Bloomily vs. Eventbrite

Eventbrite in its own words

Eventbrite describes itself as a platform to "create an event for free, sell tickets, and grow your audience" (Eventbrite pricing). It is a general event and ticketing tool. It says events with free tickets are always free to run, with no ticketing platform fees. Ticket fees are paid by buyers by default, or you can absorb them. Its pricing plans are offered in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

For events that repeat, its recurring event setup lets you create multiple dates and multiple time slots per date (Eventbrite recurring events). A waitlist can start on its own when a ticket type sells out or the event reaches capacity (Eventbrite waitlists). Organizers can set up several ticket types, pricing options and add-on purchases. Attendees can be checked in with a contactless scan in the organizer app (Eventbrite registration). You can choose instant payouts, or a custom payout schedule after the event ends (Eventbrite payments).

Where Bloomily fits a day camp better

Bloomily is built around the camp week, from the moment a family registers to the afternoon pickup.

Weeks with their own places and prices. Families register from your camp's own page and pay a deposit. Each week has its own capacity, and a full week keeps a waiting list for the next family (Bloomily for camps). A family picks exactly the weeks it wants, and each week keeps its own price. Sibling discounts, early-bird prices and promo codes apply at checkout (Bloomily camp registration).

Deposits and balances that follow the camper. Families can pay in full, pay a deposit, or use a payment plan (Bloomily camp registration). Deposits come in at registration. The balance bill is made for you, due the Friday before the week (Bloomily features). Camp weeks and add-ons such as before care, after care and lunch land on one family balance with one autopay. If a family withdraws, you set the notice period and any withdrawal fee, and partial refunds calculate on their own (Bloomily programs).

A morning your counselors run from a phone. Counselors check campers in and out from the staff app on iPhone. Campers sit in groups, and counselors share a photo album with each group (Bloomily camp registration). Families can also check in and out at the kiosk with a PIN, or on their own phone (Bloomily for camps). Camp forms collect health notes, emergency contacts, pickup people, shirt size and waivers (Bloomily camp registration).

Families who know what happened today. Families see their group's album in the parent app on iPhone or Android (Bloomily for parents). Messages arrive translated into each parent's language, and replies come back in yours (Bloomily communication).

When Eventbrite is enough

Eventbrite fits single events. An open house, a family night or a one-day camp fair can run on tickets, and free events carry no ticketing platform fees.

Before you run a whole summer on it, check how it handles the shape of a camp week. Eventbrite's own help article lists cases its new recurring event experience is not ideal for. One is "multi-day events where each attendee registers once to get access to the entire event" (Eventbrite recurring events). A camp week, where a child registers once for every day of it, often has that shape. Ask Eventbrite how it would set up your weeks.

Also ask how a deposit now and a balance later would work, and where counselors would see each group and its health notes. You can keep Eventbrite for open houses and other single events, and run the camp season in Bloomily.

Moving from Eventbrite to Bloomily

Bring the list you keep today, as it is. AI help does the reading. That can be a spreadsheet, another system's export, a PDF or a photo of a paper list. Nothing saves until you approve it.

When you are ready, send each family one invite. Their child is already on their account. Keep your old system running beside Bloomily as long as you like (Switching to Bloomily).

Questions to ask in both demos

• How would a family register one child for several camp weeks in one checkout and see one balance?
• How would a deposit at registration be followed by automatic payments for the rest?
• How would sibling discounts apply when two children register for the same camp week?
• How would staff record drop-off and pickup each day, including who picked the child up?
• How would campers be grouped by age, with a list for each counselor?
• How would medical forms, allergies and emergency contacts reach counselors?
• How would families receive photos and messages during a camp week?

Which one fits your camp

Keep Eventbrite for open houses and other single events. Choose Bloomily when your camp season runs by the week, with deposits, check-in, groups and family updates tied together. See Bloomily for camps and Bloomily's camp pricing.