If you’ve narrowed your WordPress event ticketing search down to Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner, Tickera, and Event Tickets Plus (by The Events Calendar), you’re looking at three solid but very different approaches to selling tickets online. This comparison helps you pick the right one based on how you actually run events.
If you want the most value for free with WooCommerce: Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner. If you need a full event calendar ecosystem: Event Tickets Plus. If you want a standalone ticketing system with deep developer customization: Tickera.
Now let’s look at why.
Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner was built for WooCommerce from the ground up. Any WooCommerce product can become a ticket. This means you use your existing payment gateways, your existing checkout flow, your existing coupon system. There’s nothing extra to configure.
Event Tickets Plus supports WooCommerce, but only in the premium version ($99/year). The free “Event Tickets” plugin uses their proprietary Tickets Commerce system, which only supports Stripe and PayPal. If you need WooCommerce support, you’re paying from day one.
Tickera has its own payment system built in. WooCommerce integration is available through a “Bridge for WooCommerce” add-on, which comes free with the Bundle package but is a separate add-on otherwise. The integration works but feels bolted on rather than native.
This is where the differences get interesting.
Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner includes a browser-based QR scanner in the free version. Open it on any smartphone, point it at a ticket, done. You can authorize multiple staff members with separate scanner accounts. No app to install or maintain.
Event Tickets Plus offers QR check-in through their mobile apps, but this requires the paid version and the companion app. The app works well, but it’s another moving part to manage.
Tickera uses their “Checkinera” system — available as iOS/Android apps and a web app. The mobile apps work offline, which is a genuine advantage for venues with poor connectivity. However, the full check-in system requires the premium version.
Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner includes a drag-and-drop seating plan designer in Premium. You build layouts directly in WordPress with seats, shapes, labels, and background images. Customers select their seats during checkout on the product page.
Event Tickets Plus does not offer seating charts.
Tickera offers seating charts as a premium add-on. Their implementation is solid and supports complex venues. It’s one of Tickera’s strengths for large-scale events.
Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner generates basic tickets in the free version. Premium includes a visual PDF ticket designer and a separate badge designer for event passes — useful for conferences and trade shows.
Event Tickets Plus focuses on digital wallet passes (Apple Wallet) through their Wallet Plus add-on. Traditional PDF tickets are not their primary focus.
Tickera has a built-in ticket template builder that’s been around for years. You can create custom ticket designs with various elements. It’s functional, though the interface feels dated compared to newer alternatives.
Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner: Free version with full WooCommerce ticketing and QR scanning. Premium with seating designer, PDF designer, and badges is an annual subscription starting at $79/year.
Event Tickets Plus: Free base plugin (no WooCommerce, no QR). Event Tickets Plus at $99/year for WooCommerce support. Additional add-ons (Wallet Plus, Community Events) cost extra. Most event organizers end up spending $149-299/year.
Tickera: Free version with limited features. Individual add-ons at $49+ each. Bundle with all add-ons at $149. Annual renewal for updates and support.
Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner is the simplest to get running. Install, create a ticket list, enable ticketing on a WooCommerce product. Three steps to your first ticket sale. The learning curve is minimal because it uses WooCommerce patterns you already know.
Event Tickets Plus is part of a larger ecosystem (The Events Calendar). If you’re already using that ecosystem, setup is straightforward. If you’re starting fresh, you’ll install multiple plugins (The Events Calendar, Event Tickets, Event Tickets Plus, WooCommerce) which adds complexity.
Tickera has the steepest learning curve. It’s a powerful system, but the standalone payment setup, event creation workflow, and add-on configuration require more time to get right.
Choose Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner if: You’re using WooCommerce (or plan to), you want the most features in the free version, you need a simple setup that just works, or you want to avoid annual subscription costs.
Choose Event Tickets Plus if: You’re already using The Events Calendar, you need a full event calendar with ticketing as an add-on, you want Apple Wallet pass integration, or you have the budget for $99+/year in subscriptions.
Choose Tickera if: You need offline check-in capabilities, you’re a developer who wants deep code-level customization, you’re running very large events that need the robust infrastructure, or you want a standalone system independent of WooCommerce.
All three are legitimate solutions. The choice comes down to your existing setup, your budget, and what features matter most for your events. If you’re unsure, start with the free versions — Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner gives you the most to work with at no cost, which makes it the lowest-risk starting point.