bzar vs BoothCentral
BoothCentral is an application and jurying tool for craft shows and expos, priced per event. bzar is free for organizers and adds a visual booth map, QR check-in, a public vendor directory and a built-in DMV audience.
Updated
When to choose each.
Choose bzar if
- You want to run your event without a monthly subscription or a per-event fee.
- You want vendors placed on a visual booth map.
- You check attendees in by QR code.
- You want DMV vendors and attendees who follow you on bzar to hear the moment you publish or open applications.
Choose BoothCentral if
- You need jurying for a craft show today.
- You need a built-in local audience outside Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. bzar's organizer tools work anywhere in the US, but its community of vendors and shoppers is in the DMV.
Features: bzar and BoothCentral.
"Not listed" means we couldn't find it on their website, not that it definitely doesn't exist.
| Feature | bzar | BoothCentral |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor applications with your own questions | Yes | Yes |
| Application scoring and jurying | No | Yes |
| Vendor badges and track record | No | Not listed |
| Booth types with prices and limits | Yes | Yes |
| Booth map | Yes | Not listedSpace list, no visual map stated |
| Booth fees paid by card | Yes | Yes |
| Refunds from the platform | Yes | Yes |
| Insurance and permit collection | Yes | Yes |
| Vendor agreements to sign | Yes | PartlyMentioned in a testimonial, not the feature list |
| Free and paid ticketing | Yes | Yes |
| QR check-in | Yes | Not listed |
| Promo codes | Yes | Yes |
| Public vendor directory | Yes | Not listed |
| Messaging and announcements to vendors | Yes | YesPlus tier |
| Email automations | Yes | Yes |
| One inbox for platform messages, email and Instagram | No | Not listed |
| AI operator | No | Not listed |
| Organizer page with followers | Yes | Not listed |
| Built-in audience of vendors and attendees | Yes | Yes |
| Payouts and revenue analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Shopper preorders from vendors | Yes | Not listed |
| Weekly market seasons | Yes | PartlyClone past events |
| Organizer mobile app | No | Not listed |
What the same event costs.
Total fees taken out of the event's money, whoever pays them. Open a row for the math and assumptions.
Market with paid entry: 40 booths at $75, 300 tickets at $10
| Platform | Total fees | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| bzar | $313 | Breakdown
|
| BoothCentral | $1,329 | Breakdown
|
Free-entry market: 40 booths at $75
| Platform | Total fees | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| bzar | $223 | Breakdown
|
| BoothCentral | $594 | Breakdown
|
Festival: 120 booths at $150, 2,000 tickets at $5
| Platform | Total fees | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| bzar | $1,598 | Breakdown
|
| BoothCentral | $5,293 | Breakdown
|
bzar's full fee details are on the pricing page.
Moving from BoothCentral.
- Create a free organizer account and set up your event.
- Copy your application questions into the bzar application form, and recreate your booth types and prices.
- Lay out booths on the venue map and set up your automatic emails.
- Send your new application link to returning vendors. Anyone following you on bzar is notified when applications open.
Common questions.
Is bzar cheaper than BoothCentral?
Market with paid entry: 40 booths at $75, 300 tickets at $10: bzar $313 in total fees, BoothCentral $1,329. Free-entry market: 40 booths at $75: bzar $223 in total fees, BoothCentral $594. Festival: 120 booths at $150, 2,000 tickets at $5: bzar $1,598 in total fees, BoothCentral $5,293.
When is BoothCentral the better choice?
You need jurying for a craft show today. You need a built-in local audience outside Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. bzar's organizer tools work anywhere in the US, but its community of vendors and shoppers is in the DMV.
Can I switch from BoothCentral to bzar?
Yes. Create a free organizer account and set up your event. Copy your application questions into the bzar application form, and recreate your booth types and prices. Lay out booths on the venue map and set up your automatic emails. Send your new application link to returning vendors. Anyone following you on bzar is notified when applications open.
Does bzar charge organizers a subscription?
No. bzar is free for organizers: no monthly plan and no per-event fee.
Where these facts come from.
Competitor details come from each company’s own website, checked on 2026-10-09. Details change; tell us at hello@bzar.app if something here is out of date.
- https://boothcentral.com/pricing/
- https://www.boothcentral.com/promoters
- https://support.boothcentral.com/en/article/optimizing-your-juryreview-experience-in-boothcentral-ja00pm/
- https://support.boothcentral.com/en/article/booth-offerings-set-up-tips-for-your-event-1gsdtz/
- https://support.boothcentral.com/en/article/how-to-cancel-a-booth-hosts-registration-1rbqs5t
- https://support.boothcentral.com/en/article/available-question-types-in-the-application-question-builder-1f33oww
- https://www.boothcentral.com/event-ticketing/
- https://support.boothcentral.com/en/article/using-the-messages-feature-13m24ki
- https://support.boothcentral.com/en/article/how-do-i-find-events-relevant-to-me-1413lj3
- https://support.boothcentral.com/en/article/boothcentral-financial-reporting-130lj4h
- https://support.boothcentral.com/en/article/save-time-by-cloning-your-past-event-m3fnz6
Try bzar on your next event.
Free for organizers. Bring your vendors, booths and tickets into one dashboard.