The ticket resale industry is flooded with competitors all with special offers and unique selling systems, which makes it difficult to determine which ticket resale site is best. We’ve done over 30 painstaking hours of research to understand the industry fully, and compare every aspect of how ticket resale sites work so we can help you choose the best one to sell your tickets on.
We’ll cover all key topics you need to know to choose the best ticket resale website, including:
Let’s jump right in with how to choose the best ticket resale site.
Did You Know
Choosing the best resale ticket site can really vary depending on whether you are buying or selling tickets. In this guide we’re helping sellers, but if you’re a buyer, check out our guide on the best ticket resale sites for buyers instead.
How to choose the best ticket resale site for your selling needs
There are many factors to consider when choosing a ticket resale website, including how the fees and commissions work, how likely you are to find a buyer, and what policies the website has in place to help and protect buyers and sellers. Here’s a breakdown of the most important things to think about, and how we’ve established our rankings below.
Seller commissions and buyer fees
These aren’t universal, and work differently on each site. The most common way fees are charged to sellers is by commission, so when you sell your tickets, the website takes a percentage of the sale. For many ticket resale sites, these are 15%, so if you sell your tickets for $200.00, the website will take $30.00 off of the money they pay you for the sale.
Buyer fees are also an important consideration - even if you’re selling tickets. High buyer fees or fees that only become obvious right before finally paying discourages buyers from going through with sales at the last minute. Though you have no control over the website fees as a seller, you can choose to use websites with lower buyer fees or a transparent fee structure to reduce the risk of a last-minute change of heart.
Pro Tip
Make sure you look at the seller fees before choosing a website to resell tickets on. Some websites offer lower commission rates like TicketSwap, which only charges sellers and buyers a 5% commission.
Buyer pool, ticket volume, and areas of service
The number of users on a ticket resale site will directly affect the likelihood that you will be able to resell your tickets on it. The more potential buyers, average monthly users, and countries the website operates in, the more likely you are to sell your tickets. Our ratings below essentially rank the sites into groups from “Very High” to “Very Low”, but here’s how we came to those rankings based on each website’s average monthly visits:
- Very High Volume = 100M+
- High Volume = 10-100M
- Medium = 1-10M
- Low Volume = Under 1M
- Very Low Volume = Under 10K
Ticketmaster by far has the most monthly users, but websites like StubHub, Vivid Seats, and SeatGeek also have very respectable numbers when it comes to average monthly users.
Customer service options for sellers
Ticket resale websites notoriously have terrible customer service, but some websites are standing out by trying to step it up, and provide resources for both their buyers and their sellers. With all ticket websites, these are the possible options for customer service you should look out for, and choose based on your personal preferences:
- Instant Chat - Resolve your issue immediately, online
- Phone - Resolve your issue immediately and speak to a real human being
- Email - Send a message about your issue and get contacted at a later date
- Contact Form - Fill out a form to describe your issue and get contacted at later date
- FAQ - Quick answers to common questions
- Seller’s Community / Forum - Tips for sellers the make the process easier
Customer service isn’t great overall for some ticketing sites - especially for sellers - but sites like Vivid Seats and TickPick definitely stand out in this aspect.
Ticket guarantees, policies, and protections
The guarantees offered by ticket resale sites are often targeted at buyers, but how effective they are and what they protect is still a factor for sellers, as the better the guarantee is, the more likely a buyer will feel comfortable going through with the final sale. These guarantees often cover things like:
- Your tickets will arrive on time and provide valid event entry
- The tickets you buy will be for the same seats you paid for / will be as described
- Your transaction will be safe and secure
- If the event is canceled, you will receive a full refund
The guarantees promise that if any of these things don’t occur, the buyer will get their money back. All ticket websites have this guarantee with some unique nuances, but StubHub is the only resale site that also has a guarantee for sellers.
10 best ticket resale sites for sellers
We’ve narrowed down the list to the 10 best resale ticket websites, and ranked them based on how good they are overall. However, each site has something unique to offer, and might suit your personal needs better, so make sure to look at the differences between them based on whether you’re prioritizing profits, selling tickets quickly, selling large quantities of tickets, or something else.
