Eventbrite Alternatives for Small Event Organizers
Eventbrite is the default choice for event registration. Most organizers start there because it's the first name that comes up. But for small event organizers running workshops, classes, or community gatherings, the fees can be hard to justify.
Here's a straightforward look at the alternatives, including where each one falls short. Full disclosure: we built BookOrWaitlist, so we're biased. We'll try to be honest about our limitations too.
Why small organizers look for alternatives
Three reasons keep coming up:
The fees. Eventbrite charges around 3.5% + $1.79 per ticket (or 6.5% + $1.79 if you absorb the fees). For a $40 workshop with 15 attendees, that's roughly $62 in fees. Monthly, that's ~$740 per year. Note: Eventbrite updates its pricing periodically, so check their current rates before making decisions.
Data ownership. Your attendee data lives inside Eventbrite. You can export them, but your ongoing relationship with attendees is mediated by the platform.
Complexity. If you're running a 12-person pottery class, you don't need promotional tools, multi-tier ticketing, and integration with dozens of payment gateways. You need a registration page and a payment link.
Option 1: BookOrWaitlist + your own payment processor
Works well for: Workshop instructors, class organizers, and small event producers who want low fees and full data control.
This is what we built. The idea is simple: separate contact capture from payment processing.
- Use BookOrWaitlist for a landing page that captures attendee contact info
- Redirect registrants to your Stripe, PayPal, or Square payment link
- Pay only standard processing rates (around 2.9% + $0.30), no platform commission
What's good:
- No commission fees on top of payment processing
- You own every contact from day one
- Built-in waitlist when events fill up
- Simple to set up if you already have a payment link
What's not:
- No built-in payment processing (you need Stripe/PayPal/Square separately)
- No event discovery or marketplace (people won't find you through BookOrWaitlist)
- No ticket scanning or check-in tools
- No integrated refund management
- You need to manually reconcile registrations with payments
- Relatively new tool compared to established platforms
Cost example: $40 ticket x 15 attendees = $600 revenue. Stripe fee: ~$22. You keep ~$578. With Eventbrite, you'd keep ~$538. That's $40 saved per event, ~$480 per year for monthly events.
Option 2: Meetup
Works well for: Building recurring community groups, especially for free or low-cost events.
Meetup charges a subscription ($14.99 to $44.99/month) instead of per-ticket fees. This makes sense if you run frequent events.
What's good:
- No per-ticket fees
- Built-in audience discovery (people browse Meetup looking for events in their area)
- Strong for recurring community events
What's not:
- Monthly cost whether you run events or not
- Limited branding and registration customization
- Payment processing options are restricted
- Better suited for free community events than paid workshops
- Your members are "Meetup members" first, your community members second
Option 3: Humanitix
Works well for: Organizers who want a full-featured platform and like the ethical angle.
Humanitix donates 100% of profits to charity. Feature-wise, it's comparable to Eventbrite.
What's good:
- Full-featured (QR check-in, analytics, attendee management)
- Profits fund children's charities
- Free for free events
What's not:
- Still charges platform fees (around 4.5% + $0.99 per ticket)
- Primarily available in Australia, New Zealand, US, and UK
- Same data ownership trade-offs as Eventbrite
Option 4: Luma
Works well for: Smaller, design-focused events, especially in tech and creative communities.
Luma has grown fast thanks to its clean interface and calendar-centric approach.
What's good:
- Beautiful, modern design
- Free for events under 25 attendees
- Good calendar integration and email tools
- Growing discovery network
What's not:
- 3.5% fee for paid events
- Newer platform, features still evolving
- Less proven for traditional workshop formats
- Audience skews tech-savvy
Option 5: DIY with Google Forms + Stripe
Works well for: Very occasional events where you don't mind manual work.
The bare-bones approach: Google Form collects contact info, you manually send payment links.
What's good:
- Completely free for contact capture
- Maximum flexibility
- Only payment processing fees
What's not:
- Everything is manual (no automation, no redirects)
- No waitlist functionality
- Looks less professional without significant effort
- Gets messy quickly if you run events regularly
- Easy to lose track of who paid and who didn't
How to choose
There's no single best option. It depends on what you value:
If low fees and data ownership matter most: BookOrWaitlist + your payment processor. Accept the trade-off of managing two tools and manual payment reconciliation.
If you want audience discovery: Meetup (for free/community events) or Luma (for paid tech-adjacent events). Accept the subscription or commission cost.
If you want a full-featured all-in-one: Humanitix or Eventbrite. Accept the per-ticket fees as the cost of convenience.
If you run events rarely and want free: DIY with Google Forms. Accept the manual work.
Switching is easier than you think
If you're currently on Eventbrite:
- Export your attendee contact list (Account → Orders & Attendees → Export)
- Set up your next event on the new platform
- Test the registration flow yourself (especially on mobile)
- Tell your existing audience about the new registration link
Most attendees won't notice or care which platform you use, as long as the registration process is smooth.
Try BookOrWaitlist for your next event and see if the trade-offs work for you.