DICE vs TryBooking

TryBooking (5% + 15p) is cheaper than DICE (8.5% (min £1) + VAT) at every ticket price we checked. On a £30 ticket, with card processing included, DICE costs £3.30 and TryBooking costs £1.65.

Fees and features from each platform's public pricing pages, checked September 2026.

DICE and TryBooking at a glance

DICE

DICE is a mobile-first ticketing and discovery app used mainly by music venues, promoters, festivals and club nights. Tickets live in the DICE app with a QR code that activates on the day, and fans see one all-in price. Organizers either sign up on standard terms or negotiate a partnership deal.

Fee per paid ticket
8.5% (min £1) + VATplus card processing
When you're paid
After the event, within five business days
Best for
Music venues and promoters who want app-based tickets and in-app discovery
Based in
London, UK, founded 2014

TryBooking

TryBooking is a self-service ticketing and registration platform from Melbourne, with sites for Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Schools, community groups, charities and clubs use it widely, and it also runs donation and fundraising pages.

Fee per paid ticket
5% + 15pincludes card processing
When you're paid
On request from your TryBooking balance; requests before the event can be held for checks of up to seven days
Best for
Australian, New Zealand and UK schools, community groups and charities
Based in
Melbourne, Australia, founded 2008

Hi.Events

Also worth a look

Hi.Events is an open-source ticketing platform with a hosted cloud version. Organizers sell from their own branded event pages or an embedded widget, and card payments settle straight into their own Stripe account as tickets sell.

Fee per paid ticket
1.25% + £0.45plus card processing
When you're 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
Based in
Ireland
Start selling for free
§ 01 · Fees

What DICE and TryBooking cost

The all-in cost of selling 250 tickets at £30 each: platform fee plus card processing. Move the sliders to match your event.

Ticket price£30
Tickets sold250
DICE · 8.5% (min £1) + VAT£825

£638 platform fee + about £187 card processing.

TryBooking · 5% + 15p£413

Card processing is included in the fee.

Hi.Events · 1.25% + £0.45£369

£206 platform fee + about £163 card processing.

Illustrative, from each platform's published standard rate. Where a platform charges card processing on top, we add its own stated rate or a standard 1.5% + £0.20 per ticket, so every total is like for like. Your actual card rate depends on your processor and the cards your buyers use.

§ 02 · Features

DICE vs TryBooking, feature by feature

Where the two differ, and where they don't.

FeatureDICETryBookingHi.Events
Platform fee per paid ticket8.5% (min £1) + VAT5% + 15p1.25% + £0.45
Card processingCharged on topIncluded in the feeCharged on top
Free eventsFreeFreeFree
When you're paidAfter the event, within five business daysOn request from your TryBooking balance; requests before the event can be held for checks of up to seven daysAs tickets sell, on your own Stripe payout schedule
Payment processorDICE collects the money and pays you outTryBooking by default, or your own Stripe accountYour own Stripe account
Pass fees on to buyersAlways; fees are built into one all-in price Yes Yes
Your branding at checkoutNoYour branding on tickets and booking pages Yes
Embed checkout on your siteEvent list widget Yes Yes
Listed in a consumer marketplace Yes YesNo
Tickets work without an app or accountNo, tickets live in the DICE app Yes Yes
QR check-in app Yes YesYes, in any phone browser
Reserved seatingNot stated YesNo
Recurring events and time slotsNot stated Yes Yes
Promo codes Yes Yes Yes
Waitlist Yes Yes Yes
Custom checkout questionsNot stated Yes Yes
API and webhooksRead-only API for partnersRead-only APIWebhooks
Official ticket resaleYes, through the official Wait ListNot statedNo
Open sourceNoNo Yes
Can be self-hostedNoNo Yes
§ 03 · Trade-offs

Strengths and limitations

DICE

Strengths

  • Discovery app that DICE says prompts a large share of its sales
  • App-held tickets and an official Wait List keep tickets off resale sites
  • Fans see one all-in price with no fees added at checkout
  • No fees on free tickets

Limitations

  • Payouts arrive after the event
  • Fans need the DICE app and an account to hold a ticket
  • Fees sit on top of your price and cannot be absorbed or shown separately
  • Partnership rates are negotiated, so what you pay may differ from the published defaults

These are the default self sign-up rates. Venues and promoters on a partnership agreement negotiate their own. Fees are added on top of your price and shown to fans as a single all-in figure.

TryBooking

Strengths

  • Low Australian and New Zealand fees, with card processing included
  • Free events are free, with the same features as paid ones
  • Seating plans, session times, waitlists and gift certificates included
  • You choose who pays each fee

Limitations

  • Australia, New Zealand and the UK only
  • TryBooking holds the money until you request it, and early withdrawals can be held for checks
  • The UK rate is double the Australian one
  • The API is read-only

In Australia the 50c ticket fee drops to 15c on tickets of A$5 or less. By default the buyer pays the per-ticket fee and the organizer pays the percentage, and either can be switched.

§ 04 · Verdict

Which should you choose?

Choose Hi.Events if

you want a low published fee, your own branding at checkout and card payments in your own Stripe account as tickets sell.

Start selling for free →
§ 05 · FAQ

DICE vs TryBooking: common questions

Is DICE cheaper than TryBooking?
TryBooking (5% + 15p) is cheaper than DICE (8.5% (min £1) + VAT) at every ticket price we checked. On a £30 ticket, with card processing included, DICE costs £3.30 and TryBooking costs £1.65. TryBooking's published fee includes card processing and DICE's does not, so the figures above add card processing to DICE to keep the comparison like for like.
Which pays out faster, DICE or TryBooking?
DICE: after the event, within five business days. TryBooking: on request from your TryBooking balance; requests before the event can be held for checks of up to seven days. TryBooking gets money to you sooner, which matters if you have deposits or suppliers to pay before the event.
Do DICE and TryBooking promote events in a marketplace?
Yes, both do. DICE and TryBooking each list events in their own consumer marketplace, which can bring you buyers you would not otherwise reach. The trade-off is that your event sits next to other organizers' events.
Are free events free on DICE and TryBooking?
DICE: free. TryBooking: free.
Is there a cheaper alternative to DICE and TryBooking?
Hi.Events charges 1.25% + £0.45 per paid ticket, the same for every organizer, with no monthly fee. On a £30 ticket that is £1.48 including Stripe's card processing. Card payments settle into your own Stripe account as tickets sell, and free events are free. It has no consumer marketplace, so it suits organizers who bring their own audience.See pricing →
§ 06 · More comparisons

Compare with something else

DICE vs

TryBooking vs

See every comparison → · DICE fees explained → · TryBooking fees explained →

Sources and corrections

Every figure on this page comes from the platform's own pricing and help pages, checked September 2026. Platforms change their pricing, so confirm with the vendor before you decide. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will fix it. Product names are trademarks of their owners; Hi.Events is not affiliated with DICE or TryBooking.

Or skip both

Hi.Events gives you a low published fee, your own branding and your money as tickets sell. Create an event and see how it compares with DICE and TryBooking for yourself.

Get started free

Free events cost nothing. Paid tickets are 1.25% + £0.45, with no monthly fee and no contract — see the full pricing.