Who Eventbrite Is a Good Fit For
Eventbrite is a ticketing and discovery marketplace, and it is a sensible choice for public events that want to be found by new audiences browsing its listings. Paid tickets typically carry a per-ticket service fee, which is often passed on to buyers. If reach on a marketplace is what you need most, it may be the right tool.
Why Small Planning Teams Pick Shoal
No Shoal fees on tickets
Paid tickets go through your own Stripe account. You pay Stripe's normal card fees and Shoal adds nothing per ticket. Shoal's own price is one flat fee per event.
Built for conferences, not just tickets
Sessions, speakers and tracks, seat limits, assigned schedules, sponsors and badges are all part of the same event, so you aren't stitching tools together.
An app for event day
Each ticket opens a branded attendee app with the person's schedule, notifications, venue map and seat. Nothing to download.
Private when it should be
Internal and invite-only events stay out of search engines and open only to the people you invite.
A game built in
Points, secret codes, trivia, teams and prizes keep people engaged, with a leaderboard for the big screen.
Your brand, not ours
Your logo, colors and fonts carry through the event page, emails, tickets, app and badges.
Shoal and Eventbrite at a Glance
| Shoal | Eventbrite | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Published flat price per event; first 2 events up to 50 people free during our launch | Check their current fees |
| Ticket sales | Paid through your own Stripe account; no Shoal fee per ticket | Typically a service fee per paid ticket |
| Best suited to | Conferences and meetings you run for your own audience | Public events looking for discovery |
| Agenda and sessions | Sessions, speakers, tracks, seat limits and assigned schedules | Check their current offering |
| Attendee app | Branded app from the ticket link, no download | Check their current offering |
| Engagement game | Points, secret codes, trivia, teams, prizes and a big-screen leaderboard, included | Check their current offering |
Eventbrite is a trademark of its owner; Shoal is not affiliated with Eventbrite. Comparison based on publicly available information as of October 2026. Plans and prices change, so check Eventbrite directly for current details.
Shoal Pricing, Per Event
Priced by how many people register, with every feature included at every size.
Up to 50 people
Free
Launch offer: free for your first 2 events created before January 1, 2027, a $149 value.
Up to 250 people
$399
Per event.
Up to 750 people
$899
Per event.
Up to 2,000 people
$1,599
Per event.
Questions
Is Shoal a good Eventbrite alternative?
It is if you are running a conference or meeting for your own audience and want an agenda, attendee app and check-in in one place, without per-ticket platform fees. If you need to be discovered on a public marketplace, Eventbrite may suit you better.
Will my attendees pay extra fees?
Shoal adds no fee to tickets. Buyers pay the ticket price you set, and you pay Stripe's normal card fees.
Where can I check what Eventbrite charges today?
On their own website. We keep this comparison broad because fees and plans change, so confirm any detail with them directly.
Comparing other platforms? Read about Shoal as an alternative to Cvent, Whova, Bizzabo or Swoogo.
Plan Your Next Event on Shoal
Your first 2 events of up to 50 people are free if you create them before January 1, 2027. Set up in an afternoon.