We use cookies to improve your experience on our platform. By clicking “Accept all cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies required for basic website functionality.
Cookies used to deliver content most relevant to you and your needs.
Cookies used to deliver content most relevant to you and your needs.
Cookies that help understand the performance of the website, how users interact with it and to identify bugs.
How is Zeffy free?
How is Zeffy free?
Zeffy relies entirely on optional contributions from donors. At the payment confirmation step - we ask donors to leave an optional contribution to Zeffy.
Verdict: Use the free calculator above to get a suggested ticket price, break-even threshold, and three revenue scenarios in under 60 seconds — no finance background needed.
What works: Starting with total event cost + fundraising goal, then dividing by realistic attendance gives you a defensible base price fast.
What doesn't: Pricing too low "to be affordable" — it undervalues your cause and leaves you short on the night.
Best for: Volunteer board members and executive directors pricing galas, dinners, bingo nights, and community events at small nonprofits.
Worth considering if: You're planning a gala or auction and want to offer Early Bird, GA, and VIP tiers — the calculator surfaces those suggestions automatically for those event types.
You don't need a finance degree to price tickets for your fundraiser. You need four numbers, a realistic attendance estimate, and a clear goal. Enter them below and you'll have a suggested ticket price, a break-even point, and three revenue scenarios before your board meeting starts.
Estimates based on the numbers you enter. Actual results depend on your audience, promotion, and local market. Not tax advice — check IRS rules on fundraising event tax-deductibility with a CPA.
How to use this calculator
Three steps, under two minutes.
Step 1: Enter your event details
Pick your event type from the dropdown. The calculator pre-fills a sensible cost estimate for that type — you can override it. Then enter how many people you expect and your total event cost. Include everything: venue, food, entertainment, decorations, printing, and anything else you're paying for.
Step 2: Set your fundraising goal
Enter the net amount you want to raise after all expenses are paid. This is your mission number — the gap in your school supply budget, the emergency fund you're building, the program you're trying to sustain.
Step 3: Read your results
You'll see three things immediately. A suggested ticket price — that's the answer. A break-even ticket count — the minimum you must sell to avoid losing money. And three scenario cards showing what you'd raise at full attendance, 75% turnout, and 50% turnout. If you're planning a gala or auction, toggle on tiered pricing to see Early Bird, GA, and VIP price suggestions.
How much do similar events charge? Benchmarks by event type
Setting a price feels less like guessing when you know what similar nonprofits charge. The benchmarks below come from thousands of events processed through Zeffy, across cause areas and states.
These nine strategies help you hit your goal without scaring people away or leaving money on the table.
1. Early bird discounts
Early bird pricing gets people to commit when they're excited, not when they're already overcommitted. It also gives you real sales data weeks before the event — so you can plan instead of panic.
Here's how to set it up:
1. Pick a deadline at least 2 to 4 weeks before your event. Example: "Early bird ends September 1."
2. Offer $5 to $20 off the regular ticket price — enough to motivate buyers without hurting revenue.
3. Promote the deadline everywhere: your website, emails, social posts, and event page. Example: "Tickets: $25 early bird / $35 after Sept. 1."
The Chaban Ukrainian Dance Group offered early bird tickets with clear dates and labels on their Zeffy event page. The clear deadline made the decision easy for buyers.
One ticket price fits nobody perfectly. Two or three tiers let more people attend while helping you meet your goal.
Offer a general admission price for budget-conscious supporters, a VIP option with real perks for people who want to splurge, and optionally a "supporter" level that's essentially a donation with a ticket attached.
The New Glarus Chamber of Commerce uses tiered pricing at their Beer, Bacon & Cheese Festival. They sell regular wristbands and discounted non-drinking wristbands, so people who don't drink can still attend for half price. More people come, revenue stays healthy, and no one feels excluded.
Every dollar from a sponsor is a dollar you don't need to recover through ticket sales. Lock in sponsors early and you can afford to price tickets lower — which fills more seats — which makes sponsors happier.
Create two or three straightforward sponsorship tiers ($100, $500, $1,000) with clear benefits: logo placement, social media shout-outs, and reserved tables. Ask for sponsors 6 to 8 weeks before ticket sales open.
The Associated Roofing Contractors of Oregon & SWW used tiered sponsorships for their fundraiser, offering everything from Title Sponsors to Hole Sponsors — each with a defined benefits package that made it easy for businesses of every size to say yes.
4. Group, family, or student discounts
Group discounts fill seats faster. When one person commits, they bring friends.
