The short answer
Divide your fixed costs by what you keep from each ticket after the per-person costs. If the venue, sound and posters cost $1,200, and each guest costs you $10 in food, then on a $40 ticket you keep $30 a head toward the fixed costs. $1,200 divided by $30 is 40 tickets. The 41st ticket is your first dollar of profit.
Step 1: list your fixed costs
Fixed costs are the ones you pay whether 10 people come or 100:
- venue hire
- performers, speakers or instructors on a set fee
- equipment hire, sound and lighting
- insurance
- printing and promotion
Add them up. Be honest and include the small things. They add up.
Step 2: work out the cost per guest
These go up with every person who comes:
- food and drink per head
- materials, like a canvas or clay
- name badges, wristbands or goodie bags
- any per-ticket fee you pay yourself
If your ticketing platform charges the buyer the fee, it does not belong here. If it comes out of your payout, it does.
Step 3: do the sum
Take your ticket price, subtract the cost per guest, and you have what each ticket contributes. Divide your fixed costs by that number, and round up.
For example, a trivia night:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hall hire, quiz host, prizes | $900 |
| Supper per person | $6 |
| Ticket price | $25 |
| What each ticket contributes | $19 |
| Break-even | 48 tickets |
The break-even calculator runs this sum at any price, with the profit you want and the places you have.
Step 4: check it against the room
If you need 48 to break even and the hall holds 60, there is not much room for a slow night. Your options:
- raise the price a little
- cut a fixed cost, like a cheaper venue
- add income, like a raffle or a bar
- reduce the cost per guest
Do this before you book anything you cannot cancel.
Leave a margin
Plan for fewer people than you hope for, and a few no-shows on the night. If the event only works at a full house, it is a risk. If it works at two thirds full, you can sleep at night. The ticket price calculator runs this sum for you, and shows the profit at half and three quarters of your numbers.
On One Ticket
On One Ticket you keep the full ticket price on every plan, because the buyer pays the booking fee on top. That makes the sum simpler: a $25 ticket puts $25 toward your costs. The buyer pays $26.45. Free tickets cost nothing to anyone.
Reports show bookings and sales for each event, and the CSV export from Orders gives your treasurer the detail.
Related: How much should I charge for event tickets?, How much does it cost to sell tickets online in Australia? and How to sell tickets for a school fundraiser.
Answers to your questions
Is One Ticket free to use?
Yes. The Free plan has everything you need to sell tickets, with no monthly cost, no setup fee, no payout fee and no card needed. Pro and Team are open now: upgrade any time in Settings › Plan. Limited-time offer: A$1 for your first year (first 100 organisers), then A$29/month for Pro or A$79/month for Team. Cancel anytime.
Who pays the booking fee?
The buyer, on a paid ticket, on top of the price you set, so you receive 100% of your ticket price. Free tickets carry no fee.
When do I get paid?
Ticket money goes to your own Stripe account, with no payout fee from One Ticket. Until your first paid event has gone cleanly, it is paid out two days after each event; after that, it is paid out as it sells.
Can I run a free event?
Yes. A free ticket costs nobody anything, and you don’t need Stripe connected to run a free event.
Do people need an account to book?
No. They book on their phone or computer without an account, and their tickets arrive by email with a QR code to show at the door.