Hi.Events is a self-hostable, open-source alternative to Eventbrite and Tickettailor designed for event organizers who want full control over their ticketing process. Built with Laravel and React, it empowers nightlife promoters, festival directors, venues, and conference hosts to sell tickets online without paying per-ticket commissions or surrendering attendee data. The platform supports both cloud-hosted and self-hosted deployments via Docker or one-click providers like DigitalOcean and Render.
Technically, Hi.Events uses a modern PHP (Laravel) backend with a React frontend, offering a full REST API, webhook integrations, and multi-language support. It integrates with Stripe Connect for instant payouts and supports offline payments, QR code check-ins, and custom tax/fee configurations. All data remains under the organizer’s control, with exportable CSV/XLSX reports and AGPL-3.0 licensing with commercial options.
What You Get
- Flexible Ticket Types - Supports paid, free, donation, and tiered pricing with capacity limits and shared quotas across ticket categories.
- Customizable PDF Tickets - Design and brand your own ticket templates with logos, colors, and event details.
- QR Code Check-in with Scan Logs - Mobile-friendly scanner for fast door management with real-time attendance tracking and historical logs.
- Branded Event Pages & Checkout - Fully customize event landing pages, checkout flows, and email templates with your logo, fonts, and colors.
- Embeddable Ticket Widget - Integrate ticket sales directly into WordPress, Wix, React, or any HTML website using a simple embed code.
- Instant Stripe Payouts - Receive funds directly to your Stripe account before the event ends, bypassing traditional payout delays.
- Affiliate & Referral Tracking - Generate custom tracking links to reward promoters and affiliates for driving ticket sales.
- Multi-User Roles & Permissions - Assign admin, organizer, or viewer roles to team members with granular access controls.
- Custom Checkout Questions - Collect attendee data via text, dropdown, checkbox, date, phone, and address fields during registration.
- Real-Time Analytics Dashboard - Monitor sales, revenue, check-ins, and promo code performance with exportable reports in CSV/XLSX.
- Webhook Integrations - Connect to Zapier, Make, CRMs, or custom apps to automate data syncs and notifications.
- Offline Event Support - Sell tickets and check in attendees without internet access using the mobile check-in app.
Common Use Cases
- Running a nightclub event series - A promoter uses Hi.Events to manage VIP reservations, track promoter referral links, and receive instant Stripe payouts before the night ends.
- Organizing a music festival - A festival director sells tiered tickets with capacity limits, custom branding on all pages, and exports attendee data for post-event marketing.
- Hosting a conference with multiple speakers - An organizer embeds ticket widgets on their WordPress site, uses promo codes for early-bird access, and tracks affiliate-driven sales.
- Managing a charity gala - A nonprofit uses Hi.Events to offer donation-based tickets, collect custom attendee information, and export attendee lists for donor follow-ups.
Under The Hood
Architecture
- Centralized kernel class orchestrates application bootstrapping with explicit dependency injection via a container-based resolver
- Domain objects follow the Active Record pattern but lack repository abstraction, resulting in tight coupling with persistence layers
- Command pattern is uniformly applied across business operations, enabling async execution and queuing through a consistent execute() interface
- DTOs enforce data invariants via constructor validation, cleanly separating data transfer from domain logic
- HTTP layer uses action-based controllers that delegate responsibilities, enhancing testability and single-responsibility alignment
- Domain-specific modular folders provide partial organization, but event publishing is scattered without a centralized event bus
Tech Stack
- Node.js backend powered by Laravel with Vite for asset bundling and management
- Frontend UI built with JavaScript and Vite, enhanced by @lingui for internationalization
- MySQL database backed by Laravel Eloquent ORM with built-in migration system
- Deployment automated through Laravel’s Artisan commands and Vite’s production tooling
Code Quality
- Extensive test coverage with unit tests for domain logic, handlers, and infrastructure, using dependency mocking for isolation
- Strong adherence to SOLID principles with clear separation between repositories, services, and domain objects
- Robust error handling with custom exceptions that enforce business rules and deliver meaningful feedback
- Strict type safety enforced throughout via PHP 8+ features including typed properties and union types
- Consistent PSR-compliant naming conventions that clearly express intent and responsibility
- Comprehensive edge case testing including invalid inputs, cache behaviors, and template validation
What Makes It Unique
- Native invoice generation with dynamic CSS styling and localized branding, removing dependency on external PDF services
- Advanced image resizing in Tiptap editor with real-time dimension indicators and responsive handles for precise visual control
- Unified waitlist system with status-aware actions and direct order linking, creating a seamless ticketing workflow
- Built-in VAT configuration with frontend validation and styling encapsulation tailored for international compliance
- Event-centric domain model where invoices, waitlists, and orders are deeply interlinked through shared context
- Extensible editor extensions with native DOM manipulation and attribute persistence, enabling custom media behavior without third-party plugins