TicketSource vs TryBooking

It depends on the ticket price. TicketSource (7% + VAT) is cheaper on lower-priced tickets and TryBooking (5% + 15p) is cheaper from around £10. On a £30 ticket, with card processing included, TicketSource costs £2.10 and TryBooking costs £1.65.

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

TicketSource and TryBooking 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
7% + VATincludes 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

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 TicketSource 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
TicketSource · 7% + VAT£525

Card processing is included in the fee.

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

TicketSource vs TryBooking, feature by feature

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

FeatureTicketSourceTryBookingHi.Events
Platform fee per paid ticket7% + VAT5% + 15p1.25% + £0.45
Card processingIncluded in the feeIncluded in the feeCharged on top
Free eventsFreeFreeFree
When you're paidAfter the event, sent the following Monday; as tickets sell with your own Stripe accountOn 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 processorTicketSource, or your own Stripe accountTryBooking by default, or your own Stripe accountYour own Stripe account
Pass fees on to buyers Yes Yes Yes
Your branding at checkoutNot statedYour branding on tickets and booking pages Yes
Embed checkout on your site Yes Yes Yes
Listed in a consumer marketplaceWhat's On listings YesNo
Tickets work without an app or accountNot stated Yes Yes
QR check-in app Yes YesYes, 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 webhooksAPIRead-only APIWebhooks
Official ticket resaleNot statedNot statedNo
Open sourceNoNo Yes
Can be self-hostedNoNo 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.

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

TicketSource vs TryBooking: common questions

Is TicketSource cheaper than TryBooking?
It depends on the ticket price. TicketSource (7% + VAT) is cheaper on lower-priced tickets and TryBooking (5% + 15p) is cheaper from around £10. On a £30 ticket, with card processing included, TicketSource costs £2.10 and TryBooking costs £1.65. Both fees include card processing.
Which pays out faster, TicketSource or TryBooking?
TicketSource: after the event, sent the following Monday; as tickets sell with your own Stripe account. 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 TicketSource and TryBooking promote events in a marketplace?
Yes, both do. TicketSource 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 TicketSource and TryBooking?
TicketSource: free. TryBooking: free.
Is there a cheaper alternative to TicketSource 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

TicketSource vs

TryBooking vs

See every comparison → · TicketSource 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 TicketSource 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 TicketSource 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.