Pricing a 200-Seat House: Worked Examples With Real Fee Math
Concrete pricing scenarios for a 200-seat community venue, showing exactly how ticketing fees affect your revenue under an all in rate and a percentage plus fixed model.
Abstract pricing comparisons only get you so far. This guide runs through three realistic scenarios for a 200-seat community venue and shows exactly how different fee structures affect what you take home.
The Setup
- Capacity: 200 reserved seats
- Season: 6 productions, 3 performances each = 18 shows
- Average occupancy: 85% (170 tickets sold per show)
- Total tickets per season: 3,060
We compare two models:
- Model A (EventTicketGo, Community plan): 4.9% + 60c, charged once per order on the whole order. Card processing is included.
- Model B (illustrative percentage + fixed): 5% of face value + $1.50 per ticket, with card processing (2.9% + $0.30 per order) added on top. This is a made-up example, not any one platform's price.
Because Model A includes processing and Model B does not, we add processing to Model B so the totals compare like for like.
Scenario 1: Community Theater Season
Tiers: $20 (balcony), $30 (orchestra sides), $40 (orchestra center)
Per show: 50 at $20, 70 at $30, 50 at $40 → $5,100 gross, sold in 85 orders of two
Model A:
- 25 orders of $40 × $2.56 = $64.00
- 35 orders of $60 × $3.54 = $123.90
- 25 orders of $80 × $4.52 = $113.00
- $300.90/show → $5,416.20/season
Model B:
- 50 × ($1.00 + $1.50) = $125
- 70 × ($1.50 + $1.50) = $210
- 50 × ($2.00 + $1.50) = $175
- Processing: $147.90 + 85 × $0.30 = $173.40
- $683.40/show → $12,301.20/season
Difference: $6,885 per season.
Scenario 2: Annual Gala With Premium Pricing
Tiers: $75 (standard), $125 (preferred), $200 (VIP with reception)
Distribution: 100 at $75, 60 at $125, 40 at $200 → $23,000 gross, sold in 100 orders of two
Model A: 4.9% of $23,000 = $1,127, plus 100 orders × $0.60 = $60 → $1,187
Model B:
- 100 × ($3.75 + $1.50) = $525
- 60 × ($6.25 + $1.50) = $465
- 40 × ($10.00 + $1.50) = $460
- Processing: $667 + 100 × $0.30 = $697
- Total: $2,147
Difference: $960 on a single event. A $200 VIP seat carries about $10.10 of fee under Model A, processing included, versus $11.50 plus processing under Model B. At gala prices the percentage does most of the work, so the gap is narrower than in Scenario 1.
Scenario 3: Children's Show With Low Prices
Ticket price: $10 (single tier) | Shows: 6 | Tickets: 1,080 in 360 family orders of three | Gross: $10,800
Model A: 360 × ($1.47 + $0.60) = $745.20
Model B: 1,080 × ($0.50 + $1.50) = $2,160, plus processing $313.20 + $108 = $2,581.20
Difference: $1,836. At $10, Model B's $1.50 fixed charge on every ticket does the damage. Model A charges its 60c once per family.
Annual Total
| Model A | Model B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | $5,416.20 | $12,301.20 | $6,885.00 |
| Annual gala | $1,187.00 | $2,147.00 | $960.00 |
| Children's series | $745.20 | $2,581.20 | $1,836.00 |
| Community plan | $399.00 | $0.00 | ($399.00) |
| Total | $7,747.40 | $17,029.40 | $9,282.00 |
Over three years, the difference is close to $28,000. On the Free plan (5.9% + 60c) Model A would cost about $1,256 more in fees on this $125,600 year, so at this volume the $399 Community plan pays for itself.
Variables That Change the Math
Occupancy rate. We used 85%. Higher occupancy amplifies the gap because you're running more tickets through the fee structure. Lower occupancy shrinks the totals but the relative advantage holds.
Ticket price mix. Both models include a percentage, so higher prices raise both. A big fixed charge on every ticket is what hurts low prices most. If your top tier is $100 or more, compare carefully: a platform with a small fixed fee per ticket and no percentage could beat Model A on those seats, as long as processing is not added on top.
Order size. Model A's fixed part is charged once per order, so families buying four seats together pay it once. Model B charges its fixed part on every ticket.
Number of shows. More performances mean more tickets, which amplifies any per-ticket cost difference. A venue running 30+ shows per year will see the fee differential become one of their larger line items.
Plan. Model A's rate drops on higher plans: School is 4.4% + 50c and District is 3.9% + 40c.
Fee absorption vs. pass-through. On EventTicketGo you pick per event whether the buyer pays the fee on top or you absorb it. Either way, lower fees mean more money stays in the ecosystem, either in the buyer's wallet or in your operating budget. For guidance on this decision, see Passing Fees to Buyers.
Beyond the Fee
Price isn't everything. Make sure your comparison is apples-to-apples. The platform should include interactive seat maps, email delivery, phone-based scanning (no app downloads for staff), sales reporting, and payouts within a reasonable timeframe. If any of those are add-ons, factor the cost in. Ask about refunds too: on EventTicketGo a full refund returns the whole fee, processing included.
Try It With Your Numbers
Take your seat count, price tiers, and expected occupancy. Run the math both ways. To test-drive one all in rate with your real layout, create an organizer account and set up a draft event.
More pricing resources at Resources. See how other venues approach ticketing through the organizer directory.
Explore more pricing guides at Resources.