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Learn How to Make Printable Tickets: A Complete Tutorial

Jayanshu Badlani
March 6, 2025
min read
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Planning your own event feels exciting, right?

Whether it’s a birthday party, a school play, a fundraiser, or even a small concert, you get to make all the big decisions. 

You choose the venue, set the date, pick the theme, and decide how everything will look. But there’s one thing many people forget—printable tickets.

In the past, you had to go to a printing shop or order tickets online. You would wait days to get them, and if you needed more at the last minute, it was stressful and expensive.

That’s why printable tickets for events have become so popular. With these, you can design, edit, and print your own tickets anytime you want. 

In 2024, the global online event ticketing market was valued at around $30.8 billion, and it’s projected to reach about $40.4 billion by 2030 (a ~4.6% annual growth rate). (GlobeNewswire)

If you need more, just print more—easy, fast, and inexpensive

In this blog, you’ll learn how to create editable printable tickets from scratch. We’ll walk you through why they’re a smart choice, how to design them, and the best ways to print them at home or through a service.

Whether you’re planning something small or big, this complete tutorial will show you everything you need to know about custom printable tickets.

A. Why printable tickets are the smart choice for events

When you plan an event, tickets might not seem like a big deal at first. You’re thinking about food, music, or making sure the DJ shows up.

But tickets matter more than you think — they’re the first thing your guests see. A well-made ticket gets people excited. A messy one? Not so much.

That’s why printable tickets make sense. You design them yourself and match them to your event.

Want something fancy? Go for it. Want fun and bold? You can do that too. With printable tickets for events, you control the look and feel.

You also control how many you print. Need 30? Print 30. More guests RSVP? Print more. No wasting money on extras or waiting for a printing company.

With editable printable tickets, your event stays secure. Since each ticket is unique, it’s much harder for anyone to copy or fake them. That means fewer headaches at the door.

If you want to go green, printable tickets work for that too. Email them, and guests show them on their phones — no paper needed.

The bottom line is that printable event tickets save money, give you creative freedom, and make check-in easier. Whether it’s a birthday party or a big concert, they’re the smart way to go.

Tip: Adding a QR Code isn’t just about looking modern — it speeds up check-in and makes sure no fake tickets sneak past your entrance team.

C. How to design and print your own printable tickets

When you need printable tickets for your event, the best thing is that you’re in charge. You don’t need to wait for anyone, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get them.

You design them, you print them, and you adjust them if anything changes. Here’s exactly how to do it.

1. Sign up and log in

The first step is to sign up on a platform that lets you create printable tickets for events.

Once you’re in, you’ll land on a dashboard where you can start building your tickets from scratch.

It’s pretty straightforward, even if you’ve never done this before.

2. Set up your event details

Before you touch the design, get your event details in place. You’ll need to add the event name, date, time, venue, and anything else guests need to know.

If you have different ticket types — like general admission, VIP, or press passes — you can set those up right here.

The nice thing about editable printable tickets is that you can change these details later if you need to.

Nothing is locked in stone until you print (and even then, you can always print more).

Roughly 71% of all event tickets are now sold online, versus 29% through in-person or offline channels. (Eventgroove)

3. Choose and customize your ticket design

Now comes the creative part. Most platforms offer ready-made templates for printable event tickets, which saves time.

You just pick one that fits your event and make small changes — like adding your logo, adjusting the colors, or tweaking the fonts.

If you already have a design, you can upload that instead. This is great if you want your custom printable tickets to match other materials like posters or flyers.

No matter which option you choose, keep it simple. Your guests should be able to read the ticket without stopping to think about what it says.

Clear always beats fancy.

4. Create an event page

Some platforms also let you create a quick event page to go with your ticket. This page can hold all the extra info — like parking directions, entry rules, and your event schedule.

If your printable tickets for events link directly to this page, guests have everything they need in one place.

It’s not a must, but it’s a nice extra that saves you from answering the same questions over and over.

5. Generate and send your tickets

Once your design looks good and the details are set, the platform will generate your tickets for you.

You can either download them as PDFs to print yourself, or send them directly to guests by email or even text message.

This is one of the biggest perks of using editable printable tickets — you’re not stuck to one method.

If you’re running a formal event, you might want to hand out printed tickets. For casual events, digital tickets work just fine.

