Platform fee structures are intentionally complicated. Percentages, flat fees, payment processing charges, optional add-ons, and buyer-facing booking fees combine to make it genuinely difficult to know what you'll actually keep from a £25 ticket. This article cuts through the marketing language with worked examples at three different event sizes: 50 tickets, 200 tickets, and 500 tickets. All figures are current as of April 2026.
Pricing note
All figures are all-in for the organiser: card processing is included on both sides. Eventbrite's 6.95% + 59p already includes processing, and TicketSource's 7% + VAT uses its own processing. For EntryTicket and Ticket Tailor we add Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per UK card payment. Skiddle charges the organiser nothing; buyers pay its booking fee on top. Figures are generated from one fee calculator.
Quick Answer
On a £25 ticket, all-in (card processing included), you keep: EntryTicket Starter £23.93, EntryTicket Pro £24.27 per ticket (plus £24.99/month), Ticket Tailor £23.70, TicketSource £22.90 and Eventbrite £22.67. Skiddle organisers keep £25 because buyers pay a booking fee on top (£27.77 per ticket). On a 200-ticket event at £25, EntryTicket Starter keeps about £252.50 more than Eventbrite.
Fee Structure Breakdown by Platform
| Platform | Organiser fee structure | Payment processing | Buyer fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| EntryTicket | Starter: 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket (no monthly fee) · Growth: 29p + £9.99/mo · Pro: 15p + £24.99/mo | Stripe (direct) — 1.5% + 20p UK cards | None |
| Ticket Tailor | 60p + VAT/ticket (~72p effective) | Stripe or PayPal (direct) | None |
| TicketSource | 7% + VAT (or 4.5% + VAT with Stripe) | Stripe or own processor | None (absorbed) |
| Skiddle | Free for organiser | Own processor | 10% + 27p (buyer pays on top) |
| Eventbrite | 6.95% + £0.59/ticket (no cap) | Eventbrite Payments (own) | Optional — can pass to buyer |
Worked Example — £25 Ticket
| Platform | Organiser keeps (all-in) | All-in fees | Buyer pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| EntryTicket (Starter) | £23.93 | £1.07 (49p + Stripe 1.5% + 20p) | £25 |
| EntryTicket (Pro) | £24.27 | £0.73 (15p + Stripe 1.5% + 20p, + £24.99/mo) | £25 |
| Ticket Tailor | £23.70 | £1.30 (60p + VAT + Stripe 1.5% + 20p) | £25 |
| TicketSource | £22.90 | £2.10 (7% + VAT, processing included) | £25 |
| Skiddle | £25 | £0 (buyer pays the booking fee) | £27.77 (inc. booking fee) |
| Eventbrite | £22.67 | £2.33 (6.95% + 59p, processing included) | £25, or about £27.33 if the fee is passed on |
Worked Example — 50 Tickets at £25 Each (£1,250 Gross)
| Platform | Organiser nets (all-in) | All-in fees | Net as % of gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| EntryTicket (Starter) | £1,196.75 | £53.25 | 95.7% |
| EntryTicket (Pro) | £1,188.76 | £61.24 (incl. one month at £24.99) | 95.1% |
| Ticket Tailor | £1,185.25 | £64.75 | 94.8% |
| TicketSource | £1,145 | £105 | 91.6% |
| Skiddle | £1,250 | £0 (buyer pays fees) | 100.0% |
| Eventbrite | £1,133.62 | £116.38 | 90.7% |
Worked Example — 200 Tickets at £25 Each (£5,000 Gross)
| Platform | Organiser nets (all-in) | All-in fees | Saving vs Eventbrite |
|---|---|---|---|
| EntryTicket (Starter) | £4,787 | £213 | +£252.50 |
| EntryTicket (Pro) | £4,830.01 | £169.99 (incl. one month at £24.99) | +£295.51 |
| Ticket Tailor | £4,741 | £259 | +£206.50 |
| TicketSource | £4,580 | £420 | +£45.50 |
| Skiddle | £5,000 | £0 (buyer pays fees) | +£465.50 |
| Eventbrite | £4,534.50 | £465.50 | Baseline |
Skiddle note
Skiddle appears most profitable for the organiser because fees are passed entirely to buyers. However, buyers pay £27.77 per ticket instead of £25. For price-sensitive audiences, this can reduce total sales volume — which must be factored into the real-world comparison.
