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Eventrise vs Eventbrite: keep more of every ticket you sell
Eventbrite's fees add up faster than most organizers realize. On a 300-person event at $75 per ticket, you could be paying close to $900 more than you need to, money that could go toward better speakers, a better venue, or lower ticket prices for the people who show up.
If you're a community organizer who cares about margins and wants a platform built by someone who actually runs events, there might be a better fit.
TL;DR
Eventrise vs Eventbrite in 30 seconds:
Fees
2.5% vs 10% — you keep significantly more on every ticket
Payouts
Organizer-controlled via Stripe vs Eventbrite holds funds, paid out post-event
Built by
Event organizer with 15 years running Creative South vs VC-backed tech company
Best for
Community events (50–1,500 attendees) vs large-scale consumer events and enterprise
fees
Show the math
You don't need a calculator. Here's what it looks like on typical event scenarios:
Event scenario | Eventrise (2.5%) | Eventbrite (10%) | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
Small: 100 tickets × $100 | $250 | $1,000 | $750 |
Mid: 300 tickets × $300 | $2,250 | $9,000 | $6,750 |
Large: 500 tickets × $500 | $6,250 | $25,000 | $18,750 |
compare
Side-by-side comparison
You don't need a calculator. Here's what it looks like on typical event scenarios:
What matters | Eventrise | Eventbrite |
|---|---|---|
Platform fee | 2.5% | 10% |
Payout control | Your Stripe account, your schedule | Held by Eventbrite, released post-event |
Support | Real people, direct help | Tiered support, ticket queue |
Built by | Event organizer (15 years, Creative South) | VC-backed tech company |
Best for | Community events, 50–1,500 attendees | High-volume consumer events, enterprise |
Product focus | Core tools for community organizers | Full enterprise suite |
Event marketplace | Full enterprise suite | Yes, millions of consumer users |
Breaking It Down
The differences that matter most
Fees: the number that matters most
Eventbrite's fee structure has multiple layers: service fees, payment processing, and plan costs that compound with every ticket sold. Eventrise charges a flat 2.5%, period. On a typical community event, the difference isn't just a percentage point or two. It's hundreds or thousands of dollars that stay in your budget, not theirs. Mike Jones, founder of Creative South, put it simply after switching: fees went from $67 to $11.18 per transaction. That kind of difference changes what's possible for an event.
Payouts: who holds your money
Eventbrite holds ticket revenue until after your event ends, then pays out a few business days later. Eventrise works differently: ticket revenue flows directly into your own Stripe account and you control the payout schedule. We never hold your money. That matters for cash flow, especially if you're fronting venue deposits or speaker fees before event day.
Support: who answers when something goes wrong
Day-of support situations happen. A promo code isn't working, a ticket type needs updating ten minutes before doors open. With Eventbrite, you're working through a support queue. With Eventrise, you get a real person who understands what it means to run an event, because we've done it too.
Who each tool is built for
Eventbrite was built to scale. That's useful if you're running stadium concerts or managing enterprise event programs. But that scale comes with complexity and fees that community organizers don't need. Eventrise is built specifically for the people running conferences, workshops, festivals, and recurring community events. Fewer features you'll never use, better support for the ones that matter.
Side by side
What actually matters, compared
Eventbrite might still be the right choice if:
You rely on organic event discovery through their consumer marketplace, which has millions of users browsing for events
You need features like reserved seating, seat maps, or API access
You're running very large events (5,000+ attendees) with complex logistics and enterprise integrations
You use specific integrations (Salesforce, Zapier, etc.) that Eventrise doesn't currently support
You might be a great fit for Eventrise if:
You're running community events with 50–1,500 attendees
Lower fees would meaningfully impact your event budget or ticket pricing
Controlling your own payout timing matters for cash flow
You want a platform built by someone who has actually run events like yours
You prefer supporting a values-driven, community-first company over a VC-backed platform
"It's been so great using Eventrise for Creative South! First and foremost, it made our event more affordable for everyone to attend. Fees from our previous ticketing platform were $67. It's $11.18 on Eventrise! That's a huge saving for attendees! The user experience of attending secondary events (workshops, film showings, etc) is so much better and we're seeing an increase in those ticket purchases. There's so much more to go into, but in short, WAY lower fees, better experience across the board, it's a no brainer!"
Mike Jones, Creative South
Switched from Eventbrite
Mike Jones, Creative South
Switched from Eventbrite
Export your attendee data from Eventbrite
Is Eventrise cheaper than Eventbrite?
How do Eventrise's fees compare to Eventbrite's fee structure?
Does Eventrise have Eventbrite's event marketplace?
How long does it take to switch from Eventbrite to Eventrise?
Can I import my attendee data from Eventbrite?
What types of events is Eventrise best for?
Does Eventrise have a free plan?
Eventbrite's fees add up faster than most organizers realize. On a 300-person event at $75 per ticket, you could be paying close to $900 more than you need to, money that could go toward better speakers, a better venue, or lower ticket prices for the people who show up.
If you're a community organizer who cares about margins and wants a platform built by someone who actually runs events, there might be a better fit.
"It's been so great using Eventrise for Creative South! First and foremost, it made our event more affordable for everyone to attend. Fees from our previous ticketing platform were $67. It's $11.18 on Eventrise! That's a huge saving for attendees! The user experience of attending secondary events (workshops, film showings, etc) is so much better and we're seeing an increase in those ticket purchases. There's so much more to go into, but in short, WAY lower fees, better experience across the board, it's a no brainer!"
For most community events, yes, significantly. Eventrise charges a flat 2.5% platform fee. Eventbrite's total cost to organizers typically runs [VERIFY: X–X%]. On a 300-person event at $75 per ticket, that difference is roughly $900.
Eventbrite charges a service fee plus payment processing, which stacks per ticket. Eventrise charges a single 2.5% platform fee. The simpler model makes it easier to predict your event margins before you sell a single ticket.
Not currently. Eventbrite has a consumer-facing marketplace where people browse for public events, which can drive organic discovery. Eventrise is an organizer tool, not a consumer marketplace. Your marketing channels drive your audience.
About an hour for a standard setup. Export your attendee history from Eventbrite, set up your Eventrise event page, and start selling. We're here to help with any questions along the way.
[VERIFY: confirm exact import/migration support available]
Community events: conferences, workshops, festivals, and recurring events with 50–1,500 attendees. If you're running a tight-margin, community-focused event where every dollar in fees matters, that's exactly who we built this for.
[VERIFY: clarify current pricing model for this answer]