6. Update tickets if plans change

Let’s be real — event plans almost always change. Maybe your venue switches or you have to adjust the time.

With printable event tickets, you can just update the ticket and send the new version to your guests. No stress, no waste.

7. Print your tickets (if you want physical copies)

If you’re printing at home, thicker paper (like cardstock) works best. It feels more professional, and it holds up better if guests are carrying it around.

Before you print the whole batch, always do a test print. That way, you catch any typos or weird layouts before wasting ink.

For larger events, you could also go to a local print shop if you want sharper colors and perfect cutting.

Either way works — it just depends on your budget and how fancy you want the tickets to feel.

8. Validate tickets at the event

When event day comes, your custom printable tickets make check-in way smoother. If you added a QR Code or barcode, staff can scan tickets right at the entrance.

The important thing is making sure only real ticket holders get in — and with printable tickets, you control exactly how that works.

With printable tickets, you’re in charge from start to finish — design, print, update, and check-in, all on your terms.

D. Comparing solutions for printing tickets

When choosing a platform to create and manage your printable tickets for events, it helps to see the options side by side. Here’s a quick look at how popular platforms compare:

Feature Ticket Generator Ticket Tailor Eventbrite Ticketspice Ticketleap
Pricing $0.25–$0.60 per ticket $0.22 (per ticket) + VAT (only when paid upfront), $0.60 (per ticket) + VAT (if not paid upfront) $0.61 + 6.95% (per ticket) $0.99 + 2.9% + $0.30 (per ticket) $1 + 2% of the ticket price
Custom Templates Available Available Available Available Available
QR Code Check-In Available Available Available Available Available
Customer Support Available Available Available Available Available
Free Trial The first 10 tickets are free The first 5 tickets are free No fee for free events N/A No fee for free events
Payment Methods Stripe, PayPal Stripe, PayPal, Square Credit/Debit Card, PayPal Credit Card, Pay by Cheque or PO Google Pay, Apple Pay
Reporting & Analytics Available Available Available Available Available
API Integration Available Available Available Available N/A

This table gives you the big picture. Now, let’s break down what this actually means when choosing the right platform for your printable event tickets.

1. Pricing

Price is always a major factor, especially if you’re running a smaller event. Platforms like Ticket Generator keep things predictable with a flat fee between $0.25 and $0.60 per ticket.

Ticket Tailor also offers flexible pricing—$0.22 per ticket plus VAT if you pay upfront, or $0.60 per ticket plus VAT if you pay as you go.

Meanwhile, Eventbrite, TicketSpice, and TicketLeap add percentage fees. For example, Eventbrite charges $0.61 plus 6.95% per ticket.

If your ticket price is high, those percentages eat into your revenue fast. TicketSpice and TicketLeap work similarly, blending flat fees and percentages, which can make budgeting harder.

2. Custom templates

All five platforms offer editable printable tickets, meaning you can add your logo, choose colors, and adjust fonts to match your event.

Whether you want something fancy or simple, you’ll find customization options across the board.

3. QR Code check-in

This one’s essential—and all platforms have it covered. QR Code check-in speeds up your entry process and keeps things organized.

Whether you scan with a dedicated app or a regular phone camera, QR check-in is a must for smooth event management and security.

4. Customer support

Support is available across all platforms, but the quality and speed can vary.

If you’re someone who likes having live chat or fast replies before your event, this is worth testing during your free trial.

5. Free trial

Speaking of trials—Ticket Generator gives you the first 10 tickets free, while Ticket Tailor offers 5 free ticket sales to get you started.

Both Eventbrite and TicketLeap waive fees entirely if your event itself is free. This makes them good choices if you’re running community events or free-entry workshops.

6. Payment methods

How guests pay also depends on the platform. Ticket Generator and Ticket Tailor both work with Stripe and PayPal.

Eventbrite keeps it simple with Credit/Debit Card and PayPal. Meanwhile, TicketSpice offers broader options—including Cheques and Purchase Orders, which can be handy for corporate or nonprofit events.

TicketLeap supports Google Pay and Apple Pay, which is great for mobile-first audiences.

7. Reporting and analytics

All platforms offer reporting and analytics, so you can track ticket sales and revenue in real-time.

If you like keeping an eye on numbers, you won’t miss out with any of these.

