The most effective payment gateway integration connects checkout, booking confirmation, refunds and payment reporting in one workflow. For tour and attraction operators who want control over their payment account, connecting their own gateway is a strong option.
But gateway choice is only part of the decision. Before comparing Stripe, PayPal or a local provider, ask: who receives your customer’s payment, and who decides when you get paid?
That answer affects your cash flow, costs and flexibility.
Compare the payment models first
Ticketing platforms can handle payments in different ways. Two questions help you understand the arrangement:
- Who is the legal seller? This is the merchant of record: the business responsible for the sale under the applicable agreement.
- Who collects and pays out the money? Payments may be processed through your own account or collected through a platform’s payment arrangement.
These questions are related, but collecting payments does not, by itself, establish that a platform is the merchant of record. Check the provider’s terms.
Connecting your own payment gateway
With this setup, you connect a payment account held by your business to your ticketing software. The ticketing platform manages the booking, while your payment provider processes the transaction and pays out according to your agreement.
This can suit operators who:
- Already have a payment provider or negotiated processing rates.
- Need a gateway supported by their bank or local market.
- Want a direct relationship with their payment provider.
- Want to keep their payment account when changing booking software.
Having your own account does not guarantee immediate access to funds. Your provider’s payout schedule, verification requirements and any reserves still apply.
Using a platform’s payment service
Some ticketing platforms collect customer payments through their payment service and pay operators according to their terms.
An integrated service can make setup convenient. The trade-off depends on the agreement: payout timing, reserves, processing fees and responsibility for refunds or disputes all need checking.
For an occasional event, convenience may be the priority. For a business running tours every day, access to revenue throughout the operating season may matter more.
At a glance
| Your own gateway | A platform’s payment service | |
|---|---|---|
| Whose account receives the payment | Yours | Usually the platform’s, under its terms |
| Who sets payout timing and reserves | Your payment provider, under your agreement | The platform |
| Processing rates | Your own agreement with your provider | Set by the platform |
| Refunds and disputes | Managed in your payment account | Handled under the platform’s rules |
| Changing booking software | Your payment account stays with you | Payment setup usually needs replacing |
| Setup | Connect an existing account or open one | Usually built in |
Choose the integration that fits your operation
There are three practical routes to consider:
| Integration route | When it can fit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| A built-in connection to your own gateway | Your preferred provider is already supported | Countries, currencies, refunds and available payment methods |
| A gateway connection through a service such as Spreedly | You need a specific processor or regional gateway | Whether the ticketing platform supports your exact gateway and required features |
| A custom integration | Existing connections cannot meet a business requirement | Development cost, maintenance, security and payment failure handling |
Spreedly provides connections to a broad range of payment gateways. However, a gateway appearing in its directory does not establish that every ticketing platform supports every feature of that connection. See Spreedly’s supported gateways.
What to check before choosing
A supported gateway logo is a starting point. Ask the ticketing provider to demonstrate the complete payment journey.
- Account and payouts: Whose payment account receives the transaction? When are funds paid out, and can reserves apply?
- Total cost: What are the booking, processing, currency conversion, refund and dispute fees?
- Customer checkout: Does the integration support the currencies and payment methods your customers need?
- Booking confirmation: What happens if a payment succeeds but the customer closes the page before returning to the booking system?
- Refunds: Can staff issue full and partial refunds from the booking record? It also helps to know how to spot refund scams.
- Reporting: Can each booking be matched to its payment, fees and refund history?
- In-person sales: Does the proposed setup cover your ticket desk or kiosk, if needed?
- Security: How are card details protected, and what compliance responsibilities remain with your business?
How TicketingHub handles payments
TicketingHub is not the merchant of record and does not hold client funds. Operators connect their own payment gateway account, and payments are processed through that account.
TicketingHub supports:
- Stripe and PayPal through native connections.
- 120+ additional payment gateways through Spreedly, with the specific gateway and required features to be confirmed during setup.
Your gateway pays out to your registered bank account under its own terms. TicketingHub charges its booking fee separately, giving you visibility into the cost of ticketing and payment processing.
This approach lets you use TicketingHub to manage bookings while maintaining your own payment provider relationship.
