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Brown Paper Tickets vs Planning Pod

Brown Paper Tickets logo

Brown Paper Tickets

Events

The fair-trade ticketing company

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Planning Pod logo

Planning Pod

Events

Event planning software that works

From
$59/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Planning Pod no transparent pricing table published; pricing determined individually per venue during demo
  • They diverge on capability: Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Planning Pod covers Lead management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Brown Paper Tickets and Planning Pod differ
AttributeBrown Paper TicketsPlanning Pod
Starting priceFree$59/month
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20002012

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Events).

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
  • Mailchimp
  • Facebook

Only in Planning Pod

  • Lead management
  • Floor plans
  • Budgeting
  • Timeline
  • Client portal
  • QuickBooks
  • Stripe
  • Google Calendar

Both cover

  • PayPal
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android 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 Planning Pod
  • Handling ticket distribution and door lists for independent organisersnot Planning Pod

Planning Pod

  • Event planningnot Brown Paper Tickets
  • Ticket salesnot Brown Paper Tickets
  • Attendee managementnot Brown Paper Tickets
  • Virtual eventsnot Brown Paper Tickets
  • Event marketingnot 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

Planning Pod

  • No transparent pricing table published; pricing determined individually per venue during demo
  • Pricing based on event volume complexity rather than standard tiers
  • Requires personalized demo to determine exact pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Brown Paper Tickets

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

Planning Pod

$59/month
  • Planner$59/month
    • Basic planning tools
    • 5 events
    • Email support
  • Professional$99/month
    • Unlimited events
    • Floor plans
    • Budget tracking
  • Business$199/month
    • Team features
    • Client portal
    • API access

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 Planning Pod if

  • You need lead management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want floor plans.
Planning Pod review

Questions people ask

Is Brown Paper Tickets or Planning Pod better?
Neither clearly leads. Brown Paper Tickets starts at Free and Planning Pod at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brown Paper Tickets or Planning Pod?
Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Brown Paper Tickets and $59/month for Planning Pod.
Does Brown Paper Tickets or Planning Pod run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Brown Paper Tickets for free?
Yes. Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Planning Pod starts at $59/month.
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 Planning Pod is typically brought in for.
What can Brown Paper Tickets do that Planning Pod cannot?
Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Will call, Seating charts, Reporting. Planning Pod covers Lead management, Floor plans, Budgeting, Timeline. Both handle PayPal, Web support, Ios support, Android 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
Planning Pod: How does Planning Pod pricing work?

Planning Pod uses volume-based pricing determined by the number of events your venue manages at any given time. Pricing typically ranges from $199-319/month for single-location venues, but you only pay for the volume you actually run.

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
Planning Pod: Does Planning Pod publish a public pricing table?

No, Planning Pod does not publish a detailed public pricing table. To determine your specific rate, you must schedule a personalized demo and discuss your venue's event volume with their team.

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
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