Best concert ticketing platforms

Concert ticketing comes down to four questions: what the fans pay in fees, when you get the money, whether the platform brings you an audience, and what happens to tickets for a sold-out show. These are the platforms promoters and venues shortlist, with each one's published fee and what it is good at.

Fees and features from each platform's own pricing pages, checked September 2026. We make Hi.Events, so it is listed first and labelled. Every figure for the others is sourced on its comparison page.

The shortlist

  • Hi.Events

    Ours

    A low published fee that is the same for every promoter, card payments in your own Stripe account as tickets sell, tiered releases on a shared capacity, and tracked links for promoters and support acts.

    Worth knowing: No consumer marketplace to bring you an audience, no reserved seating and no official resale.

    Fee
    1.25% + $0.60
    All in
    $2.15 on a $30 ticket
    Paid
    As tickets sell, on your own Stripe payout schedule
    Best for
    Organizers who want low published fees, their own branding and their money as tickets sell
  • DICE

    A discovery app built around live music, with app-held tickets and an official Wait List that keep sold-out shows off resale sites.

    Worth knowing: Payouts arrive after the event.

    Fee
    13%
    All in
    $3.90 on a $30 ticket
    Paid
    After the event, within five business days
    Best for
    Music venues and promoters who want app-based tickets and in-app discovery
  • Eventbrite

    A large consumer marketplace, with reserved seating for seated shows and a free organizer check-in app.

    Worth knowing: Payouts arrive after the event by default.

    Fee
    3.7% + $1.79
    All in
    $3.77 on a $30 ticket
    Paid
    After the event by default, sent three business days after it ends
    Best for
    Organizers who want exposure on a large event discovery marketplace
  • Skiddle

    One of the UK's busiest gig and festival guides, with face-value resale, waiting lists and payment plans.

    Worth knowing: Payouts arrive after the event by default.

    Fee
    10% + $0.35 (min $1.28)*
    All in
    $3.35 on a $30 ticket
    Paid
    After the event, on twice-weekly remittance runs; at the time of sale with your own Stripe account
    Best for
    UK club nights, gigs and festivals that want marketplace exposure
  • Resident Advisor

    The listings audience for electronic music, with official resale for sold-out events.

    Worth knowing: The fee rate is no longer published.

    Fee
    10%, last known rate
    All in
    $3.00 on a $30 ticket (last known rate)
    Paid
    After the event, on the following Tuesday
    Best for
    Electronic music promoters, clubs and festivals who want RA's listings audience
  • Universe

    Self-service ticketing owned by Ticketmaster, with a service fee that is capped per ticket in the US and UK, and a route onto Ticketmaster through its Pro plan.

    Worth knowing: Funds are released 48 hours after the event on Universe Payments, then withdrawn on request.

    Fee
    2% + $0.79
    All in
    $2.29 on a $30 ticket
    Paid
    After the event with Universe Payments, 48 hours after it ends; on your Stripe schedule with Stripe Connect
    Best for
    Organizers who want self-service ticketing with a route into Ticketmaster
§ 01 · Fees

What each platform costs on a concert ticket

Published standard fees, cheapest first on a $30 ticket once card processing is counted.

PlatformPublished feeCard processingAll-in on $30When you're paid
Hi.Events1.25% + $0.60Charged on top$2.15As tickets sell, on your own Stripe payout schedule
Universe2% + $0.79Charged on top$2.29After the event with Universe Payments, 48 hours after it ends; on your Stripe schedule with Stripe Connect
Resident Advisor10%, last known rateIncluded in the fee$3.00 (last known rate)After the event, on the following Tuesday
Skiddle10% + $0.35 (min $1.28)*Included in the fee$3.35After the event, on twice-weekly remittance runs; at the time of sale with your own Stripe account
Eventbrite3.7% + $1.79Charged on top$3.77After the event by default, sent three business days after it ends
DICE13%Included in the fee$3.90After the event, within five business days

Standard published rates, excluding negotiated, nonprofit and subscription pricing. Where card processing is charged on top, the all-in figure adds the platform's own stated rate or a standard 2.9% + $0.30. * No published rate in this currency. Converted from the platform's published rate at approximate exchange rates (1 USD ≈ €0.92, £0.78 and A$1.55); the vendor may price differently, or not sell, in this currency.

§ 02 · Fit

What promoters, bands and venues usually need

The features that tend to decide it for this kind of event, platform by platform.

PlatformEmbed checkout on your siteListed in a consumer marketplaceTickets work without an app or accountReserved seatingWaitlistOfficial ticket resale
Hi.Events YesNo YesNo YesNo
DICEEvent list widget YesNo, tickets live in the DICE appNot stated YesYes, through the official Wait List
Eventbrite Yes YesBuyers need an Eventbrite account to open tickets Yes YesNo
Skiddle Yes Yes Yes Yes YesYes, Re:Sell at face value
Resident AdvisorListings widget YesBuyers need an RA accountNot stated YesYes, RA Resale on sold-out events
Universe Yes Yes YesNot stated YesTicket transfers only
§ 03 · FAQ

Choosing a concert ticketing platform

What does each platform cost on a $30 concert ticket?
Counting card processing on every platform, the cheapest on this list in US dollars are Hi.Events ($2.15), Universe ($2.29), Resident Advisor ($3.00, last known rate), Skiddle ($3.35). Percentage fees grow with the ticket price and flat fees do not, so the order changes on cheaper and dearer tickets; the table on this page shows every platform in four currencies.
Which concert ticketing platform has the lowest fees?
It depends on the ticket price and the country. Universe caps its service fee at $19.95 in the US and £9.95 in the UK, so its fee stops growing on an expensive ticket, while percentage fees like DICE's 13% in the US grow with the price. The fee table on this page shows each platform's all-in cost on the same ticket, including card processing where it is charged on top.
Do I need a platform with a marketplace to sell out a show?
Only if you do not already have an audience. DICE, Skiddle, Resident Advisor and Eventbrite list your show to their own users, which helps a new night find a crowd. They are also the dearer platforms in the fee table above. A band or venue with its own mailing list and socials usually sells the same tickets without one and keeps the difference.
Which platforms pay out before the show?
Platforms that use your own payment account pay as tickets sell: Hi.Events through Stripe, and Universe if you connect your own Stripe account. DICE, Resident Advisor, Skiddle and Eventbrite hold the money and pay out after the event by default, which matters if the artist deposit is due first.

Try it on your next concert

Create the event and share the link. No credit card, no sales call, and nothing to move until you're ready.

Free events cost nothing. Paid tickets are 1.25% + $0.60, with no monthly fee and no contract — see the full pricing.