Planning to attend a concert, sports game, theater show, or movie night? With so many online platforms available for buying and reselling tickets, it can be tough to know where to start. This guide breaks down the major players—SeatGeek, StubHub, Ticketmaster, TicketSmarter, TickPick, Viagogo, Cinemark, and Fandango—so you can choose the best service for your next outing.
SeatGeek is a user-friendly ticketing platform offering tickets to a wide range of events, including sports, concerts, and theater. It features an interactive seat map and a deal score to help buyers get the most value.
Highlights:
Interactive seat selection
Deal score to assess ticket value
Wide event coverage
Considerations:
Fees may apply at checkout
Mostly resale-based inventory
StubHub is a trusted ticket resale marketplace for concerts, sports, and theater. It often features hard-to-find or last-minute tickets and guarantees ticket authenticity.
Highlights:
FanProtect Guarantee for safe purchases
Last-minute ticket availability
Global reach
Considerations:
Prices can be above face value
Variable fees depending on event
Ticketmaster is the industry leader in official ticket sales for concerts, sports, theater, and festivals. With regional domains, it also supports international events in countries like Belgium and Italy.
Highlights:
Official source for major events
Verified tickets and presales
Mobile ticketing and app support
Considerations:
High demand events may crash the site
Service fees can be significant
TicketSmarter operates as a resale marketplace and donates a portion of ticket proceeds to charitable organizations. It’s similar to StubHub and SeatGeek, but with a social impact angle.
Highlights:
Charity-driven model
Access to thousands of events
100% ticket guarantee
Considerations:
Mostly resale inventory
Prices vary widely by demand
TickPick distinguishes itself by offering transparent pricing with no hidden fees. The platform caters to concerts, sports, and other live events with a clean, intuitive interface.
Highlights:
No hidden service fees
Transparent pricing
BuyerTrust Guarantee
Considerations:
Smaller event selection than larger sites
Inventory mostly resale-based
Viagogo offers global access to tickets for concerts, festivals, and sporting events. It’s especially useful for international travel and cross-border ticket purchases.
Highlights:
Wide international availability
Covers niche and global events
Secure transactions
Considerations:
Prices can be inflated
Mixed reputation in some regions
Cinemark is one of the largest U.S. movie theater chains, offering online ticket purchases, seat reservations, and loyalty programs through its website and app.
Highlights:
Reserve seats online
Rewards program (Cinemark Movie Club)
Convenient mobile app
Considerations:
Limited to Cinemark theaters
Some service fees may apply
Fandango is a popular platform for browsing showtimes, buying tickets, and watching trailers across multiple movie theater chains. It’s ideal for planning a movie night with ease.
Highlights:
Covers many theater chains
Movie reviews, trailers, and ratings
Easy mobile ticketing
Considerations:
Convenience fees may apply
Not all theaters are supported
Platform | Primary Focus | Ideal For | Key Strengths |
SeatGeek | Event ticketing + resale | Concert and sports fans | Deal score, interactive maps |
StubHub | Resale tickets | Last-minute and sold-out events | FanProtect Guarantee, global access |
Ticketmaster | Official ticketing | Fans of major artists/events | Verified tickets, presales, mobile app |
TicketSmarter | Resale + charity | Socially conscious buyers | Ticket guarantee, charity support |
TickPick | Resale with no fees | Budget-conscious eventgoers | No hidden fees, clean UI |
Viagogo | International resale | Global travelers | Broad global access |
Cinemark | Movie theater tickets | Cinemark customers | Seat reservations, loyalty program |
Fandango | Movie tickets and trailers | General moviegoers | Multiple chains, trailers & reviews |
Explore your options, compare features, and enjoy the show!
