# bzar vs Marketspread

Marketspread is built for farmers markets and recurring markets, with jurying, attendance tracking and an AI assistant, priced per booth per event. bzar is free for organizers and adds attendee ticketing, QR check-in and a public vendor directory to the vendor workflow.

## Choose bzar if

- You want to run your event without a monthly subscription or a per-event fee.
- You also sell tickets or check attendees in at the door.
- You want DMV vendors and attendees who follow you on bzar to hear the moment you publish or open applications.

## Choose Marketspread if

- You run a farmers market that needs SNAP or EBT token handling.
- You want team jurying of applications 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

| Feature | bzar | Marketspread |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor applications with your own questions | Yes | Yes |
| Application scoring and jurying | No | Yes |
| Vendor badges and track record | No | Partly |
| Booth types with prices and limits | Yes | Yes |
| Booth map | Yes | Yes |
| Booth fees paid by card | Yes | Yes |
| Refunds from the platform | Yes | Partly |
| Insurance and permit collection | Yes | Yes |
| Vendor agreements to sign | Yes | Yes |
| Free and paid ticketing | Yes | Not listed |
| QR check-in | Yes | Not listed |
| Promo codes | Yes | Not listed |
| Public vendor directory | Yes | Partly |
| Messaging and announcements to vendors | Yes | Yes |
| Email automations | Yes | Yes |
| One inbox for platform messages, email and Instagram | No | Not listed |
| AI operator | No | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
| Weekly market seasons | Yes | Yes |
| Organizer mobile app | No | Yes |

## Fees for the same event

### Market with paid entry: 40 booths at $75, 300 tickets at $10

| Platform | Total fees |
|---|---|
| bzar | $313 |
| Marketspread | $1,434 |

### Free-entry market: 40 booths at $75

| Platform | Total fees |
|---|---|
| bzar | $223 |
| Marketspread | $699 |

### Festival: 120 booths at $150, 2,000 tickets at $5

| Platform | Total fees |
|---|---|
| bzar | $1,598 |
| Marketspread | $6,598 |

## Switching from Marketspread

1. Create a free organizer account and set up your event.
2. Copy your application questions into the bzar application form, and recreate your booth types and prices.
3. Lay out booths on the venue map and set up your automatic emails.
4. Send your new application link to returning vendors. Anyone following you on bzar is notified when applications open.

Checked 2026-10-09 against Marketspread's own website. All comparisons: https://bzar.app/compare