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Events · head to head

Brown Paper Tickets vs Donorbox

Brown Paper Tickets logo

Brown Paper Tickets

Events

The fair-trade ticketing company

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Donorbox logo

Donorbox

Nonprofits

Online fundraising platform for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Brown Paper Tickets fees are charged to ticket buyers rather than the organiser, at $1.49 plus 6.0% of the ticket price in USD; Donorbox standard plan charges 2.95-3.95% platform fee per donation on top of payment processor fees (2.2-2.49% + card processing)
  • They diverge on capability: Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Donorbox covers Custom donation forms.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brown Paper Tickets and Donorbox actually diverge.

Attributes where Brown Paper Tickets and Donorbox differ
AttributeBrown Paper TicketsDonorbox
Pricing modeltransactionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
CategoryEventsNonprofits
Founded20002016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Brown Paper Tickets

  • Ticketing
  • Will call
  • Seating charts
  • Reporting
  • Customer service
  • Google Analytics
  • Facebook
  • Ios support

Only in Donorbox

  • Custom donation forms
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising
  • Payment processing
  • Donor management
  • Stripe
  • Zapier
  • Mobile-responsive support

Both cover

  • PayPal
  • Mailchimp
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Brown Paper Tickets

  • Selling tickets for events, performances and workshopsnot Donorbox
  • Handling ticket distribution and door lists for independent organisersnot Donorbox

Donorbox

  • Small to mid-sized nonprofits needing affordable donation processing in 96+ countriesnot Brown Paper Tickets
  • Organisations seeking integrated event ticketing and peer-to-peer fundraisingnot Brown Paper Tickets
  • Multi-channel giving strategies including text-to-give and membership programmesnot Brown Paper Tickets

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Brown Paper Tickets

  • Fees are charged to ticket buyers rather than the organiser, at $1.49 plus 6.0% of the ticket price in USD
  • The 6.0% applies regardless of payment method, including when the organiser uses their own merchant account or PayPal
  • The flat component varies by currency, running from roughly $0.99 to $1.99 equivalent
  • Because the buyer pays, the advertised ticket price is not what the buyer is charged

Donorbox

  • Standard plan charges 2.95-3.95% platform fee per donation on top of payment processor fees (2.2-2.49% + card processing)
  • Premium plan pricing requires contacting sales, not displayed publicly
  • Pro plan limited to growing organisations; larger nonprofits must upgrade to Premium with custom pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Brown Paper Tickets

Free
  • StandardFree
    • $0.99 + 5% per ticket
    • Free events free
    • All features

Donorbox

Free
  • StandardFree
    • Unlimited donation forms and pages
    • Basic reporting
    • 2.95-3.95% transaction fees
  • Pro$150/month
    • Advanced customizations
    • Crypto and stock donations
    • AI assistant included

Which should you pick?

Choose Brown Paper Tickets if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want will call.
Brown Paper Tickets review

Choose Donorbox if

  • You need custom donation forms.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want peer-to-peer fundraising.
Donorbox review

Questions people ask

Is Brown Paper Tickets or Donorbox better?
Neither clearly leads. Brown Paper Tickets starts at Free and Donorbox at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brown Paper Tickets or Donorbox?
Brown Paper Tickets starts at Free and Donorbox at Free.
Does Brown Paper Tickets or Donorbox run on more platforms?
Brown Paper Tickets runs on Web, Ios, Android. Donorbox runs on Web.
Can I use Brown Paper Tickets for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Brown Paper Tickets best used for?
Brown Paper Tickets is most often used for selling tickets for events, performances and workshops, handling ticket distribution and door lists for independent organisers. Of those, selling tickets for events, performances and workshops and handling ticket distribution and door lists for independent organisers are not what Donorbox is typically brought in for.
What can Brown Paper Tickets do that Donorbox cannot?
Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Will call, Seating charts, Reporting. Donorbox covers Custom donation forms, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Payment processing, Donor management. Both handle PayPal, Mailchimp, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Brown Paper Tickets: What are Brown Paper Tickets' transaction fees?

Buyers pay a service charge: a flat fee of $1.49 USD (or equivalent in other currencies such as €0.99 or £0.99) plus 6.0% of the ticket price. These fees are paid by ticket buyers at checkout.

Source
Donorbox: How much does Donorbox cost?

Donorbox Standard is free with 2.95-3.95% transaction fees. Pro is $150/month with 1.75-2% transaction fees, advanced customizations, and AI assistance. Premium requires a custom quote.

Source
Brown Paper Tickets: When do organizers receive payment from Brown Paper Tickets?

If using Brown Paper Tickets' credit card processing, payment is sent within 10 business days post-event. With a custom merchant account, funds are received as tickets sell. PayPal option allows immediate remittance to the organizer.

Source
Donorbox: Is Donorbox free?

Yes, Donorbox Standard is free with unlimited donation forms and basic reporting, though transaction fees of 2.95-3.95% apply.

Source
Brown Paper Tickets: Are ticket delivery methods free on Brown Paper Tickets?

Most delivery methods are free, including First Class Mail, Will-Call, Print-at-Home, Mobile Tickets, and Online Access. Premium options like Priority Mail and Express Mail carry additional charges. Pre-printed tickets cost $0.10 each plus delivery.

Source
Donorbox: What are Donorbox's transaction fees by plan?

Standard plan charges 2.95-3.95% per transaction. Pro charges 1.75-2%. Premium charges 1.6-2%. All plans allow donors to cover processing fees.

Source
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