Eventbrite vs TicketLeap (vs PromoTix): Which Ticketing Platform Will Help You Scale In 2026?

If you're comparing Eventbrite vs TicketLeap for your event ticketing needs, you're probably wrestling with a familiar dilemma: Do you go with the industry giant that everyone knows, or the smaller platform that promises lower fees and better service?

But here's what most comparison articles won't tell you: both platforms are still operating on outdated models that prioritize their profits over yours. While they compete on service fees and features, they're missing the bigger picture that modern event creators actually care about: How do I sell more tickets and keep more of my revenue?

The real questions you should be asking are:

• Do you want a ticketing platform, or a complete event success system that actually drives sales?
• Are you willing to pay significant platform fees just to process transactions, or would you rather keep that money?
• Do you need real marketing tools that sell tickets, or just a checkout page?
• Is waiting days or weeks for your money acceptable, or do you need daily access to your revenue?
• Are you looking for a vendor, or a partner invested in your event's success?
  
  

In short, here's what we recommend:

👉 Eventbrite is the established marketplace leader with 90 million active ticket buyers and strong brand recognition. Its vast audience reach and comprehensive platform make it ideal for organizers who prioritize discovery through Eventbrite’s specific audience. With a 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket service fee (plus payment processing), Eventbrite remains a solid choice for those who value their marketplace exposure. The platform has evolved beyond pure self-service, offering sales engagement and enterprise support options for larger events, and even provides RFID/NFC capabilities through partnerships.

👉 TicketLeap offers a simpler, more affordable alternative with fees of just $1 + 2% per ticket (capped at $20) plus processing. Now part of Leap Event Technology, it provides reliable ticketing with excellent phone support and a user-friendly interface. The platform excels at basic event management and even waives service fees for onsite sales. However, it lacks advanced marketing capabilities, offers limited customization options, and typically holds your funds until 4-7 days after your event.

Both platforms handle the basics of ticketing adequately. But what if there's a platform that doesn't just process tickets, but actually helps you sell more of them while keeping more of your money?

👉 PromoTix represents a fundamentally different approach to event ticketing. Founded by an event promoter who owned an advertising agency and experienced firsthand how other platforms promised marketing help but never delivered, PromoTix was built as marketing software FIRST before adding ticketing capabilities. This heritage shows in everything from its patent-pending viral marketing tools to its 80% close rate when converting Eventbrite customers who are tired of high fees and stagnant event growth. 

It serves a sweet spot of verticals like youth sports, theater, beauty pageants, and religious gatherings; events where sophisticated marketing and remote participation are essential. They also specialize in music venues, nightclubs, and music festivals with features like their Spotify Artist Insights tool. Promotix’s plans come with features its competitors charge as addons or can’t provide at all (such as Viral Contests) so the value is exceptional at its middle-market price point.

If you're ready to work with a platform built by event creators who understand that marketing sells tickets, see why PromoTix achieves an 80% close rate with Eventbrite switchers.

Table of contents:

• Eventbrite vs TicketLeap vs PromoTix at a glance
• The fee structure reveals everything about priorities
• Marketing capabilities separate processors from partners
• Platform specializations determine your success
• Payout timing impacts your entire operation
• Virtual and hybrid events demand modern solutions
• Customer support quality varies dramatically
• Advanced features unlock new revenue streams
• Platform philosophy drives feature development
• Hidden costs add up quickly
• Which platform should you choose?

Eventbrite vs TicketLeap vs PromoTix at a glance

Eventbrite operates as a marketplace with enterprise capabilities, TicketLeap functions as a reliable ticketing processor, and PromoTix delivers marketing-first technology built by event producers who needed better tools.

*Service fees shown exclude payment processing charges

The fee structure reveals everything about priorities

Eventbrite takes the traditional approach: 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket as a service fee, with payment processing adding approximately another 2.9%. 

On a $50 ticket, you're looking at service fees of $3.64 plus processing fees of $1.56, totaling around $5.20. For a 1,000-person event, that's approximately $5,200 in total fees. They justify this with marketplace exposure and comprehensive features, including RFID capabilities through partnerships and enterprise-level support options.

