FareHarbor Pricing vs TicketingHub: What Tour Operators Actually Pay in 2026

Quick Answer

FareHarbor does not charge operators a monthly or setup fee. It uses a model where your customers pay. They face a 6% credit card processing fee on each booking. Operators pay nothing upfront, but customers see a 6% extra charge at checkout.

TicketingHub charges operators 3.5% per booking on pay as you go, with no monthly or setup fee and no customer-facing booking fee. Operators decide whether to absorb the fee or pass it on.

What Does FareHarbor Actually Cost?

FareHarbor doesn't have a public pricing page. But operators who used both platforms say FareHarbor's fees work like this:

How FareHarbor's "Free" Model Works in Practice

FareHarbor says it is free to operators, which is true since there is no monthly bill. Instead, it charges a credit card fee to your customers when they book.

This model affects conversion. The surcharge at checkout makes the price look higher than advertised. Many operators who switched to TicketingHub said FareHarbor's fee led to cart abandonment and confusion. One operator said: "Some people think FareHarbor is free — I had a client who told me that. When I said we charged 3%, he said that was expensive." This perception gap is a real sales issue.

FareHarbor vs TicketingHub: Real Cost on a $100 Booking

Here is what each platform costs on a $100 tour booking:

With FareHarbor

• Your customer pays: $106 (your $100 + 6% fee)
• Your revenue: $100
• Customer experience: Surprise extra charge at checkout

With TicketingHub (operator absorbs fee)

• Your customer pays: $100
• Your revenue: $96.50 (TicketingHub takes 3.5% on pay as you go)
• Customer experience: Clean, transparent checkout

With TicketingHub (operator passes on fee)

• Add a 3.5% booking fee in your TicketingHub settings
• Your customer pays: $103
• Your revenue: $100
• You keep the difference if you set a higher fee

Operators who switch from FareHarbor often keep the 6% booking fee. They charge it through TicketingHub, so they keep the difference.

Does FareHarbor Charge for OTA Bookings?

Yes. Operators who used FareHarbor say it charges about 2% on OTA bookings from sites like Viator and GetYourGuide. This is separate from the 6% guest fee and is charged to the operator.

TicketingHub charges the same 3.5% on OTA bookings as on bookings from your own website, so there is no separate OTA rate. The pricing page has the current rates.

How FareHarbor's price compares with other platforms

FareHarbor's model is unusual only in who pays. Most platforms bill the operator a monthly fee, a percentage, or both. The table shows the main options side by side; the full comparison with a worked cost example is in Best tour booking software in 2026: 9 platforms compared on price.

Why Operators Switch From FareHarbor to TicketingHub

The main reasons operators switch platforms:

1. Fee transparency — operators want a clear checkout with no extra charges for customers
2. OTA fee increases — FareHarbor's 2% OTA fee adds up for operators who have high OTA bookings
3. No contract on pay as you go — no lock-in, no setup fee, no penalty for leaving
4. Pricing simplicity — 3.5% on pay as you go, published, with no hidden fees
5. Support quality — TicketingHub's support comes from the team that builds it, with direct access to the founder

Frequently Asked Questions