.99 |
| Eventbrite | 3.7% + $1.79 + 2.9%/order | Big discovery needs | Familiar brand, higher cost |
| RSVPify | ~$99–$299/event + processing | Complex weekends | Flat event fee, rich RSVP |
| Zeffy | $0 platform (tips) | Charity reunions | Attendees may see tip prompts |
| Eventcreate / SignUpGenius | Free tiers | Free RSVP only | Potlucks, no paid tickets |
Default pick for paid reunions: TixFox at $0.39/ticket.
What reunion committees actually need
Volunteer-proof setup. If it takes a training webinar, half the committee ghosts.
Scattered guests. Maiden names, dead emails, Facebook group links. You need a shareable URL and manual adds.
+1 complexity. Alumni $65, guest $60, both names on the order, one headcount for catering.
Price sensitivity. Committees often float deposits personally. High fees feel personal.
Flexible deadlines. Sales stay open late. Final counts still need to hit the venue 1–2 weeks out.
Platform deep dives
1. TixFox: $0.39 flat (best overall for paid reunions)
- Platform: $0.39 ($0.30 under $5)
- Processing: Stripe 2.9% + $0.30
- Free RSVP events: $0
$65 ticket (1 per order):
- Platform: $0.39
- Stripe: 2.9% × $65 + $0.30 = $2.185
- All-in ≈ $2.58 (4.0%)
150 × $65 = $9,750 gross:
- Platform: 150 × $0.39 = $58.50
- Stripe ≈ 150 × $2.185 = $327.75
- Total fees ≈ $386 → keep about 96%
Reunion features that matter (refreshed August 2026): separate Alumni / Guest ticket types; custom fields for meal choice, class year, and dietary needs; event passcode so only the Facebook group can buy; add-ons (shirts, yearbooks); live headcount and capacity caps; QR check-in; check-in assistants for volunteer scanners without finance access; team roles (Admin, Finance Manager, Scanner, Viewer) for the reunion committee; automated reminders before the dinner; optional donations for a scholarship fund (TixFox takes $0 on donation amounts); funds land in your Stripe as tickets sell for venue deposits.
Vs Eventbrite on the same 150 × $65 (service + processing, 1 ticket/order):
- Eventbrite service: 3.7% × $65 + $1.79 = $4.195
- Eventbrite processing: 2.9% × $65 = $1.885
- All-in ≈ $6.08 × 150 ≈ $912
- Gap vs TixFox ≈ $526
That gap buys a photo booth night or a better open-bar package.
2. Eventbrite: 3.7% + $1.79 + 2.9% processing
Use it when alumni will only trust a logo they recognize, or you need marketplace SEO for a huge public homecoming. For a private Facebook-group reunion, you're mostly paying brand tax.
Drawbacks for committees: higher checkout totals if fees pass through, slower payouts than instant Stripe tools, heavier UI for one-off volunteers.
3. Ticket Tailor: ~$0.85 flat
Nice white-label and clean tickets. On 150 tickets you're paying about $127.50 in platform fees vs $58.50 on TixFox. Same reunion job for most dinners; TixFox stays cheaper by $0.46/ticket.
4. RSVPify: flat per event (~$99–$299) + card processing
Wins when the weekend needs meal choices, hotel blocks, activity sign-ups, and seating charts. Fee math:
150 × $65, $199 plan:
- Platform: $199
- Stripe-like processing ≈ $328
- Total ≈ $527 vs TixFox ≈ $386
~500 tickets: flat fee plans can catch up. Under ~400 standard dinner tickets, TixFox usually wins on cost.
5. SimpleTix: $0.79 + 2% (cap $9.99)
$65 ticket platform fee: $0.79 + $1.30 = $2.09 (+ your Square/Stripe).
150 tickets platform only: ≈ $313.50 vs TixFox $58.50.
Choose SimpleTix when assigned tables and box-office tooling matter more than the fee delta.
6. Humanitix: 2.1% + $0.99 (+ Stripe); NFP 1% + $0.99
$65 standard platform: 2.1% × $65 + $0.99 = $2.355. Good when the reunion raises scholarship money and the committee wants fees tied to a charity mission. Pure cost still favors TixFox.
7. Zeffy: $0 platform (donation / tip supported)
Keeps 100% of ticket face value if attendees tip the platform instead. Great for scholarship galas. Some guests find tip prompts awkward at a social reunion. Instant cash-flow and "pro" checkout feel can be weaker than paid DIY tools.
8. Eventcreate & SignUpGenius: free RSVP lanes
Perfect for potluck family reunions with no ticket price. Not substitutes for paid checkout, refunds, and card reconciliation.
Cost sheet: 150-ticket reunion at $65
Gross: $9,750. Figures below are all-in-ish where processing is known; SimpleTix assumes ~Stripe on top of platform.
| Platform | Approx. total fees | Net | vs TixFox |
|---|---|---|---|
| TixFox | ~$386 | ~$9,364 | baseline |
| Ticket Tailor | ~$455 | ~$9,295 | -$69 |
| Humanitix | ~$681 | ~$9,069 | -$295 |
| SimpleTix | ~$641 | ~$9,109 | -$255 |
| Eventbrite | ~$912 | ~$8,838 | -$526 |
Ticketmaster-class venue stacks don't belong on a high school reunion shortlist. Those contracts and buyer fees are built for arenas, not hotel ballrooms.
