How to Choose a
Ticketing Platform

There are dozens of ticketing platforms in the UK market. The right one depends on your event type, size, and priorities. But there are five core factors every organiser should compare.

Fees: This is the most obvious differentiator. Platforms charge anything from 0% to 10%+ per ticket, plus fixed fees. On a £25 ticket, fees can range from £0 to £3+. Use our fee calculator to model exact costs. For a breakdown of which platforms charge what, see our fee comparison homepage.

Payout terms: When do you get your money? Some platforms pay out as tickets sell (within 2-3 business days). Others hold your money until after the event, sometimes 5-14 days after. For events with upfront costs, this cash flow difference is critical.

Features: Do you need reserved seating? Multi-day passes? Promo codes? Box office tools? A scanner app? Not every platform offers everything. Match features to your actual needs, not a wish list.

Data ownership: Can you export your full attendee list with email addresses? Some platforms restrict access to buyer data, which limits your ability to market future events. Full data access is essential for building a repeat audience.

Support: When something goes wrong on event day, can you reach someone? Check whether the platform offers phone, email, or live chat support, and what their response times are.

Understanding fee structures is critical because the headline number rarely tells the full story.

Percentage + fixed fee: The most common model. Eventbrite charges 6.95% + £0.59 per ticket. Skiddle charges £1.50 + 5%. The percentage hits harder on expensive tickets; the fixed fee hits harder on cheap tickets.

Flat fee per ticket: Some platforms charge a simple flat fee regardless of ticket price. WeGotTickets charges 10% with no fixed fee. This is simpler but can be expensive on lower-priced tickets.

Zero-fee model: tickts charges nothing. No percentage, no fixed fee, no commission. The only cost is Stripe's payment processing (1.5% + 20p for UK cards), which you would pay on any platform anyway.

Who pays the fee? Most platforms default to passing fees to the buyer. This means a £25 ticket actually costs £27+ at checkout. Some platforms let you absorb the fee instead. On a zero-fee platform, the question is irrelevant because there is no platform fee to pass on.

For detailed fee breakdowns of every major UK platform, see our best ticketing platform ranking.

Different platforms excel at different event types. Here is a rough guide.

Nightlife and club events: Skiddle, DICE, Fatsoma, and tickts are all strong choices. Skiddle has a large discovery audience. DICE offers a mobile-first experience with no resale. Fatsoma targets student and youth events. tickts offers zero fees.

Festivals and multi-day events: Eventbrite, Skiddle, and See Tickets handle multi-day passes and complex scheduling well. Check whether the platform supports wristband integration if you need it.

Theatre and seated events: Reserved seating requires a platform with a seat map builder. Eventbrite, TicketCo, and tickts all support this. Check how intuitive the seat selection experience is for the buyer.

Conferences and corporate events: Eventbrite is the market leader here. Its registration forms, multi-session scheduling, and attendee management tools are mature. DesignMyNight works well for corporate hospitality.

Small community events: For village fetes, charity fundraisers, and community gatherings, simplicity matters more than features. WeGotTickets and tickts are straightforward and low-cost options.

For venue-specific recommendations on which platforms work best in different settings, UK Venue Guide offers useful context.

Payout timing is one of the most overlooked factors when choosing a platform, and it can make or break your event finances.

Post-event payout (traditional model): Most established platforms hold your ticket revenue and pay out 5-14 business days after the event. This means if your event is three months away, your money is locked up for three months plus the post-event delay.

Rolling payout (direct payment model): Platforms like tickts use direct Stripe integration. Revenue goes to your Stripe account with each sale and is available in your bank within 2-3 business days. This is transformative for cash flow, especially when you have venue deposits, artist fees, and production costs to cover before the event.

The real-world impact: A venue requires a £2,000 deposit 8 weeks before the event. You have sold £5,000 in tickets. On a traditional platform, that £5,000 is inaccessible. On a direct-payment platform, it is already in your bank.

Refund implications: With post-event payouts, if you need to cancel and refund, you may be refunding money you never received. This creates a cash flow crisis. Direct payouts let you process refunds from revenue you already hold.

If you are already using a platform and considering switching, here is what to think about.

Mid-event switch: Do not switch platforms mid-campaign for an event that is already on sale. It confuses buyers and splits your data. Finish the current event on your current platform and switch for the next one.

Data migration: Export your full attendee list from your current platform before you leave. If the platform restricts data export, this is exactly why you should switch to one that does not.

Audience notification: Let your followers and mailing list know that your next event will be on a new platform. Include the new booking link prominently. Most buyers do not care which platform you use as long as the purchase experience is smooth.

Test before you commit: Set up a test event on the new platform before going live. Walk through the full buyer journey: listing page, ticket selection, checkout, confirmation email, and scanner app. Make sure it meets your standards.

For a detailed walkthrough of the switching process, see our guide to switching ticketing platforms.