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Software · head to head

Brown Paper Tickets vs Swapcard

B

Brown Paper Tickets

Software

The fair-trade ticketing company

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Swapcard logo

Swapcard

Software

The smart event platform

From
$610/one-time
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; Swapcard pricing requires custom quote; starting price of $610 does not include per-attendee charges which can add significant costs
  • They diverge on capability: Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Swapcard covers AI matchmaking.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Brown Paper Tickets and Swapcard differ
AttributeBrown Paper TicketsSwapcard
Starting priceFree$610/one-time
Pricing modeltransactionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
Founded20002013

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

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
  • PayPal
  • Google Analytics
  • Mailchimp

Only in Swapcard

  • AI matchmaking
  • Lead capture
  • Event mobile app
  • Exhibitor management
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • 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 Swapcard
  • Handling ticket distribution and door lists for independent organisersnot Swapcard

Swapcard

  • 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

Swapcard

  • Pricing requires custom quote; starting price of $610 does not include per-attendee charges which can add significant costs
  • Smaller company with 181 employees compared to market leaders like Cvent, limiting support resources
  • Limited reporting and analytics features compared to tier-1 event platforms
  • API documentation is sparse; custom integrations require direct vendor support
  • Primarily focused on B2B events; less suitable for consumer or small events

Pricing, plan by plan

Brown Paper Tickets

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

Swapcard

$610/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Swapcard review.

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 Swapcard if

  • You need ai matchmaking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want lead capture.
Swapcard review

Questions people ask

Is Brown Paper Tickets or Swapcard better?
Neither clearly leads. Brown Paper Tickets starts at Free and Swapcard at $610/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brown Paper Tickets or Swapcard?
Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Brown Paper Tickets and $610/one-time for Swapcard.
Does Brown Paper Tickets or Swapcard 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. Swapcard starts at $610/one-time.
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 Swapcard is typically brought in for.
What can Brown Paper Tickets do that Swapcard cannot?
Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Will call, Seating charts, Reporting. Swapcard covers AI matchmaking, Lead capture, Event mobile app, Exhibitor management. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Swapcard: What does Swapcard's pricing model include?

Swapcard pricing includes three components: a base license, usage volume (attendees and exhibitors), and add-ons. The Event Engagement Platform starts at $610 and includes mobile/web apps, AI-powered networking, virtual event capability, and exhibitor lead management.

Source
Swapcard: What event types does Swapcard support?

Swapcard supports in-person, virtual, and hybrid events including conferences, trade shows, exhibitions, webinars, and networking events.

Source
Swapcard: What are Swapcard's core platform features?

Core features include dashboard access, agenda management, streaming and audiovisual capability, abstract/paper management, lead capture tools, networking features, and audience response systems.

Source
Swapcard: How many integrations does Swapcard offer?

Swapcard connects natively to over 30 integrations including event platforms like Eventbrite, Cvent, and Bizzabo, plus CRM tools like HubSpot and mapping solutions.

Source
Swapcard: Who is Swapcard and when was it founded?

Swapcard was founded in 2013 in Paris by Baptiste Boulard, Godefroy Des Francs, and Damien Courbon. The company has raised $5.27M and serves event organizers globally.

Source
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