What ~$500 saved actually buys
Better DJ, longer open bar, photo booth, dessert upgrade, or a small film of the night. Fees are an experience tax when you leave them on the table.
By reunion type
High school (10 / 20 / 50 year)
100–250 people, $50–$75, dinner + DJ. TixFox.
Sample 200 × $60: TixFox platform $78 + Stripe ≈ $408 total ≈ $486. Eventbrite all-in ≈ $1,150. Gap ≈ $660.
College / homecoming weekend
300–1,000+, multi-activity. TixFox under ~500 simple tickets; RSVPify when registration forms get long. Eventbrite only if you need public discovery.
Family reunions
50–150, $25–$50 or free. Paid → TixFox. Free potluck → Eventcreate / SignUpGenius.
Military reunions
50–200, straightforward dinner. TixFox. Low fees and a simple link beat feature bloat.
Scholarship / nonprofit reunions
Zeffy for $0 platform, Humanitix for mission-linked fees, TixFox when you want predictable $0.39 without tip prompts.
Feature checklist (reunion-specific)
| Need | Why | TixFox | Eventbrite | Ticket Tailor | SimpleTix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alumni + guest types | Different prices / names | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Custom fields | Nametags, meal, class year | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Live headcount | Venue deadline | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Passcode / private | Facebook-only | Yes | Partial | Varies | Varies |
| Add-ons | Shirts / yearbooks | Yes | Limited | Varies | Varies |
| Team roles / scanners | Committee + door volunteers | Yes | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Reminders | Cut no-shows | Yes | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Fee-exempt donations | Scholarship add-on | Yes ($0 platform) | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Reserved seating | Banquet tables | No | Basic | Varies | Strong |
| Fast payouts | Deposits | Stripe Connect | Slower | Per Stripe | Per processor |
Decision tree
- Free event? → Eventcreate / SignUpGenius
- Scholarship, want $0 platform? → Zeffy (or Humanitix for mission fees)
- Seating charts / multi-day form hell? → SimpleTix or RSVPify
- Standard paid dinner under ~500? → TixFox
- Need Eventbrite marketplace? → Eventbrite, accept the fee stack
| Type | Size | First pick | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS 10-year | 100–200 | TixFox | Ticket Tailor |
| HS 25-year | 150–300 | TixFox | Eventbrite (brand) |
| College weekend | 400–800 | TixFox or RSVPify | Eventbrite |
| Family paid | 50–150 | TixFox | Ticket Tailor |
| Family free | 50–150 | Eventcreate | SignUpGenius |
| Military | 100–250 | TixFox | SimpleTix |
| Scholarship gala | 200–400 | Zeffy / TixFox | Humanitix |
15-minute TixFox setup (reunion shape)
- Event name like "Central High Class of 2006 20-Year Reunion," date, venue.
- Ticket types: Alumni $65, Guest $60, capacity 200.
- Custom fields: guest name, dietary needs, meal choice, class year if mixed decades.
- Passcode shared only in the class Facebook group.
- Invite committee roles (Admin / Finance Manager / Scanner / Viewer); add check-in assistants for door night.
- Optional scholarship donation line (fee-exempt) and automated reminder before the date.
- Early-bird price or promo code through a hard date.
- Publish, paste the link, stop chasing Venmo screenshots.
Fee mistakes reunion committees make
- Picking Eventbrite for name recognition on a private group event
- Forgetting guest names in the form
- Setting $50 tickets before modeling fees and floating the shortfall personally
- No early-bird deadline, then panic at the venue's headcount date
- Absorbing Eventbrite-level fees without putting them in the budget
- Never doing a test checkout on a phone
FAQ
Cheapest platform for class reunions?
TixFox at $0.39. On 150 × $65, all-in fees land near $386 vs roughly $900+ on Eventbrite.
Can alumni and guests be priced differently?
Yes. Separate ticket types on TixFox, Eventbrite, Ticket Tailor, and SimpleTix.
Best free option?
Free RSVP: Eventcreate / SignUpGenius. Paid with $0 platform: Zeffy (tips). Lowest predictable paid fee: TixFox.
Pass fees to classmates or absorb them?
Many committees absorb $0.39 to keep a round $65. Passing Eventbrite's ~$6 is a tougher sell at checkout.
Tax on social reunion tickets?
Often not for pure social gatherings, but rules vary. Ask a local CPA for fundraiser / nonprofit hybrids.
Recommendation
For most high school, college, family, and military reunions with a ticket price, TixFox is the fee winner and covers +1s, passcodes, custom fields, committee team roles, reminders, optional fee-exempt donations, and check-in. Reach for RSVPify or SimpleTix when forms and seating charts get heavy. Use Zeffy/Humanitix for scholarship framing, or keep TixFox and add a fee-exempt donation line. Use Eventbrite when discovery or brand comfort is worth ~$500+ on a mid-size dinner.
Planning steps, budgets, and day-of checklists live in the companion guide: Best Ticketing Platform for Class Reunions: Complete Planning Guide.
Create your reunion event on TixFox →
Related Resources
- Lowest Fee Ticketing Platform Comparison 2026
- Class Reunion Planning Guide
- Best Ticketing Platforms for Nonprofits
- House Party & Private Event Ticketing
Reunions are about people, not platform brands. Keep the fee line tiny, collect +1 names once, and put the difference into the night everyone will remember. 🎓
