When you sign up for a ticketing platform, the fee structure usually looks manageable. A few percent here, a fixed fee there. But when you actually run the numbers across a full year of events, the total can be staggering.
This article breaks down what major platforms really cost, and what that money could do if it stayed in your pocket.
How ticketing fees work
Most platforms charge a combination of a percentage of the ticket price and a fixed fee per ticket sold. Some pass this to the buyer as a "booking fee", others absorb it from the organiser's revenue. Either way, someone is paying.
Here is what the major platforms charge in the UK:
- Eventbrite — 6.95% + 59p per ticket (paid by organiser or passed to buyer)
- Fatsoma — 5% + 25p per ticket
- Skiddle — 10% of ticket price (passed to buyer)
- Ticket Tailor — Fixed monthly subscription from £19/month, or per-ticket fee
- TicketCo — 3-5% per ticket
Running the numbers
Let us say you are an independent venue running one event per week, selling 150 tickets at an average of £18.
That is 7,800 tickets per year, generating £140,400 in gross revenue.
On Eventbrite, your fees would be: (18 × 0.0695 + 0.59) × 7,800 = £14,363 per year.
On Skiddle, at 10%: £18 × 0.10 × 7,800 = £14,040 per year.
On Fatsoma: (18 × 0.05 + 0.25) × 7,800 = £8,970 per year.
Even on the cheapest option, you are losing nearly nine thousand pounds a year to platform fees.
What that money could buy
For a grassroots sports club, £14,000 is transformative. That is new floodlights, a youth development programme, or a year of pitch maintenance.
For an independent music venue, it is the difference between breaking even and being able to book better artists, upgrade your sound system, or pay your staff a proper wage.
For a comedy promoter running weekly shows, it is pure profit that currently goes to a Silicon Valley tech company instead of staying in your business.
The "passed to buyer" trap
Some platforms let you pass fees to the buyer. This sounds like it solves the problem, but it does not. When a £18 ticket suddenly costs £19.84 at checkout, you get more abandoned carts, more complaints, and a worse experience for your audience.
Your fans do not care about the distinction between your price and the platform's fee. They see the final number and decide whether it is worth it. Hidden fees erode trust.
The alternative
tickts charges zero booking fees and zero commission. Organisers connect their own Stripe account and keep 100% of ticket revenue. The only cost is standard Stripe card processing (1.5% + 20p per transaction), which applies to any online payment regardless of platform.
For the venue in our example, switching from Eventbrite to tickts would save £14,363 per year. The fans pay less, the venue keeps more, and the only thing that changes is which platform hosts the checkout.
Making the switch
Switching platforms does not have to be disruptive. You can start using a new platform for your next event while existing events on your old platform run out naturally. There is no data migration needed and no contract to break.
The numbers speak for themselves. Every ticket sold on a fee-charging platform is money leaving your business. On a fee-free platform, it stays exactly where it should be.
Fee Structures Explained
Ticketing platforms use several different fee models, and understanding each one is essential before committing to a platform. The three most common models are percentage-based fees, fixed fees per ticket, and subscription-based pricing.
Percentage-based fees take a cut of each ticket sale, typically between 2% and 10%. These scale with your ticket price, so higher-priced events pay more. A £50 theatre ticket at 6% costs you £3 per ticket — £600 lost on 200 sales.
Fixed fees per ticket add a flat charge regardless of ticket price. A £0.50 per ticket fee sounds small, but sell 10,000 tickets across a season and that is £5,000.
Subscription models charge a monthly fee for access to the platform, sometimes with reduced per-ticket charges. These can be cost-effective at high volumes but punish smaller organisers during quiet periods.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
Beyond the headline fees, several hidden costs affect your bottom line:
- Payment processing: Almost every platform charges Stripe or PayPal processing fees on top of their own fees. This is typically 1.5% to 2.9% plus 20p to 30p per transaction.
- Payout holds: Some platforms hold your money for days or weeks after the event. During that time, you cannot use it for pre-event costs like venue hire, performer fees, or marketing.
- Feature gating: Basic plans often lack essential features like seating charts, custom branding, or advanced analytics. Upgrading to access these features adds to your monthly costs.
- Refund fees: Some platforms keep their fee even when you refund a ticket. You lose money on sales that did not even happen.
Annual Cost Comparison
Let us model a realistic scenario: a grassroots football club selling 200 tickets per match at £8 each, playing 20 home matches per season. That is 4,000 tickets and £32,000 in gross revenue.
- Eventbrite (6.95% + £0.59): £4,584 in fees
- Skiddle (10%): £3,200 in fees
- TicketTailor (£0.26/ticket + £29/mo): £1,388 in fees
- Tickts (Stripe only: 1.5% + 20p): £1,280 in processing
The difference between the most expensive and cheapest options is over £3,300 per season. For a grassroots club, that covers new kit, ground improvements, or youth development programmes.
How to Calculate Your True Cost
Before choosing a platform, calculate your actual annual cost using this formula:
- Estimate your total ticket sales for the year (number of tickets x average price)
- Apply the platform percentage fee to that total
- Multiply the per-ticket fee by total tickets sold
- Add any monthly subscription costs
- Add payment processing fees (these apply on every platform)
- Subtract any money you would lose on refunds where fees are not returned
The result is your true annual ticketing cost. Compare this across platforms to make an informed decision based on real numbers, not headline rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are ticketing fees tax-deductible?
Yes, ticketing platform fees are a business expense and can be deducted from your taxable income. Keep records of all platform charges and payment processing fees for your annual accounts.
Should I pass fees on to ticket buyers?
This depends on your market. In grassroots sport and community events, fans expect the advertised price to be the final price. Adding booking fees can cause friction and reduce sales. With a zero-fee platform like Tickts, this decision becomes simpler.
Do free events still cost money on ticketing platforms?
Most platforms do not charge for free events, though some add a small per-registration fee. On Tickts, free events are completely free — no charges at all since there is no payment to process.
Curious how tickts compares? See our side-by-side comparison of tickts vs Eventbrite: fees, payouts, and features for UK organisers.
