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Brown Paper Tickets vs Ticketmaster

B

Brown Paper Tickets

Software

The fair-trade ticketing company

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ticketmaster logo

Ticketmaster

Software

The global leader in live event ticketing

From
On request
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; Ticketmaster high fees of 10-30% per ticket with some events reaching 40%, higher than competing platforms
  • They diverge on capability: Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Ticketmaster covers Ticket sales.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Brown Paper Tickets and Ticketmaster differ
AttributeBrown Paper TicketsTicketmaster
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
Founded20001978

Identical on both: pricing model (transaction), 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 Ticketmaster

  • Ticket sales
  • Mobile ticketing
  • Verified tickets
  • Resale marketplace
  • Venue management
  • Spotify
  • Apple Music
  • Instagram

Both cover

  • Facebook
  • 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 Ticketmaster
  • Handling ticket distribution and door lists for independent organisersnot Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster

  • 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

Ticketmaster

  • High fees of 10-30% per ticket with some events reaching 40%, higher than competing platforms
  • Delayed real-time data on seat availability and resale pricing
  • Strict API rate limits and limited customization for partner integrations
  • Found guilty of operating an illegal monopoly in live concert ticketing by federal jury in April 2026
  • Anticompetitive practices that limit competition for event organizers

Pricing, plan by plan

Brown Paper Tickets

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

Ticketmaster

On request
  • StandardFree
    • Global distribution
    • Mobile ticketing
    • Fan verification

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 Ticketmaster if

  • You need ticket sales.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want mobile ticketing.
Ticketmaster review

Questions people ask

Is Brown Paper Tickets or Ticketmaster better?
Neither clearly leads. Brown Paper Tickets starts at Free and Ticketmaster at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brown Paper Tickets or Ticketmaster?
Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Brown Paper Tickets and On request for Ticketmaster.
Does Brown Paper Tickets or Ticketmaster run on more platforms?
Brown Paper Tickets runs on Web, Ios, Android. Ticketmaster runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Brown Paper Tickets for free?
Yes. Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ticketmaster starts at On request.
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 Ticketmaster is typically brought in for.
What can Brown Paper Tickets do that Ticketmaster cannot?
Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Will call, Seating charts, Reporting. Ticketmaster covers Ticket sales, Mobile ticketing, Verified tickets, Resale marketplace. Both handle Facebook, Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ticketmaster: How much does Ticketmaster charge in fees?

Ticketmaster typically charges a service fee of 10-30% of the ticket price (sometimes reaching 40% for high-demand events), plus facility fees and order processing fees. Combined fees often result in buyers paying approximately 27% on top of face value.

Source
Ticketmaster: Who sets ticket prices on Ticketmaster?

Event organizers set the base face value of tickets based on production costs, venue size, and event interest. However, service fees and facility fees are generally negotiated and shared between various parties including Ticketmaster and venues.

Source
Ticketmaster: Does Ticketmaster have an API?

Yes, Ticketmaster provides a Partner API and 3rd Party Integration API for developers. However, the API has strict rate limits, poor resale control, and delays in real-time seat-level and resale data updates.

Source
Ticketmaster: What is Ticketmaster's current legal status?

In April 2026, a federal jury found that Live Nation and subsidiary Ticketmaster operated an illegal monopoly in live concert and ticketing markets. In March 2026, they settled with the DOJ agreeing to cap service fees at 15% at certain venues and divest control of 13 amphitheaters.

Source
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