Digitally ‑ Digital Products vs. GM Event Ticketing Comparison

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Digitally ‑ Digital Products vs. GM Event Ticketing: At a Glance
3. Deep Dive Comparison: Functional Capabilities
4. Performance and User Experience
5. Navigating the Trade-offs
6. The Alternative: Unifying Commerce, Content, and Community Natively
7. Comparison Summary: Which Should You Choose?
8. FAQ

Introduction

Adding digital products or ticketing services to a Shopify storefront often presents a fork in the road for merchants. On one hand, there is the need for simple file delivery and secure document handling. On the other, there is the complex world of live event management, where physical presence and digital verification must intersect seamlessly. Choosing the wrong tool can lead to significant friction, such as customer login failures, delivery delays, or even technical breakdowns at the door of a live event.

Short answer: Digitally ‑ Digital Products is an excellent choice for merchants focused on secure file delivery, license key automation, and PDF protection. GM Event Ticketing is specifically engineered for live event logistics, offering barcode scanning and POS integration that basic digital download apps cannot provide. Both apps serve distinct purposes, but for those seeking to unify digital assets with a native store experience, exploring platform-wide integration is often the next logical step.

The purpose of this article is to provide an objective, data-driven comparison of Digitally ‑ Digital Products and GM Event Ticketing. By examining their core features, pricing structures, and user experiences, merchants can determine which application aligns with their specific operational needs and long-term growth objectives.

Digitally ‑ Digital Products vs. GM Event Ticketing: At a Glance

Deep Dive Comparison: Functional Capabilities

Core Features and Workflows

Understanding the fundamental workflow of each app is the first step in determining compatibility. While both handle "digital" items, the way these items are consumed by the end-user differs significantly.

Digitally ‑ Digital Products Workflow

This app focuses on the secure transmission of static files and unique alphanumeric strings. When a customer purchases a digital product, Digitally automates the delivery process. This includes:

• Instant Delivery: Links are generated on the thank-you page and sent via automated email.
• File Security: Features like PDF stamping allow merchants to place customer-specific watermarks on documents to discourage unauthorized sharing.
• Asset Management: Merchants can set download limits (how many times a file can be accessed) and expiration dates to protect their intellectual property.
• License Keys: The app can manage and distribute unique keys or promo codes, which is essential for software developers or vendors selling third-party vouchers.

GM Event Ticketing Workflow

In contrast, GM Event Ticketing is built for the "live" experience. The digital product here is not a file to be kept, but a pass to be verified. Its features include:

• Ticket Generation: The app creates professional, branded PDF tickets and Apple Wallet passes.
• Scanning Ecosystem: It provides a dedicated scanning app for iOS and supports professional laser scanners for high-volume entry.
• Attendee Management: Merchants can collect custom information from attendees during the checkout process, such as meal preferences or age verification.
• Physical Integration: The app integrates with Shopify POS, allowing merchants to sell tickets in person at a physical location while keeping all data synced with the online store.

Customization and Branding Control

A disjointed customer experience can lead to increased support tickets and decreased brand trust. Both apps offer customization options to ensure the digital delivery feels like part of the merchant’s brand.

Branding in Digitally

Digitally ‑ Digital Products allows for customization of the email templates and the download pages. This ensures that the PDF link a customer receives matches the aesthetic of the Shopify store. The app also supports "Digital Lotteries," a unique feature that adds a layer of engagement for merchants running promotional campaigns. However, the customization is primarily focused on the digital "delivery" page rather than the internal learning or community experience.

Branding in GM Event Ticketing

GM Event Ticketing emphasizes the professional look of the ticket itself. Because tickets are often printed or shown on mobile devices at a door, the ability to design PDF and Apple Wallet tickets is a core strength. It also offers theme plugins for event calendars and ticketing pages, allowing the event discovery process to feel native to the Shopify store's design.

Pricing Structure and Long-Term Value

The financial commitment for each app varies based on the volume of sales and the complexity of the features required.

Digitally ‑ Digital Products Pricing Plans

Digitally uses a tiered subscription model that scales with the merchant's success:

• Free Plan: Suitable for startups, offering 50 orders per month and 5GB of storage.
• Pro ($7.99/month): Increases limits to 200 orders and 15GB of storage, while adding auto-fulfillment features.
• Plus ($12.99/month): Provides 500 orders and 30GB of storage.
• Unlimited ($24.99/month): Removes order and storage caps, making it ideal for high-volume digital stores.

This model is predictable, as the cost only increases when the merchant’s order volume or storage needs grow.

GM Event Ticketing Pricing Plans

GM Event Ticketing utilizes a hybrid model of per-ticket fees and monthly subscriptions:

• On Demand (Free to install): Merchants pay $1 per paid ticket sold. This is excellent for occasional events but can become expensive for large crowds.
• Advanced ($19/month): Allows for free tickets (useful for RSVPs) and adds an external admin app for power users.
• Professional ($99/month): Includes Shopify Flow triggers and the ability to collect service/booking fees directly from customers.
• Plus+ ($999/month): A high-tier enterprise plan for massive venues requiring dedicated support and agency onboarding.

