Which ticketing platform is completely free?

Zeffy is 100% free for nonprofits (donation-supported model). For paid events, no platform is completely free, but TixFox at $0.39 per ticket is the lowest-cost option.

What platform has no fees?

No platform has zero fees for paid events. However, free events on TixFox, Eventbrite, Ticket Tailor, and Humanitix have $0 fees.

Is TixFox really the cheapest?

Yes. At $0.39 flat per ticket, TixFox has the lowest platform fee in the industry. Add standard 2.9% + $0.30 Stripe processing, and total cost is still 50-75% less than competitors.

Do cheaper platforms have fewer features?

Not necessarily. TixFox offers mobile check-in app, real-time analytics, add-on sales, custom branding, instant payouts, event passcodes, and capacity limits. All standard features at lowest cost.

Can I pass fees to attendees?

Yes, most platforms allow fee passthrough, including TixFox, Ticket Tailor, Eventbrite, and SimpleTix. Buyers pay fees at checkout instead of you absorbing them.

Are there cheaper options for nonprofits?

Zeffy is 100% free (donation-based), Humanitix charges low fees (2% + $0.49) with profits donated to charity, and Eventbrite offers 50% off Pro plans for registered nonprofits. TixFox's $0.39 fee is still often cheaper than nonprofit discounts elsewhere.

Which platform is cheapest for high-priced tickets ($100+)?

Still TixFox. The flat $0.39 fee means a $200 ticket costs the same as a $20 ticket. Percentage-based platforms charge $5-$15 on $200 tickets.

Do international fees differ?

Yes. Eventbrite charges different rates by country (UK is nearly 2× US rates). TixFox maintains $0.39 globally, though Stripe processing varies slightly by region.

What about payment processing fees?

Nearly all platforms charge 2.9% + $0.30 via Stripe or similar. This is separate from platform fees and unavoidable unless you collect cash. Exception: Universe includes processing in their fee (but total is still higher).

Can I avoid fees by selling tickets manually?

You avoid platform fees but lose automated confirmation emails, check-in tracking, and real-time analytics. You still pay 2.9% + $0.30 if using Stripe/Square manually. TixFox's $0.39 is worth the automation and features.

Which Ticketing Platform Has the Lowest Fees in 2026? (Complete Fee Comparison)

Last updated: August 19, 2026

If you're picking a ticketing platform on vibes, you're probably overpaying. Fees still range from a flat $0.39 to percent-heavy stacks that quietly take several dollars per head. On 200 tickets at $30, that is hundreds of dollars, not pocket change.

This August 2026 comparison uses published US rates (or clearly labeled custom/enterprise pricing). Processing is called out separately when it sits on top of the platform fee.

Quick answer: lowest fees (US, August 2026)

Platform	Platform fee	$30 ticket (platform only)	Notes
TixFox	$0.39 flat	$0.39	No %
Ticket Tailor	~$0.85 PAYG	$0.85	Flat, higher than TixFox
TicketSource (own Stripe)	$0.99 + Stripe	$0.99	Processing separate
SimpleTix	$0.79 + 2% (cap $9.99)	$1.39	Own processor
Ticketstripe	2% + $0.99	$1.59	NFP: 1.5% + $0.50
TicketLeap	$1 + 2% (cap $20) + 3% txn	$1.60 service	≤$5 tickets: $0.49
Humanitix	2.1% + $0.99	$1.62	NFP/schools: 1% + $0.99
TicketSource (all-in)	3.5% + $0.99	$2.04	Includes their processing
Eventbrite	3.7% + $1.79	$2.90	+ 2.9% processing / order
Luma Free	~5%	~$1.50	Plus plan ~$59/mo
Ticketmaster	Custom venue contracts	High buyer fees	Often ~10–20%+ of all-in; not a DIY rate card

Winner on raw platform fee: TixFox at $0.39.

Two fees, not one

1. Platform / service fee

What the ticketing product charges. Flat cents, percent + cents, or monthly SaaS.

2. Payment processing

Card rails. Common patterns:

Stripe-style 2.9% + $0.30 (TixFox, Ticket Tailor, Humanitix, Ticketstripe with Stripe, TicketSource with own Stripe)
Eventbrite 2.9% per order (on top of 3.7% + $1.79)
TicketLeap 3% transaction fee
TicketSource all-in plan folds processing into 3.5% + $0.99
SimpleTix / Ticketstripe expect your Square/Stripe/PayPal rates

Always compare apples to apples. Platform-only tables are useful. All-in tables are what hits the bank account.

Example: $30 ticket, one per order

Eventbrite

Service: 3.7% × $30 + $1.79 = $2.90
Processing: 2.9% × $30 = $0.87
All-in ≈ $3.77

TixFox

Platform: $0.39
Stripe: 2.9% × $30 + $0.30 = $1.17
All-in ≈ $1.56

Gap ≈ $2.21 per ticket before anyone talks "brand."