Offer family packs or "bring a friend" pricing. Give students a discounted rate — they're your future major donors if you treat them well now. The Methow Valley Chamber Music Summer Festival offered free tickets to students alongside regular paid admission, making the event accessible to young music fans without reducing overall revenue.
5. Sliding scale
There is no single "perfect" price that works for everyone. A suggested range lets people pay what they can. Most will pay the full amount. Some will pay less. A few will pay more because they believe in your cause.
The Theater Company of Lafayette ran a Pay What You Can campaign for their production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. The flexible pricing attracted a broader audience without undermining the value of the event.
Make the payment options clear and connect each contribution level directly to your mission impact.
6. Discounted add-on packages
Boost per-person revenue without making the base ticket price look intimidating.
Bundle extras — meals, parking, merchandise — at a small discount when purchased with tickets. "$35 ticket + $15 dinner" feels like a deal compared to "$40 dinner separately." People feel good about the value and you hit revenue goals without guilt.
Shady Pines Radio sells camping passes and parking spots alongside festival tickets. They also let attendees buy meals for performers, adding revenue and making the event feel more connected.
7. Limited-time flash sales
Use this when ticket sales are slower than expected and you need momentum without broadcasting that you're worried.
Keep flash sales short — 24 to 48 hours — and promote them heavily. "Next 24 hours only: $10 off all tickets." The urgency is real. The optics stay confident.
8. Flexible payment plans
For tickets priced at $100 or more, sticker shock closes browsers fast — especially if your event falls right after back-to-school spending or the holidays.
Split payments into two or three installments. Only do this if you can track payments reliably. Options include:
Split payments: divide the ticket cost into 2 to 3 payments with set deadlines
Monthly plans: allow 3 to 6 monthly payments before the event date
Deposit option: take 50% upfront, remainder due closer to the event
9. Psychological pricing
Prices that end in 9 or 5 feel more accessible — even when the difference is a few cents. $99 sounds better than $100. $24.95 feels more affordable than $25. This is a proven tactic that works for nonprofits too.
Just make sure the price still covers your costs and aligns with your audience. Shaving a dollar off a $200 ticket won't move the needle — but it can matter at the $25 to $50 range.
How to price tickets for a fundraising dinner
Fundraising dinners can be high-impact, but the math needs to work before you send a single invite.
Fundraising Goal: the net amount you want after expenses
Expected Paid Attendees: be realistic; don't count volunteers, staff, or speakers
Example:
Total Event Cost: $5,000
Fundraising Goal: $10,000
Expected Paid Attendees: 100
Ticket Price = ($5,000 + $10,000) 100 = $150
If $150 feels steep for your audience, don't immediately lower the price. Look for sponsorships, add-ons, a raffle, or peer-to-peer fundraising to close the gap instead.
One more thing: the platform you use affects how much of that $150 you actually keep. With Eventbrite charging roughly 3% plus $0.99 per ticket, you lose about $4 per ticket — that's $400 gone at 100 attendees. With Zeffy, $150 stays $150.
The Dearborn Educational Foundation ran multiple annual events — a golf tournament, Mardi Gras celebration, Green Tie Dinner, and Spring Bazaar — and processed everything through PayPal before switching. Since moving to Zeffy, they've raised $56,231 and saved $2,812 in fees. That money went directly back to supporting students and teachers.
We are able to give 100% of funds raised back out as well as cut back on administrative duties. Zeffy has helped with using Excel to keep track of registrations for events and allows less data entry into QuickBooks. — Chastity Townsend, Executive Director, Dearborn Educational Foundation
This is one of the most common questions nonprofits get from attendees — and the answer is: sometimes, partially, and it depends.
When someone pays $150 for a ticket to your gala and receives a meal and entertainment worth $75, only the amount above the fair market value of what they received may be deductible as a charitable contribution. In this example, that's $75. The IRS calls this a quid pro quo contribution.
As a nonprofit, you're generally required to give donors a written disclosure when they pay more than $75 for goods or services. The disclosure should tell them what portion is deductible.
This is IRS tax territory, not something to calculate through a ticketing tool. For the official rules, see IRS Publication 1771 on charitable contributions and acknowledgments. If you're unsure about your specific situation, talk to a CPA or tax advisor.
The practical takeaway: communicate clearly with your attendees about what they're paying for and what portion goes to the mission. That transparency builds trust.
