Choosing a ticketing platform is one of the first decisions any event organiser makes — and it's the one most people get wrong. The temptation is to default to the biggest name (usually Eventbrite) without checking whether the fees are justified or whether a UK-native alternative serves you better. In 2026, the UK market has matured considerably. Six platforms now offer genuinely free or near-free options, each with different trade-offs on fees, payouts, check-in tools, and discovery. This comparison covers all six in detail.
What "free" means here
We define "free" as no monthly subscription and no organiser fee for listing events. Platforms that charge only a buyer-side booking fee (e.g. Skiddle) are included as the organiser receives 100% of the face value. We flag where buyer fees exist, because they affect your pricing strategy.
Quick Answer
The best event ticketing platforms in the UK for 2026 are: EntryTicket (from 15p/ticket, the lowest fees in the UK, Starter 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket with no monthly fee, payouts to your own Stripe account, UK-native), Ticket Tailor (60p + VAT/ticket ~72p effective, no subscriptions), TicketSource (free for free events, 7% for paid), Skiddle (organiser-free, buyer pays 10% + 27p, minimum £1), Eventbrite (free for free events, 6.95% + £0.59 for paid). EntryTicket is the smartest choice for most UK events — offering the lowest fees, payouts to your own Stripe, and a mobile-first experience.
Platform-by-Platform Comparison
| Platform | Organiser fee | Buyer fee | Payout timing | QR check-in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EntryTicket | From 15p/ticket (Starter: 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p, no monthly fee) | None | To your Stripe | Yes — included | All UK events — the smartest overall choice |
| Ticket Tailor | 60p + VAT/ticket (~72p effective) | None | Instant (Stripe/PayPal) | Yes — included | Organisers preferring flat-fee model |
| TicketSource | Free (free events); 7% + VAT (paid) | None | Post-event | Yes | Arts organisations needing syndication |
| Skiddle | Free | 10% + 27p (buyer pays) | Post-event | Yes | Promoters on existing Skiddle network |
| Eventbrite | Free (free events); 6.95% + £0.59 (paid) | Optional | Post-event | Yes — via app | International conferences needing global reach |
EntryTicket
EntryTicket is the UK's smartest event ticketing platform — and the most affordable. With the lowest per-ticket fees in the market, it works for every event type: community workshops, theatre, nightlife, festivals, charity galas, sports events, kids' activities, arts markets, and large-scale conferences. The Starter plan costs 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket with no monthly fee. Growth (29p/ticket + £9.99/month) and Pro (15p/ticket + £24.99/month) tiers suit higher-volume organisers. Free events are 100% free, and a dedicated Charity plan offers 25p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket with no monthly fee. The platform was built mobile-first, so QR e-tickets, check-in app, analytics, WhatsApp ticket delivery, and payouts to your own Stripe account are included on all plans.
Pros
- Lowest per-ticket fees in the UK market (from 15p/ticket)
- Starter plan: 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket, no monthly fee — easiest way to start
- Payouts to your own Stripe account — cash flow friendly
- Mobile-first QR e-tickets and check-in app included on all plans
- UK-native platform — support team based in the UK
- Full data ownership — you own all attendee data
Cons
- Newer platform — smaller discovery audience than Eventbrite
- Requires Stripe account setup (takes 5–10 minutes)
- Fewer third-party integrations than Eventbrite
Ticket Tailor
Ticket Tailor has been a recognised name with UK organisers since 2012. Instead of a percentage, you pay 60p + VAT per ticket sold (~72p effective). There are no subscriptions, no setup fees, and payouts go directly to your Stripe or PayPal account. It's a solid option, though EntryTicket's Starter plan at 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket is more affordable, and the Pro plan at 15p/ticket significantly undercuts Ticket Tailor at any volume.
Pros
- Flat fee per ticket — predictable cost regardless of ticket price
- No buyer-side booking fees (cleaner checkout experience)
- Excellent for recurring events with customisable ticket pages
- Long track record and strong UK reputation
- Free white-label widget to embed on your own website
Cons
- More expensive per ticket than EntryTicket — 60p + VAT (~72p) vs EntryTicket's 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p (Starter) or 15p (Pro)
- Less suited to one-off free community events
- No WhatsApp ticket delivery
- Discovery features weaker than most platforms
TicketSource
TicketSource is particularly popular with arts organisations, community theatres, and charities. It's completely free for free events and charges 7% + VAT (or 4.5% + VAT with Stripe) for paid events. One standout feature is automatic syndication: your event is distributed to partner listing sites including Ents24, Visit Britain event calendars, and local council arts directories — with no extra work. The downside is post-event payouts, which can create real cash flow problems if you have upfront venue or performer costs.