Platform-by-platform (August 2026)

Ultra-low: flat cents

TixFox: $0.39 flat (lowest overall)

Platform: $0.39 ($0.30 under $5)
Processing: Stripe 2.9% + $0.30
Free events: $0
Monthly: none
Fee control: absorb or pass fees to buyers (ticketing fee control)
Donations: fee-exempt (TixFox takes $0 on donation amounts)

Ticket	Platform	Stripe (est.)	All-in	% of price
$10	$0.39	$0.59	$0.98	9.8%
$25	$0.39	$1.03	$1.42	5.7%
$50	$0.39	$1.75	$2.14	4.3%
$100	$0.39	$3.20	$3.59	3.6%

Flat fee means a $100 ticket costs the same platform cents as a $20 ticket.

Ticket Tailor: ~$0.85 PAYG

Platform: about $0.85 USD
Processing: Stripe 2.9% + $0.30
Charities: often ~50% off platform

Ticket	Platform	Stripe	All-in
$10	$0.85	$0.59	$1.44
$25	$0.85	$1.03	$1.88
$50	$0.85	$1.75	$2.60
$100	$0.85	$3.20	$4.05

Still roughly 2.2× TixFox on the platform line.

Low: about $1–$2 platform on a $30 ticket

SimpleTix: $0.79 + 2% (cap $9.99)

Online: $0.79 + 2%, capped at $9.99
Tickets $5 and under: often $0.25
Processing: your Square / Stripe / PayPal
Nonprofit: about 10% off platform fee

Ticket	Platform fee
$10	$0.99
$25	$1.29
$50	$1.79
$100	$2.79
$500	$9.99 (hit cap)

Strong timed entry and reserved seating. You bring the processor.

TicketLeap: $1 + 2% + 3% txn

Service: $1 + 2% per ticket, service fee capped at $20
Tickets ≤ $5: $0.49
Card processing: 3% per order
Monthly: none

Ticket	Service	+ 3% txn (1 ticket)	Combined
$10	$1.20	$0.30	$1.50
$30	$1.60	$0.90	$2.50
$50	$2.00	$1.50	$3.50
$100	$3.00	$3.00	$6.00

Payouts are typically after the event. Plan cash flow accordingly.

Ticketstripe: 2% + $0.99 (NFP 1.5% + $0.50)

For-profit: 2% + $0.99
Nonprofit: 1.5% + $0.50
Processing: your Stripe or PayPal

Ticket	For-profit platform	+ Stripe est.
$10	$1.19	~$1.78
$30	$1.59	~$2.76
$50	$1.99	~$3.74
$100	$2.99	~$6.19

You control payouts through your own Stripe. No built-in marketplace.

Humanitix US: 2.1% + $0.99 (+ Stripe)

Standard: 2.1% + $0.99
Charities & schools: 1% + $0.99
Processing: Stripe 2.9% + $0.30
Profits (not fees) fund charity programs

Ticket	Platform	+ Stripe	All-in
$10	$1.20	$0.59	$1.79
$30	$1.62	$1.17	$2.79
$50	$2.04	$1.75	$3.79
$100	$3.09	$3.20	$6.29

Pick Humanitix when the mission matters as much as the spreadsheet. Pick TixFox when the spreadsheet wins.

TicketSource US: two paths

3.5% + $0.99 (includes their processing)
$0.99 + your own Stripe fees

Ticket	All-in path (3.5%+$0.99)	Own-Stripe path (platform only)
$10	$1.34	$0.99
$30	$2.04	$0.99
$50	$2.74	$0.99
$100	$4.49	$0.99

Phone box office is a nice extra. Payouts are often post-event. Cash-flow sensitive organizers should factor that in.

Mid / high

Eventbrite US: 3.7% + $1.79 + 2.9% processing

Ticket	Service	+ 2.9% (1/order)	All-in
$10	$2.16	$0.29	$2.45
$25	$2.715	$0.73	$3.44
$50	$3.64	$1.45	$5.09
$100	$5.49	$2.90	$8.39

You're paying for marketplace demand and a familiar brand. Fine when discovery is the product. Expensive when you already have a list.

Luma: Free ~5%; Plus ~$59/mo

Free tier: about 5% on paid tickets
Plus: about $59/month (confirm current inclusions)
Popular for social / community calendars more than classic box office wars

On a $30 ticket, Free ≈ $1.50 platform-style take before whatever processing applies. Volume or high ticket prices can make Plus math better than 5%.

Ticketmaster / major venue stacks

Custom contracts. Exclusive buildings. Buyer-facing service fees commonly described as ~10–20%+ of the all-in price in many markets, but the mix of service, facility, and order fees varies. Independent organizers rarely "choose" Ticketmaster the way they choose TixFox. The venue chooses for them.

Do not paste one Ticketmaster percentage into every budget. If you control the room, compare self-serve flats instead.

200 tickets at $30 ($6,000 gross)

Platform fees only (processing excluded so rates stay comparable):

Platform	Fee / ticket	Total platform fees	Net before processing
TixFox	$0.39	$78	$5,922
TicketSource (own Stripe)	$0.99	$198	$5,802
Ticket Tailor	$0.85	$170	$5,830
SimpleTix	$1.39	$278	$5,722
Ticketstripe	$1.59	$318	$5,682
TicketLeap (service)	$1.60	$320	$5,680
Humanitix	$1.62	$324	$5,676
TicketSource (all-in)	$2.04	$408	$5,592
Eventbrite (service)	$2.90	$580	$5,420
Luma Free (~5%)	~$1.50	~$300	~$5,700

TixFox vs Eventbrite service: $502 saved on platform fees alone for one event. Twelve similar events ≈ $6,024/year.

