Looking for the best event ticketing platform to manage your next event? Whether you're organizing a college fest, a professional conference, or a community workshop, choosing the right platform can make or break your event experience.
In this guide, we compare the top 6 event ticketing platforms in 2026 — with honest pros, cons, pricing, and recommendations for different use cases.
1. MakeTicket — Best for Free Events & College Fests
MakeTicket is a modern, free event ticketing platform designed for speed and simplicity. It lets you create professional events with QR code tickets in under 5 minutes — with zero commission on ticket sales.
✅ Why choose MakeTicket:
- Free forever tier (2 events/month, 50 attendees each)
- Zero commission on all ticket sales
- QR code tickets with instant check-in scanning
- Native UPI payment support (perfect for India)
- Team collaboration with coordinator permissions
- Custom branded event pages
- Automated email confirmations with ticket attachments
- Drag-and-drop form builder
❌ Limitations:
- Smaller platform (newer entrant compared to Eventbrite)
- No session/speaker management yet
- No Stripe/PayPal integration (UPI only for now)
Pricing: Free forever, Starter ₹49/mo, Pro ₹499/mo, Enterprise custom.
Best for: College fests, hackathons, workshops, community meetups, Indian events, budget-conscious organizers.
2. Eventbrite — Best for Large Public Events
Eventbrite is one of the most popular event ticketing platforms globally. It's great for large-scale public events with built-in audience discovery and marketing tools.
✅ Pros:
- Massive user base and event discovery
- Strong marketing and promotional tools
- Integrations with Stripe, PayPal, and more
- Mobile app for organizers and attendees
❌ Cons:
- High fees: 3.7% + ₹15 per paid ticket
- Limited customization on free tier
- Poor UPI support for Indian events
- Complex setup for simple events
Best for: Large public events, international conferences, events needing audience discovery.
3. Zoho Backstage — Best for Professional Conferences
Zoho Backstage is a full-featured event management platform with ticketing, session management, speaker scheduling, and attendee networking — all integrated with the Zoho ecosystem.
✅ Pros:
- No commission on ticket sales
- Advanced session and speaker management
- Full Zoho CRM/Email integration
- Professional agenda builder
❌ Cons:
- Steeper learning curve
- Overkill for simple events
- Setup takes 15-20 minutes
Best for: Professional conferences, multi-day events, organizations already using Zoho.
4. Townscript — Best for Paid Events in India
Townscript is an Indian event ticketing platform popular for workshops, seminars, and paid events. It offers decent features but charges a 2-4% platform fee.
✅ Pros:
- Good Indian payment support
- Event discovery marketplace
- Simple interface
❌ Cons:
- 2-4% platform fees on paid tickets
- No team collaboration features
- Limited analytics
Best for: Paid workshops and seminars in India.
5. Ticket Tailor — Best for Budget-Conscious International Events
Ticket Tailor is known for its flat-fee pricing model and full customer data ownership. It's a solid choice for international events but lacks a free tier.
✅ Pros:
- Zero commission (flat pricing)
- Full customer data ownership
- Clean, simple UI
❌ Cons:
- No free tier — paid only
- No Indian payment methods (UPI)
- Limited team features on basic plans
Best for: International paid events, organizers who want flat pricing.
6. Cvent — Best for Enterprise & Corporate Events
Cvent is an enterprise-grade event management platform used by large organizations for conferences, trade shows, and corporate events. It offers advanced analytics, automation, and integrations.
Best for: Large-scale corporate events (10,000+ attendees), enterprises with dedicated event teams.
Pricing: Custom (typically $thousands/year).
Quick Comparison Table
| Platform | Free Tier | Fees | UPI Support | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MakeTicket | ✅ Yes | 0% | ✅ Native | College fests, free events |
| Eventbrite | ⚠️ Limited | 3.7% + ₹15 | ❌ Limited | Large public events |
| Zoho Backstage | ⚠️ Limited | 0% | ❌ No | Professional conferences |
| Townscript | ✅ Yes | 2-4% | ✅ Yes | Paid events in India |
| Ticket Tailor | ❌ No | 0% (flat fee) | ❌ No | International paid events |
| Cvent | ❌ No | Custom | ❌ No | Enterprise events |
Our Recommendation
🎓 College fest, hackathon, or workshop? → Go with MakeTicket (free, zero fees, fast setup).
🌍 Large international event? → Use Eventbrite for audience discovery, or Ticket Tailor for lower fees.
🎤 Multi-day conference with sessions? → Consider Zoho Backstage for session/speaker management.
🇮🇳 Event in India with paid tickets? → MakeTicket (0% commission + native UPI) or Townscript.
🏢 Enterprise-level corporate event? → Cvent is the industry standard for large orgs.
Ready to create your event? Start with MakeTicket — it's free, fast, and requires zero setup fees.
Try MakeTicket Free →