1. StubHub
Seller Fees:
Seller Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Payment Method:
PayPal, Direct Deposit, Payoneer Prepaid Card
Payment Method:
PayPal, Direct Deposit, Payoneer Prepaid Card
Buyer Pool Size:
High
Buyer Pool Size:
High
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, Philippines
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, Philippines
Support Methods:
Phone, FAQ
Support Methods:
Phone, FAQ
What We Like
Highest resale only buyer volume on the market
Only resale site with a guarantee for sellers
Great sellers resource information center
What We Don't Like
Seller fees are 15%
Detracts buyers with steep fees
Fewer options available for postponed events
Our Recommendation
StubHub has the biggest resale marketplace, so if you’re looking to expand your options for buyers and maximize profit, this is the best bet. They also have an incredible seller’s community to help you sell better, but the seller commission fees will really eat into your profits.
2. Vivid Seats
Seller Fees:
Seller Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Payment Method:
PayPal
Payment Method:
PayPal
Buyer Pool Size:
High
Buyer Pool Size:
High
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, Philippines, Mexico, UK
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, Philippines, Mexico, UK
Support Methods:
Instant Chat, Phone, Contact Form, FAQ
Support Methods:
Instant Chat, Phone, Contact Form, FAQ
What We Like
Only 10% seller fees
Amazing and full customer service
Rewards program entices buyers
What We Don't Like
Detracts buyers with steep fees
Hidden and ranging fees are unstable
Fewer options available for postponed events
Our Recommendation
Like StubHub, VividSeats takes a big 15% commission from resellers, so the profits you make are always going to be less than on other websites. But VividSeats has a very large buyer pool, so you’re more likely to sell your tickets before the event deadline, so it's good to use if your primary concern is making sure tickets sell for a higher price before the deadline.
3. Ticketmaster
Seller Fees:
15%
Seller Fees:
15%
Buyer Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Payment Method:
Debit Card, Direct Deposit
Payment Method:
Debit Card, Direct Deposit
Buyer Pool Size:
Very High
Buyer Pool Size:
Very High
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, UK, Mexico, Australia
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, UK, Mexico, Australia
Support Methods:
Support Methods:
What We Like
Highest buyer volume on the market
Ticket exchanges are verified and virtually fraud-free
Fastest way to resell tickets close to face value
What We Don't Like
Can only resell Ticketmaster tickets
Seller fees are 15%
Has virtually no easily accessible customer service
Our Recommendation
Ticketmaster has the biggest buyer pool, bar-none, especially for concerts, but you can only resell Ticketmaster original tickets on them. If you’re looking to unload your tickets quickly for close to face value, this is the best options, but if you’re looking to maximize profits or sell many tickets over time, you should use another strictly ticket reselling site.
4. SeatGeek
Seller Fees:
Seller Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Ranges from 34-44%
Buyer Fees:
Ranges from 34-44%
Payment Method:
Direct Deposit
Payment Method:
Direct Deposit
Buyer Pool Size:
High
Buyer Pool Size:
High
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, India
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, India
Support Methods:
Instant Chat, Phone Number, Contact Form, FAQ
Support Methods:
Instant Chat, Phone Number, Contact Form, FAQ
What We Like
Only 10% seller fees
Great customer service
Has a high buyer volume
What We Don't Like
Customer service is hard to access for sellers
Detracts buyers with steep fees
Mobile app limited for sellers and buyers
Our Recommendation
With only 10% seller fees and a large buyer pool, you can maximize profits a little bit more with SeatGeek, especially if you have concert tickets, which are very popular on this platform. But, customer service isn’t as accessible for sellers, and the buyer fees are incredibly steep, which may prevent a final sale or be difficult to deal with if you have an issue with your ticket buyer.