Source: Eventbrite

TicketLeap appears more reasonable at $1 + 2% per ticket (capped at $20) for service fees, with payment processing adding another 3%. 

That same $50 ticket incurs $2.00 in service fees plus $1.56 in processing, for a total of $3.56. Better than Eventbrite, certainly. But here's what they don't advertise: funds are held until 4-7 days after your event ends, and their FastPay program provides weekly payouts only for qualified organizers, which can significantly hurt your cashflow.

Source: TicketLeap

PromoTix operates differently. 

At 3% + $1.49 per ticket (before payment processing), they're already competitive. But here's where their value proposition shines: this isn't the cheapest option on the market, and that's intentional, as you’ll save thousands in marketing fees. 

PromoTix positions itself as a middle-price-point solution that includes features competitors charge extra for affiliate programs (PromoTix has the most advanced on the market which they call an ambassador program), viral contest tools, branded mobile apps for iOS and Android for your event, RFID technology, and more. For high-volume organizers, the Professional Enterprise plan offers 0% service fees with a customized annual subscription, aligning the platform's success with yours and lowering their per-ticket service fee even lower. This helps them compete with even the lowest cost ticketing providers while still providing amazing marketing growth tools.

Source: PromoTix

Marketing capabilities separate processors from partners

Eventbrite's marketing features include email campaigns (but only to your attendee list), social media integration, and promo codes. 

Their marketplace is their main marketing proposition, where your event competes with thousands of others for attention. They may even display other events on your event page as part of their advertising program. While their email tool reportedly delivers a 59% higher open rate than industry average, you're still relying on basic tools and marketplace discovery, and it’s because it only emails your already existing attendee database who expect communication from you.

TicketLeap offers minimal marketing features: basic discount codes and tracking pixels for Facebook and Google. It's functional for events that don't need sophisticated promotion.

PromoTix delivers on the marketing promises others make. 

The platform includes pixel tracking for all your online ads including remarketing, and patented viral contest registration pages that build buzz before tickets even go on sale. The integrated ambassador program with GPS tracking lets you recruit and manage promoters who earn commissions for driving sales, and verify they're actually doing the physical promotion work, social media work, and more.

Source: PromoTix

A real innovation in the music space is data-driven artist booking. The Spotify Artist Insights tool shows exactly which artists your audience listens to, enabling smarter lineup decisions. Customer Insights calculates lifetime value across all your events. Marketing ROI dashboards track which campaigns actually drive sales. 

According to PromoTix, event creators using these tools can sell up to 22% more tickets than those using other platforms.

Platform specializations determine your success

Eventbrite excels at events that benefit from basic marketplace discovery: public workshops, community gatherings, and events targeting broad generic audiences. With enterprise support options and RFID partnerships, they can handle large-scale productions. However, their one-size-fits-all approach may not optimize for specific event types.

TicketLeap works best for events with simple needs, like very small theater productions, small fundraisers, or community events where basic ticketing suffices and marketing isn’t critical to get attendance. If you don't need marketing tools or advanced features, their simplicity is an asset.

PromoTix dominates in specific verticals where they've built deep expertise. 

Youth sports (and sports of all ages) is their biggest vertical. Music events are their second. For sports, think tournaments where parents and grandparents want to watch remotely. Beauty pageants leverage both in-person and streaming tickets for family members who can't attend. Their ambassador tool also lifts the average spectator per athlete ratio, which tends to run flat in youth sports around two spectators per athlete. PromoTix has experience getting that number closer to three spectators per athlete. Music festivals use the Ambassador program and Spotify insights to maximize sales and lower their booking fees. Religious gatherings benefit from hybrid virtual streaming capabilities for congregation members traveling or homebound.

The platform can handle large events, such as The Open Championship Series and All-Star Worlds Championship Cheerleading event with close to 80,000 attendees annually across multiple venues, demonstrating their ability to handle complex, multi-venue productions in their target markets. Their largest client sells more than 1.5M tickets annually. They don't pursue large corporate conferences typically (which need custom trade show vendor integrations) or massive stadium concerts… yet, instead focusing where their specialized tools deliver maximum value for event rights holders and promoters.

