Resident Advisor vs Universe

It depends on the ticket price. Resident Advisor (10%, last known rate) is cheaper on lower-priced tickets and Universe (2% + $0.79) is cheaper from around $20. On a $30 ticket, with card processing included, Resident Advisor costs $3.00 and Universe costs $2.29.

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

Resident Advisor and Universe at a glance

Resident Advisor

Resident Advisor (RA) is an electronic music magazine, listings site and ticketing platform. Promoters list events and sell RA Tickets through RA Pro, reaching RA's audience through its listings and the RA Guide app. Fees are paid by the ticket buyer.

Fee per paid ticket
10%, last known rateincludes card processing
When you're paid
After the event, on the following Tuesday
Best for
Electronic music promoters, clubs and festivals who want RA's listings audience
Based in
London, UK, founded 2001

Universe

Universe is a self-service ticketing platform owned by Ticketmaster. Organizers sell through hosted event pages, an embeddable widget and the Universe discovery site, and a custom-priced Pro plan adds Ticketmaster distribution.

Fee per paid ticket
2% + $0.79plus card processing
When you're 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
Based in
Toronto, Canada, founded 2011

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% + $0.60plus 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 Resident Advisor and Universe 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
Resident Advisor · 10%, last known rate$750

Card processing is included in the fee.

Universe · 2% + $0.79$573

$348 platform fee + about $225 card processing.

Hi.Events · 1.25% + $0.60$536

$244 platform fee + about $292 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 2.9% + $0.30 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

Resident Advisor vs Universe, feature by feature

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

FeatureResident AdvisorUniverseHi.Events
Platform fee per paid ticket10%, last known rate2% + $0.791.25% + $0.60
Card processingIncluded in the feeCharged on topCharged on top
Free eventsFree tickets can be created; RA does not say whether a fee appliesFreeFree
When you're paidAfter the event, on the following TuesdayAfter the event with Universe Payments, 48 hours after it ends; on your Stripe schedule with Stripe ConnectAs tickets sell, on your own Stripe payout schedule
Payment processorRA collects the money and pays you outUniverse Payments by default, or your own Stripe accountYour own Stripe account
Pass fees on to buyersAlways; the buyer pays the feeYes, except in eight European countries Yes
Your branding at checkoutNot statedNot stated Yes
Embed checkout on your siteListings widget Yes Yes
Listed in a consumer marketplace Yes YesNo
Tickets work without an app or accountBuyers need an RA account Yes Yes
QR check-in app YesYes, BoxOfficeYes, in any phone browser
Reserved seatingNot statedNot statedNo
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 webhooksNot statedGraphQL API and webhooksWebhooks
Official ticket resaleYes, RA Resale on sold-out eventsTicket transfers onlyNo
Open sourceNoNo Yes
Can be self-hostedNoNo Yes
§ 03 · Trade-offs

Strengths and limitations

Resident Advisor

Strengths

  • The largest electronic music listings audience
  • Nothing to pay as a promoter; the buyer covers the fee
  • Official resale for sold-out events
  • Free promotion tools, rep links and a door-scanning app

Limitations

  • The fee rate is no longer published
  • Payouts arrive after the event, with advances only for exclusive partners
  • Buyers need an RA account, and tickets unlock 24 hours before the event
  • Built around electronic music rather than general events

RA no longer publishes its fee, so 10% is its last known rate. Its help centre gives one example, where the buyer pays £8.50 and the promoter receives £7.50. The fee is paid by the buyer and is included in the displayed price by default.

Universe

Strengths

  • The service fee is capped per ticket in the US and UK
  • Choice of Universe Payments or your own Stripe account
  • Timed entry, waitlists, add-ons and custom questions on the entry plan
  • API, webhooks and an embeddable widget on every plan

Limitations

  • Funds are released 48 hours after the event on Universe Payments, then withdrawn on request
  • Fees vary a lot by country, and processing is charged on top
  • The built-in pass-fees-to-buyer option is missing in eight European countries
  • Pro plan pricing is not published

Starter plan rates. The Standard plan, which adds team permissions and payment plans, is 2.5% + $1.99 in the US and 5.5% + £0.99 in the UK. The service fee is capped at $19.95 or £9.95 a ticket; processing is not capped.

§ 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

Resident Advisor vs Universe: common questions

Is Resident Advisor cheaper than Universe?
It depends on the ticket price. Resident Advisor (10%, last known rate) is cheaper on lower-priced tickets and Universe (2% + $0.79) is cheaper from around $20. On a $30 ticket, with card processing included, Resident Advisor costs $3.00 and Universe costs $2.29. Resident Advisor's published fee includes card processing and Universe's does not, so the figures above add card processing to Universe to keep the comparison like for like.
Which pays out faster, Resident Advisor or Universe?
Resident Advisor: after the event, on the following Tuesday. Universe: after the event with Universe Payments, 48 hours after it ends; on your Stripe schedule with Stripe Connect. In practice the two are similar.
Do Resident Advisor and Universe promote events in a marketplace?
Yes, both do. Resident Advisor and Universe 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 Resident Advisor and Universe?
Resident Advisor: free tickets can be created; RA does not say whether a fee applies. Universe: free.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Resident Advisor and Universe?
Hi.Events charges 1.25% + $0.60 per paid ticket, the same for every organizer, with no monthly fee. On a $30 ticket that is $2.15 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

Resident Advisor vs

Universe vs

See every comparison → · Resident Advisor fees explained → · Universe 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 Resident Advisor or Universe.

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 Resident Advisor and Universe for yourself.

Get started free

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