Have you ever desperately wanted tickets to a must-see event - but not quite had the wherewithal to camp out for days in front of the box office?
That's why online ticket vendors were invented. With many online vendors and apps, you can purchase tickets the moment they go on sale from the convenience of your living room. But different apps have different functionality. Some may have more hidden fees than others. And what about guarantees if something goes wrong?
Two top online vendors are Ticketnetwork and Ticketmaster. Both are designed to get you access to tickets for a large range of different events. But they also have some differences that may affect which one is best for your purposes.
I've taken a look at how each service functions and analyzed the differences between them.
Overview of Ticketnetwork and Ticketmaster
Shared Features
Unique Ticketnetwork Features
Unique Ticketmaster Features
Guarantees
Ticketnetwork
Ticketnetwork comes with the following service guarantees:
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster's service guarantee is called the Fan Guarantee. It includes the following clauses:
In addition to the situations outlined in the Fan Guarantee, the service will also automatically refund your money if there's an event cancellation. For event rescheduling, you can get a refund if you request it should you have a conflict with the rescheduled date.
Winner: Ticketnetwork
Ticketnetwork wins because it's hard to beat a service that offers refunds greater than your purchase price if there's an issue. But for more flexible return policies, you'll want to go with Ticketmaster.
Types of Event
Ticketnetwork
Ticketnetwork has access to a wide range of the most popular events in major cities throughout the United States. You can also sort by different entertainment genre when searching through concerts.
Some of the available events include:
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster also has access to a wide variety of events. These include:
Their website also has access to entertainment guides.
Winner: Tie
Both services will let you access many of the same events. But Ticketnetwork has access to music festival and stand-up comedy tickets, while Ticketmaster has access to fine arts events and family-oriented activities.
Ticket Delivery
Ticketnetwork
All Ticketnetwork tickets are delivered through the mail. They'll be sent by FedEx shipping, and you will be given a tracking number to see where the package is at any given moment.
Some tickets haven't been printed yet when they're first sold. This means that they may take longer to deliver than usual, since the seller needs to wait for them to be printed.
Each listing will indicate whether the tickets have already been printed or not.
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster has more delivery options for tickets. For those who don't want to wait for mail delivery, this tends to be the better choice. The exact options available will depend on the event and the seller.
Some of the ways of delivering tickets include:
It should be noted that no matter how you choose to receive your tickets, you will be subject to Ticketmaster's Delivery Fee. This fee does not only cover the cost of getting the tickets to you. It also allows the service itself to make a profit.
Winner: Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster is the winner here because of the convenience in their multiple delivery options. Printing the ticket at home or keeping it on your smartphone takes a lot of the hassle out of receiving the tickets. But if you don't want to be charged unnecessary and sometimes exorbitant delivery fees, you should go with Ticketnetwork.
See Full Review of - Ticketnetwork | Ticketmaster
Pros and Cons of Ticketnetwork
Pros
Cons
Pros and Cons of Ticketmaster
Pros
Cons
Final Thoughts: Which is Better?
Both of these services provide you with information about a variety of sporting, theater, and concert events. They also both offer a variety of service guarantees to ensure your purchase is of the highest possible quality.
Ticketmaster is good for those who haven't quite committed to an event yet. If you want to buy concert or sporting tickets before they sell out, you have three days to return the tickets should you decide the option isn't for you after all. But you may be subjected to unnecessary fees, which can drive the price up.
Ticketnetwork has tickets for most of the same venues, and the search function is just as extensive. This is the choice for those who want more comprehensive guarantees. If anything goes wrong with your ticket, you'll be refunded more than the purchase price. In addition, there are fewer unnecessary fees, so your end price may be lower.