Worked Example — 500 Tickets at £25 Each (£12,500 Gross)
| Platform | Organiser nets (all-in) | All-in fees | Saving vs Eventbrite |
|---|---|---|---|
| EntryTicket (Starter) | £11,967.50 | £532.50 | +£631.25 |
| EntryTicket (Pro) | £12,112.51 | £387.49 (incl. one month at £24.99) | +£776.26 |
| Ticket Tailor | £11,852.50 | £647.50 | +£516.25 |
| TicketSource | £11,450 | £1,050 | +£113.75 |
| Skiddle | £12,500 | £0 (buyer pays fees) | +£1,163.75 |
| Eventbrite | £11,336.25 | £1,163.75 | Baseline |
Hidden Costs to Watch For
- Payment processing fees: every card payment carries a processing fee. Some platforms (Eventbrite, TicketSource) include it in their headline fee; others (EntryTicket, Ticket Tailor) add Stripe's 1.5% + 20p separately. The worked examples in this article include processing on both sides, so they compare like for like
- Payout timing: platforms that hold funds until after your event (Eventbrite, TicketSource, Skiddle) effectively provide an interest-free loan — the lost cash flow is a real cost if you have upfront expenses
- Refund processing fees: on some platforms (including Eventbrite historically), the platform keeps a portion of its fee even when a ticket is refunded to the buyer
- Premium features: some platforms charge extra for reserved seating, custom checkout fields, box office scanning apps, or branded pages
- Currency conversion: for international events with non-GBP buyers, check how each platform handles currency and what conversion fees apply
When High Fees Are Worth It
Eventbrite's fees are the highest in this comparison, but there are genuine scenarios where paying them is rational. If you're launching a new event with zero existing audience and rely on Eventbrite's marketplace discovery to fill the room, the fee is effectively a customer acquisition cost. If each new attendee becomes a repeat customer at future events you sell independently, the blended cost per customer can justify the initial Eventbrite fee. For established organisers with their own email lists and community, the discovery value is minimal and the fees are hard to justify.
Choosing the Cheapest Option for Your Event
| Event scenario | Cheapest option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Free event | EntryTicket | Zero cost, instant setup, QR check-in included — the best free option in the UK |
| Paid community event (< 100 tickets) | EntryTicket (Starter: 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket) | Lowest per-ticket fee with no monthly commitment — cheaper than Ticket Tailor (~72p) |
| Paid event, 100–500 tickets | EntryTicket (Growth or Pro) | Lowest total fees — Pro at 15p/ticket + £24.99/mo is unbeatable at volume |
| Music / nightlife event | EntryTicket | No buyer booking fees (unlike Skiddle's 10% + 27p), keeping total ticket cost lower for attendees |
| Theatre / arts / recurring events | EntryTicket | From 15p/ticket on Pro — significantly cheaper than Ticket Tailor's ~72p per ticket |
| Large festival (500+ tickets) | EntryTicket (Pro) | Pro at 15p/ticket + Stripe saves hundreds vs Eventbrite — e.g. £776.26 saved on 500 tickets at £25, all-in, after one month at £24.99 |
| International conference, zero UK audience | Eventbrite | Global marketplace may justify fees if discovery is your only attendee source |
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage does Eventbrite take in the UK?
Eventbrite charges UK organisers 6.95% of the ticket price plus £0.59 per ticket for paid events, card processing included. There is no cap on this fee. On a £50 ticket, Eventbrite takes £4.07 (8.1% effective rate). On a £100 ticket, it takes £7.54 (7.5% effective rate). For free events, Eventbrite charges nothing.
Is Ticket Tailor cheaper than Eventbrite?
For most ticket prices, yes. Ticket Tailor charges 60p + VAT per ticket (~72p effective) plus card processing (Stripe 1.5% + 20p); Eventbrite charges 6.95% + £0.59 with processing included. All-in, Ticket Tailor is cheaper on tickets above about £6.06. EntryTicket Starter (49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p) is cheaper still. On a £25 ticket, all-in, you save £1.03 per ticket with Ticket Tailor vs Eventbrite, and £1.26 with EntryTicket Starter.
What is the cheapest ticketing platform for paid events in the UK?
EntryTicket offers the lowest per-ticket fees in the UK: Starter at 49p + Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per ticket (no monthly fee), Growth (coming soon) at 29p/ticket (+ £9.99/month), and Pro (coming soon) at 15p/ticket (+ £24.99/month). All plans include payouts to your own Stripe account. Ticket Tailor charges 60p + VAT (~72p effective). Skiddle technically costs the organiser nothing, but passes a 10% + 27p, minimum £1 booking fee to buyers — which can reduce purchase conversion rates.
Does Eventbrite keep its fee if I refund a ticket?
Historically, Eventbrite's policy has been to retain its service fee even when a ticket is refunded — meaning organisers bear the cost of refunds on top of lost revenue. This policy has changed multiple times and varies by account type. Always check the current Eventbrite terms before committing to a platform for a large paid event.
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