Head-to-head
Ticket Tailor vs pretix: which one in 2026?
Ticket Tailor is a UK ticketing service that charges a flat fee per ticket, and pretix is a German ticketing system from pretix GmbH that charges a capped percentage and also offers a self-hosted version. Both avoid a monthly subscription, so the choice comes down to fee shape, ownership and add-on modules.
Verdict
Ticket Tailor fits organizers of workshops, small festivals and community events whose tickets are cheap or free, where a flat fee and prepaid credits keep the bill readable. pretix fits larger or higher-priced events and conferences, where the EUR 15 cap, scanning apps and self-hosting matter. Read each fee page against your average ticket price, since the crossover point depends on it.
Ticket Tailor and pretix side by side
| Ticket Tailor | pretix | |
|---|---|---|
| Price entry | £0 for free tickets; from £0.22 per paid ticket (+ VAT) | 2.5% of the ticket price excluding taxes, capped at 15 EUR per ticket, plus payment provider fees |
| Fee on a paid ticket | A flat GBP 0.60 per ticket sold on pay as you go, plus VAT, with card processing fees charged on top. | 2.5% of the ticket price excluding taxes, never more than EUR 15 per ticket, plus payment provider fees. |
| Prepaying to lower the rate | Prepaid credits start at GBP 0.22 per ticket, with a minimum purchase of 100 credits that do not expire. | No prepaid option appears on the pricing page; fees are invoiced monthly at the end of each month. |
| Free events | Up to 5,000 free tickets per year carry no fee, though a separate FAQ line mentions 2,000 as high volume. | EUR 0.50 per free ticket, with the first 500 each calendar year uncharged and the quota growing by one per paid ticket. |
| Seated sales and credits | On the credits plan a paid seated ticket uses 2 credits and a free seated ticket uses 1 credit. | Seat pricing is not itemized on the pricing page; pretix lists ticket shop, check-in and box office features instead. |
| Door and on-site tools | The pages read describe the shop and fee options but do not name a separate scanning app or cash register. | pretixSCAN handles access control and live badge printing, pretixPOS is a cash register app, and pretixLEAD serves exhibitors. |
| Hosting choices | A hosted service only; buyer data is processed in the UK and the EEA, with transfers outside possible in some cases. | A hosted service plus a self-hosted tab; the hosting country is not stated, and self-hosted prices were not on the pages opened. |
| Discounts and extras | Registered charities get 50% off fees, and very low-priced tickets get a 50% fee reduction with no threshold given. | Add-ons cost EUR 25 per exhibitor with a scanned lead and EUR 0.20 per Peppol or e-invoice. |
| Compliance statements | Acts as a processor for ticket buyers' data; no security certification or AI training statement is on the pages read. | States ISO 27001 certified data security and GDPR compliance, plus WCAG and EN 301 549 accessibility for the shop. |
Where each one wins
Ticket Tailor wins on
- A flat per-ticket fee stays predictable on expensive tickets, where a percentage would grow
- Credits starting at GBP 0.22 give a lower cost per ticket for organizers who prepay
- A 5,000-ticket annual allowance for free events and a 50% charity discount on fees
pretix wins on
- Capped at EUR 15 per ticket, so premium conference passes cost less than a flat fee might suggest
- A self-hosted option plus scanning, point-of-sale and exhibitor lead apps for on-site events
- Published ISO 27001 and accessibility statements, with a German imprint and unlimited users at no monthly fee
Which to pick
Pick Ticket Tailor if
You sell many low-priced or free tickets, like predictable per-ticket math, and are comfortable with a UK processor of your attendees' data.
Pick pretix if
You sell higher-priced tickets, run on-site check-in or exhibitors, or want the option to host the software yourself under a German company.
Each tool in context: Ticket Tailor profile, pretix profile, and the full Best AI Event Ticketing Platforms in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
At what ticket price does pretix become cheaper than Ticket Tailor?
On pay as you go, Ticket Tailor charges GBP 0.60 per ticket and pretix charges 2.5% of the price, so pretix costs less below roughly GBP 24 per ticket at face value and the EUR 15 cap only matters on very expensive tickets. Currency, VAT and processing fees shift the exact point, so run your own numbers.
Can I sell free tickets on both platforms?
Yes. Ticket Tailor allows up to 5,000 free tickets per year with no fee, although the page also calls 2,000 a high volume, so confirm the limit. pretix charges EUR 0.50 per free ticket after the first 500 each calendar year, and each paid ticket adds one more to the free quota.
Does pretix offer self-hosting and Ticket Tailor does not?
pretix lists a self-hosted tab next to its hosted service, although the pages opened show no price or limits for it. Ticket Tailor appears only as a hosted service on the pages read. An organizer who must keep attendee data on its own servers should ask pretix for details.
Which platform states a security certification?
pretix's homepage states ISO 27001 certified data security and GDPR compliance. Ticket Tailor's privacy policy names its processors, including Stripe and PayPal, and says data is handled in the UK and the EEA, but no security certification appeared on the pages read.