You're running an event. Workshop, conference, charity gala, weekly yoga class, whatever it is. You need to sell tickets online. The obvious move is to set up an Eventbrite page and start selling.
But then you look at the fees. Eventbrite charges 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket on their cheapest plan. Sell 500 tickets at $40 each, and you've paid $2,795 in platform fees alone. For a checkout page.
If you already have a WordPress site, you don't need to pay that. You can sell tickets directly from your own site, keep 100% of the revenue (minus normal payment processing), own all attendee data, and build your event brand on your domain instead of someone else's.
This guide covers the three main approaches, who each one works best for, and what you actually need to get started.
Three ways to sell event tickets on WordPress
Not all WordPress ticketing setups are the same. The right approach depends on whether you already have WooCommerce, how many events you run, and what features you need.
Approach 1: WooCommerce + an event plugin
Best for: Store owners who already use WooCommerce, or anyone who wants full control over payments, taxes, and customer data.
If you already run a WooCommerce store, you have payments, customer accounts, order management, coupon codes, and email notifications built in. An event plugin adds the missing pieces: event dates, venues, calendars, QR check-in, and PDF tickets.
This is the most powerful approach because everything runs through WooCommerce's checkout. Your existing Stripe or PayPal setup handles payments. Your tax configuration applies to tickets. Coupons work automatically. There's nothing new to configure on the payment side.
Plugins that do this:
- Events Manager for WooCommerce ($69/year) is our plugin, so factor in our bias. It adds event management, seating charts, QR check-in, PDF tickets, recurring events, and speaker management on top of WooCommerce. Full HPOS and Block Checkout support.
- FooEvents ($129+/year) is the most established WooCommerce event plugin. Solid for ticketing and check-in. Separate paid add-ons for seating, multi-day events, and custom attendee fields.
- Event Tickets Plus ($149+/year) from The Events Calendar team. Connects their calendar ecosystem to WooCommerce for payment processing. Large community and extensive documentation.
Approach 2: Standalone WordPress ticket plugins
Best for: People who don't use WooCommerce and want the simplest possible setup.
These plugins handle everything themselves, including their own checkout, payment connections, and ticket delivery. No WooCommerce required.
- Event Tickets (Free + paid tiers) from The Events Calendar. The free version supports Stripe and PayPal through their built-in "Tickets Commerce" system. Attach tickets to any post, page, or event.
- Events Manager (Free) by Marcus Sykes. Been around since 2008. Supports registrations and basic ticketing with PayPal. No WooCommerce needed for simple setups.
Approach 3: Form builders with payment
Best for: One-off events where you just need to collect registrations and payments.
If you run a single annual event and don't need recurring tickets, calendar pages, or check-in systems, a form builder can handle it:
- WPForms or Gravity Forms with Stripe or PayPal add-ons. Create a registration form with payment fields. Simple, but no ticket generation, no QR codes, no attendee management.
What you actually need (the minimum viable setup)
Regardless of which approach you choose, here's what a working ticket-selling setup requires:
Required:
- A WordPress site with SSL (HTTPS). No exceptions, you're handling payments.
- A payment gateway account (Stripe or PayPal, ideally both).
- An event plugin that generates unique tickets per order.
- Email delivery that actually works (your host's email or an SMTP plugin like WP Mail SMTP).
Strongly recommended:
- PDF ticket generation with QR codes. Attendees expect a scannable ticket they can pull up on their phone.
- A mobile-friendly check-in system. Even small events benefit from scanning instead of paper lists.
- WooCommerce, if you plan to run more than one or two events. The checkout and order management features pay for themselves immediately.
Nice to have:
- Seating charts for reserved-seating venues.
- Recurring event support for weekly/monthly events.
- Attendee custom fields (dietary requirements, t-shirt sizes, accessibility needs).
- Early bird and tiered pricing. We wrote a full guide on 7 pricing strategies that maximize ticket revenue if you want to go deeper.
