ThunderTix is a deep, traditional box-office suite - genuinely strong if you need reserved seating, season subscriptions, and a built-in CRM. But if your shows are general admission, its plan pricing plus per-ticket overage is more than you need. TixHQ keeps it flat: $24/month, zero platform fees, no per-ticket cut.
No credit card required · 2-minute setup · No contracts
| Feature | TixHQ | ThunderTix |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat $0–$99/mo | Monthly fee + per-ticket overage |
| Per-ticket fee | $0 on Pro | Per-ticket above included allotment |
| Starting price | Free / $24 Pro | Starts around $20/mo |
| Reserved / assigned seating | ✗ GA only | ✓ Yes |
| Season subscriptions & flex passes | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Built-in CRM, donors & volunteers | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Direct payouts | ✓ Stripe Connect | Stripe / Square supported |
| Mobile check-in (no app or hardware) | ✓ Any phone | Scanning supported |
| Own attendee emails (CSV export) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Built-in CRM |
| Setup time | ~2 minutes | Deeper, box-office setup |
Credit where it's due: ThunderTix's reserved seating, season subscriptions, and donor tools are excellent for theaters and performing-arts orgs. The question is whether your general-admission room actually needs all of it.
Say you sell 500 tickets in a busy month. With TixHQ Pro you pay a flat $24 - that's the whole platform cost, with no per-ticket fee (standard Stripe processing applies separately on both platforms).
On a per-ticket overage model, imagine a plan that includes 20 tickets, then charges about $1 for each ticket above that. The 480 overage tickets would add roughly $480 on top of the monthly fee. These are arithmetic examples to show how the two pricing shapes diverge at volume - check current ThunderTix plan details for exact allotments and rates.
Pro is a flat $24/month with zero TixHQ platform fees and no per-ticket cut. ThunderTix starts around $20/month but adds a per-ticket charge above its included allotment - so flat pricing protects your busiest nights.
Money from every sale flows straight into your own Stripe account. You get paid directly and control your own cash flow.
Scan QR codes with any phone camera and validate live against the server. No app for fans, no special hardware, no box-office terminal to configure.
Every buyer's email is yours. Export your full attendee list to CSV anytime and market to your fans directly - no platform gatekeeping.
Run unlimited promo codes, multiple ticket types and tiers, and early-bird pricing windows. Apple and Google Wallet passes ship to buyers automatically.
Generate event descriptions with AI on Pro, then drop an embeddable event calendar widget onto your own website so fans buy on your domain.
See how TixHQ fits your room: small venues, music venues, and comedy clubs.
It depends on your volume, but for many general-admission venues, yes. ThunderTix starts around $20/month plus a per-ticket fee on tickets above its included allotment. TixHQ Pro is a flat $24/month with zero platform fees and no per-ticket cut, so once you sell past the included allotment on a busy month, flat pricing tends to come out ahead. Standard Stripe payment-processing fees apply separately on both and go to Stripe, not TixHQ. Compare the plans on our pricing page.
ThunderTix does not take a percentage of each sale. Instead it charges a flat monthly fee plus a per-ticket charge on tickets above an included monthly allotment - for example, a number of included tickets each month, then roughly $1 to $1.75 per additional ticket depending on the plan. You can switch to a lower maintenance fee in off-months. TixHQ Pro has no per-ticket charge at all.
Not currently. TixHQ is general-admission first and does not offer reserved or assigned seating or seat maps today. If you run a theater or performing-arts venue that needs assigned seating charts, ThunderTix is the stronger fit. If your shows are general admission, TixHQ gives you flat pricing, mobile-first tools, and fast setup without paying for seating features you won't use.
Yes, if your events are general admission. You can set up TixHQ in about two minutes, connect your own Stripe account for direct payouts, and start selling - no contracts and month-to-month billing. Bring your audience with you by exporting buyers from ThunderTix. Note that TixHQ does not replace ThunderTix's reserved-seating, season-subscription, or donor and volunteer management tools, so confirm those aren't core to your operation before switching.
ThunderTix is the better choice when you need reserved or assigned seating charts, season subscriptions and flex passes, a built-in CRM, memberships, or donor and volunteer management - common needs for theaters and performing-arts organizations. TixHQ is built for general-admission independent, music, and comedy venues that want flat pricing with no per-ticket fees, modern mobile tools, and fast setup.
Weighing other platforms too? See all our side-by-side comparisons.
If your shows are general admission, skip the per-ticket overage. Start free on Starter, then move to Pro for a flat $24/month - zero platform fees, direct Stripe payouts, and your audience fully yours.
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