AttendStar vs. Complete Ticket Solutions
Finding the ideal event ticketing platform can significantly reduce the stress of managing ticket sales and create a better ticket buying process at the same time. The right software can have far-reaching implications – not only simplifying operations but also ensuring that all the ripple effects of ticketing — from setup to event day execution — run smoothly.
To help you make an informed decision, let’s explore two ticketing platforms event organizers might choose from, AttendStar and Complete Ticket Solutions. Let’s compare their features, pricing, ease of use, and overall value, so you can make the best decision for your event.
What to Look for in Event Ticketing Software
The event ticketing platform you select can significantly impact ticket sales, attendee satisfaction, word of mouth marketing, and overall revenue. To make the best choice for your event, you need to compare several key factors.
- It Works How You and Ticket Buyers Need It To: Look for platforms that offer flexible ticket types, tailored solutions for your specific event needs, and easy to use tools for you and your ticket buyers.
- You Can Get Help from Real People: Consider the level of customer support, on-site assistance, and additional services offered by the platform and the people behind the platform for both you and your ticket buyers.
- Marketing Tools Are Built In: Evaluate the marketing capabilities and integrations provided to help promote your event and boost ticket sales. Look for things like email marketing, social media integrations, and retargeting ads.
- Your Data is Easy to Access: Make sure you can access the real-time analytics and comprehensive reporting tools that are crucial for making informed decisions to optimize marketing investments and maximize ticket sales.
- Pricing Makes Sense: Understand the fee structure, per-ticket fees, additional charges, and payment processing options. Everything should be transparent with no hidden fees!
- Specialized Features and Services: Capabilities tailored to specific event needs at no extra cost, such as parking management, ticket scanning hardware, wireless connectivity, and dedicated event phone numbers
With these considerations in mind, let’s dive into a detailed comparison of AttendStar and Complete Ticket Solutions.
Quick Reference
Overview of AttendStar
AttendStar is a specialized platform originally designed for air shows. Today, AttendStar supports a wide range of small and medium outdoor events, from festivals to monster truck shows. As the leader in the air show market, the company’s main focus is civilian and military air shows.
AttendStar offers white glove service to its event organizer clients, which means they do everything for their clients. However, clients who want to handle some or all aspects of the ticketing, management, and marketing process themselves can do so using the tools and features built into the AttendStar platform.
Futhermore, AttendStar’s expertise in air shows includes unique solutions like drone detection systems, parking management systems, and private network access for enhanced security.
Key Platform Features
Ticket Customization and Management: AttendStar empowers organizers with flexible ticketing options, including tickets, parking passes, tiered pricing, addons and bundles. The platform supports dynamic pricing and real-time ticket adjustments, making it ideal for events with complex ticketing needs. With extensive customization features, organizers can optimize pricing strategies to maximize revenue and enhance the attendee experience.
Marketing Tools: AttendStar offers an impressive suite of marketing tools, including email and SMS marketing, retargeting campaigns, and abandoned cart reminders. These tools can be used independently or with guidance from AttendStar’s expert marketing team.
Real-Time Data Tracking: Organizers can monitor ticket sales and marketing performance through detailed real-time and historical analytics available in the AttendStar dashboard, helping them make data-driven decisions.
User Experience and Ease of Use
AttendStar offers a “do it for me” white glove service for event organizers, but for those clients who want to manage tasks within the software themselves, the platform prioritizes simplicity with an intuitive dashboard that streamlines ticket creation, marketing, and sales tracking. Ticket buyers also benefit from a straightforward purchasing process.
AttendStar's mobile app offers fast, reliable ticket scanning with audible feedback, offline sync, and customizable scanning rules—all with optimized battery life and an intuitive interface.
Client Support and On-Site Assistance
Unlike most ticketing software providers, AttendStar client support is available by phone, email, and online chat, so it’s easy for event organizers to get help when they need it. On the day of a client’s event, real-time support is always available.
One of the many ways AttendStar sets itself apart from its competitors is by providing robust on-site assistance for large events. The team can be on-the ground at events to help with ticket scanning, parking logistics, crowd management, and even traffic flow. For air shows, AttendStar even includes a specialized parking pass solution and Private 5G connectivity for reliable on-site operations, even in areas with heavy cell tower usage.
Ticket Buyer Support
AttendStar offers a dedicated phone system with customized event-specific information for ticket buyers at no extra charge. The system and the AttendStar team handle ticket buyer inquiries directly, which reduces the burden on organizers during the busy days leading up to an event.
In addition, the AttendStar system is set up to send ticket buyers day-of-event updates and alerts to address last-minute issues related to event changes, weather, traffic, and so on. The goal is to ensure attendee satisfaction is as high as possible while removing day-of-event tasks from the event organizer’s to-do list.
Pricing & Payment Processing
AttendStar uses a straightforward percentage-based pricing model, charging between 5% and 10% per ticket. There are no hidden fees for setup, hardware, or connectivity, making it a cost-effective solution for event organizers.
Fee Percent: 5% – 10% per ticket
Minimum Ticket Price: $1.50
Contract Required: No
Additional Hardware Fee: No
Additional Connectivity Fee: No
Payment Processing: Daily payouts via Stripe
Overview of Complete Ticket Solutions
Key Platform Features
Customizable Tickets: The software supports various ticket types, advance sales (e.g., season tickets), group plans, VIP credentials, and mobile ticketing.
Marketing Integration: The platform includes social media integrations, promotion tools, and retargeting ads. Some marketing tools are available at an additional cost.