All-in sketch (TixFox vs Eventbrite, 1 ticket/order):

TixFox: ($0.39 + $1.17) × 200 = $312
Eventbrite: ($2.90 + $0.87) × 200 = $754
Gap ≈ $442

By ticket price

$15 community ticket (platform only)

Platform	Fee
TixFox	$0.39
Ticket Tailor	$0.85
TicketSource (Stripe)	$0.99
SimpleTix	$1.09
TicketLeap	$1.30
Humanitix	$1.305
Eventbrite	$2.345

Flat fees crush percent + base models on cheap tickets.

$40 mid-tier (platform only)

Platform	Fee
TixFox	$0.39
Ticket Tailor	$0.85
TicketSource (Stripe)	$0.99
SimpleTix	$1.59
Ticketstripe	$1.79
TicketLeap	$1.80
Humanitix	$1.83
Eventbrite	$3.27

$100 high-tier (platform only)

Platform	Fee
TixFox	$0.39
Ticket Tailor	$0.85
TicketSource (Stripe)	$0.99
SimpleTix	$2.79
Ticketstripe	$2.99
TicketLeap	$3.00
Humanitix	$3.09
Eventbrite	$5.49
TicketSource all-in	$4.49

The flat $0.39 never "scales up" with price. Percent models do.

Free events

TixFox, Ticket Tailor, Eventbrite, Humanitix, SimpleTix, and most peers charge $0 when the ticket is free. Choose on features and checkout UX, not fees.

Hidden costs people miss

Processing on top of "low" platform fees
Monthly plans (Luma Plus ~$59; some white-label tiers elsewhere)
Post-event payouts (TicketLeap, TicketSource timing)
Refunds: card processing is usually gone even if the platform fee returns
Country rates: Eventbrite UK/EU differ from US; this article is US-focused

TixFox: no monthly fee, free payouts via Stripe, same $0.39 globally on the platform line (Stripe varies by country).

Pick by event type

Situation	Best cost pick	Why
50–200 tickets, $10–$25	TixFox	Flat fee wins hardest
Music / clubs with a list	TixFox	Instant payouts
Values-led nonprofit	Humanitix or Zeffy-style tip models	Mission; TixFox still cheapest absolute
Attractions / timed entry	SimpleTix	Features; accept $0.79+2%
Need Eventbrite SEO	Eventbrite	Pay 3.7%+$1.79 for demand
Social calendar crowd	Luma	Product fit; watch 5% or $59/mo
Exclusive arena	Ticketmaster-class	Contract, not a shopping choice

Mini calculator

Code
Service = (price × percent) + base
Processing = price × processor% [+ fixed if any]
All-in per ticket = service + processing
Event total = all-in × ticket count

150 × $35

Eventbrite:

Service: 3.7% × 35 + 1.79 = $3.085
Processing: 2.9% × 35 = $1.015
All-in ≈ $4.10 × 150 ≈ $615

TixFox:

Platform: $0.39
Stripe: 2.9% × 35 + 0.30 = $1.315
All-in ≈ $1.705 × 150 ≈ $256

Savings ≈ $359 on one event.

FAQ

Is any paid ticketing free?

No. Zeffy-style tools can be $0 platform if attendees tip. Otherwise TixFox $0.39 is the lowest common self-serve platform fee on this list.

Is TixFox really cheapest?

On platform fee, yes: $0.39 with no percent. All-in still beats Eventbrite and most percent + base stacks after Stripe.

Do cheap platforms skip features?

No. TixFox still covers check-in, add-ons, branding, passcodes, capacity, analytics, fee control, and fee-exempt donations. Low platform fee is not a stripped tool.

Can I pass fees to buyers?

Usually yes (TixFox, Eventbrite, TicketLeap, many others). Passing Eventbrite fees just moves the sticker shock to checkout.

Cheapest for $100+ tickets?

Still TixFox. Percent platforms charge more as price climbs. TicketSource's $0.99 + Stripe path is the nearest flat-ish rival on the platform line.

What about Ticketmaster?

Custom venue deals and high buyer fees. Not a fair DIY comparison. Independents should price self-serve tools unless the building forces a primary vendor.

Bottom line

August 2026 US math still points the same way: TixFox $0.39 wins on platform fee at every common price point. Ticket Tailor (~$0.85) and TicketSource ($0.99 + Stripe) are the next flats. SimpleTix, TicketLeap, Ticketstripe, and Humanitix sit in the low-dollar percent band. Eventbrite and Luma Free trade higher take rates for distribution or social product fit. Ticketmaster is a venue contract, not a rate card.

Start saving with TixFox →

Fees are a budget line, not a mystery. Run the $30 × 200 sheet before you fall for a logo. If the platform can't beat $0.39 without a story, keep shopping. 🎫