Payout timing impacts your entire operation

Eventbrite typically processes payouts 5 business days after your event ends, though they now offer Instant Payouts and Scheduled Payouts for eligible U.S. organizers, providing more flexibility in accessing funds before events. However, instant payouts from Eventbrite will cost you an additional 3% of your revenue!

Source: Eventbrite

TicketLeap holds funds for 4-7 business days after your event by default. Their FastPay program provides weekly payouts before the event for qualified organizers who complete an application process and get approved with excellent credit.

PromoTix revolutionizes cash flow with daily payouts through Stripe and PayPal integration. 

Sell tickets today, and funds typically begin processing the next day (subject to your payment processor's standard timing). For events with significant upfront costs, especially sports tournaments booking multiple venues or music festivals paying artist and production deposits, this immediate access to revenue eliminates expensive business loans or credit card debt. PromoTix Processing Pro also offers the lowest processing rates at 2.75% + $0.25/transaction, and offers next day payouts each day leading up to your event.

Virtual and hybrid events demand modern solutions

The permanent shift to hybrid events reveals major platform differences, especially for PromoTix's core markets where remote family viewing drives significant revenue.

Eventbrite provides no native streaming but offers integrations with platforms like Zoom. They can gate access behind attendee-only Online Event Pages and provide time-restricted content, offering more security than simple link sharing. However, if the original streaming platform link gets shared - you’ll end up with more viewers than you sold tickets.

TicketLeap lacks streaming capabilities entirely. Virtual events require completely separate solutions.

PromoTix built their event streaming platform specifically for monetized virtual events. 

Source: PromoTix

Each ticket generates a unique, single-session URL preventing unauthorized sharing. This means every viewer will have purchased a ticket, guaranteeing you don’t lose income from unauthorized viewership. The platform holds a patent for systems integrating in-person and virtual ticket sales, making it ideal for youth sports tournaments where grandparents watch from afar, or beauty pageants where extended family purchases streaming access. 

With ultra-low latency around one second, and OBS integration for professional production, it's built for events where remote viewing isn't an afterthought but a significant revenue stream.

Customer support quality varies dramatically

Eventbrite has evolved beyond pure self-service, offering email support for free events, 24/7 chat for paid events, and phone support for the large events tier. They also provide sales engagement and enterprise support for organizations needing higher touch service although you’ll need to be selling tens of thousands of tickets and pay their premium per ticket fee.

TicketLeap has phone support available to all users Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM EST, plus emergency support monitoring on nights and weekends. The lack of 24-7 support though makes it hard on attendees with questions or who may be missing their ticket delivery email at times.

PromoTix takes an agency-model approach for larger accounts. 

Professional package users get dedicated Client Success Managers, who are named contacts available via phone and email and know your events intimately. This isn't a call center but a partnership. 

Client Success Managers will help consult on growth tactics to drive new ticket sales and increase revenues. For Ambassador programs, clients also get an Ambassador Program Manager, who helps consult, build, recruit, and run your ambassador program.

When you're running a 5,000+ person youth sports tournament across multiple venues, having direct access to someone who understands your specific needs transforms crisis management.  They also have 24-7 support with a maximum 4 hour email response time for attendees.

Advanced features unlock new revenue streams

Eventbrite offers reserved seating at no extra charge and provides RFID/NFC capabilities through partnerships. However, many advanced features like promotional materials printing require third-party solutions.

TicketLeap keeps things simple, perhaps too simple. No RFID, no streaming, no resale marketplace, no promotional materials printing. It processes tickets, period.

