Ticketstripe vs Zeffy (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Zeffy: it is third in our ranking of event ticketing platforms, and it grades higher too, 3.2 against 2.6.
Checked Nov 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Zeffy grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Ticketstripe
Ticketing and donations for community and nonprofit events
Paid
Which one is for you
Pick Ticketstripe if
- Fits if you run a nonprofit or community event and want donations at checkout
- Works for organizers who want the buyer to pay the fee
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: Stripe or PayPal processing fees are charged on top of 2% + 99 cents
- Not for you if you can't connect a Stripe or PayPal account, as paid sales need one
- Tight if you expect a nonprofit rate, since the reduced figures weren't readable on the page
- Skip it if you want a named iOS or Android app, because none is listed
Pick Zeffy if
- Fits if you're a nonprofit and want the whole ticket price to reach you
- Works for galas that mix tickets with raffles, auctions and donations
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're a business or anything other than a nonprofit
- Skip it if you'd rather your buyers weren't asked for a tip at checkout
- Too light for seated theatre shows, with no seating charts on record
- Skip it if you're outside the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Australia, the only countries it serves
- Watch out: no API or app integrations are on record, and sales tax works only for US and Canadian groups
How we grade them
| 2.6GPATicketstripeGood | 3.2GPAZeffyVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C2% + 99 cents per ticket with no monthly fee, plus Stripe or PayPal processing on top. That sits in the middle of the category, and the reduced nonprofit rate could not be read. | ANothing for the nonprofit: no platform, ticket or card fees, so 200 tickets at $20 pays out the full $4,000. Buyers are asked for an optional tip to Zeffy and can set it to zero. Free and substantial, which is an A, though only nonprofits can have it. |
| Free plan and trial | BNo plan to pay for: free, comped and cash tickets carry no fee, so a free event costs nothing. There is no free plan as such. | AOne free plan with every feature on it, and no cap a nonprofit would hit. The tip at checkout is the buyer's choice, not yours. |
| Features | BTicket types, bundles, donations, shared tickets, box office, check-in and live reporting. No gap shows in the core job. | BTicket forms with group and members-only rates, add-ons, tax receipts, QR check-in and Tap to Pay at the door, with donations, raffles, auctions and a donor database alongside. No reserved seating on record, but selling, the door and payouts are covered. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and you must connect a Stripe or PayPal account before paid tickets work. | CNo App Store rating on record. You build ticket forms with types, dates and limits, and volunteers can check people in on the app or a shared web page. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Klarna. Box office and check-in are described as mobile, but no app is named. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal. No API or app integrations on record and no desktop app, and it serves nonprofits only in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Australia. |
| Best for | community and nonprofit tickets with donations | nonprofits that want to keep every dollar |
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: Ticketstripe and Zeffy. How we grade
Where they differ
- Ticketstripe also covers reports and qR codes.
- Zeffy also covers forms and email campaigns.
In commonWebTicketing
At a glance
| Ticketstripe | Zeffy | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free |
| Starts at | Not published | Free |
| Free plan | None | Every feature is free for nonprofits, with no platform, ticket or card processing fees. Zeffy is paid by optional tips that buyers can add at checkout or decline. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Ticketstripe | Zeffy, Inc. |
| Price read from | ticketstripe.com | zeffy.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Ticketstripe
- The fee is 2% + 99¢ per ticket sold; Stripe or PayPal processing fees are charged on top.
- A reduced nonprofit fee exists, but the nonprofit figures could not be read from the page text.
- The vendor lists no native iOS or Android app by name; box office and check-in are described as mobile.
- Needs a connected Stripe or PayPal account before paid tickets can be sold.
Zeffy
- Zeffy is only for nonprofits, and serves organizations in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Australia.
- Checkout asks every buyer for an optional contribution to Zeffy, which is how the service is paid for; buyers can set it to zero.
- Sales tax on tickets can be charged only by organizations in the US or Canada.
- Ticket money reaches the nonprofit in a weekly payout from Zeffy, with no card fees taken out.
Key features
Ticketstripe
- Ticket types and bundles
- Unlimited ticket types, including early bird, VIP, pay-what-you-wish tickets and bundles such as tables or sponsor packages.
- Donations beside tickets
- Add flexible or suggested donation amounts, or a donation attached to admission, on the same checkout.
- Your own payment account
- Payments run through the organizer's Stripe or PayPal account, with cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Klarna as listed on the vendor's pages.
- Shared tickets
- Group, table or sponsor buyers can send tickets by text or email so each guest enters their own details when claiming.
- Box office and check-in
- Add several box office and check-in users, scan digital or printed tickets, and sell at the door by card, cash or wallet.
- Live reporting
- Track sales channels, review orders as they arrive, and segment and export customer data.
Zeffy
- Event ticket forms
- Branded ticket forms with several ticket types and dates, group and members-only rates, capacity and per-buyer limits, pay-what-you-can and free registration.
- Check-in and Tap to Pay
- Scan e-tickets or check in whole orders in the Zeffy app, share a web check-in page with volunteers, and take card payments at the door on an iPhone or Android phone.
- Add-ons and receipts
- Sell apparel, meals or parking in the same form, redeem add-ons with a QR coupon, and send tax receipts that separate a ticket's deductible portion.
- Fundraising beyond tickets
- Donation forms, raffles, silent auctions, memberships, peer-to-peer campaigns and an online store, all reporting into one dashboard.
- Donor CRM and email
- Every ticket buyer becomes a donor record with full giving history; send reminders, thank-you emails and free newsletters to attendee lists.
Plans
Ticketstripe
Regular fees$0
No subscription. 2% + 99¢ per ticket sold; free, comped and cash tickets carry no fee. Fees are paid by the buyer by default.
Zeffy
Free$0
One plan with every feature. No fees for the nonprofit; buyers are asked for an optional tip to Zeffy, and a $40 ticket pays out $40 either way.
Ways to pay less
Ticketstripe
- Nonprofit
Reduced fees for nonprofits
The pricing page points nonprofit and charitable organizations to a separate nonprofit fee schedule with reduced pricing.
Zeffy
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Ticketstripe or Zeffy?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Ticketstripe publishes no starting price, and Zeffy is free.
Which has a free plan, Ticketstripe or Zeffy?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Zeffy has a free plan. Ticketstripe does not.
Which platforms do Ticketstripe and Zeffy run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Zeffy lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.