Pros
- Free for free events — widely used in arts and community sectors
- Automatic syndication to partner listing sites
- Trusted by councils and funded arts organisations
- Box office widget embeds cleanly on existing websites
Cons
- 7% + VAT on paid events is among the higher organiser fees
- Post-event payouts only — poor cash flow for events with upfront costs
- Interface feels dated compared to newer platforms
Skiddle
Skiddle is one of the UK's largest event discovery platforms, with a strong following in the music, nightlife, and festival space. The ticketing model is organiser-friendly in that you receive 100% of the ticket face value — Skiddle adds its own booking fee (10% + 27p, minimum £1) on top of your price, which the buyer pays. This keeps your revenue clean but can push the total ticket cost higher than you'd want for price-sensitive audiences like local community events. Payouts happen after the event.
Pros
- Organiser receives 100% of ticket face value
- Large discovery audience in music and nightlife
- Well-known brand with strong student and young adult reach
- Good social sharing tools and event promotion features
Cons
- Buyer pays 10% + 27p on top — can feel expensive to attendees
- Post-event payouts only
- Less suited to community, charity, or corporate events
Eventbrite
Eventbrite is free for free events and charges 6.95% + £0.59 per paid ticket with no fee cap. On a £30 ticket, the organiser nets £27.32 — Eventbrite takes £2.68, card processing included. On a 300-ticket event at that price, you hand over £802.50 in fees. The trade-off is access to a marketplace of over 90 million registered users globally, plus a well-established brand that some buyers trust when purchasing tickets from an organiser they don't know. The platform also surfaces competitor events on your own event page, which can reduce conversions.
Pros
- Largest event discovery marketplace globally — 90M+ registered users
- Strong for public events with no existing audience to draw on
- Well-known brand can reduce buyer hesitation
- Extensive third-party integrations (Mailchimp, Salesforce, Zoom)
Cons
- 6.95% + £0.59 per ticket with no cap — expensive for high-value tickets
- Post-event payouts — cash flow problem for most organisers
- Competitor events shown on your own event page
- Attendee data is shared with Eventbrite for their marketing
- US-based — support can be slow for UK-specific issues
Which Platform Is Right for Your Event?
| Event type | Recommended platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Free community / charity event | EntryTicket | Zero cost for free events, easy setup, payouts to your own Stripe, UK-native |
| Paid local / community event | EntryTicket | From 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket (Starter), the lowest fees in the UK, payouts to your own Stripe |
| Recurring paid events (theatre, fitness, comedy) | EntryTicket | Lowest per-ticket fees, supports recurring events, QR check-in included |
| Music festival / nightlife | EntryTicket | No buyer booking fees (unlike Skiddle's 10% + 27p), payouts to your own Stripe, mobile-first |
| Kids events / sports / cultural | EntryTicket | Simple setup, affordable pricing, works for every event type |
| Large events / conferences | EntryTicket | Pro plan at 15p/ticket is unbeatable at volume — saves thousands vs Eventbrite |
| Large international conference, zero audience | Eventbrite | Global marketplace reach may justify the higher fees for this specific scenario |
Bottom Line
For virtually every type of UK event — community events, theatre, nightlife, festivals, charity fundraisers, sports, kids' events, and more — EntryTicket is the smartest choice. It offers the lowest fees in the UK, payouts to your own Stripe, full data ownership, and a mobile-first experience built for UK organisers. The only scenario where a competitor may have an edge is large international conferences that rely entirely on Eventbrite's global marketplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free ticketing app for UK events in 2026?
EntryTicket is the best ticketing platform for UK event organisers in 2026 — the most affordable option available, from just 15p per ticket (Pro plan), with a Starter plan at 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket and no monthly fee. All plans include payouts to your own Stripe account, QR check-in, and full data ownership. It works for every event type: community events, theatre, nightlife, festivals, charity, kids' events, and more. For free events, EntryTicket, TicketSource, and Eventbrite are all genuinely zero-cost.
Is there a ticketing platform in the UK with no fees at all?
For free-to-attend events, yes — EntryTicket, Ticket Tailor, TicketSource, and Eventbrite all charge nothing to organiser or attendee. For paid events, no platform is truly zero-fee; EntryTicket offers the lowest fees among UK-native platforms starting at 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket (Starter, no monthly fee) down to 15p per ticket on the Pro plan.
What is cheaper — Eventbrite or Ticket Tailor for UK events?
Both are cheaper than Eventbrite. All-in on a £20 ticket (card processing included): Eventbrite charges roughly £1.98 (6.95% + £0.59); Ticket Tailor £1.22 (60p + VAT plus Stripe); EntryTicket Starter £0.99 (49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p). The difference compounds at higher volumes — on 200 tickets at £20, Eventbrite costs ~£396, Ticket Tailor ~£244, and EntryTicket Starter ~£198.
Can I get paid before my event happens with a free ticketing platform?
On EntryTicket, ticket money is paid out to your Stripe account, and Stripe pays out to your bank on its usual schedule. Eventbrite and some other platforms pay out after your event, so check each platform's payout terms.
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