PromoTix includes revenue-expanding features competitors overlook:

• RFID Technology: RFID optimized for 3,000+ person events enables cashless payments, sponsor activations, and streamlined entry while capturing valuable attendee data

Source: PromoTix

• Resale Marketplace: Control your secondary market with authenticated transfers and escrow protection, earning service fees on resales while preventing fraud
• Promotional Materials Printing: Design custom tickets with individual QR codes that integrate directly with PromoTix validation, no third-party coordination needed
• Spotify Insights Module: For music events, see exactly what your ticket buyers listen to, enabling data-driven artist booking that increases sales
• Ambassador Programs: Gain access to 6,500+ ambassadors in network and recruit a walking sales promotional team that can sell tickets, promote on social media, and hand out posters and fliers.
• Viral Contests: Generate thousands of interested potential attendees and build a database of names, emails, phone numbers, social follows, and social shares.
• Event Branded Mobile Apps: Events, venues, and festivals can get native iOS and Android branded mobile apps without expensive developers.

These aren't third-party add-ons but included features that generate additional revenue streams and improve event operations.

Platform philosophy drives feature development

Eventbrite operates as a marketplace first for generic audiences, ticketing platform second. 

Features prioritize discovery and broad market appeal. This works if marketplace exposure significantly drives your sales, though many organizers find they still do most promotion themselves.

TicketLeap, as part of Leap Event Technology, emphasizes simplicity and reliability. The platform does basic ticketing well without unnecessary complexity.

PromoTix embodies a creator-first philosophy born from the founder's 16 years producing festivals and owning venues. 

When an event promoter who owns an advertising agency builds ticketing software, you get features like adding your own service fee on top, tiered pricing that automatically increases as inventory sells, and password-protected pre-sales. Every feature comes from real-world experience running profitable events.

Source: PromoTix

Hidden costs add up quickly

Eventbrite charges extra for their Pro add-on (starting at $15/month) to increase email sending limits and it goes up from there. 

Eventbrite Ads for sponsored placement cost extra. Reserved seating is included, and they offer RFID partnerships, but you'll coordinate and potentially pay third parties for implementation.

TicketLeap maintains straightforward pricing. 

They don't charge for onsite sales through their app beyond credit card processing. However, the lack of advanced features means you'll need separate services for anything beyond basic ticketing.

PromoTix includes most features in base pricing: reserved seating, marketing pixel tracking, viral contest tools, and more. 

Optional growth features include streaming at $0.99-1.99 per viewer plus $5 setup, custom ambassador program commissions, and push notifications at $0.01 each after $50 setup with the patented event branded mobile app feature. These are true features for scaling, not core functionality held hostage.

Which platform should you choose?

The choice ultimately depends on your event type, growth goals, and operational needs.

Choose Eventbrite if:

• Generic audience marketplace discovery could drive ticket sales for your event type
• Brand recognition matters to your attendees
• You're running public events targeting broad audiences
• You don’t mind paying a premium price point
• You don’t need in-person support or service

Choose TicketLeap if:

• You want simple ticketing without complexity
• Limited phone support is acceptable to you (9-5PM EST)
• You primarily sell tickets at the door
• Basic functionality meets all your needs
• Your events don't require marketing support or advanced features

Choose PromoTix if:

• You're in youth sports, music events, festivals, venues, theaters, pageants, or religious events
• Remote family viewing represents significant revenue potential with streaming
• You want marketing tools that actually drive sales, not empty promises
• Daily payouts would eliminate cash flow challenges
• Features like RFID, resale marketplace, and printing add value
• You prefer higher service and growth consulting with dedicated success managers
• The data-driven approach (Spotify insights, customer analytics) appeals to you

Join PromoTix when you want a platform built by event creators who understand that selling tickets requires more than just processing them

The ticketing platform landscape in 2025 isn't really about features anymore. All three platforms can process tickets. 

The question is whether you want a marketplace (Eventbrite), a processor (TicketLeap), or a growth engine built by someone who sat where you're sitting and needed better tools (PromoTix).

PromoTix's 80% close rate when converting Eventbrite customers tells the story: event creators recognize the value of a platform that started as marketing software, includes features others charge extra for, and focuses on the verticals where specialized tools matter most. 

From youth competitions leveraging streaming for remote families to music festivals using Spotify data to book acts that sell tickets, PromoTix delivers on the promises other platforms make but don't keep.

Ready to see why event creators are choosing comprehensive growth platforms over basic processors? Create your first event free on PromoTix and discover what happens when your ticketing platform actually helps sell tickets.