Eventbrite fees explained: what buyers and organizers pay
Eventbrite has no monthly plan for selling tickets, but each paid ticket carries two fees, and by default the buyer pays both. That makes the price on your event page different from the total at checkout. This guide gives the US rates, works out real tickets from $10 to $100, and covers absorbing the fees, refunds, payouts and the cases where fees are zero.
The two fees on every paid ticket
Eventbrite calls them the Ticketing Fee. It applies to every paid ticket and every paid add-on, and you do not need a monthly plan to sell tickets.
| Fee | US rate | Worked out on |
|---|---|---|
| Service fee | 3.7% of the ticket price + $1.79 | Each paid ticket |
| Payment processing fee | 2.9%, with no fixed part | The whole order, including the service fee and tax |
By default the ticket buyer pays both, on top of the price you list. Eventbrite publishes the rates in its fee article and on its pricing page.
What a buyer pays at four ticket prices
Take a $25 ticket bought on its own. The service fee is 3.7% of $25 ($0.925) plus $1.79, which rounds to $2.72. Processing is 2.9% of $27.72, which is $0.80. The buyer pays $28.52 and you receive the full $25.
| Listed price | Service fee | Processing | Buyer pays | Fees as % of price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $2.16 | $0.35 | $12.51 | 25.1% |
| $25 | $2.72 | $0.80 | $28.52 | 14.1% |
| $50 | $3.64 | $1.56 | $55.20 | 10.4% |
| $100 | $5.49 | $3.06 | $108.55 | 8.6% |
The fixed $1.79 weighs most on cheap tickets. It also repeats for every ticket, so a bigger order does not bring the fee down. Amounts are rounded to the cent. Eventbrite does not publish its own rounding, so a real total can differ by a cent.
Absorbing the fees yourself
Tick Absorb fees on a ticket type and buyers pay only the listed price. Both fees then come out of your payout. It is one switch for both fees, you set it for each ticket type, and a change applies to future orders.
| Listed price | You receive | Fees you pay |
|---|---|---|
| $10 | $7.55 | $2.45 (24.5%) |
| $25 | $21.55 | $3.45 (13.8%) |
| $50 | $44.91 | $5.09 (10.2%) |
| $100 | $91.61 | $8.39 (8.4%) |
This table works the 2.9% on the listed price, because that is all the buyer pays. At $25 the fees are $2.72 plus $0.73. For 100 tickets at $25 ($2,500 in sales), absorbing costs you $345. On the default, buyers pay $2,852 in total and you receive the full $2,500.
To receive a round amount while absorbing, divide the amount plus $1.79 by 0.934 (one minus the 6.6% in percentage fees). To receive $25.00, list the ticket at about $28.68.
Free events, door sales and offline orders
- Free events. Free tickets carry no Ticketing Fees, so a free event costs you and your guests $0. Eventbrite states no cap on free events.
- Sales at the door. In the Organizer app the service fee is $1 per paid ticket, plus 2.9% processing on card sales. You can pass on or absorb the service fee, but the app cannot pass on the processing fee.
- Offline orders. For a check, an invoice or payment at the event, the service fee still applies. There is no processing fee.
- Sales tax. In a list of US states and cities, Eventbrite collects and remits sales tax on the buyer's total. The 2.9% is then worked on the total with tax. Ask your state tax agency or an accountant what applies to your event.
Refunds and chargebacks
Eventbrite does not refund its Ticketing Fees by default. It does when the event is canceled or postponed, when an order is a duplicate, or when you refund before the charge settles, usually within 24 hours. You can also choose to refund the fees out of your payout. A partial refund recalculates them.
Eventbrite is the merchant of record, so it handles chargebacks. If the bank sides with the buyer, you are charged the order amount minus the service and processing fees. Eventbrite says it waives its own fees and covers the bank fees.
When Eventbrite pays you
Eventbrite collects the buyers' money, takes its fees and pays you. The default payout starts 3 days after the event ends, and Eventbrite says to expect the money 6 to 8 business days after the event. Payouts before the event open only after you have hosted a paid event and received a payout. Eventbrite then holds a 20% reserve of net sales until the event ends, and caps these payouts at $100,000 across active events.
An instant payout costs 3% of the payout (minimum $2.99, maximum $40) and is not open to first-time paid organizers. US organizers must also give taxpayer information to be paid.
Your own rates may differ from the public ones. Eventbrite says to check your fees in Organization settings, and large or complex events can get a custom plan through sales.
A free option, and where it falls short
Payly's event tickets add no ticket fee, no monthly fee and no commission. PayPal or Stripe charges its standard fee, and payments go straight to your own account, so the money does not wait for the event to end (payout timing is up to PayPal and Stripe). If you absorb the fee, a $25 ticket leaves $23.64 through PayPal Checkout or $23.97 through Stripe, against $21.55 on Eventbrite with Absorb fees ticked.
Eventbrite has its own advantages. On its default you pay no fee yourself, because buyers do, and it offers reserved seating, promo codes, waitlists and a marketplace of ticket buyers. Payly's event tickets do not support assigned seats, promo codes, waitlists or reminder emails, and you share the event's link or QR code yourself. See Sell tickets to an event, or create a free Payly account.
Questions
Who pays Eventbrite's fees, the buyer or the organizer?
The buyer, by default, on top of the ticket price. If you tick Absorb fees for a ticket type, the fees come out of your payout instead.
Does Eventbrite charge for free events?
No. Free tickets carry no Ticketing Fees for you or for attendees.
Does Eventbrite refund its fees?
Not by default. It refunds them for canceled or postponed events, duplicate orders and refunds made before the charge settles, and you can choose to refund them yourself.
Prices as published by each company for the US in November 2026. Prices can change; check each company's own pricing page.