The per-ticket fee on the On Demand plan makes entry accessible, but the Professional tier is where most established event businesses will find the necessary automation tools.

Integrations and Ecosystem Fit

A Shopify app is only as good as its ability to communicate with the rest of the store.

Digitally works specifically with checkout extensions and customer accounts. Its primary integrations are aimed at email delivery and license key tracking. It is a "set it and forget it" tool for merchants who want their digital goods delivered without manual intervention.

GM Event Ticketing has a broader range of integrations because it touches physical reality. It works with Shopify POS, Apple Wallet, and Shopify Flow. The inclusion of Shopify Flow is particularly powerful for merchants who want to trigger specific actions—like sending a follow-up email or tagging a customer—immediately after a ticket is scanned at an event.

Performance and User Experience

The user experience for both apps is largely focused on the post-purchase phase.

For Digitally, the experience is invisible if done correctly. The customer buys a file and receives it instantly. The success of the app is measured by the lack of customer support emails regarding "where is my download?" or "my link doesn't work."

For GM Event Ticketing, the experience is measured at the event venue. If the scanning app is fast and the Apple Wallet integration works flawlessly, the merchant avoids long lines and frustrated attendees. The Summer '24 update brought a brand new native POS scanning app, which indicates a focus on speed and reliability during high-pressure check-in situations.

Navigating the Trade-offs

Choosing between these two depends entirely on the nature of the "digital" product.

If the goal is to sell intellectual property that is consumed privately—such as a guide, a software key, or a video file—Digitally ‑ Digital Products provides the necessary security and automation at a very competitive price point. The storage limits are generous, and the PDF stamping is a vital feature for protecting content.

If the goal is to sell an experience that happens at a specific time and place, GM Event Ticketing is the superior choice. Its focus on barcoding, scanning hardware, and Apple Wallet passes makes it a specialized tool for event logistics. A general digital download app cannot handle the complexities of "checking in" a guest or managing venue capacity.

However, both apps represent a specific type of Shopify extension: they are functional tools that solve a single problem. For merchants who want to build a more comprehensive brand—one that includes courses, ongoing community engagement, and the bundling of digital knowledge with physical goods—the limitations of single-purpose apps can lead to "app bloat" and fragmented customer data.

The Alternative: Unifying Commerce, Content, and Community Natively

While specialized apps solve immediate problems, they often create a fragmented journey for the customer. When a merchant uses one app for downloads, another for ticketing, and perhaps a third-party platform for courses, the customer is forced to navigate multiple logins and different interface styles. This fragmentation often leads to "platform friction," where the brand experience is diluted because it is spread across too many external systems.

A native platform philosophy shifts this dynamic by keeping every interaction inside the Shopify ecosystem. Instead of sending a customer to a third-party site to view a course or download a guide, the content lives directly on the merchant's domain. This approach ensures that the customer remains "at home," increasing the likelihood of repeat purchases and higher lifetime value.

By keeping customers at home on the brand website, merchants can leverage the full power of Shopify's data and checkout systems. This is particularly effective for businesses that want to bundle physical products with digital education. For example, a merchant selling art supplies can natively include an "Introduction to Painting" course with every kit purchased, without the customer ever needing to create a separate account on a different platform.

This native integration solves the common pain point of customer support tickets related to login issues. When the learning platform and the store are one and the same, the customer uses their existing Shopify account to access everything. This has been a transformative shift for many brands, solving login issues by moving to a native platform and allowing them to focus on content creation rather than technical troubleshooting.

Furthermore, the financial benefits of a unified system are significant. Rather than paying per-ticket fees or managing multiple subscriptions that scale based on user count, a flat-rate native platform offers a more predictable cost structure. Merchants can focus on planning content ROI without surprise overages, knowing that their costs won't spike just because their community is growing.

The impact of this unified approach is visible in real-world results. Consider the case of a brand that moved away from a fragmented system and saw their store's performance metrics climb. By replacing duct-taped systems with a unified platform, they were able to provide a much smoother sales funnel. This transition resulted in achieving a 100% improvement in conversion rate, proving that reducing technical friction directly correlates to increased revenue.

Other merchants have found success by migrating large numbers of students into a single, cohesive environment. Some have managed the process of migrating over 14,000 members and reducing support tickets by ensuring the transition was seamless and the user interface remained consistent with the brand's identity. This level of scale is only manageable when the underlying technology is robust and natively integrated with the primary commerce engine.

For those interested in the potential revenue of digital products, the numbers are often surprising. Merchants have shared success stories of brands consolidating their content to reach new heights. One specific brand was able to see how one brand sold $112K+ by bundling courses, demonstrating the power of a native "digital + physical" strategy. This method allows for generating revenue from both physical and digital goods simultaneously, creating a diversified income stream that is more resilient than relying on one product type alone.

