Most event ticketing platforms charge one of two ways: a per-ticket cut (a percentage plus a fixed fee) with no monthly cost, or a flat monthly subscription with little to no per-ticket fee. Commission models suit occasional or low-volume hosts. Subscriptions win once you sell enough tickets to spread the fixed cost.
The number that matters is not the headline rate. It is your true cost at your ticket price and volume, and who absorbs it: you or your guest. Many platforms add fees on top of the price, so the guest pays more rather than your payout shrinking.
This guide breaks down the common fee shapes, names real numbers where the research supports them, and gives you a framework to estimate your own cost. Oxto appears as one transparent example in a category where pricing is often hard to compare.
How do event ticketing fees actually work?
Ticketing fees usually have three parts: a platform fee (a percentage of the ticket, often plus a fixed amount), payment processing (commonly around 2.9% plus a small fixed charge), and, in some cases, a monthly subscription. Free events are almost always free across platforms.
The platform fee is where models diverge most. Commission tools like Eventbrite, Posh, and Luma’s free plan take a cut per paid ticket. Subscription tools like Tock charge a flat monthly rate and reduce or remove per-ticket fees at higher tiers.
- Platform fee: a percentage, plus sometimes a fixed per-ticket amount
- Payment processing: typically around 2.9% plus a fixed charge, often separate
- Monthly subscription: fixed cost on some platforms, zero on commission-only tools
- Who absorbs it: added on top for the guest, or deducted from your payout
Payout timing also varies. Some platforms release funds days after the event rather than at purchase, which matters for cash flow on larger events.
How do the fees compare across platforms?
The table below compares published fee models for six ticketing platforms plus Oxto. Where a platform does not publish a flat rate, the model is described qualitatively. Payment processing is usually separate and not included in the platform-fee column.
| Platform | Per-ticket fee | Monthly fee | Free events | Who absorbs fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxto Reserve | 3%, or none | $29, or free | Yes | Host pays |
| Eventbrite | ~3.7% + $1.79 | None | Yes | Attendee by default |
| Posh | ~10% + $0.99 | None | Yes | Baked into price |
| Luma | 5% (free plan) | $0, or ~$59-69 | Yes | Host pays |
| Partiful | Variable, not published | None | Yes | Host chooses |
| Tock | 2% (Plus tier) | $199-$699 | N/A | Prepaid model |
| SevenRooms | No per-cover fee | Custom (estimated) | N/A | Flat per location |
Read the fee column against your ticket price. A percentage-plus-fixed model looks cheap on a $150 ticket and expensive on a $20 one, because the fixed portion is a larger share of a small ticket.
Who pays the ticketing fee, the host or the guest?
It depends on the platform and your settings. Several tools add fees on top of the ticket price so the attendee pays them, which protects your payout but raises the price guests see. Others let you absorb the fee, lowering your net but keeping the advertised price clean.
Eventbrite adds fees to the attendee’s total by default, though you can choose to absorb them. Posh, since April 2026, displays fees all-in, baked into the price the buyer sees rather than reducing your payout. Partiful lets you decide whether to absorb fees or pass them to guests. Luma’s free plan charges a 5% platform fee on paid tickets, which you remove by subscribing to Plus.
There is no free option here, only a choice of where the cost lands. Guest-paid fees can push a $25 ticket toward $28 or $29, which affects conversion. Host-paid fees keep the advertised price honest but come out of your margin.
Which platform is cheapest for my event?
The cheapest platform depends on ticket price and volume. For low-volume or occasional events, commission-only tools cost nothing until you sell, so Eventbrite, Luma’s free plan, or Partiful avoid a monthly bill. For high volume, a flat subscription like Tock or Luma Plus can beat per-ticket percentages.
Run an estimate: multiply your expected paid tickets by the per-ticket fee, then compare that total against any monthly subscription. If the commission total exceeds the subscription, the flat plan is cheaper at your volume.
