PewPrep vs Eventbrite
PewPrep vs Eventbrite: Which Is Right for Your Church in 2026?
Strong public event ticketing; weak fit for church recurring events.
Eventbrite is the go-to platform for public ticketed events, and they do that one thing well — open-to-the-public events with paid tickets, discoverability via their marketplace, and a strong consumer-facing brand. Where they fit poorly for churches: their pricing model (3.7% + $1.79 per paid ticket, or a flat fee structure on the Pro plan) accumulates fast for recurring church events, and their flow assumes one-time public attendees, not your church members. Most church events aren't 'public ticketed' — they're 'free registration with optional donation' for known members, with workflows like family registration, kids age groups, dietary preferences, and SMS reminders. PewPrep's event registration is church-native: included in the platform, no per-ticket fees on free events, and integrates with member records, family check-in, and the bulletin.
Eventbrite
Free + 3.7% + $1.79/paid ticket
Pro (most popular)
Side-by-side comparison
Every row vetted against the most recent Eventbrite pricing and product docs.
| Feature | PewPrep | Eventbrite |
|---|---|---|
| Event basics | ||
| Free event registration | No fees | Free plan: 25 tickets cap |
| Paid event registration | Plus+ (2.2% + 30¢) | 3.7% + $1.79/ticket |
| Recurring events | Native | Manual duplication |
| Waitlists | Yes | Yes |
| Capacity limits | Yes | Yes |
| Custom registration questions | Yes | Yes |
| Church-specific | ||
| Family/household registration | Yes | No |
| Kids age-group routing | Yes | No |
| Member-only events (auth gated) | Yes | No |
| Volunteer signups + scheduling | Built in | No |
| Auto-link to member records | Yes | No |
| Communication | ||
| Auto reminder emails | Yes | Yes |
| SMS reminders | Pro+ | Add-on |
| Cross-post to social | Auto FB+IG | Manual |
| Pricing model | ||
| Per-ticket fees on FREE events | None | Limited tickets / month |
| Per-ticket fees on PAID events | 2.2% + 30¢ (Stripe) | 3.7% + $1.79 |
Why churches choose PewPrep
- No per-ticket fees on free events. Eventbrite's free plan caps you at 25 tickets/event/month.
- Paid events charge Stripe rates (~2.5%) not Eventbrite's 3.7% + $1.79 — saves $1.50+ per paid ticket.
- Church-native flow: family registration, kids age groups, dietary preferences, member discounts.
- Auto-syncs to member records and kids check-in. Eventbrite is a closed loop.
- Integrates with bulletin, email, and social — one event creates all the announcements automatically.
When Eventbrite might be the better choice
Honest take. We'd rather lose the deal than win it under false pretenses.
- You're running large public events (concerts, conferences) where Eventbrite's marketplace discoverability matters.
- You're hosting a one-off paid event open to the general public and don't want to manage your own registration page.
Switching from Eventbrite to PewPrep
Eventbrite event data exports as CSV (event details, attendees, custom field responses). For currently-active events, you can run them on Eventbrite through completion and switch new events to PewPrep. Most churches transition over 60-90 days.
Questions, answered
- Can PewPrep handle large public events too?
- Yes — there's no cap on attendees. The tradeoff is discoverability: Eventbrite's marketplace surfaces your event to their consumer audience. PewPrep events live on your church URL, so for "anyone in the city" reach you may still want to cross-list to Eventbrite or Meetup.
- What about ticket scanning at the door?
- PewPrep generates QR-code tickets. Door volunteers scan with any phone via PewPrep app or web. Sub-second scan + check-in into your member system.
- Do you support donation tickets / pay-what-you-want?
- Yes — events can be set as donation-based (suggested amount, minimum, or open). Donations route through Stripe Connect at 2.2% + 30¢ rates.
- How does kids registration work for events like VBS?
- VBS-style events: parent registers, lists each child with age + allergies + emergency contact. PewPrep auto-creates each kid's check-in record, prints name tags, and books their classroom. Drop-off Sunday morning takes 15 seconds per family instead of 5 minutes filling forms.
Try PewPrep free for 7 days
No credit card. Cancel anytime. Compare it to Eventbrite in your actual workflow, not a sales demo.