How to price tiered tickets (Early Bird, GA, VIP)
Tiered pricing works best for galas and auctions, where guests expect different experience levels. Here's a simple structure to start from:
Tier
Suggested Price
What to Include
Early Bird
Base price minus 15%
Same as GA, but rewards early commitment
General Admission
Base (calculator output)
Entry, program, standard meal/drinks
VIP
Base price plus 50%
Reserved seating, early access, premium bar, gift bag
Setting your base price first
Run the calculator with your total event cost and fundraising goal to get your base price. That's your General Admission price. From there:
1. Set Early Bird at 15% below GA — available for a limited window (2 to 4 weeks before the event).
2. Set VIP at 50% above GA — cap the number of VIP tickets so scarcity is real.
3. Make VIP perks specific and tangible. "Priority seating and a gift bag" converts better than "premium experience."
What makes VIP worth it
VIP doesn't need to be elaborate. Reserved seats at the front, a private cocktail hour before doors open, name on a sponsor board, or a small gift bag with local business donations — these are low-cost additions that justify a significantly higher price for the supporters who want to give more.
Communicating tiers clearly
Show all three options side by side on your ticket page. Describe what each tier includes in plain language. If Early Bird has a hard deadline, show a countdown. Zeffy's ticketing lets you create multiple ticket types on the same event page with different prices, quantities, and descriptions — no workarounds needed.
3 common ticket pricing mistakes to avoid
Underpricing to "be affordable"
Keeping prices low because you're afraid of pushback is the most common mistake. Underpricing doesn't just hurt your budget — it signals that your event and your cause aren't worth much.
Low prices can leave no room for actual fundraising, undervalue your event in supporters' minds, and make it impossible to cover costs if attendance comes in lower than expected.
Instead, offer a range: early bird pricing, a sliding scale, or tiered options. You can be accessible without setting a single rock-bottom price for everyone.
Forgetting about platform fees
If your ticketing platform charges 3 to 5% in processing or platform fees, that cost lands somewhere. Either you absorb it — reducing what reaches your mission — or you pass it to supporters as a checkout surprise. Neither is great.
With Zeffy, you keep every dollar you raise. No platform fees, no transaction fees, no credit card fees. Zeffy is funded entirely by optional donor tips. That means $100 in ticket sales is $100 to your mission.
Overestimating attendance
Planning for 200 guests and getting 80 is a real scenario. If your ticket prices assumed full capacity, you may not cover costs.
Base your pricing on a conservative attendance estimate — 75% of what you hope for is a reasonable floor. The scenario cards in the calculator show you exactly what happens at each attendance level before you commit to a price.
Use the formula: (Total Event Cost + Fundraising Goal) Expected Paid Attendees = Minimum Ticket Price. If your event costs $5,000 and you want to net $10,000 with 100 guests, your minimum ticket price is $150. If that feels high for your audience, look for sponsorships or add-on revenue to bring the ticket price down — don't just lower the number and hope for the best.
Divide your total event cost by your ticket price. If your event costs $4,000 and tickets are $40, you need to sell at least 100 tickets before you make a single dollar toward your mission. The calculator does this math automatically and shows you the break-even ticket count alongside your revenue scenarios.
Based on Zeffy's benchmark data from thousands of nonprofit events, gala tickets typically range from $100 to $250 depending on your cause area, location, and what's included. Health and veterans organizations average closer to $200. Community service and education events typically run $120 to $149. VIP tiers can go significantly higher when perks justify the price.
Bingo events tend to be community-facing and price-sensitive. A common structure is $10 to $25 for entry (which covers a set of cards) with additional cards available for purchase. Run the calculator with your venue cost, expected headcount, and fundraising goal to find the right entry price for your specific event.
A healthy ROI for nonprofit events typically falls between 2:1 and 4:1 — for every dollar you spend, you raise $2 to $4. First-time events might aim for 1.5:1 while well-established annual events should target 3:1 or higher. Factor in non-financial returns too: new donor relationships, volunteer engagement, and community visibility all count.
Yes. If your platform charges fees, those costs affect how much you actually raise. Either build the fee into your ticket price or choose a zero-fee platform so the math stays simple. On Zeffy, $100 in ticket sales = $100 to your mission. On platforms charging 3% plus $0.99 per ticket, you lose roughly $4 per $100 ticket — that's $400 at 100 tickets.
Staff time, volunteer coordination, marketing, insurance, and technology costs are the most common overlooked items. These can represent 15 to 25% of your total event budget. Include every cost — direct and indirect — in your "Total cost of the event" input so your suggested ticket price actually covers everything.
Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.
Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.
.webp)