The cost comparison nobody talks about
Third-party platforms look simple until you do the math over a year:
| Scenario | Eventbrite fees | Self-hosted (WooCommerce + plugin) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 tickets at $25 | ~$549 | $69/year + ~2.9% payment processing |
| 500 tickets at $50 | ~$2,795 | $69/year + ~2.9% payment processing |
| 1,000 tickets at $50 | ~$5,490 | $69/year + ~2.9% payment processing |
| 4 events/year, 200 tickets each at $40 | ~$4,392 | $69/year + ~2.9% payment processing |
For a single small event, the savings might not justify the setup time. For anyone running multiple events or selling more than 200 tickets, self-hosting pays for itself immediately.
Setting up your first event (the quick version)
If you want to go the WooCommerce route, here's the 15-minute overview:
- Install WooCommerce if you don't have it. Connect Stripe or PayPal in WooCommerce > Settings > Payments.
- Install an event plugin. For a full walkthrough of our plugin, see how to run events directly from your WooCommerce store.
- Create an event with date, time, venue, and capacity.
- Add ticket products (General Admission, VIP, or whatever tiers you need) and set prices.
- Publish. Customers buy tickets through your normal WooCommerce checkout and receive PDF tickets via email.
- On event day, open the check-in page on your phone browser and scan QR codes as people arrive.
Which approach should you pick?
Here's the decision simplified:
Already have WooCommerce? Use a WooCommerce event plugin. You get the most features with the least new configuration. Your payments, taxes, and customer accounts are already set up.
Don't have WooCommerce and don't want it? Use Event Tickets (standalone) from The Events Calendar. Their free Tickets Commerce handles Stripe and PayPal without WooCommerce.
Just need to collect money for one event? A form builder with Stripe works. Don't over-engineer it.
Running events regularly (weekly/monthly)? WooCommerce + a full event plugin is worth the setup investment. Recurring event support, attendee management, and proper ticket systems will save you hours every week.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell tickets without WooCommerce?
Yes. Plugins like Event Tickets have their own built-in checkout system (Tickets Commerce) that handles Stripe and PayPal directly. You lose WooCommerce's coupon system, tax rules, and extension ecosystem, but for simple events it works fine.
What payment gateways can I use?
With WooCommerce, you can use any gateway WooCommerce supports: Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net, Mollie, and dozens of others. Standalone plugins typically support only Stripe and PayPal.
How do I handle refunds?
WooCommerce handles refunds natively through your payment gateway. Process a refund in WooCommerce and the money goes back to the customer's card automatically. Standalone plugins vary; check the plugin's refund handling before committing.
Do I need a special hosting plan?
No. Any hosting that runs WordPress and WooCommerce works for ticket sales. If you're expecting large bursts of traffic when tickets go on sale, consider a host with server-level caching (Cloudways, Kinsta, WP Engine). For general performance advice, see our guide on why most WooCommerce stores feel slow.
Can attendees get PDF tickets with QR codes?
Most dedicated event plugins generate PDF tickets with scannable QR codes automatically. This is standard in FooEvents, Events Manager for WooCommerce, and Event Tickets Plus. Basic form builder setups don't include this.
What about check-in on event day?
Good event plugins include a browser-based check-in page. No app to download, no special hardware. Open the URL on any phone, scan the QR code, and the ticket is validated instantly. We covered the full check-in workflow in running events from your WooCommerce store.
The bottom line
Selling event tickets on WordPress is straightforward with the right plugin. If you already have WooCommerce, you're 15 minutes away from a working setup. If you don't, standalone options like Event Tickets get you started for free.
The real question isn't whether WordPress can handle ticket sales. It can, and thousands of event organizers prove it every day. The question is whether you want to keep paying platform fees for something your own website can do.
If you want the full WooCommerce event experience with seating charts, recurring events, QR check-in, and dynamic pricing, check out Events Manager for WooCommerce.
