The Howler Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Howler in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Howler
The Insider’s Guide
South African ticketing, RFID cashless payments and access control
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among event ticketing platforms, read from Howler’s own pages.
Made by Afeleton Limited (trading as Howler) · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Howler’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Howler’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 23 of the 79 other event ticketing platforms we grade
Howler is a South African platform for selling event tickets, with optional RFID cashless payments and wristband access control for festivals, expos and venues. Organizers use a portal to build event pages, run promotions and see attendee data, while buyers browse events on howler.co.za.
To get you started, here are 7 things to know about Howler, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No price is published, and the wristband and entry systems are quoted separately and need hardware.
- 1
Best for South African festivals with cashless wristbands
Howler is a South African ticketing company that also sells RFID cashless payments and access control for events.
- 2
It runs on Web
Web.
- 3
Branded event pages and widget
Organizers create an event page with custom colors and ticket types, or embed a widget so buyers purchase from the organizer's own site.
- 4
Ticket delivery over WhatsApp
Tickets can be sent to buyers directly through WhatsApp, and each ticket can be assigned to a named customer to limit scalping.
- 5
Promotion tools
Promo codes, group discounts, unlimited complimentary tickets, affiliate links with per-ambassador tracking, and email mailers with custom filtering.
- 6
A 2.0 GPA, above 23 of 79
That is against the other event ticketing platforms we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 7
Keep it
To replace Howler you would be making email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Howler at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Afeleton Limited (trading as Howler)
- Category
- Event Ticketing
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for South African festivals with cashless wristbands
Howler is a South African ticketing company that also sells RFID cashless payments and access control for events. No price is published, and the wristband and entry systems are quoted separately and need hardware.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price is published; organisers sign up or ask for a quote. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan or trial on record anywhere on its pages. |
| Features | B | Ticketing, WhatsApp ticket delivery, promotion tools, RFID cashless and RFID access control. The listing shows no gap in the core work. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Wristband and access systems need event hardware. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, with WhatsApp, Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel connections. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Howler is for
- Fits if you run a South African festival that wants cashless wristbands
- Works for organisers who want tickets sent over WhatsApp
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need a price first, since none is published
- Not for you if you sell outside South Africa, as the buyer site is centred there
- Skip it if you have no hardware budget, since access control and cashless need event hardware and are quoted separately
- Watch out: full branding overhauls and custom pages are for premium customers only
Good to know
Good for
- South African festivals and concerts that want ticketing and cashless together
- Expos and conferences that need zone-based access control
- Organizers who want weekly payouts and a managed support call centre
Worth knowing
- Pricing is not published; organizers sign up or ask for a quote.
- Access control and cashless are quoted separately and need event hardware.
- The buyer site lists prices in rand and is centered on South African events.
- Full branding overhauls and custom pages are limited to premium customers.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Howler's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
No price is published; organisers sign up or ask for a quote.
We could not confirm Howler’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. howler.co.za has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
South African ticketing, RFID cashless payments and access control. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: marketing automation, reports, ticketing.
Ticketing, WhatsApp ticket delivery, promotion tools, RFID cashless and RFID access control.
- Branded event pages and widget
- Organizers create an event page with custom colors and ticket types, or embed a widget so buyers purchase from the organizer's own site.
- Ticket delivery over WhatsApp
- Tickets can be sent to buyers directly through WhatsApp, and each ticket can be assigned to a named customer to limit scalping.
- Promotion tools
- Promo codes, group discounts, unlimited complimentary tickets, affiliate links with per-ambassador tracking, and email mailers with custom filtering.
- RFID cashless payments
- A separate cashless product runs on-site spending on RFID wristbands, which the vendor says have processed over 10 million transactions.
- RFID access control
- Wristbands or lanyards carry access rules for zones, crew and exhibitors, with live reporting of entries and an offline mode.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Google Analytics
- Facebook Pixel
Howler is made by Afeleton Limited (trading as Howler).
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
23/79
Other event ticketing platforms it is graded above
Howler's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 23 of the 79 other event ticketing platforms we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on features (B, above 30 of 79) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 80 event ticketing platforms we grade, cut by the letter each got. Howler’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 8 of 79
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 79
- BFeaturesAbove 30 of 79
- CEase of useAbove 4 of 79
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 20 of 79
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Howler you would be making email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 44 of the 79 other event ticketing platforms grade higher.
What you could make
- Reports: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox.
- Selling tickets and checking them at the door.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Howler’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Ticket Fairy and Billetto
The 2 tools Howler is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Ticket Fairy
Free plan · from $20/mo
Ticketing and event operations for festivals, clubs and venues.
- Ticket Fairy has a free plan. Howler does not.
- Howler also covers reports.
- 3.0GPA
Billetto
Free
European ticketing marketplace with ads you pay for per sale.
- Billetto has a free plan. Howler does not.
- Only Billetto lists iOS and Android apps.
- Howler also covers marketing automation and reports.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Howler free?
No. Howler is a paid product.
What platforms does Howler work on?
Howler is available on Web.
Does Howler have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Howler is listed for Web.
Does Howler have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Howler is listed for Web.
Is Howler open source?
Howler is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does Howler integrate with?
Howler's listing names WhatsApp, Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Howler?
Howler is made by Afeleton Limited (trading as Howler).
What are the alternatives to Howler?
The closest alternatives to Howler in our directory are Ticket Fairy and Billetto.
How does Howler compare with other event ticketing platforms?
Howler's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 23 of the 79 other event ticketing platforms we grade, and level with 12.
Could I make my own version of Howler?
To replace Howler you would be making email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Howler’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Howler's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Afeleton Limited (trading as Howler). Prices change, so check howler.co.za before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Howler, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/howler
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Howler: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/howler
Know someone choosing between event ticketing platforms?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/howler/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded event ticketing platforms after Howler, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Event Ticketing Insider's GuideEvery one of the 81 event ticketing platforms we grade, compared
- Luma Insider's GuideEvent pages and calendars for community events, free or paid3.2 GPA
- Zeffy Insider's GuideFree event ticketing and fundraising for nonprofits3.2 GPA
- Billetto Insider's GuideEuropean ticketing marketplace with ads you pay for per sale3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Howler’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Howler is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Afeleton Limited (trading as Howler). Prices and plans change: check howler.co.za before you buy.