Skiddle vs Universe

It depends on the ticket price. Skiddle (10% + 27p (min £1)) is cheaper on lower-priced tickets and Universe (2% + £0.99) is cheaper from around £15. On a £30 ticket, with card processing included, Skiddle costs £3.27 and Universe costs £2.19.

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

Skiddle and Universe at a glance

Skiddle

Skiddle is a UK ticket outlet and what's-on guide. Promoters manage events in the Skiddle Promotion Centre and tickets sell through Skiddle's consumer site and app as well as embeddable widgets. It is used mainly for club nights, festivals and gigs.

Fee per paid ticket
10% + 27p (min £1)includes card processing
When you're 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
Based in
Preston, 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% + £0.99plus 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% + £0.45plus 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 Skiddle 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
Skiddle · 10% + 27p (min £1)£818

Card processing is included in the fee.

Universe · 2% + £0.99£548

£397 platform fee + about £151 card processing.

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

Skiddle vs Universe, feature by feature

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

FeatureSkiddleUniverseHi.Events
Platform fee per paid ticket10% + 27p (min £1)2% + £0.991.25% + £0.45
Card processingIncluded in the feeCharged on topCharged on top
Free eventsListing is free; Skiddle does not say whether free tickets carry a feeFreeFree
When you're paidAfter the event, on twice-weekly remittance runs; at the time of sale with your own Stripe accountAfter 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 processorSkiddle by default, or your own Stripe account with DirectPayUniverse Payments by default, or your own Stripe accountYour own Stripe account
Pass fees on to buyers YesYes, except in eight European countries Yes
Your branding at checkoutWidget colors onlyNot stated Yes
Embed checkout on your site Yes Yes Yes
Listed in a consumer marketplace Yes YesNo
Tickets work without an app or account Yes Yes Yes
QR check-in appYes, RapidScanYes, BoxOfficeYes, in any phone browser
Reserved seating YesNot statedNo
Recurring events and time slots Yes Yes Yes
Promo codes Yes Yes Yes
Waitlist Yes Yes Yes
Custom checkout questions Yes Yes Yes
API and webhooksEvents API; no webhooks documentedGraphQL API and webhooksWebhooks
Official ticket resaleYes, Re:Sell at face valueTicket transfers onlyNo
Open sourceNoNo Yes
Can be self-hostedNoNo Yes
§ 03 · Trade-offs

Strengths and limitations

Skiddle

Strengths

  • One of the UK's busiest what's-on guides and apps
  • The booking fee includes card processing and VAT
  • Official face-value resale, waiting lists and payment plans
  • Allocated seating and session-based ticketing

Limitations

  • Payouts arrive after the event by default
  • Sells in GBP and EUR only
  • Buyers also pay a per-order delivery fee
  • No white-label checkout

Buyers pay the booking fee by default, plus a per-order delivery fee of £0.50 to £3. Promoters can absorb the booking fee instead.

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

Skiddle vs Universe: common questions

Is Skiddle cheaper than Universe?
It depends on the ticket price. Skiddle (10% + 27p (min £1)) is cheaper on lower-priced tickets and Universe (2% + £0.99) is cheaper from around £15. On a £30 ticket, with card processing included, Skiddle costs £3.27 and Universe costs £2.19. Skiddle'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, Skiddle or Universe?
Skiddle: after the event, on twice-weekly remittance runs; at the time of sale with your own Stripe account. 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 Skiddle and Universe promote events in a marketplace?
Yes, both do. Skiddle 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 Skiddle and Universe?
Skiddle: listing is free; Skiddle does not say whether free tickets carry a fee. Universe: free.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Skiddle and Universe?
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

Skiddle vs

Universe vs

See every comparison → · Skiddle 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 Skiddle 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 Skiddle and Universe 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.