Admit One vs Showpass (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Admit One grades higher than Showpass: 2.8 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Admit One grades higher on value for money and features. They get the same grade on the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Showpass
Ticketing platform for event organizers, sold on per-ticket fees
Which one is for you
Pick Admit One if
- Fits if you run mid-sized venues or festivals
- Works for Canadian charities and galas
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: the 1.89% + 59 cents figure comes from a comparison page, and the exact fee is set when you create an event
- Not for you if you want managed help priced up front, as PoweredBy is arranged through a demo
- Watch out: only Visa, American Express and Mastercard are listed for card payments
- Tight if you expect the charity fee cover to last, as it is described as limited-time
Pick Showpass if
- Fits if you sell tickets in Canada and want no monthly fee
- Works for venues that need seating and packages on a per-ticket basis
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you need Professional, with fees of 2.5% + $1.69 CAD per paid item
- Not for you if you want a trial, as there isn't one
- Watch out: prices are in Canadian dollars, and card processing is charged on top
- Watch out: switching tiers is done by contacting support
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAAdmit OneGood | 2.4GPAShowpassFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BFees start at 1.89% + 59 cents per ticket, with no monthly fee, and can be passed to buyers. That sits in the cheaper quarter. | CEssential is 1% + $0.59 CAD per paid item plus 2.9% + $0.30 CAD processing, and Professional rises to 2.5% + $1.69, so it sits in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | BCreating events is free and free events carry no fees, which one person could live on. | BNo monthly fee, and free events cost nothing, though there is no trial and fees apply to paid tickets. |
| Features | BTicket types, timed entry, promo codes, organizer app, marketplace listing and a box office API. No gap shows in the core job. | CBranded pages, check-in and on-site sales. Assigned seating, packages and waitlists need Professional, and group sales and memberships need Premium. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You build event pages and connect payments. | CNo store rating on record. You set up event pages and fee settings. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb with iOS and Android organizer apps, and an API for point-of-sale systems. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Square, Meta and Google connections. |
| Best for | self-serve ticketing with optional managed help | venues and promoters selling ticketed events in Canada |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Admit One and Showpass. How we grade
Where they differ
- Admit One also covers qR codes.
At a glance
| Admit One | Showpass | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | Not published |
| Free plan | Creating events is free; AdmitONE takes a percentage of each ticket sale, and free events carry no fees. | Free to use for free events; fees apply only when paid tickets are sold. No monthly fee. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The Admit One Corporation | Showpass |
| Price read from | admitone.com | showpass.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Admit One
- The $0.59 and 1.89% figures come from a comparison page; the exact fee is calculated when an event is created.
- Managed PoweredBy service and custom fees are arranged through a demo, with no public price.
- A limited-time charity program covers ticketing fees for eligible Canadian charities and nonprofits.
- Card payments accepted are Visa, American Express and Mastercard, per its FAQ.
Showpass
- Prices are shown in Canadian dollars; tickets can be sold in CAD, USD or EUR.
- Showpass's service fee (1% + $0.59 CAD on Essential) is charged per paid item, on top of card processing.
- Assigned seating, ticket packages and waitlists need Professional; group sales and memberships need Premium.
- There is no free trial, and moving between tiers is done by contacting support.
Key features
Admit One
- Self-serve ticketing
- Unlimited ticket types, custom event pages, complimentary tickets and timed-entry tickets.
- Organizer app
- A free mobile app for iOS and Android scans and validates attendees.
- Marketing tools
- Promo codes, referral links, social pixel tracking and sales-by-location maps.
- Marketplace listing
- Public events can appear on AdmitONE's own SEO-driven events marketplace.
- Managed services
- The PoweredBy option has the vendor build tickets and offer on-site box office support.
- Box office API
- An API and integrations connect point-of-sale systems at the door.
Showpass
- Branded event pages and embeds
- Each event gets a customizable page, and tickets can also be sold from an embedded widget on the organizer's own website.
- Assigned seating and packages
- On the Professional tier, organizers can build seating maps, bundle tickets into packages, and sell add-ons such as food tokens.
- Group sales and memberships
- The Premium tier adds a group sales portal and member-only packages with perks.
- Check-in and on-site sales
- Guests can be checked in from a smartphone, and at the door Showpass connects to Square for tap and debit payments.
- Fee controls
- Organizers choose whether to pass the service fee to buyers in full, in part, or absorb it, and fees are shown upfront at checkout.
- Discovery and distribution
- Events can be listed on Showpass Discovery at no extra charge, and the site mentions Meta and Google partnerships for promotion.
Plans
Admit One
Community$0
Free to create events. Fees from 1.89% + $0.59 per ticket, per its comparison page; fees can be absorbed or passed to buyers.
Showpass
Essential$0
Fee of 1% + $0.59 CAD per paid item, plus 2.9% + $0.30 CAD card processing. Unlimited events, branded pages and data.
Professional$0
Fee of 2.5% + $1.69 CAD per paid item. Adds ticket packages, assigned seating, tracking links, add-ons and waitlists.
PremiumCustom
Adds group sales, memberships, buy now pay later, on-site hardware and dedicated support. Priced per redeemable item.
Ways to pay less
Admit One
- Nonprofit
Charity program covers service fees
For a limited time AdmitONE says it covers 100% of ticketing service fees for eligible events run by Canadian charities and nonprofits.
Showpass
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Admit One or Showpass?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Admit One is free, and Showpass publishes no starting price.
Which has a free plan, Admit One or Showpass?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Admit One and Showpass have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.