Event Day Tools:: Complete Ticket Solutions provides wristbands, scanners, training for staff, and other equipment. Some event day equipment is available at an additional cost
User Experience and Ease of Use
Complete Ticket Solutions emphasizes simplicity with an easy-to-navigate interface. Its tools are promoted as designed to streamline ticket sales while offering flexibility for customization.
Client Support and On-Site Assistance
The company offers various support services to assist event organizers:
Call Center Services: For an additional fee, Complete Ticket Solutions offers a toll-free number and customer service representatives who are knowledgeable about both the event and the ticketing system.
Event Day Staffing: The company can provide on-site staff equipped with the tools to support event operations at an additional cost.
Ticket Buyer Support
Complete Ticket Solutions does not offer customer service support to event organizers’ ticket buyers. However, an option is available to add ticket buyer support for an event for an additional fee.
Pricing & Payment Processing
Specific pricing and payout details are not publicly available on the company’s website. However, the following information was discovered through research:
Fee Percent: 5% – 7% + $0.99 per ticket
Minimum Ticket Price: $0
Contract Required: N/A
Additional Hardware Fee: Yes
Additional Connectivity Fee: Yes
Payment Processing: Daily payouts via Stripe
Comparison Stack Up
Specializes in ticketing solutions tailored specifically for both military and civilian airshows, with proven expertise and leadership in the air show market.
Built for Air Shows
Optimize ticket sales and event management with a responsive, intuitive interface designed for any device. Provide a frictionless checkout for buyers and empower organizers with real-time access to crucial tools, ensuring hassle-free operations from anywhere.
Optimize ticket sales with data-driven insights, including Location Sales Reports, Event Comparison Reports, alongside real-time tracking. Leverage features like Discounts & Unlock Codes, Social Proof Notifications, and Tickets Remaining to boost engagement and conversions.
Keep buyers engaged with re-engagement email campaigns, and abandoned cart recovery to maximize event success.
LIMITED
Delivers comprehensive presale & onsale campaigns, email and SMS marketing services to alleviate the marketing burden for event organizers.
INCLUDED
for qualifying events
EXTRA COST
uses 3rd Party Agency
Supports events with last-minute announcements, alerts or updates, offering marketing assistance even on the day of the event.
INCLUDED
for qualifying events
INCLUDED
for qualifying events
EXTRA COST
Provides high-speed ticket scanners and handheld point-of-sale devices for efficient event entry and sales.
INCLUDED
EXTRA COST
Operates on a private network channel for events, ensuring prioritized and uninterrupted service even when cell towers experience peak usage.
INCLUDED
Private 5G Connection
EXTRA COST
Consumer 5G Connection
ADDED COST
Gain instant access to critical event data with real-time visibility, allowing you to monitor ticket sales, scanned tickets, page traffic, conversion funnels, and revenue-driving campaigns. Additionally, generate unsold seat reports to streamline inventory management and optimize event planning.
Daily Payouts via Stripe
Daily Payouts via Stripe
Per-Ticket Percentage-Based Fee
(5% - 10% per-ticket)
Per-Ticket Percentage-Based + Flat Fee
(5% - 7% + $0.99 per ticket)
Comparison Summary
Advantages
- Done-for-you, white-glove services to optimize your event's success
- Bundled hardware & connectivity with no rental fees.
- Strong focus on outdoor events and air shows with guarenteed private 5G connectivity, even when public cellular networks fail.
- Comprehensive marketing tools & services
- On-site event assistance
- Real-time data for improved decision-making
- More features & services included in base pricing than EventSprout
- Accessible help from a real person when you and your ticket buyers need it
- Mobile App Scanner, offers fast, reliable ticket scanning with audible feedback, offline sync, and customizable scanning rules—all with optimized battery life and an intuitive interface.
Downsides
- Primarily suited for air shows or medium-to-large outdoor events.
- Strong focus on handling everything for event organizers means it may not be a match for all events.
Advantages
- Well known for festival & outdoor events.
- Focus on access control and event credentials
- Promotes platform as suitable for events of all sizes.
Downsides
- Pricing structure and payout process not publicly available.
- On-site support and many other tools and services require additional costs.
- No day-of support services.
- Less support and fewer marketing tools and services compared to AttendStar
- Complete Ticket Solution’s hardware relies on unreliable consumer-grade 5G cellular connection or WiFi, which may impact event operations.
Which Ticketing Platform is Right for You?
Choosing between AttendStar and Complete Ticket Solutions depends on your specific event needs and comfort level:
- If you’re organizing an air show or outdoor event and require specialized features, extensive marketing support, and on-site assistance, AttendStar may be the better choice.
Also, if you want a team of experts onsite during your event to help you with logistics, ticket scanning + POS, parking, connectivity, guest flow optimization, and more, then AttendStar is the best choice. - If you’re planning a diverse range of events and prioritize access control, Complete Ticket Solutions could be more suitable. However, based on the limited amount of information about the company, its software, and its services available on its website and across the internet, do your due diligence first.
Consider requesting demos from both platforms to get a hands-on understanding of their features. Only you can determine which will work best for your event based on your needs.
Ultimately, the right choice depends on your event’s specific requirements and budget. By carefully evaluating the software features, support services, and pricing structures of each platform, you can make an informed decision that will contribute to the success of your event.
Remember, the ticketing platform (and team behind the platform) that you choose is more than just a tool for selling tickets — it’s a partner in creating memorable experiences for your attendees and achieving your event objectives. Choose wisely!