5. TickPick
Seller Fees:
Seller Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Payment Method:
PayPal, Direct Deposit
Payment Method:
PayPal, Direct Deposit
Buyer Pool Size:
Medium
Buyer Pool Size:
Medium
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, Philippines
Top Countries:
USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, Philippines
Support Methods:
Phone, Email, Contact Form, FAQ
Support Methods:
Phone, Email, Contact Form, FAQ
What We Like
No buyer fees of any kind
Best Price Guarantee attracts buyers
TickPick app is great for buyers and sellers
What We Don't Like
No buyer fees, but seller fees are still 15%
Has more benefits for buyers than sellers
The process to prove issues with tickets is more complex / timely
Our Recommendation
TickPick is revolutionizing the ticketing industry, and many buyers are likely to start jumping on board. If you’re trying to resell tickets to recoup a fair price for buyers a couple of times, this is a great site to use. But if you’re looking for a way to maximize your profit and unload hundreds of tickets over time, you’ll make less money here as a seller.
6. TicketNetwork
Seller Fees:
15%
Seller Fees:
15%
Buyer Fees:
None, but ticket prices are inflated
Buyer Fees:
None, but ticket prices are inflated
Payment Method:
PayPal
Payment Method:
PayPal
Buyer Pool Size:
Medium
Buyer Pool Size:
Medium
Top Countries:
US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Italy
Top Countries:
US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Italy
Support Methods:
Phone, Email, FAQ
Support Methods:
Phone, Email, FAQ
What We Like
Offers many promos to attract buyers
What We Don't Like
Seller fees are 15%
Sellers have to provide more information and interact with buyers (less automated)
Inventory isn’t updated in real-time
Our Recommendation
There’s less control over what sellers can do on TicketNetwork, so it may offer an opportunity to make a decent profit. But the platform isn’t very comprehensive, so you’re less likely to attract a buyer here and sell your tickets before the event deadline. This should be used more as a backup option to also list your tickets and see if you find someone who isn't using other ticket sites.
7. Ticketswap
Seller Fees:
Seller Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Payment Method:
Direct Deposit
Payment Method:
Direct Deposit
Buyer Pool Size:
Medium
Buyer Pool Size:
Medium
Top Countries:
Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany
Top Countries:
Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany
Support Methods:
Instant Chat, Phone, Contact Form, FAQ
Support Methods:
Instant Chat, Phone, Contact Form, FAQ
What We Like
Lowest seller commission at only 5%
Secure Swap system ensures valid tickets
Great customer service
What We Don't Like
Ticket price markups are limited
Generally better for buyers than for seller profits
Our Recommendation
If you’re looking to maximize value, TicketSwap is it. It is the only ticketing platform to offer a 5% commission to its sellers, so their cut off the price of your tickets can’t be beat. However, TicketSwap limits markups to 20% of original price, so your profits are capped, and currently, it's really only popular in Europe, so it's best to use only if your event takes place there.
8. viagogo
Seller Fees:
Seller Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Buyer Fees:
Payment Method:
PayPal, Direct Deposit
Payment Method:
PayPal, Direct Deposit
Buyer Pool Size:
Medium
Buyer Pool Size:
Medium
Top Countries:
Brazil, Argentina, USA, Czech Republic, Spain
Top Countries:
Brazil, Argentina, USA, Czech Republic, Spain
Support Methods:
Phone, Email, Contact Form, FAQ
Support Methods:
Phone, Email, Contact Form, FAQ
What We Like
Only 10% seller fees
Great customer service
More worldwide service (outside U.S.)
What We Don't Like
Detracts buyers with steep fees
Payment timelines are longer
Less transparent selling process
Our Recommendation
With lower service fees (10%) and prioritizing countries outside of the U.S. as well as more types of events, if you’re selling tickets for less popular events like Festivals, you’re much more likely to unload them faster on viagogo. But if you’re selling U.S.-based concert tickets, you’re better off going with a resale ticket site with a higher buyer volume.
