How to build event ticketing in Bubble

To build event ticketing in Bubble, you create an Event data type, generate Ticket things when a user purchases, lock seats using backend workflows to avoid duplicates, and deliver each ticket with a unique QR code or unique string. You control who can view tickets using Privacy Rules. Payment is usually done through Stripe Checkout or Stripe plugin. The whole system is just structured data + workflows that ensure a ticket is created exactly once per purchase.

Core Data Structure

You only need a few data types to make a reliable system:

• Event: title (text), date (date), venue (text), total_seats (number), tickets_sold (number)
• Ticket: event (Event), owner (User), code (text), is\_used (yes/no)
• User: Bubble automatically gives you this

The code field is used to display or scan tickets at the door.

Creating Tickets Safely

To avoid double‑selling seats, use a backend workflow that runs “Schedule API workflow” after payment succeeds. This workflow checks availability and creates the Ticket.

Example backend steps:

• Search for Event’s tickets_sold < total_seats
• If available, create Ticket (event = current event, owner = current user, code = Generate random string)
• Make changes to Event → tickets_sold = tickets_sold + 1

// In backend workflow:
Create a new Ticket
code = Calculate random string
owner = This User
event = This Event

Payment Flow (Stripe)

• Use Stripe Checkout session or Bubble’s Stripe plugin.
• Redirect user to Checkout.
• On success page → run backend workflow to generate Ticket.
• Do not create tickets on the front‑end; rely on backend so it can’t be bypassed.

Showing Tickets to Users

• Repeat group with Data source = Search for Tickets where owner = Current User
• Display code as a text or generate QR via any Bubble QR plugin

Privacy Rules

In Data → Privacy → Ticket:

• Allow users to see Tickets only when This Ticket’s owner is Current User
• Admins can have a separate role for check‑in access.

Check-In Scanning

• Make a simple page where admin scans QR or enters code.
• Search for Ticket with code = input.
• If found and not used → mark is\_used = yes.