TicketSource vs pretix

It depends on the ticket price. TicketSource (8.5% (Ireland)) is cheaper on lower-priced tickets and pretix (2.5% (max €15)) is cheaper from around €10. On a €30 ticket, with card processing included, TicketSource costs €2.55 and pretix costs €1.45.

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

TicketSource and pretix at a glance

TicketSource

TicketSource is a UK box office platform that started with amateur theatre and now covers community, school, charity, arts and sports events. There is no subscription: a booking fee applies only to online sales of paid tickets, and it includes a seating plan designer.

Fee per paid ticket
8.5% (Ireland)includes card processing
When you're paid
After the event, sent the following Monday; as tickets sell with your own Stripe account
Best for
Community theatre, schools, charities and venues that need reserved seating
Based in
Penarth, Wales, founded 2004

pretix

pretix is an open-source ticketing system from Germany, offered as a hosted service and as a free self-hosted Community edition. Conferences, festivals, exhibitions and museums use it. Attendees pay the organizer directly through the organizer's own payment provider, and pretix invoices its fee separately.

Fee per paid ticket
2.5% (max €15)plus card processing
When you're paid
As tickets sell, directly into your own payment provider or bank account
Best for
European conferences and organizers who want open-source or self-hosted ticketing
Based in
Heidelberg, Germany, founded 2014

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% + €0.50plus 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 TicketSource and pretix 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
TicketSource · 8.5% (Ireland)€638

Card processing is included in the fee.

pretix · 2.5% (max €15)€363

€188 platform fee + about €175 card processing.

Hi.Events · 1.25% + €0.50€394

€219 platform fee + about €175 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% + €0.25 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

TicketSource vs pretix, feature by feature

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

FeatureTicketSourcepretixHi.Events
Platform fee per paid ticket8.5% (Ireland)2.5% (max €15)1.25% + €0.50
Card processingIncluded in the feeCharged on topCharged on top
Free eventsFreeThe first 500 free tickets a year are free, then €0.50 eachFree
When you're paidAfter the event, sent the following Monday; as tickets sell with your own Stripe accountAs tickets sell, directly into your own payment provider or bank accountAs tickets sell, on your own Stripe payout schedule
Payment processorTicketSource, or your own Stripe accountYour own payment provider, such as Stripe, Mollie or PayPalYour own Stripe account
Pass fees on to buyers YesPayment provider fees only Yes
Your branding at checkoutNot statedYour colors, logo and domain Yes
Embed checkout on your site Yes Yes Yes
Listed in a consumer marketplaceWhat's On listingsNoNo
Tickets work without an app or accountNot stated Yes Yes
QR check-in app YesYes, pretixSCANYes, in any phone browser
Reserved seating Yes YesNo
Recurring events and time slotsNot stated Yes Yes
Promo codesNot stated Yes Yes
Waitlist Yes Yes Yes
Custom checkout questionsNot stated Yes Yes
API and webhooksAPI YesWebhooks
Official ticket resaleNot statedNot statedNo
Open sourceNo Yes Yes
Can be self-hostedNo Yes Yes
§ 03 · Trade-offs

Strengths and limitations

TicketSource

Strengths

  • No fees for free events or in-person bookings
  • Seating plan designer shared by online and box office sales
  • Lower fee and earlier payouts if you connect your own Stripe account
  • Discounted fee for registered charities

Limitations

  • Payouts arrive after the event unless you connect Stripe
  • A percentage fee gets expensive on higher-priced tickets
  • The payout bank account must be in the same territory as the account

Registered charities get a discount. Fees apply to online bookings only; in-person bookings recorded in the dashboard are free.

pretix

Strengths

  • Open source, with a free self-hosted edition
  • Hosted fee of 2.5% capped at €15 a ticket, with no monthly fee
  • Payments go directly to your own provider or bank, with 40+ providers supported
  • Seating plans, event series, vouchers, waiting list, API and point-of-sale apps

Limitations

  • Hosted pricing is published in EUR only
  • Free tickets cost €0.50 each beyond the first 500 a year
  • Seating and point of sale need a paid licence when self-hosting
  • No consumer marketplace

The self-hosted Community edition is free. When self-hosting, seating plans and the point-of-sale app need a paid Enterprise licence.

§ 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

TicketSource vs pretix: common questions

Is TicketSource cheaper than pretix?
It depends on the ticket price. TicketSource (8.5% (Ireland)) is cheaper on lower-priced tickets and pretix (2.5% (max €15)) is cheaper from around €10. On a €30 ticket, with card processing included, TicketSource costs €2.55 and pretix costs €1.45. TicketSource's published fee includes card processing and pretix's does not, so the figures above add card processing to pretix to keep the comparison like for like.
Which pays out faster, TicketSource or pretix?
TicketSource: after the event, sent the following Monday; as tickets sell with your own Stripe account. pretix: as tickets sell, directly into your own payment provider or bank account. pretix gets money to you sooner, which matters if you have deposits or suppliers to pay before the event.
Do TicketSource and pretix promote events in a marketplace?
TicketSource lists events in its own consumer marketplace, which can bring you buyers you would not otherwise reach. pretix does not, so you bring your own audience.
Are free events free on TicketSource and pretix?
TicketSource: free. pretix: the first 500 free tickets a year are free, then €0.50 each.
Is there a cheaper alternative to TicketSource and pretix?
Hi.Events charges 1.25% + €0.50 per paid ticket, the same for every organizer, with no monthly fee. On a €30 ticket that is €1.58 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

TicketSource vs

pretix vs

See every comparison → · TicketSource fees explained → · pretix 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 TicketSource or pretix.

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 TicketSource and pretix for yourself.

Get started free

Free events cost nothing. Paid tickets are 1.25% + €0.50, with no monthly fee and no contract — see the full pricing.