- Low ticket price, low volume: commission-only tools keep costs near zero
- High ticket price, high volume: subscriptions spread fixed cost thin
- Frequent events: a flat monthly plan avoids paying per ticket every time
- One-off event: avoid a subscription you will use once
Luma removes its 5% platform fee if you subscribe to Plus at roughly $59 to $69 per month, so heavy Luma users cross over to the subscription once fees exceed that. The same crossover logic applies to any commission-versus-subscription decision.
What matters beyond the fee?
Fees are one input. Payout speed, discovery reach, and whether the platform brings new attendees also shape real value. A slightly higher fee that fills seats can beat a lower fee on a tool that only manages the guests you already have.
Eventbrite, Posh, and Luma each carry consumer discovery audiences, though their crowds differ. Eventbrite skews general and mass-market. Posh leans nightlife and social. Luma skews tech and community. Partiful is invite-driven and social rather than a discovery marketplace.
Tock and SevenRooms sit at the higher end. Tock’s prepaid and deposit model fits paid, reserved experiences, and it markets a dedicated winery product. SevenRooms brings deep guest CRM and marketing automation, but its custom pricing and onboarding fees target multi-location operators, not independent hosts.
How does Oxto charge, and where does it fit?
Oxto Reserve for independent hosts and operators is either $29 per month or $299 per year, or free with a 3% fee per ticket sold. Guests are always free to browse and book. Payouts go to the host’s own bank. You pick the model that fits your volume: flat monthly at scale, or pay-as-you-go when events are occasional.
Oxto’s real difference is not the fee. It is a discovery marketplace that brings new guests matched by taste and atmosphere, combined with reservations and event ticketing in one system. Most ticketing tools manage the guests you already have. Oxto also helps you reach new ones.
Oxto lists wineries and independent operators, including sommeliers, chefs, guides, and experience creators, that other platforms do not cover. Guest taste intelligence travels with each booking, so hosts learn who is coming. It runs on web and iOS, with an embeddable booking widget for your own site.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Eventbrite charge per ticket?
As of 2026, Eventbrite reports a service fee of roughly 3.7% plus $1.79 per paid ticket in the US, plus around 2.9% payment processing (in-person processing is about $1 plus 2.9%). Free events cost nothing. Fees are added on top and paid by attendees by default, though organizers can choose to absorb them instead.
Who pays ticketing fees, the host or the guest?
It varies by platform and setting. Eventbrite adds fees to the attendee total by default. Posh bakes fees into the all-in price buyers see. Partiful lets hosts absorb fees or pass them through. Subscription tools like Tock’s higher tiers remove per-ticket fees in exchange for a fixed monthly cost.
What is the cheapest event ticketing platform?
There is no single cheapest platform. For low-volume or occasional events, commission-only tools like Eventbrite, Luma’s free plan, or Partiful cost nothing until you sell tickets. For high volume, a flat monthly subscription such as Tock or Luma Plus can cost less per ticket. Estimate both at your specific ticket price and volume.
Do free events cost anything on these platforms?
Free events are free on nearly every platform covered here, including Eventbrite, Posh, Partiful, Luma, and Oxto. Fees apply only to paid tickets. This makes commission-only tools attractive for free community gatherings, RSVPs, and mixers where you never trigger a per-ticket charge.
How do I estimate my real ticketing cost?
Multiply your expected paid tickets by the per-ticket fee (percentage plus any fixed amount), then add payment processing of roughly 2.9% plus a small charge. Compare that total against any monthly subscription. If your commission total exceeds the subscription, the flat plan is cheaper at your volume.
How does Oxto’s ticketing pricing work?
Oxto Reserve for independent hosts is either $29 per month or $299 per year, or free with a 3% fee per ticket sold. The paid plan cuts the per-ticket fee to 1.5%, and the annual plan drops it to 0%, and guests are always free. Payouts go to your own bank. Beyond ticketing, Oxto is a discovery marketplace that brings new guests matched by taste, covering wineries and independent operators on web and iOS.
Discover wineries, tastings, events, and hospitality experiences across the United States, and book directly when you find the right one.