Cheapest Event Ticketing Platforms in the US (2026)

Here’s something that trips up a lot of organizers comparing platforms: several ticketing platforms in the US don’t run their own payment processing. EventBookings connects to Stripe or PayPal, and whichever one you pick charges its own card processing fee on top of whatever the ticketing platform itself charges. Eventbrite and Humanitix, by contrast, fold processing into their one quoted number, and TicketLeap bundles its own transaction fee into its published rate too. Line up the headline rates without knowing which is which, and the comparison gets misleading fast.

We pulled the real, all-in numbers — platform fee plus processing, wherever the two aren’t already bundled — for the five platforms US organizers compare most: EventBookings, TicketLeap, Eventzilla, Humanitix, and Eventbrite. Short version: EventBookings is the cheapest of the five once everything is actually added up, by a wide margin against every alternative.

What Each Platform Actually Charges

Worth being upfront about, since it changes the math more than the headline numbers suggest: EventBookings doesn’t run its own payment gateway in the US. It connects to Stripe or PayPal, and each of those charges its own processing fee independently of what EventBookings bills you. That’s not a knock against EventBookings — plenty of platforms in this space work the same way — but it does mean the “1% + $0.30” figure alone isn’t your full cost. Always check Stripe’s pricing page or PayPal’s business fees page directly for their current rates, since those are set independently of any ticketing platform and can change without notice.

Ranked: Real All-In Cost, Cheapest to Priciest

1. EventBookings

At 1% plus $0.30 in platform fees before processing, EventBookings has the lowest platform-side rate of the five. Add Stripe or PayPal’s processing on top — the same processing cost you’d pay building a checkout page from scratch — and it’s still the cheapest option overall, and by a comfortable margin against every alternative here, not a razor-thin one. You still get branded event pages, a custom form builder, multiple ticket types, check-in scanning, and reporting, none of it gated behind a pricier plan.

Best for: Small to large events of any types, recurring, session based or timeslot based events. Organizers who want the lowest platform-side fee and are comfortable managing their own Stripe or PayPal account.

2. TicketLeap

TicketLeap’s $1 + 2% per ticket (49 cents flat for tickets $5 and under) already bundles its 3% transaction fee into the quoted rate, so there’s no second invoice to track down. It lands well above EventBookings once you add up both platforms’ totals, but it’s a straightforward, all-in number that’s easy to budget against.

Best for: organizers who want a single published rate with nothing separate to calculate, and don’t need the absolute lowest fee available.

3. Humanitix

Humanitix’s 5% + $1.29 (dropping to 3.9% + $1.29 for registered nonprofits and schools) already includes processing, which makes it a genuinely simple “one number” option even though that number sits above EventBookings and TicketLeap. The fee funds the platform’s education-charity mission, which plenty of US nonprofits and schools specifically choose it for — the cost becomes part of the pitch rather than something to justify.

Best for: nonprofits, schools, and cause-driven events where the discounted rate and the charitable angle both matter.

4. Eventzilla

Eventzilla’s Pro plan charges 1.9% + $1.50 per registration, with card processing handled separately through whichever gateway you connect (Eventzilla’s own Payments option, powered by Finix, runs 2.9% + 99 cents). Once both are added together, it runs ahead of Humanitix at most ticket prices, mostly on account of that $1.50 flat component stacking with a separate processing charge rather than folding it in.

Best for: organizers who want Eventzilla’s registration and event-hub features specifically and don’t mind tracking platform fee and processing as two separate lines.

5. Eventbrite

Even before its separate processing fee, Eventbrite’s 3.7% + $1.79 is the highest platform fee of the five. Add the 2.9% processing that Eventbrite charges on top — calculated on the ticket price plus the service fee, so it’s technically a fee on a fee — and it’s the most expensive option here by a wide margin. What you’re paying for is Eventbrite’s own marketplace and discovery traffic, a real factor for organizers who rely on people finding their event by browsing the platform rather than through their own marketing.

Best for: larger public events where Eventbrite’s own audience meaningfully contributes to ticket sales.

Cost by Scenario

Here’s what the all-in numbers look like on a real ticket price. We’ve used $44 for this comparison — a realistic price for a workshop, a concert, or a ticketed dinner.

100 tickets at $44 each ($4,400 in revenue)

500 tickets at $44 each ($22,000 in revenue)

The gap between EventBookings and the next-cheapest platform (TicketLeap) is $88 on just 100 tickets, and it grows to over $1,200 between EventBookings and Eventbrite at 500 tickets — on the exact same ticket price and the exact same event. None of the four alternatives here ever undercuts EventBookings at any realistic ticket price, since each carries a higher percentage, a higher flat fee, or both.

Who Pays: Organizer or Attendee?

Every platform here gives organizers the choice, but the defaults vary. EventBookings defaults to the organizer absorbing the fee, so the price attendees see at checkout is the final price. Eventbrite defaults to the attendee paying, added visibly at checkout. Humanitix also defaults to the buyer paying, with the option for organizers to absorb some or all of it. TicketLeap and Eventzilla both let organizers choose whether to absorb the fee or pass it on to attendees.

What the Headline Fee Doesn’t Cover

A few things a straight fee comparison won’t tell you:

• Stripe and PayPal’s actual current rates. Since EventBookings and Eventzilla both route at least part of their payments through your own processor, check Stripe’s pricing or PayPal’s business fees directly rather than assuming a flat 2.9% + $0.30 applies to your account — rates can vary by processor, card type, and volume.
• Payout timing. Some platforms pay out as tickets sell; others hold funds until after the event.
• Subscription requirements. Eventzilla’s Pro and Growth plans carry their own monthly minimums on top of per-registration fees, unlike the pay-as-you-go structure of the others on this list.

Bottom Line

Once card processing is properly accounted for instead of quietly left off the sticker price, EventBookings is the cheapest of the five by a clear, comfortable margin — not a photo finish against any of the alternatives. TicketLeap offers a simple, fully bundled rate for organizers who want one number and nothing else to calculate. Humanitix costs more but folds in both processing and a charitable mission. Eventzilla brings its own event-hub features at a higher combined cost once processing is added. Eventbrite remains the most expensive by a clear margin — worth it only if its own audience is genuinely selling tickets for you. For the full picture across every platform we cover, see our platform comparison or check EventBookings’ own US pricing directly.

Fee figures current as of September 2026, based on each platform’s published US pricing. Stripe and PayPal processing estimates use standard published US rates (2.9% + $0.30) and are illustrative only — confirm current rates directly with Stripe or PayPal, since these are set independently of any ticketing platform. Always confirm current fees directly with each provider before setting an event live.