Editorial Team @ Vihaya Events
Most "best platform" lists are a ranking with invented numbers next to each name. This one does something more useful: it gives you the four questions that actually decide the answer, then describes what each platform is genuinely built for. Where we quote a price, we say where it came from and when we checked it.
On pricing claims: platform pricing changes and several Indian platforms do not publish it publicly. We quote a competitor's rate only where we can point at a source. Everywhere else we tell you what to ask them, rather than guessing. Last reviewed August 2026.
The four questions that decide it
- Is your event free or paid? This eliminates most of the field immediately. If your event is free, any platform charging per attendee is disqualified — and some charge for free events.
- What is the all-in percentage, not the headline? The number that matters is platform fee + GST + gateway charge combined. A "2% platform fee" with GST and a separate 2% gateway on top is not 2%.
- Do you need entry control? QR scanning, one-time use, per-track gates. If you are serving food or have a hard capacity, this is not optional.
- Do you need multi-track? A fest with eight workshops needs per-track capacity, pricing and check-in. Platforms built for single events handle this badly or not at all.
How to compare the fee properly
Ask every platform for the same three numbers and add them up yourself:
| Ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Platform fee % | The headline number. Often the only one quoted. |
| Is GST charged on top of it? | 18% on the fee. Turns 6% into roughly 7.1%. |
| Gateway charge | Typically around 2% plus GST, sometimes billed separately. |
| Anything for free events? | Some platforms charge per registration even when you charge nothing. |
| Payout timing and minimum | When you actually receive money, and whether there is a threshold. |
The platforms, and what each is actually for
Vihaya Events — built for Indian college and community events
Free events carry no platform fee at all. Paid tickets are charged 1.75–4.5%, banded by the expected size of the event — smaller events pay the top of the range, large fests the bottom — with no monthly subscription. The full band table is published openly, which is unusual in this market.
Strongest on multi-track fests: per-track capacity, pricing and check-in, team registration, food scanning with meal limits, and self-serve certificates. Best for: college fests, hackathons, workshops, community events.
BookMyShow — reach for large entertainment events
India's largest consumer ticketing brand, built around films, major concerts and large-scale entertainment. Its advantage is discovery: an audience already browsing for something to do. It is not self-serve for small organisers, and getting listed involves approval.
Fees vary by event and are negotiated rather than published, so ask directly. Best for: large-scale public entertainment where audience reach is the point.
MakeMyPass — corporate and startup events
Aimed at corporate events, expos and conferences, with badge printing and check-in tooling. Their pricing page renders client-side, but their shipped application bundle describes the starter plan as 6% platform fee plus GST plus a 2% gateway charge — roughly 9% all-in — with higher tiers quote-only. There is no monthly subscription.
Source: MakeMyPass web application bundle, read August 2026. If you are comparing seriously, confirm current pricing with them directly.
Best for: corporate events and expos with budget for it.
KonfHub — tech conferences
Purpose-built for developer events and tech conferences, with speaker and session management. Genuinely good at what it targets and correspondingly narrow — cultural fests and sports events are not its shape. Best for: tech conferences and developer meetups.
Townscript — general-purpose Indian ticketing
A long-established Indian platform covering a broad range of event types with a commission model on paid tickets. Solid general-purpose choice; lighter on fest-specific features like per-track gates. Best for: single-track paid events.
Google Forms — free, and not a ticketing system
Worth stating plainly because so many committees start here. Forms collects responses. It does not issue a ticket, enforce capacity, verify payment against a registration, or stop the same confirmation being used twice. For a free open-door event it is fine. For anything with a hard capacity or a price, it is the wrong tool — see our piece on ticketing versus registration.
Choosing, by event type
| If you are running… | Prioritise |
|---|---|
| A free campus workshop | Zero fee on free events, plus QR check-in |
| A multi-track college fest | Per-track capacity, pricing and gate scanning |
| A hackathon | Team registration and meal scanning |
| A large public concert | Audience reach and discovery |
| A corporate conference | Badge printing and sponsor tooling |
Comparing for a campus event? Our full fee bands are published — including the ₹0 for free events — so you can do the arithmetic before signing up.
Common questions
- What is the cheapest ticketing platform in India?
- For free events, any platform that charges nothing for them — Vihaya charges no fee on free events. For paid events the honest answer is that you must compare all-in percentages, because headline platform fees exclude GST and gateway charges and are not comparable as quoted.
- Do I have to pay if my event is free?
- On some platforms yes, per registration. Always ask this explicitly — it is the single biggest cost difference for student organisers, and it is rarely on the pricing page.
- Can I pass the fee to attendees?
- On most platforms including Vihaya, yes. The attendee sees the ticket price plus a service fee and you receive the amount you set. Decide before advertising a price.
- How quickly do I get paid?
- This varies a lot and is worth asking about specifically, along with whether there is a minimum payout threshold. For a student committee that has to settle vendor bills, payout timing can matter more than half a percentage point of fee.