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Ticket price calculator: what should I charge?

Put in what the event costs and how many you expect. It works out the break-even price, a sensible ticket price, what buyers pay with One Ticket’s booking fee and what you receive.

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Work out your price

The figures below are an example: replace them with your own costs.

What the event costs
People and profit

Total costs at your numbers: $600

Break-even price
$15
Suggested price
$18
Buyer pays
$19.33
You receive a ticket
$18

Charge $18 a ticket. Buyers pay $19.33 with One Ticket’s booking fee, and you receive $18 a ticket. At 40 people you receive $720, $120 more than the $600 in costs.

If fewer people come

AttendanceYou receiveProfit
Half (20 people)$360-$140
Three quarters (30 people)$540-$10
All 40 people$720$120

Prices either side

Ticket priceBuyer paysProfit if all comePeople to break even
$16$17.30$4037 people
$17$18.32$8034 people
$18$19.33$12031 people
$19$20.35$16029 people
$20$21.37$20027 people

How it works

  • Break-even price. Your costs, with the cost for each person counted for everyone you expect, divided by the people you expect.
  • Suggested price. The costs and the profit you want, divided by the people you expect, rounded up: to 50c under $10, $1 under $40, $5 under $200 and $10 above.
  • The booking fee. One Ticket’s booking fee, from checkout’s own schedule (pricing). Passed on, buyers pay it on top and you receive the whole ticket price. Untick it to cover the fee yourself: the price is then set so the price and the fee come to a round amount for the buyer.
  • If fewer come. Costs are paid whatever the turnout, so the profit table shows half and three quarters of your numbers too.

The answer is only as good as the costs you put in. Check them before you publish a price.

Already have a price in mind? The break-even calculator works out how many tickets you need to sell at it to cover your costs.

The booking fee at common prices

Ticket priceBooking feeBuyer paysYou receive
$5$0.75$5.75$5
$10$0.94$10.94$10
$15$1.28$16.28$15
$20$1.37$21.37$20
$25$1.45$26.45$25
$30$1.80$31.80$30
$50$2.14$52.14$50

A free ticket carries no booking fee. What other platforms charge: ticket fees by platform.

Prices by event type

Worked examples with a budget for each kind of event. Each is an example: use your own costs.

A refund policy for each: refund policy templates by event. What One Ticket does for each kind of organiser: Event ticketing for clubs, classes and community groups.

Common questions

How do I work out what to charge for an event?
Add up what the event costs, including anything you pay for each person, and divide by the number of people you expect. Add the profit you want, divide again, and round up to a sensible price. The calculator does this and adds the booking fee buyers pay.
Should buyers pay the booking fee?
On One Ticket the buyer pays the booking fee on top of the ticket price, so you receive the whole price. If you would rather show one round amount, set the ticket price lower so the price and the fee come to it: untick the booking fee option and the calculator does that.
What if fewer people come than I expect?
Costs such as the venue are paid whatever the turnout. Check the profit at half and three quarters of your numbers: if a quiet night would lose more than you can afford, raise the price, cut a cost or book a smaller room.
Do free events pay a booking fee?
No. A free ticket carries no booking fee on One Ticket, and the Free plan has no monthly cost.