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Swapcard vs Brown Paper Tickets

Swapcard logo

Swapcard

Software

The smart event platform

From
$610/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
B

Brown Paper Tickets

Software

The fair-trade ticketing company

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

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Swapcard and Brown Paper Tickets differ
AttributeSwapcardBrown Paper Tickets
Starting price$610/one-timeFree
Pricing modelUnknowntransaction
Free tierNoYes
Founded20132000

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 Swapcard

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

Only in Brown Paper Tickets

  • Ticketing
  • Will call
  • Seating charts
  • Reporting
  • Customer service
  • PayPal
  • Google Analytics
  • Mailchimp

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

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

Brown Paper Tickets

  • Selling tickets for events, performances and workshopsnot Swapcard
  • Handling ticket distribution and door lists for independent organisersnot Swapcard

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Swapcard

$610/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Swapcard review.

Brown Paper Tickets

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Swapcard if

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

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

Questions people ask

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