I’ve been asked about ticketing platforms more times than I can count over the past year. Everyone wants to know which one’s “best,” and the honest answer is that it depends entirely on what you’re trying to do. But I can tell you what I’ve seen working — and not working — in the Australian market right now.

The big players

Ticketmaster/Ticketek still dominates the major venue and arena space. If you’re running a show at a venue that already has a Ticketmaster deal, you don’t really have a choice. The fees are high, the back-end reporting is adequate but not great, and the customer service reputation continues to be a sore point with fans. But the reach is unmatched.

Moshtix remains the go-to for independent venues and mid-sized events. Their fees are more reasonable, the platform is straightforward, and they understand the Australian independent music scene. I’ve worked with them on dozens of events and the support team actually picks up the phone, which is worth more than most features.

Humanitix has been the feel-good story of Australian ticketing. Their model of donating booking fee profits to charity resonates with younger audiences, and their platform has improved significantly over the past two years. The analytics dashboard is now competitive with anyone in the market. Worth a serious look if you’re doing community or arts events.

Eventbrite is fine for free or low-cost events but starts to creak once you need complex ticket tiers, reserved seating, or integration with venue systems. It’s the default for corporate events and conferences but less common in live music.

The newer options

There’s been a wave of newer platforms targeting specific niches. Some are offering lower fees in exchange for longer contracts. Others are building around mobile-first experiences with features like queue management and in-app ordering.

I’d be cautious about locking into a long-term deal with any platform you haven’t stress-tested during an actual on-sale. The worst time to discover your ticketing platform can’t handle demand is when 5,000 people are trying to buy tickets at 9am on a Monday.

What matters most

After years of watching ticketing disasters unfold in real time, here’s what I think matters most when choosing a platform:

Settlement terms. How quickly do you get your money? Some platforms hold funds for 30 days or more. For smaller promoters, that cash flow delay can be brutal.

Scalper protection. Does the platform have meaningful anti-scalping tools? Name-on-ticket enforcement, transfer restrictions, dynamic pricing options — these matter more every year as scalper operations get more sophisticated.

Data access. Do you get full access to your customer data, or does the platform keep it behind a wall? This is a massive issue. Your audience data is one of your most valuable assets, and some platforms treat it as theirs.

Integration. Can you connect the ticketing system to your CRM, your email marketing, your door scanning hardware? The days of ticketing existing in isolation are over.

My recommendation

For most independent venues and mid-sized promoters in Australia, Moshtix or Humanitix will serve you well. For larger operations, you’re probably already locked into the Ticketmaster ecosystem. For free events and corporate stuff, Eventbrite does the job.

But whatever you choose, read the contract properly. Understand the fee structure. Know your settlement terms. And make sure you own your customer data. I’ve seen too many operators discover these details after they’ve already sold 10,000 tickets.