Best ticketing platform for theaters

For community and regional theaters selling reserved seats across a run of performances.

Content reviewed 7 November 2026Eventrise reference. Editorial relationship

Our picks for theaters

1. Eventrise: Seat map editor, $1 per seated ticket paid by the buyer, box office, free migration help, paid as tickets sell.
2. Ludus: 5% + $0.75 per ticket with processing included, unlimited seating charts.
3. Humanitix: Reserved seating on every plan and a charity rate for schools and nonprofits.
4. Etix: Used by performing arts centers; pricing by quote only.

What matters for theaters

Seat maps you can build yourself

Some platforms charge to build or change a seating chart after sales start. Look for an editor you control, pricing by section, row or seat, and no chart fee.

A run, not one night

A three-weekend run is a dozen performances on one chart. You need duplication, a performance picker for buyers and reports per performance.

Box office and comps

Patrons still walk up. Door sales, comps for cast families and will-call should live in the same system as online sales.

Leaving an older system

Moving off Tessitura, AudienceView or ThunderTix feels risky mid-season. Ask for help moving patron lists and seat maps.

The picks side by side

Published fees and payout terms, checked 7 November 2026. Each row opens the review with its sources.

Questions

Is there a fee to build a seating chart?

Not on Eventrise or Ludus. Eventrise charges $1 per seated ticket, shown to the buyer at checkout; building and editing the chart is free.

Do theaters need season subscriptions?

Many do. Eventrise has no season subscription module yet; it sells each performance and offers promo codes for packages. If subscriptions are central, ask each vendor to show them.

Other platforms we ranked

Ticket Tailor, Eventbrite, DICE, TicketSpice, Zeffy, Universe, Showpass, TicketLeap, Tixr. See the full ranking.