General admission (GA) means your ticket gets you into the event, but not into a set seat. GA ticket holders stand or sit wherever there is space, often first come, first served. It is the standard ticket for concerts, festivals, conferences and meetups, and it usually costs less than VIP or reserved seats.
GA on a ticket stands for general admission. The ticket lets you into the event, but it does not give you a set seat. If a ticket shows a section, row and seat number, it is a reserved seat, not GA.
With general admission, nobody has an assigned seat. With reserved seating, each ticket is for one seat, and buyers pick it on a seat map. GA is simpler to sell and suits standing crowds, meetups and conferences. Reserved seating suits theaters, galas and shows where people want to know where they sit. SwarmTix supports both: general admission ticket types, and reserved seating with seat maps. You check in both kinds of tickets with the same check-in app.
There is no standard price. The organizer sets the GA price for each event, and it can also be free. GA is often the base price, with early bird, VIP or reserved seats priced around it. On SwarmTix, free tickets are free. A paid ticket costs $0.99 + 1.5% plus Stripe processing, with no monthly fee, and you choose to absorb the fee or pass it to buyers.
General admission tickets make up the majority of sales for most events and set the baseline price point. Offering GA tickets alongside premium tiers ensures your event is accessible to a broad audience.
Real-world examples of how organizers use General Admission (GA).
Music festival: GA Weekend Pass with access to all stages
Conference: GA ticket with access to keynotes and expo hall
Workshop: GA registration with standard materials included
SwarmTix treats general admission as a standard ticket type with configurable capacity limits and pricing. You can create multiple GA variations (e.g., GA Day 1, GA Weekend Pass) as needed.
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Free events are always free. Paid tickets: $0.99 + 1.5%.