Best Event Ticketing Software for Dance Recitals in 2026
We compared the leading event ticketing software for UK dance shows on the things that actually decide a recital: who builds your seating chart, what families pay at checkout, and whether there is a real app for show day. Stage Stubs came first.
How We Chose
This is a buyer's guide for the studio owner staring down a recital, not a generic events round-up. If you just want to sell recital tickets online, any of these will do it; the differences show up in the details. We weighted four things UK studios tell us matter most.
Seating setup. Will someone build your allocated-seating plan from your venue layout, or are you placing every row yourself days before the show? The fee families see. One all-in percentage they can read on the ticket page beats a tidy headline price with fees bolted on at checkout.
Recital-day apps. A web-only box office is the wrong tool in the wings; studios want QR scanning and live sales from a phone. Support that knows dance. Multiple performances, overlapping casts, and per-family limits are normal for a recital and alien to platforms built for conferences. See the full pricing breakdown or browse our recital features.
The Best Dance Recital Ticketing Platforms, Ranked
Four platforms UK studios actually use, scored on seating, fees, show-day apps, and dance-specific support.
Stage Stubs
Editor's ChoiceThe only platform here built solely for dance. We build your seating chart from your venue layout, the iOS and Android apps handle scanning and live sales on show day, and parents pay one all-in 8% booking fee with nothing added late at checkout.
Pros
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White-glove seating: send a PDF, photo, or sketch of your venue and we build the chart for you -
Free for organisers, with no setup, subscription, or payout fees; only buyers pay the 8% all-in booking fee -
Native iOS and Android apps for QR scanning at the door and live sales backstage -
Made for recitals: performer limits, multiple shows of the same cast, and dance-literate phone, email, and chat support -
Weekly payouts with no minimum, plus merchandise add-ons and discount codes
Cons
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Specialised for dance recitals, so it is not the tool for conferences or club nights -
Tickets are digital e-tickets and print-at-home, rather than collectible printed stubs
- Fees
- 8% all-in (free for organisers)
- Best for
- Dance studios that need a done-for-you seating chart and recital-day apps.
TicketSource
The strongest general-purpose UK option on this list: free for organisers, well supported, and only a touch pricier per ticket than Stage Stubs. It leaves seating setup and dance-specific know-how to you.
Pros
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Genuinely free for organisers, with no setup, subscription, or listing fees, and free events cost nothing -
Strong, widely praised UK support by phone, chat, and email -
Built-in reserved-seating plan designer, so studios can offer allocated seats -
Native iOS and Android scanning apps, plus the choice to pass on, absorb, or split the fee
Cons
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A general events platform, not built for dance, so it does not model performer limits, multiple shows, or recital-day workflows -
You build your own seating plan with its seating plan designer
- Fees
- 7% + VAT (~8.4%) per booking, or 4.5% + VAT via your own Stripe; min £0.25 + VAT per booking
- Best for
- Organisers running a mix of event types who want a trusted, low-cost platform.
TryBooking
Keen pricing and a fair feature set, but the 5% organiser fee and DIY seating mean studios trade convenience and dance-specific help for a low headline buyer fee.
Pros
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Low buyer fee at just 15p per ticket, and completely free for free events -
UK phone support, and the option to pass fees on, absorb them, or split them -
Built-in reserved seating, discount codes, and merchandise add-ons -
Established community-event following with straightforward, transparent pricing
Cons
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The 5% processing fee lands on the organiser by default, so you absorb it or pass it to families -
Seating plans are DIY in an editor; there is no done-for-you seating chart service -
No dance specialism; funds are held until you request a transfer, which it recommends doing after the event
- Fees
- £0.15 buyer fee + 5% organiser processing (VAT and card fees included); or 75p + Stripe fees
- Best for
- Cost-first studios selling cheaper seats.
Eventbrite
Powerful reach and a polished checkout, but the high UK fees, lack of dance focus, and thin human support make it a costly fit for recitals specifically.
Pros
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Huge brand recognition and built-in discovery, so some buyers already trust the checkout -
Strong marketing and reporting tools, plus native iOS and Android apps with QR scanning -
Free for free events and free for organisers to list paid events -
Mature platform that handles high-volume on-sales without trouble
Cons
-
By far the most expensive option here, and nearly double its US rate, which hits UK families hardest -
A generic events platform with no dance features, no performer limits, and no recital workflow -
Widely reported reliance on bots and limited human support; cancel and refund, and Eventbrite keeps its fees
- Fees
- 6.95% + €0.59 + 2.9% per ticket
- Best for
- Organisers who value its discovery and brand familiarity for one-off public events.
Every platform compared
The things UK dance studios ask about most, side by side. Stage Stubs is highlighted.
| Stage Stubs Our pick | TicketSource | TryBooking | Eventbrite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buyer booking fee | 8% all-in | ~8.4% (7% + VAT) per booking | 15p + 5% org. | ~9.85% all-in |
| Free for organisers |
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5% processing |
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| Built specifically for dance |
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| Seating chart built for you |
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Seating plan designer |
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| Dance-specialist support |
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Swipe the table to compare every platform →
Why Studios Put Stage Stubs First
You should not have to build your own seating chart. The other UK platforms hand you a blank grid. Send us your venue PDF, photo, or sketch and we build the chart for you, or walk you through it.
Recital day needs a real app. Stage Stubs has native iOS and Android apps for QR check-in at the door and live sales backstage. A web-only tab that times out in the wings is a known failure point on show day.
Popular shows need fairness controls. Families often bring several guests per dancer, and many studios run more than one performance, so popular shows sell out fast. Per-family ticket limits and priority windows stop grandparents and siblings being locked out. Read more on the Stage Stubs blog or see how we compare in our TicketSource comparison.
It is more than a checkout. Dress your listing with ready-made recital show themes, add discount codes and merchandise, and use our free studio tools, all at no cost to you.
What Families Actually Pay
On a low-priced recital seat, the booking fee is what a grandparent grumbles about. Stage Stubs charges 8% all-in. Here is the same basket against the priciest option on this list, Eventbrite.
Eventbrite figures use its UK schedule of 6.95% + €0.59 + 2.9%. TicketSource (~8.4%) and TryBooking (15p + 5%) sit between the two.
When a Rival Might Suit You Better
TicketSource is a credible, well-reviewed platform with broad event tooling. If you also run theatre productions, community shows, or guided tours, its general-purpose approach and fee flexibility may suit you. Here is the head-to-head.
TryBooking wins on raw buyer cost: 15p per ticket is hard to beat on cheaper seats, provided you are happy to absorb the 5% or build your own seating plan. See the full comparison.
Eventbrite earns its place only on brand familiarity for one-off public events. For recitals specifically, the UK fees and lack of dance focus make it a costly fit, as our Eventbrite comparison sets out.
What You Get With Stage Stubs
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to stop dreading the seating chart?
Create your first Stage Stubs event in minutes. No credit card required, free for organisers, and we will even build your seating chart for you.
