Free for free events
Zero fees for free events and in-person/box-office bookings; only paid online tickets are charged.
TicketSource
UK-rooted ticketing platform with free handling of free events and in-person sales, plus optional phone booking service, strong fit for community theatres and arts venues.
4.8 / 5based on 2,922reviews across Trustpilot, Capterra & Google
About TicketSource
TicketSource is a UK-based ticketing platform with a strong following in the arts, theatre, and community-event space. Founded in 2002, it's one of the longest-running independent ticketing services in the UK and is known for friendly, real-human telephone and email support, a rarity in the industry.
It's particularly popular with small theatres, music venues, community halls, and charities, anywhere the audience skews older and might prefer phone bookings to digital-only checkout. TicketSource handles the phone booking service in-house on the organiser's behalf, which sets it apart from most competitors.
What you get
Key features
Phone bookings
TicketSource's UK team handles phone bookings on your behalf, rare in the industry.
Reserved seating
Interactive seating chart designer with theatre-grade layout tools.
Wallet-ready tickets
Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, print-at-home, and traditional posted tickets all supported.
Refund protection
Optional refund protection on cancelled events, protecting buyers and organisers.
Optional upsells
Sell merchandise, drinks vouchers, programmes and donations alongside tickets.
Waiting lists
Automated waiting lists for sold-out events with first-come-first-served release.
Charity discount
Discounted rate for registered charities (exact rate available on enquiry).
Side by side
How TicketSource compares with Eventbrite
TicketSource's headline fee is 7% per booking with payment processing included, versus Eventbrite's 3.7% + $1.79 plus 2.9% processing. On a $20 ticket, TicketSource works out cheaper. On a $50+ ticket, Eventbrite is sometimes cheaper before you factor in the customer support and the UK-specific features TicketSource offers.
The bigger differences are operational. TicketSource gives you free in-person and free-event handling, real telephone support staffed by humans, and an optional phone-booking service where their team takes bookings on your behalf. Eventbrite gives you the marketplace discovery and an instantly recognisable consumer brand. The right choice depends on whether your audience finds you through their channels or via discovery.
Pros & cons
The honest balance: what reviewers consistently praise and consistently flag.
Pros
- Outstanding customer support: real UK-based humans answering the phone
- Free handling of free events and in-person bookings
- Phone booking service handled by TicketSource staff
- Strong fit for UK theatres, community venues and arts organisations
- Refund protection on cancelled events available as standard
Cons
- Single 7% fee can be high on premium tickets
- No custom domain or full white-label option
- Few public API or developer-facing tools
- No native email marketing; integrations are limited
- Less suited to events outside the UK/Ireland
Real reviews
What TicketSource users actually say
Choose a category to see verified Trustpilot reviews grouped by topic.
TicketSource users highlight outstanding UK-based customer support, a clean interface and free handling of free events and in-person sales.
Using TicketSource is very…
Using TicketSource is very straightforward and easy to do from setting up your event, promoting and selling tickets and with the support you get. We use them for all school and local music events which involves lots of…
Ticket refunds
I had small problem with tickets cancelled for a play I had booked, the venue advised thar that refunds had been issued, I had not received my refund, I emailed TicketSource yesterday morning and all was resolved by…
Very helpful responses to questions and…
Very helpful responses to questions and queries which has allowed me to complete the tasks needed and yet with the possibility to reach out for further support. I have been assisted twice by their online support and…
Re send ticket
I had a problem I did not find my email of my e- ticket that I booked few months ago and when the event was approaching I wrote to them if they could resend the confirmation of my ticket so they kindly sent me the…
Pricing
What TicketSource costs
TicketSource charges 7% + VAT per booking with payment processing included (minimum £0.25 + VAT). A bring-your-own-Stripe route is available at 4.5% + VAT per booking with Stripe processing paid separately. Free events and in-person/box-office bookings are completely free. A charity discount is available; exact rate on enquiry.
US ($)
7.0% / ticket
UK (£)
7.0% / ticket
Is TicketSource right for you?
Honest guidance on who fits, and who doesn't.
Perfect for you if
- You run theatre, arts, or community events, particularly in the UK
- Your audience values phone booking as well as online checkout
- You want bundled card processing (no separate Stripe bill)
- You frequently run free events or in-person box-office sales
- You're a registered UK charity
Consider alternatives if
- You sell premium tickets where 7% feels high
- You need a custom domain or fully white-label checkout
- You're outside the UK and want region-localised pricing
- You need a public API or deep developer integrations