Conference ticketing
non-profit
Organise your conference: online ticketing, custom registration form, member and non-member rates, automatic reminder the day before. 100% free.
Why Donoor for this project
The tools you need, already connected and free. No pricing plan, no tiers, no equipment to rent.
Member / non-member rates
Give your members a reduced rate, or a free conference reserved for members (automatic verification).
Custom form
Ask registrants about their specific needs (dietary requirements, accessibility, questions for the speaker…).
0% commission
For 150 registrants at £20, you keep £3,000 versus £2,781 with Eventbrite. Fund your next conferences.
Automatic reminder the day before
Reminder email sent the evening before (venue, time, programme). Reduces no-shows by around 30%.
What to prepare
The honest list of equipment and team you need to make your conference a success. No proprietary hardware to buy, you already have 90% of what you need.
Team
- 1 conference coordinatorProgramme, speakers, venue, communication. Overview of the project over 2 to 3 months.
- 1 moderator / hostIntroduces the speakers, manages the time for each session and leads questions from the audience.
- 2 to 3 welcome hostsQR check-in at the entrance, handing out named badges, directing guests to the rooms.
- 1 audio/video technicianMicrophones, video projection, video recording if you later broadcast a replay.
- 1 community manager during the eventLive-tweeting, photos for social media, capturing quotes to publish the day after.
Tools and equipment
- A Donoor account (5 min)Member, non-member, student and company rates, custom form (job title and organisation), reminder the day before, QR check-in.
- Room suited to capacityConference room, company auditorium, municipal hall. Check the authorised capacity under ERP (public building) regulations.
- Video projector, screen and wireless microphonesOften provided by the venue. Otherwise an audiovisual service provider (around £300 to £800 depending on scale).
- Printed name badgesPre-printed from the Donoor export (CSV with name, position and organisation). Printed on Avery labels.
- Video recording (optional)Fixed camera on tripod + lapel microphones for speakers. Subsequent broadcast on the organisation's YouTube channel = long-term SEO.
What the law says
We explain the legal obligations for your conference in plain language. Checked by our team and up to date for 2026.
No entertainment promoter licence required
A conference without music or live performance is not subject to the entertainment promoter licence (licence d'entrepreneur de spectacles). You may therefore pay speakers without this formality. However, be careful if the conference includes a concert or artistic performance: entertainment rules apply to the artistic part.
VAT on ticketing
Revenue from conferences organised by an organisation of general interest is exempt from VAT up to €76,679 of ancillary commercial revenue per year. Beyond that, the organisation becomes liable for VAT. The vast majority of association conferences remain below this threshold.
GDPR for the registration form
Collecting name, position, organisation and email constitutes personal data subject to the GDPR. A mandatory notice must appear in the form: purpose (organising the conference), retention period (3 years maximum), rights of access and deletion. Donoor includes this notice in all forms it creates.
Image rights when filming
If you film the conference for later broadcast (YouTube, organisation website), have speakers sign an authorisation for recording and use of their image AND inform attendees at the entrance (visible sign). A template authorisation can be requested from your federation.
Speaker remuneration
An occasional speaker may be paid via a fee note (note d'honoraires, BNC < €70,600/year) or via an invoice (if self-employed). Avoid the “cachet artiste” (artist’s fee), which involves GUSO and heavy social charges. For volunteer speakers: reimbursement of expenses only (transport, accommodation, meals), with no declaration.
Your checklist for D-Day
Everything you must not forget, by phase. Print it and tick items off as you go.
3 months before
- Define the topic and format (duration, number of speakers)
- Invite speakers and confirm their availability
- Book the conference room
- Set the prices (member / non-member / student)
- Prepare the communication (visual, hashtag, hook)
4 weeks before
- Create the conference on Donoor with prices and a custom form
- Open online registration and promote on social networks
- Prepare the speakers' technical sheet (slides, microphone)
- Prepare the name badge template
- Confirm the final list of attendees by D-7
On the day
- Print name badges from the Donoor CSV export
- Set up the room and test audio/video at H-2
- Brief speakers and moderator at H-1
- Greeters with iPhones for QR code check-in
- Activate video recording if planned
- Moderator opens the session, leads it and manages timing
- Networking cocktail after the conference
They did it
Three organisation profiles that ran their conference with Donoor, so you can picture realistic cases.
Regional professional organisation
Quarterly conference for members (local micro-businesses / SMEs). 130 recurring attendees. Price of €15 for members / €35 for prospects to encourage membership. Networking cocktail at the end of the conference, paid by Tap to Pay if drinks are charged.
Student organisation (political science)
Monthly discussion conference with an invited public figure. Free entry for students, €5 for non-students, additional donations added to the basket. Lecture hall lent by the university. Video recording subsequently broadcast on YouTube (1,500 views per month on average).
Medical organisation (self-employed doctors)
Evening of continuing education with 2 specialist speakers. 80 doctors registered. Price of €50 including a buffet cocktail. Form collecting RPPS number and specialty for DPC certificates. Video recording reserved for members.
A professional conference
120 registrants: 90 member places at £15 (£1,350) + 30 non-member places at £35 (£1,050) = £2,400 in ticket sales. Custom form to collect job title and organisation for badges. Automatic reminder the day before sent to everyone, QR check-in at the entrance. No subscription, no pricing plan.
Hesitating over another platform?
Compare Donoor with other providers on fees and features.
Other compatible projects
Many organisations run or combine several types of project. Explore the related guides.
Frequently asked questions
Can we offer a rate reserved for members?
Yes, create a “Member — £10” rate accessible via a promo code (for example “MEMBER2026”) that you send only to your members. Only those who know the code can use it.
Can we invite speakers or VIPs for free?
Yes, create an “Invitation — £0” rate accessible via a confidential promo code. Send the code to your guests; they register and receive their QR code.
How do I export the list of registrants before the conference?
Donoor dashboard > Conference > Export as CSV. The list includes first name, last name, email, rate, registration date and all custom fields (dietary requirements, etc.). Use it to prepare badges, catering and equipment.
Can we record the conference and send the replay?
Donoor does not handle streaming or recording. However, you can send the replay link (YouTube/Vimeo) to registrants by exporting their emails from Donoor and using a newsletter tool (Brevo has a free plan).
How much does conference ticketing cost on Donoor?
£0. Donoor is 100% free: no commission, no subscription. Only bank fees (1.5% + £0.25) apply, covered by the registrant four times out of five.
Can we take a deposit and collect the balance on site?
Not for now: Donoor collects 100% of the rate at the time of online registration. For a deposit system, manage it offline and manually mark paying registrants as “confirmed”.
We take care ofsetting it all up for you.
Create your organization space in a few minutes, or let us set everything up for you. Free, fast, hassle-free.
100% free · No subscription, no commitment
How it works
Set up in under 8 minutes, no technical knowledge needed.
Create your conference
Event with date, time, venue and speaker. Rates: Member £10, Student £15, Full price £25.
Customise the registration form
Add custom fields: “Question for the speaker”, “Dietary requirements”, “Reduced mobility access”…
Promote
Share the Donoor link on social media, in newsletters and in the trade press. The reminder the day before is sent automatically.
Welcome your guests
Scan QR codes at the entrance, named badges possible (PDF export), Tap to Pay for late arrivals.