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Software · head to head

Universe vs Brown Paper Tickets

Universe logo

Universe

Software

Ticketing and event management made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
B

Brown Paper Tickets

Software

The fair-trade ticketing company

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Universe limited design customization for event pages and branding control; 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: Universe covers Event pages, Brown Paper Tickets covers Will call.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Universe and Brown Paper Tickets differ
AttributeUniverseBrown Paper Tickets
Pricing modelUnknowntransaction
Founded20112000

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Universe

  • Event pages
  • Guest lists
  • Check-in app
  • Analytics
  • Stripe

Only in Brown Paper Tickets

  • Will call
  • Seating charts
  • Reporting
  • Customer service

Both cover

  • Ticketing
  • PayPal
  • Facebook
  • Google Analytics
  • Mailchimp
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Universe

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

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 $19.95 per ticket
    • Advanced features
  • Pro$null/custom
    • Dynamic pricing
    • RFID access control
    • Ticketmaster distribution

Brown Paper Tickets

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Universe if

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

Choose Brown Paper Tickets if

  • You need will call.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want seating charts.
Brown Paper Tickets review

Questions people ask

Is Universe or Brown Paper Tickets better?
Neither clearly leads. Universe starts at Free and Brown Paper Tickets at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Universe or Brown Paper Tickets?
Universe starts at Free and Brown Paper Tickets at Free.
Does Universe or Brown Paper Tickets run on more platforms?
Universe runs on Web, iOS, Android. Brown Paper Tickets runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Universe for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Universe best used for?
Universe 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 Universe do that Brown Paper Tickets cannot?
Universe covers Event pages, Guest lists, Check-in app, Analytics. Brown Paper Tickets covers Will call, Seating charts, Reporting, Customer service. Both handle Ticketing, PayPal, Facebook, Google Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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