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Events · head to head

CampSite vs Universe

CampSite logo

CampSite

Events

Camp management and parent portal for day and residential camps, reported from around 249 USD a month

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Universe logo

Universe

Events

Ticketing and event management made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Universe has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CampSite the vendor publishes no pricing, so the widely quoted 249 dollar a month figure comes from directories rather than CampSite and may not reflect any current quote.; Universe limited design customization for event pages and branding control
  • They diverge on capability: CampSite covers Online registration, Universe covers Ticketing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CampSite and Universe actually diverge.

Attributes where CampSite and Universe differ
AttributeCampSiteUniverse
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2011

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 CampSite

  • Online registration
  • Parent dashboard
  • Medical and health records
  • Activity scheduling
  • Billing and payment plans
  • Photo and video blogs

Only in Universe

  • Ticketing
  • Event pages
  • Guest lists
  • Check-in app
  • Analytics
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Facebook

What people use each for

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

CampSite

  • A day camp replacing paper forms and a spreadsheet with parent self-service enrolmentnot Universe
  • A residential camp needing medical forms and medication logs available to the health centre on a tabletnot Universe
  • Running instalment payment plans and sibling discounts without tracking them manually in accountsnot Universe
  • Giving parents photo galleries and camper updates without a separate parent engagement appnot Universe

Universe

  • Event planningnot CampSite
  • Ticket salesnot CampSite
  • Attendee managementnot CampSite
  • Virtual eventsnot CampSite
  • Event marketingnot CampSite

Where each one falls short

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

CampSite

  • The vendor publishes no pricing, so the widely quoted 249 dollar a month figure comes from directories rather than CampSite and may not reflect any current quote.
  • Payment processing is taken by the vendor, so a camp collecting substantial tuition pays far more in card fees than in subscription and cannot see that comparison up front.
  • It is lighter than heavyweight camp platforms on housing and retail, so camps with bed-level assignment and a camp store will find gaps.
  • Reporting is serviceable but inflexible, and camps commonly export to a spreadsheet for board or budget reporting.
  • Configuration work is concentrated in the off-season and support demand peaks in summer, so a camp adopting it late has little margin for setup problems.

Universe

  • Limited design customization for event pages and branding control
  • User interface becomes unintuitive for advanced features and complex event types
  • No ability to transfer attendees between time slots; requires full refund and repurchase
  • Difficult walk-up/credit card sales processing at physical events
  • Slow customer support for refunds and technical issues

Pricing, plan by plan

CampSite

On request
  • CampSite$undefined/month
    • Flat monthly rate reported from around 249 USD by third-party directories
    • Registration, parent portal, medical, scheduling and billing
    • Payment processing taken by the vendor at a negotiated rate

Universe

Free
  • Free EventsFree
    • Free event creation and ticketing
  • Starter$0.79/per ticket
    • 2% + $0.79 per ticket
    • Capped at $19.95 per ticket
    • Basic event management
  • Standard$1.99/per ticket
    • 2.5% + $1.99 per ticket
    • Capped at $19.95 per ticket
    • Advanced features
  • Pro$undefined/custom
    • Dynamic pricing
    • RFID access control
    • Ticketmaster distribution

Which should you pick?

Choose CampSite if

  • You need online registration.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want parent dashboard.
CampSite review

Choose Universe if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want event pages.
Universe review

Questions people ask

Is CampSite or Universe better?
Neither clearly leads. CampSite starts at On request and Universe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CampSite or Universe?
Universe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for CampSite and Free for Universe.
Does CampSite or Universe run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Universe for free?
Yes. Universe has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CampSite starts at On request.
What is CampSite best used for?
CampSite is most often used for a day camp replacing paper forms and a spreadsheet with parent self-service enrolment, a residential camp needing medical forms and medication logs available to the health centre on a tablet, running instalment payment plans and sibling discounts without tracking them manually in accounts, giving parents photo galleries and camper updates without a separate parent engagement app. Of those, a day camp replacing paper forms and a spreadsheet with parent self-service enrolment and a residential camp needing medical forms and medication logs available to the health centre on a tablet are not what Universe is typically brought in for.
What can CampSite do that Universe cannot?
CampSite covers Online registration, Parent dashboard, Medical and health records, Activity scheduling. Universe covers Ticketing, Event pages, Guest lists, Check-in app.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CampSite: What does CampSite cost?

CampSite does not publish pricing. Third-party directories report a flat rate from around 249 USD a month, plus payment processing.

Universe: What platforms does Universe support?

Universe is available on web, iOS, and Android, with support across 25 countries and 9 languages. Organizers can accept online, mobile, onsite, kiosk, and print-at-home tickets.

Source
CampSite: Does it handle both day and residential camps?

Yes, which is unusual in this category; most platforms lean strongly to one model.

Universe: Does Universe integrate with other tools?

Yes. Universe integrates with 5,000+ partner applications through Zapier, allowing automation of ticket sales data to CRM, invoicing, and other business tools without code.

Source
CampSite: Is there a parent app?

There is a parent dashboard, and CampSite absorbed myCAMPapp to strengthen parent engagement features.

CampSite: Does CampSite process our payments?

Yes, and that rate is negotiated separately from the subscription.

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