How Much Does It Cost to Sell Tickets Online? (UK, 2026)
The cost of selling tickets online comes down to two things: the platform fee and the card-processing fee. The platform fee is the big variable — it ranges from around 7% per ticket on major marketplaces down to £0 on free platforms. Here’s the full breakdown for the UK in 2026.
The two costs, separated
- Platform fee — what the ticketing company charges. Varies hugely; this is what you can cut.
- Card processing — what the payment processor charges to take a card payment. Roughly fixed across providers; in the UK, Stripe’s headline rate is 1.5% + 20p per transaction for European cards.
What UK platforms charge (2026)
| Platform | Platform fee | Card processing |
|---|---|---|
| Major marketplace (e.g. Eventbrite) | ~6.95% + £0.59 per ticket | Bundled into the fee |
| Low-cost platform (e.g. Ticket Tailor) | ~£0.65 per ticket | Stripe at cost (1.5% + 20p) |
| Free platform (e.g. Ticketable) | £0 — 0% | Stripe at cost (1.5% + 20p) |
Figures based on published UK pricing as of May 2026; always check each provider’s current pricing. Provider names are trademarks of their respective owners.
A worked example: 500 tickets at £25
On an event selling 500 tickets at £25 (£12,500 of sales):
- Major marketplace: roughly £1,165 in total fees.
- Free platform: £0 platform fee — you pay only Stripe processing (~£290 at cost), keeping around £875 more.
The bigger the event and the higher the ticket price, the more the percentage-based platform fee costs you — and the more a 0% platform saves. Try the live savings calculator for your own numbers.
How to pay the least
- Pick a 0%-commission platform so you skip the per-ticket cut.
- Make sure card processing is passed through at cost, with no markup.
- Use your own Stripe account so payouts come straight to your bank (ideally daily) and the platform never holds your money.
- Decide whether to absorb the small processing fee or pass it to the buyer.
Ticketable charges 0% on every event, paid or free — see the no-fees guide for the how-to and the Eventbrite comparison for a side-by-side.
Frequently asked questions
What's the cheapest way to sell tickets online?
A platform that charges 0% commission and passes card processing through at cost. You avoid the platform's per-ticket cut entirely and pay only the unavoidable card fee (in the UK, Stripe's 1.5% + 20p per transaction).
Do free ticketing platforms really cost nothing?
For free events, yes — no payment, no fees. For paid events you still pay the card-processing fee (which goes to the payment processor, not the platform), but a genuinely free platform adds no booking fee or commission on top.
Should I pass fees on to attendees?
You can. Passing the card fee to the buyer keeps your payout whole, but raises the price they see. Many organisers on a 0%-platform simply absorb the small processing fee because there's no large booking fee to worry about.
Are there free options for paid events, not just free events?
Yes. Some platforms charge 0% even on paid tickets and earn their keep another way (for example tasteful advertising), so you pay only card processing regardless of ticket price.