Event Management · head to head
Ticketmaster vs Brown Paper Tickets
Ticketmaster
Event Management
The global leader in live event ticketing
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Brown Paper Tickets
Event Management
The fair-trade ticketing company
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Ticketmaster high fees of 10-30% per ticket with some events reaching 40%, higher than competing platforms; 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: Ticketmaster covers Ticket sales, Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Ticketmaster and Brown Paper Tickets actually diverge.
| Attribute | Ticketmaster | Brown Paper Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 1978 | 2000 |
Identical on both: pricing model (transaction), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Event Management).
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 Ticketmaster
- Ticket sales
- Mobile ticketing
- Verified tickets
- Resale marketplace
- Venue management
- Spotify
- Apple Music
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.
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
Brown Paper Tickets
- Selling tickets for events, performances and workshopsnot Ticketmaster
- Handling ticket distribution and door lists for independent organisersnot Ticketmaster
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Ticketmaster
On request- StandardFree
- Global distribution
- Mobile ticketing
- Fan verification
Brown Paper Tickets
Free- StandardFree
- $0.99 + 5% per ticket
- Free events free
- All features
Which should you pick?
Choose Ticketmaster if
- You need ticket sales.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want mobile ticketing.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Ticketmaster or Brown Paper Tickets better?
- Neither clearly leads. Ticketmaster starts at On request and Brown Paper Tickets at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Ticketmaster or Brown Paper Tickets?
- Brown Paper Tickets has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Ticketmaster and Free for Brown Paper Tickets.
- Does Ticketmaster or Brown Paper Tickets run on more platforms?
- Ticketmaster runs on Web, iOS, Android. Brown Paper Tickets 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 Ticketmaster best used for?
- Ticketmaster 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 Ticketmaster do that Brown Paper Tickets cannot?
- Ticketmaster covers Ticket sales, Mobile ticketing, Verified tickets, Resale marketplace. Brown Paper Tickets covers Ticketing, Will call, Seating charts, Reporting. 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.
SourceTicketmaster: 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.
SourceTicketmaster: 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.
SourceTicketmaster: 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