The ultimate goal of any Shopify merchant is to build a loyal audience that returns to the store repeatedly. A native learning and community platform facilitates this by providing a reason for the customer to log back in every day. This habitual engagement is the foundation of high customer lifetime value. Whether you are reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from or looking at detailed case studies, the evidence points toward a unified, native experience as the most sustainable path for digital growth.

If unifying your stack is a priority, start by evaluating the long-term cost of scaling membership.

Comparison Summary: Which Should You Choose?

The choice between Digitally ‑ Digital Products and GM Event Ticketing is rarely a matter of which app is "better" in an absolute sense; it is a matter of which tool fits the specific operational requirements of your business model.

Choose Digitally ‑ Digital Products if:

• You sell static files like e-books, photography presets, or software guides.
• You need to protect your intellectual property with PDF watermarking (stamping).
• You require a simple, low-cost way to automate the distribution of license keys or promo codes.
• Your primary concern is storage space and secure file delivery at a predictable monthly price.

Choose GM Event Ticketing if:

• You are organizing live events, workshops, or performances that require physical access control.
• You need to generate professional tickets compatible with Apple Wallet.
• You require on-site scanning capabilities through an iOS app or laser hardware.
• You want to integrate your ticket sales with Shopify POS for in-person transactions.

While both of these apps are excellent specialists, they are designed to solve isolated problems. If your vision for your brand involves more than just a single download or a one-time event—if you want to build an ecosystem of courses, exclusive content, and a thriving community—you may find that a more holistic, native approach serves you better in the long run.

By securing a fixed cost structure for digital products, you can scale your business without the fear of escalating fees. Transitioning to a native Shopify environment allows you to stop managing "apps" and start managing a "brand," where every digital asset and community interaction happens under your own roof. This not only improves the customer experience but also simplifies your back-end operations, allowing you to focus on what you do best: creating value for your audience.

To build your community without leaving Shopify, start by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from.

FAQ

Can I use Digitally ‑ Digital Products for event ticketing?

While Digitally can deliver a PDF file that looks like a ticket, it lacks the specialized infrastructure required for live events. It cannot generate scannable barcodes that sync with an entry-management app, nor does it integrate with Apple Wallet. For live events, a dedicated tool like GM Event Ticketing is necessary to handle guest check-ins and venue capacity effectively.

Is GM Event Ticketing suitable for selling e-books or software?

GM Event Ticketing is not designed for file storage or the distribution of unique license keys. It does not offer features like PDF stamping or download limits based on file size. If you are selling digital files that customers need to download and save, Digitally ‑ Digital Products is the correct choice.

How does a native, all-in-one platform compare to specialized external apps?

Specialized apps like Digitally and GM Event Ticketing are designed to perform one specific task very well. However, they often exist as separate layers on top of your store. A native platform integrates directly into Shopify’s core, meaning your courses, communities, and digital products use the same checkout, the same customer accounts, and the same data analytics as your physical products. This reduces technical complexity and provides a more seamless experience for the customer.

Do these apps work with the new Shopify Checkout Extensibility?

Yes, both Digitally ‑ Digital Products and GM Event Ticketing have updated their software to support Shopify’s latest checkout features. Digitally uses checkout extensions for link delivery, while GM Event Ticketing has introduced plugins for the Thank You and Order Status pages to ensure tickets are accessible immediately after purchase in the modern Shopify environment.

What happens if I outgrow the storage limits on Digitally?

Digitally ‑ Digital Products offers an "Unlimited" plan for $24.99 per month which provides unlimited storage. On the lower tiers, you would need to upgrade your plan as your library of digital assets grows. It is important to verifying compatibility details in the official app listing to ensure the file size limits (up to 2GB on the Unlimited plan) meet your specific requirements for high-resolution video or large software packages.

Can I sell both tickets and digital downloads on the same Shopify store?

Yes, Shopify allows you to install multiple apps to handle different product types. You could use GM Event Ticketing for your live workshops and Digitally ‑ Digital Products for your downloadable guides. However, keep in mind that this increases your monthly overhead and requires managing two separate delivery systems. Many merchants eventually look to see how merchants are earning six figures by consolidating these needs into a single platform that can handle various digital formats natively.

Do these apps charge transaction fees?

Digitally ‑ Digital Products does not charge transaction fees; it relies on a flat monthly subscription based on your plan. GM Event Ticketing, however, uses a $1 per-ticket fee on its "On Demand" plan. While this is helpful for testing a new event, high-volume merchants usually transition to the "Professional" or "Plus+" tiers to gain more control over their margins. When choosing a platform, comparing plan costs against total course revenue is essential for maintaining profitability as you scale.

Can I track who has accessed my digital products or tickets?

Digitally provides built-in analytics to track file downloads and license key usage. GM Event Ticketing offers a scanning app that provides real-time data on which tickets have been checked in at the door. Both apps provide the necessary data to understand customer engagement, though the "success" metrics differ—one focuses on download completion, while the other focuses on venue attendance. By case studies of brands keeping users on their own site, you can see how centralized data helps in making better marketing decisions for future product launches.