How Small Farms Can Sell Event Tickets Without Losing Money on Fees

Introduction: The Hidden Cost of Selling Farm Event Tickets

If you’ve ever tried selling tickets for a small farm event, you already know the frustration. You set a simple price — maybe $7 for a farm tour, a produce tasting, or a weekend open day — only to realise that ticketing platforms like Eventbrite start eating into your profit before visitors even step onto your farm.

For many small farm owners, every dollar counts. Agritourism isn’t just a fun addition — it’s a way to bring people to the farm, share what we grow, and create meaningful experiences.

But when ticketing fees and payment charges stack up, it becomes harder for farmers to run affordable agritourism activities without losing money.

This problem pops up often in agritourism forums and farmer Facebook groups: “My event is only $7… how do I sell tickets without losing money to Eventbrite?”

And the truth is, this isn’t a small issue. High fees can quietly drain a farm’s potential income, especially for low-priced events that rely on high attendance. Whether it’s a fruit tasting, farm walk, kids’ workshop, pumpkin day, or a durian tour, choosing the wrong ticketing platform can turn a profitable event into a break-even day.

This article will show you practical, farmer-friendly ways to sell farm event tickets without high fees — so you keep more of the money, and your visitors still enjoy a smooth, professional booking experience.

2. The Real Problem: High Ticketing Fees vs. Low Ticket Prices

Most agritourism farms run events that are intentionally affordable. We want families to visit, tourists to explore, and locals to enjoy a day on the land. But here’s the challenge: when your entry fee is only $5–$10, even small ticketing fees can take a big bite out of your earnings.

Let’s look at Eventbrite as an example. Their fees often include:

• A per-ticket fee

• A percentage fee

• Plus payment processing

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On a $7 ticket, you might lose $0.50–$1.50 — and that adds up quickly when you’re selling 200–350 tickets. Suddenly, a farm that thought it would earn $2,450 from ticket sales ends up losing a few hundred dollars to fees alone.

For a small farm, that money could’ve paid for:

• Extra workers during the event

• Hay bales for decorations

• Free samples

• Marketing costs

• Or simply more profit for your hard work

  
  

The bigger issue?

Many farmers don’t realise how much they’re losing until the event is over. They see full attendance, but not full income.

Beyond the fees, there’s another problem: Most major ticketing platforms aren’t built for farms.

They’re designed for concerts, big-city events, conferences — not agritourism activities, family farm days, or small seasonal events. Farmers end up struggling with:

• Complicated setups

• High service charges

• Unnecessary features

• Lack of control over visitor communication

  
  

And that’s why so many farmers are now searching for simple, low-cost, and farmer-friendly ticketing solutions — systems that let them sell tickets online without losing money.

In the next section, we’ll look at the ticketing options that actually work for farms, including zero-fee farm ticketing methods that keep almost all your revenue where it belongs: in your pocket.

3. The Best Low-Cost (or No-Cost) Event Tickets Options for Small Farms

When it comes to agritourism ticketing, most farmers don’t need complicated software. They just need something simple, reliable, and affordable — a tool that helps them sell farm event tickets without eating up their profit. Here are the best low-cost solutions that work beautifully for small farms, community events, and seasonal activities.

A. Google Forms + Stripe/PayPal (Zero Platform Fees)

This is the easiest and cheapest way for most farmers to start selling farm tour tickets or workshop tickets.

How it works:

1. Create a Google Form with basic questions: name, email, number of tickets.

2. Add a Stripe or PayPal payment link at the end.

3. After payment, you send an auto-confirmation email.

That’s it — no Eventbrite fees, no complicated dashboards, and no expensive subscription.

Why farmers love this:

• Zero platform fees

• Simple enough for anyone to use

• Works for any farm event: durian tasting, fruit-picking, goat-milking, you name it

• Keeps almost all your profit, even with low-ticket prices

Quick example: A farmer selling 300 tickets at $7 keeps nearly the full amount. If the same farmer used Eventbrite, they might lose $150–$250 just in fees.

For low-cost ticketing for farms, nothing beats this.

B. Ticket Tailor (Cheap + Professional Event Tickets System)

If you want something more polished — QR codes, automatic ticket delivery, mobile check-in — Ticket Tailor is the most affordable professional platform.

Why it’s better than Eventbrite:

• Much lower fees

• No per-ticket percentage

• Clean QR tickets

• Easy check-in with your phone

• Works for hundreds of visitors

Many farms use Ticket Tailor for seasonal events like sunflower festivals, pumpkin patches, or fruit/produce tastings because it makes farm event ticket sales smooth and stress-free.

C. Square Appointments / Square Online

For farms already using Square for retail, this is a perfect all-in-one system.

Benefits:

• Free booking pages

• No subscription fee

• Only the standard payment processing

• Perfect for tours, ATV rides, workshops, and tastings

If you already have a Square reader at your farm shop, this keeps everything under one platform. It’s a great choice for simplifying agritourism ticketing.

