The short answer
Make a webinar free when the webinar is how you find people: a taster, a launch, a talk that leads to a paid course. Charge when the webinar is the product: a class, a masterclass, a workshop with something people take away.
Then price it by what it is worth to the person booking and what it costs you to run, not by what a room would cost. An online session has no venue hire, but your preparation time is the same.
What a free webinar is good for
A free webinar lowers the bar to booking as far as it goes. That makes it a good fit when:
- you want a list. Every registration is a name and an email address from someone interested in your topic.
- the session sells something else, like a course, a coaching program or a product.
- it is a community event, such as a members' catch-up or a club’s online AGM.
- you are testing a topic and want to see who turns up before you build a paid version.
The cost of free is commitment. Someone who has paid nothing loses nothing by not turning up, so expect a bigger gap between registrations and attendance than at a paid session. Reminders help a lot; see how to run a webinar people actually show up to.
What a paid webinar is good for
A ticket price tells people the session is worth turning up for. Charge when:
- people leave with something: a skill, a template, a plan, a certificate of attendance.
- numbers are limited, because you take questions or run breakout groups.
- it is your income, not a funnel to it.
- it is expert time that people would otherwise pay for one to one.
People who pay tend to turn up and pay attention. Even a modest price filters for the people who really want to be there.
Middle grounds
You don’t have to pick one or the other.
- Free to attend, paid extras. Two ticket types: a free ticket, and a paid one that includes a workbook or a follow-up session.
- Early-bird pricing. A lower price that closes on a set date, then the standard price. It gives people a reason to book now. See how to set up early-bird tickets.
- A free first session, then paid. Run session one free and sell the rest as a series.
- Promo codes. Give your members or past attendees a code for money off the ticket price.
- Pay what you want. Buyers choose an amount above a minimum you set. On One Ticket this is a Pro and Team feature. 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.
How to pick a price
Start from three questions.
1. What does it cost you to run? Count everything: your meeting tool’s subscription, any slides or design tools, a guest speaker’s fee, ads, and your own preparation and delivery time. Online sessions are cheap to host but not free to make.
2. How many people do you realistically expect? Be honest. Look at your email list, your followers and how many came last time, not how many you hope for.
3. What would the session be worth to them? Compare it with what they would pay for the same help elsewhere: a book, a course, an hour with a consultant.
Your break-even price is your costs divided by the number of tickets you expect to sell. If a session costs you $300 to put on and you expect 20 people, you need $15 a ticket to cover it. The ticket price calculator and break-even calculator do this sum for you, and our post on how much to charge for event tickets goes further.
A price that just covers costs is a floor, not a target. If the session is worth $49 to the people booking, charging $15 leaves money on the table and can make it look less valuable.
What buyers pay on top
On One Ticket you keep 100% of your ticket price, and the buyer pays a small booking fee on top at checkout. The fee is a platform part plus card processing at cost. Here is what that comes to at some common webinar prices, on a one-ticket order:
| Ticket price | Booking fee | Buyer pays | You receive |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.94 | $10.94 | $10.00 |
| $20 | $1.37 | $21.37 | $20.00 |
| $25 | $1.45 | $26.45 | $25.00 |
| $49 | $2.12 | $51.12 | $49.00 |
| $99 | $3.50 | $102.50 | $99.00 |
| Free | None | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Free tickets carry no booking fee, and the Free plan has no monthly cost. The full fee table is on the pricing page.
Paid tickets are paid through Stripe into your own Stripe account. A free webinar doesn’t need Stripe connected at all.
Australian things to check
- Currency. If most of your audience is in Australia, sell in Australian dollars. An overseas buyer’s card converts the price. If you run events in the United States or the United Kingdom, see selling tickets in US dollars or British pounds.
- GST. Whether your ticket price includes GST depends on your business. Ask your accountant before you set the price, not after.
- Refunds. Decide your refund policy before you sell. Buyers see it before they pay. The refund policy generator writes one in plain English.
Free webinars and daily limits
A free webinar can fill fast. On One Ticket’s Free plan, each organiser can sell up to 500 tickets a day, free or paid, and send up to 500 emails a day. Each confirmation and each reminder is an email. A webinar for a few hundred people fits comfortably; if you expect more than that in a single day, spread your promotion over a few days.
A simple rule of thumb
- Free if the webinar is marketing.
- Paid if the webinar is the product.
- Free plus a paid extra if you are not sure yet.
Whichever you choose, the webinar ticketing page shows how live and pre-recorded webinars work on One Ticket, with the fees worked through.
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.