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Brown Paper Tickets vs Social Tables

Brown Paper Tickets logo

Brown Paper Tickets

Events

The fair-trade ticketing company

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Social Tables logo

Social Tables

Events

Event diagramming and planning software

From
$199/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; Social Tables now owned by Cvent, reducing product independence
  • They diverge on capability: Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Social Tables covers Floor plan design.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Brown Paper Tickets and Social Tables differ
AttributeBrown Paper TicketsSocial Tables
Starting priceFree$199/month
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20002011

Identical on both: 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
  • Reporting
  • Customer service
  • PayPal
  • Google Analytics
  • Mailchimp
  • Facebook

Only in Social Tables

  • Floor plan design
  • Guest management
  • 3D visualization
  • Collaboration
  • Cvent
  • Salesforce
  • Opera
  • Delphi

Both cover

  • Seating charts
  • 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 Social Tables
  • Handling ticket distribution and door lists for independent organisersnot Social Tables

Social Tables

  • 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

Social Tables

  • Now owned by Cvent, reducing product independence
  • Premium plan pricing not transparent

Pricing, plan by plan

Brown Paper Tickets

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

Social Tables

$199/month
  • Planner$199/month
    • Floor plans
    • Seating charts
    • Guest management
  • Professional$399/month
    • 3D diagrams
    • Collaboration
    • Analytics
  • Enterprise$799/month
    • Full platform
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

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 Social Tables if

  • You need floor plan design.
  • You also want guest management.
Social Tables review

Questions people ask

Is Brown Paper Tickets or Social Tables better?
Neither clearly leads. Brown Paper Tickets starts at Free and Social Tables at $199/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brown Paper Tickets or Social Tables?
Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Brown Paper Tickets and $199/month for Social Tables.
Does Brown Paper Tickets or Social Tables run on more platforms?
Brown Paper Tickets runs on Web, Ios, Android. Social Tables runs on Web.
Can I use Brown Paper Tickets for free?
Yes. Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Social Tables starts at $199/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 Social Tables is typically brought in for.
What can Brown Paper Tickets do that Social Tables cannot?
Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Will call, Reporting, Customer service. Social Tables covers Floor plan design, Guest management, 3D visualization, Collaboration. Both handle Seating charts, 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
Social Tables: What is Social Tables pricing in 2026?

Social Tables Pro plan is $199/month. Premium plans use quote-based pricing. Social Tables is now part of Cvent's Event Diagramming suite.

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
Social Tables: What features does Social Tables provide?

Social Tables offers drag-and-drop floor plan design, photo-realistic 3D walkthroughs, interactive floor plans, guest list management, visual seating charts, and meal management for venues and event planners.

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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