D. Other Easy Options for Small Farms

Depending on your comfort level, you can also consider:

• Tito – clean and minimal

• Jotform – form plus payment all-in-one

• WooCommerce – ideal if your farm already has a website

• Wix - a great all in one website builder, bookings and payment (recommended)

  
  

These are great alternatives for farmers who want something customizable but still affordable.

4. The “Farmer-Friendly” Method: Google Form → Payment Link → Auto Confirmation

Now let me share the method that every small farm can use — whether you host 30 visitors or 350. This is the most farmer-friendly, low-stress way to sell farm tour tickets while avoiding unnecessary fees. And best of all, it’s completely free to set up.

This simple workflow has helped farms all around the world increase their farm event ticket sales without any tech headaches.

Step 1: Create a Simple Google Form

Ask only what you need:

• Name

• Email

• Phone (optional)

• Number of tickets

• Preferred date/time (if applicable)

Visitors love this because it’s fast. Farmers love it because it keeps everything in one place.

Step 2: Add Your Stripe or PayPal Payment Link

You can create a simple $7 payment link in Stripe or PayPal.Paste it at the end of the form.

This creates a clean, simple low-cost ticketing system that avoids all Eventbrite fees.

Step 3: Set Up Auto-Confirmation Email

Write a quick message that says:

• “Thank you for your booking!”

• Event date & time

• QR code or booking number

• What to bring

• Directions to your farm

You can automate this using:

• Google Sheets Add-ons

• Zapier

• MailerLite (if you want to look professional)

Visitors receive everything instantly — just like a big commercial event — but you didn’t pay a cent to a ticketing platform.

Step 4: Easy Check-In at the Gate

On the event day, you simply:

• Check their names off a list OR

• Scan QR codes using your phone (if you set it up)

You don’t need expensive scanners or fancy systems. This is truly agritourism ticketing made simple.

Why This Method Works for Small Farms

• No platform fees

• No subscription cost

• Simple for visitors

• Easy to manage for farmers

• Perfect for $5–$15 tickets

• Works for 50 visitors or 500

This is the system small farms can use for fruit tastings, farm tours, goat cuddling, durian experiences, flower festivals, and seasonal agritourism events.

Most importantly, it keeps your profit where it belongs — on your farm, not in someone else’s platform.

5. Bonus: How to Increase Revenue From a $7 Ticket

One of the biggest questions small farm owners often ask is this: “How do I make money when my farm event ticket price is so low?”

And the truth is… the secret isn’t the $7 ticket. The secret is what you offer around that ticket.

This is where agritourism becomes powerful. When visitors step onto your farm, they’re not just buying entry — they’re buying an experience, a memory, a taste of your world. And that gives you many ways to ethically and joyfully increase revenue.

Here are simple strategies that every farm can use:

✓ Add-On Products (The easiest upsell)

People already excited to visit will happily spend a little more. Offer:

• Fresh fruit or produce boxes ($10–$20)

• Mini durian packs or farm snacks ($8–$15)

• Homemade jams, soaps, or honey ($5–$12)

Visitors love taking home something they can taste or use later.

✓ Bundle Upgrades

Give them options beyond the basic entry:

• Family bundle – $25 for 2 adults + 2 kids

• VIP farm tour – $15 upgrade with behind-the-scenes access

• Tasting pack – $10 add-on for 3–5 produce samples

Bundles increase your average revenue per visitor without increasing visitor traffic.

✓ Paid Activities on the Farm

Most farms undercharge for experiences. But small fees add up:

• ATV rides ($10–$20)

• Animal feeding cups ($2–$4)

• Mini workshops ($5–$15)

• Guided orchard walk ($7–$10)

These make your farm event unforgettable while boosting profitability.

✓ The Most Powerful Upsell: Home Delivery

After they fall in love with your farm, offer:

• Weekly fruit box delivery

• Monthly produce subscription

• Special seasonal harvest delivery

• Holiday gift packs

A $7 visitor can become a $200 repeat customer — without extra marketing.

This is the heart of profitable agritourism: creating value before, during, and after the visit. Good farm event ticket sales systems help you track everything, and when you use low-cost ticketing for farms, you keep more profits in your pocket to reinvest into your land.

Conclusion: Keep Your Profit, Keep It Simple

Running a farm is already hard work. Selling farm tour tickets shouldn’t make it harder — and it definitely shouldn’t take away your profit. The good news is that today’s low-cost ticketing for farms gives you simple, farmer-friendly tools to manage your events without paying heavy platform fees.

Whether you use Ticket Tailor, Google Forms + Stripe, or Square Online, the goal is the same: make agritourism profitable, keep your ticketing simple, and give visitors a beautiful experience on your farm.

Remember this: Visitors don’t come to your farm for a fancy digital ticket. They come for your story, your land, your produce, and the feeling of being welcomed like family.

If you can offer that — and keep most of your revenue instead of handing it to a ticketing company — you’re already ahead of 90% of small farms out there.

Hope this helps you out. If you find it helpful do share with those you think will benefit from this guide.