Overview

Ticketbud is an event registration and ticketing service for organizers running events from school fundraisers to festivals and hybrid programs. It is best suited to teams that need flexible event pages, multiple ticket types, and mobile check-in across recurring or larger events. Unlimited events and ticket types are a strong base, but paid-ticket fees can add materially to an event budget.

Key features

The event page builder supports images, video, ticket options, maps, and social links, with mobile optimization. That breadth helps organizers present essential event information and ticket choices in one place; unlimited events and ticket types also suit programs that repeat or vary their offerings.

Free iOS and Android check-in apps scan tickets or find attendees by name. They can check people in offline after the attendee database is downloaded, a useful fallback where venue connectivity is unreliable. Ticketbud also supports QR or barcode tickets, attendee-data import, customizable attendee badges, and both printing modes.

Integrations include Zoom, Salesforce, Zapier, SSO, Stripe, PayPal, Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and Refund Protect. A beta API provides another way to connect services, though teams relying on an API should account for its beta status. Organizers retain access to and ownership of ticketing and attendee data, which Ticketbud says it does not sell. Ticketbud says its platform uses SSL, payment processing follows PCI DSS standards, and it is GDPR compliant.

Attendees can purchase or register without creating a Ticketbud account, reducing a step at checkout. Organizers can choose daily, weekly, or monthly payouts through their payment provider. Customer support is available by email and phone Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm CST, with help-center and tutorial resources alongside it.

Pricing

Ticketbud uses a freemium model. Free Events costs 0.00 USD per free and provides complete access to all features, making it the natural fit for organizers who charge nothing for admission.

Paid Events costs 0.00 USD per free, but ticket sales carry a fee of 2% +99c per ticket sold, plus a payment processor fee of 2.9% + 30c per ticket. Attendees pay these fees unless the organizer chooses to absorb them. This gives paid events access without an upfront plan charge, but the per-ticket costs matter for pricing and margins.

Non-profit & Schools also costs 0.00 USD per free. Its Ticketbud fee is 1.75% +99c per ticket sold, alongside the same payment processor fee of 2.9% + 30c per ticket; organizers may absorb the fees. The lower Ticketbud rate makes it the more relevant paid-ticket option for qualifying organizations, though processor charges remain.

Custom & White Label has custom pricing for custom event ticketing and white-label requirements. It is aimed at organizers whose needs go beyond the standard plans, but the price will depend on those requirements.

Platforms

Ticketbud supports web, iOS, Android, and an API. The free check-in apps for iOS and Android extend the service to event entry, while the beta API offers a connection path for other services. Rentable event hardware is available only to US-based customers.

Who it's for

Ticketbud is a good fit for schools, nonprofits, charity events, live shows, venues, online and hybrid events, festivals, and large event campaigns. Organizers with free admission can use the full-featured free-event plan; those selling tickets should compare the fee structure against their expected ticket volume and decide whether attendees or the organization will cover the charges. It is less compelling for teams seeking to avoid per-ticket fees.

Pros and cons

Pros: Unlimited events and ticket types support recurring programs and varied ticket structures without a stated event-count ceiling.
Pros: Offline check-in after downloading attendee data, plus name search, gives staff more than one way to handle entry.
Pros: Attendees do not need accounts, and organizers retain ownership and access to their data.
Cons: Paid tickets incur both a Ticketbud charge and a payment processor fee unless organizers absorb them, which can complicate ticket pricing.
Cons: The API is in beta, so it is a less settled choice for integrations built around programmatic access.
Cons: Rentable event hardware is limited to US-based customers.

Alternatives

For a strict event-count cap on a free plan, EventCreate offers one event, 50 attendees, one user, and a 5% ticketing fee; choose it only if that smaller allowance suits your event. Eventleaf is another freemium option, with a Starter plan allowing 100 attendees per year, unlimited events, and unlimited users; it may suit organizers whose main constraint is a defined annual attendee allowance.

BrioLabel Event Check-In is a freemium option with a Hobby plan capped at 200 labels per month and paid monthly tiers; consider it when label-volume plans are central to your choice. CredsNow offers a free account with unlimited badge designs, events, data loading, and check-in screens, making it a relevant alternative when those badge and check-in allowances are the priority.

Eventbrite offers unlimited event publishing and no ticketing fees on free tickets, so it is worth comparing for organizers focused on publishing free events. EventTitans Abstract Management has a free plan for 100 attendees, three sessions, and three speakers, with a 2.5% + 1$ ticket charge; consider it when those attendee and session limits fit.

EventX has a free plan with unlimited events, 30 attendees per event, and a single user, making it a possible fit for small events. Indico is free, open-source, and self-hosted, an alternative for organizations prepared to use self-hosted software. For broader comparisons, see Event Badge Printing Software and Event Management Software.

Verdict

Ticketbud is a strong choice for organizers who want unlimited event and ticket types, customizable event pages, and practical mobile check-in in one service. Its no-cost entry for free events and separate nonprofit and school rate are useful, but paid organizers should weigh the per-ticket platform and processor fees against their margins. If avoiding those fees is the priority, or if a beta API or US-only hardware availability is a poor fit, look elsewhere.

	ShowGo	Ticketbud
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	$25/mo	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Web	Android, api, iOS, Web
Free plan	No	Yes
Event formats	in-person	—
Attendee email	Yes	—
Onsite check-in	—	Yes

ShowGo vs Ticketbud

ShowGo

Ticketbud