At a Glance:
Hi.Events is an open-source event ticketing and management platform offering self-hosted or cloud deployment for selling tickets online, with features like customizable branding, affiliate tracking, and full data ownership as an alternative to Eventbrite or Tickettailor.
Overview:
Hi.Events is an open-source event ticketing and management platform for organizers looking to sell tickets online for conferences, festivals, concerts, and workshops. It addresses the loss of per-ticket fees and data lock-in common with many ticketing services by providing a self-hosted option where users retain control over branding, checkout flows, and attendee data. A managed cloud version is also available for those who prefer not to handle infrastructure. The platform is built for nightlife promoters, venue operators, community groups, and conference hosts who need flexible ticket types, promo code access, customizable event pages, and integrated payment processing through Stripe Connect.
Key Decision Points:
Self-hosted or cloud deployment: Available as a self-hosted application for full infrastructure control, or as a managed cloud service called Hi.Events Cloud for those who want automatic updates and zero server setup.
Targets independent organizers: Designed primarily for nightlife promoters, festival organizers, venue staff, community groups, and conference hosts, rather than large-scale enterprise ticketing operations.
Revenue model with no per-ticket fees: The self-hosted version charges no per-ticket fees, setting it apart from commercial platforms that take a cut of each sale; the cloud version's pricing is not detailed in the README.
Stripe Connect is the payment processor: Payouts are handled via Stripe Connect, offering instant payouts, which means financial operations depend on Stripe's availability and terms.
Extensible through API and webhooks: A full REST API and webhook support allow integration with external tools like Zapier, Make, or CRMs for custom workflows.
Core Features:
Flexible ticket types: Supports free, paid, donation-based, and tiered tickets, with options for hiding or locking tickets behind promo codes.
Promo codes and pre-sale access: Allows organizers to create promo codes for discounts or early access, and gate specific tickets behind them.
Product add-ons with categories: Attendees can add extras like merchandise or upgrades during checkout, organized into product categories by the organizer.
Drag-and-drop event page builder: Provides a visual builder for creating branded event pages, alongside an embeddable ticket widget for external websites.
Affiliate and referral tracking: Includes built-in tracking for affiliates and referrals, visible in the real-time sales dashboard.
QR code check-in with scan logs: Supports attendee check-in via QR code scanning, with logs and access-controlled check-in lists for staff.
Use Cases:
Nightlife promoters and venue operators: Can sell tickets for club nights or concerts with custom branding, promo codes, and no per-ticket platform fees when self-hosted.
Conference and workshop organizers: Can manage paid and free ticket tiers, collect custom attendee information, and handle refunds using a single platform.
Community groups hosting festivals: Can use the self-hosted version to sell tickets, add product extras, and track sales without depending on a third-party ticketing service's data policies.
Open-Source Alternative Value:
As an open-source alternative to Eventbrite, Tickettailor, and Dice, Hi.Events offers a self-hosted ticketing solution where organizers avoid per-ticket fees and retain ownership of attendee data, checkout design, and event branding. The platform's code is openly available, enabling modification, while the managed cloud service provides an alternative for those who want the same features without self-hosting. A full REST API and webhook system also mean sales and attendee data can flow into external reporting tools or CRMs without being locked into a single vendor's ecosystem.