8. API integration

This one only matters if you’re running a larger or more tech-heavy event. Most platforms offer API integration, which lets you connect your ticketing system to other tools—like your website or CRM.

So, there’s no single "best" platform for every event. If you want the lowest per-ticket cost, Ticket Generator and Ticket Tailor are great choices.

If you want flexibility with payment methods, TicketSpice stands out. For free events, Eventbrite and TicketLeap save you money upfront.

No matter which one you pick, having printable tickets that you can customize, update, and check at the door is the easiest way to keep your event organized—and your guests happy.

Without access to the event’s database or encryption keys, creating a fake QR Code that would scan as valid is nearly impossible​. In essence, the data-rich QR Code acts as a secure digital fingerprint for the ticket. (Eventgroove)

E. Real-life scenarios where printable tickets save the day

Sometimes, the easiest way to see why something works is through real examples.

Let’s look at a few common event situations where printable tickets aren’t just helpful—they’re game changers.

1. Last-minute school fundraiser

A local school planned a fundraiser but didn’t think about tickets until the week before.

With printable event tickets, they designed simple tickets with the school logo and printed them right in the office.

When more parents wanted to join at the last minute, they just printed extra tickets on the spot.

No delays, no stress.

2. Community concert with changing plans

A community group organized an outdoor concert but had to change the venue due to bad weather.

Since they used editable printable tickets, updating the new location was easy.

Guests received the updated tickets by email, so everyone stayed in the loop.

3. Corporate seminar with VIP seating

For a corporate seminar, the organizers wanted clear separation between regular guests and VIPs.

Using custom printable tickets, they made two versions—one for VIPs with a special color and seating area, and one for general attendees.

This made check-in faster and avoided confusion inside the venue.

4. Charity event with walk-in guests

A nonprofit planned a charity dinner but didn’t know how many people would show up.

With printable tickets, they prepared for the confirmed guest list but printed more as new guests arrived.

Flexible ticketing helped them welcome everyone while keeping things organized.

No matter the size or type of event, printable tickets give organizers the freedom to adapt, adjust, and personalize as needed.

Real events rarely go 100% according to plan—but with editable printable tickets, you can always stay one step ahead.]

Tip: Make your tickets match your event — the right colors, fonts, and even a small message that fits your theme can turn a plain ticket into something people want to keep.

F. FAQs

1. Why should I choose printable tickets instead of pre-printed ones?

With printable tickets, you’re in control. You can design them yourself, print only what you need, and make changes anytime.

Pre-printed tickets lock you in — once they’re printed, you’re stuck with them, even if something changes.

2. What’s the best paper to print tickets on?

For a professional feel, go for cardstock (200-300 GSM). It’s thick enough to feel sturdy but still easy to print at home.

Regular paper works for casual events, but it can feel too flimsy for formal occasions.

3. Can I make different types of tickets for the same event?

Absolutely! You can create separate designs for VIP guests, general admission, press passes, or even early bird tickets.

This helps at the entrance and also makes each ticket feel more personalized.

4. How do I make sure no one uses fake tickets?

The easiest way is to add a QR Code or barcode to each ticket. At check-in, you scan the code to confirm it’s real.

Many platforms, including Ticket Generator, make this super easy to set up.

5. What if my event details change after I send the tickets?

That’s the beauty of editable printable tickets — you can update them anytime. If you email the tickets, guests can simply download the updated version.

If you’ve already printed, you can quickly reprint and resend. Flexibility like this is why printable tickets are perfect for real-life events.

G. Conclusion

At the end of the day, printable tickets just make life easier. You design them your way, print them when you need them, and update them if plans change. It’s simple, flexible, and works for any kind of event.

If you want something that’s quick and easy to use, you could check out Ticket Generator. It’s one of those tools that gets the job done without making you jump through hoops — which is exactly what you need when you’re busy planning everything else.

Author's Image

Jayanshu Badlani

Jayanshu is a passionate marketer. He has a strong background in statistics and brings new ideas to SaaS and event technology. He is an experienced writer and excels at using data to find practical solutions. Jayanshu's analytical skills, from his studies, help him create new solutions. He can simplify complex ideas for diverse audiences. His practical insights and data skills make him a valuable guide in this fast-changing field.

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