Ticketing built for big one-off events — with fees to match.
Eventbrite is the heavyweight for selling tickets to large, one-time events, with deep registration tooling. But its fees stack up — roughly 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket plus 2.9% per order, often more than 10% on a smaller ticket — and it's optimized for one-offs, not the weekly rhythm of a local community. As of 2026 it's owned by Bending Spoons, the same company that owns Meetup. GatherNearby is a flat 5%, built for recurring, neighborhood-scale gatherings.
| Feature | GatherNearbyThat’s us | Eventbrite |
|---|---|---|
| Local discovery feed (find gatherings near you) | Yes | Yes |
| Built for recurring classes & clubs | Yes | Limited |
| Native paid bookings & checkout | Yes | Yes |
| No organizer subscription to host | Yes | Yes |
| Free events cost the host nothing | Yes | Yes |
| Platform fee on paid tickets | 5% flat | 3.7% + $1.79 + 2.9% |
| Member profiles & social graph | Yes | No |
| Classes, clubs & spaces in one home | Yes | No |
| Independent & founder-owned | Yes | No |
Selling tickets to big, one-off events with broad reach and serious registration tooling.
Its fees stack up — roughly 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket plus 2.9% per order, often 10%+ on a small ticket — and it's built for one-time events, not the weekly rhythm of local community. GatherNearby is a flat 5% and designed for gatherings that recur.
You’re running a large, one-time event and need heavy-duty registration or reserved seating.
Your gatherings recur, you want local discovery, and you’d rather pay a flat 5% than layered per-ticket and per-order fees.
For most small-to-mid gatherings, yes. GatherNearby charges a flat 5% platform fee (plus card processing). Eventbrite's combined fees often exceed 10% on lower-priced tickets because they layer a per-ticket fee, a fixed fee, and a per-order fee.
Bending Spoons, which took Eventbrite private in 2026. It's the same holding company that acquired Meetup in 2024. GatherNearby is independent and founder-owned.
It handles one-offs fine, but it shines for recurring classes, clubs, and series where neighbors come back — and where a discovery feed keeps bringing new people in.
Browse what's happening near you, or start hosting in minutes. Free to attend, and free for hosts until you get paid.
Comparison reflects GatherNearby and Eventbrite's publicly listed features and pricing as of June 2026. Pricing and features change often — check each provider for current details. Eventbrite is a trademark of its respective owner; GatherNearby is not affiliated with or endorsed by it.