9. TicketLiquidator
Seller Fees:
15%
Seller Fees:
15%
Buyer Fees:
31%
Buyer Fees:
31%
Payment Method:
PayPal
Payment Method:
PayPal
Buyer Pool Size:
Low
Buyer Pool Size:
Low
Top Countries:
USA, Israel. Canada, Germany, Puerto Rico
Top Countries:
USA, Israel. Canada, Germany, Puerto Rico
Support Methods:
Phone, Email, FAQ
Support Methods:
Phone, Email, FAQ
What We Like
You don’t have to deal directly with buyers
What We Don't Like
Seller fees are 15%
Buyer volume is fairly low
Platform is very basic
Our Recommendation
TicketLiquidator has few rules about what you can sell and for how much, so it may be a place to find a big profit, and you don’t have to deal directly with buyers in any case. However, the buyer pool is quite small, so you’re less likely to make a sale quickly. This site is best used as a backup if you're having a difficult time getting them sold.
10. TicketCity
Seller Fees:
Offer made to seller case-by-case
Seller Fees:
Offer made to seller case-by-case
Buyer Fees:
27% + $7.50 delivery fee
Buyer Fees:
27% + $7.50 delivery fee
Payment Method:
Direct Deposit
Payment Method:
Direct Deposit
Buyer Pool Size:
Low
Buyer Pool Size:
Low
Top Countries:
USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, UK
Top Countries:
USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, UK
Support Methods:
Instant Chat, Phone, Email, FAQ
Support Methods:
Instant Chat, Phone, Email, FAQ
What We Like
Offers discounts to attract buyers
What We Don't Like
Must fill out a form and make an offer to sell tickets
Buyer volume is fairly low
Tickets must be returned for refunds
Our Recommendation
You can easily fill out a form and make an offer for your tickets to TicketCity, so if you have a unique set of tickets, this might be a way to maximize your profits. But if you’re looking to unload tickets quickly or you have standard, regular event tickets, this site probably isn’t for you.
Ticket resale site and reselling FAQs
Still got questions about how reselling works on these websites? Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about ticket resale sites and how to sell on them:
Is reselling tickets legal?
Reselling tickets is completely legal, and there are no legality issues surrounding a typical ticket resale exchange. Each website has its own specific website usage policies and rules though, and these must be followed to not be violating the terms of the website (which could result in bans from future selling).
If you’re using a ticket reselling site to commit fraud by claiming to have tickets you don’t have, not paying for tickets you buy with valid payment methods, or conducting other nefarious activities using ticketing platforms, obviously this is illegal and isn’t tolerated on ticket resale sites.
Are ticket resale sites safe for sellers?
Ticket resale sites are typically very safe for sellers - even more so than buyers - as it's typically sellers that are able to commit fraud on resale ticket sites (by faking their tickets). Every single ticket resale site also offers a Buyer Guarantee, where their tickets offer valid entry and the same seats you paid for or your money back, so buyers have little to worry about as well.
Because all the big resale sites use verified payment methods (like PayPal), and some sites are utilizing cutting-edge technology like to generate brand new valid tickets for the buyer - it’s rare that fraudsters get away with scams on ticket resale sites anymore.
Why do fees and seller commissions vary so much?
The short answer here is that each website chooses the structure they want to use for their website, and buyers and sellers really have no control over it. The service fees also seem to range on certain sites rather than being consistent (sites like Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, StubHub, or viagogo), which makes it difficult to know how much buyers will be paying when it comes to the final checkout page.
But sites like TickPick (only sellers pay 15% commission, and buyers pay no fees) are working on bringing more consistency and transparency to ticket fees, and hopefully, the larger and longer-standing sites will lower their fees and follow suit.
How much profit can you expect to make reselling tickets?
This really depends on what type of event you have tickets to, how in-demand the event you have tickets to is (whether it’s sold out or not), and how much ticket reselling you are going to do over a period of time.
For one-off sales where you are trying to recoup the cost of your tickets, you can reasonably expect to make back your money and maybe a little more, but the closer you get to your event, the less likely you are to sell your tickets for a profit.
If you’re looking to sell multiple tickets over time (to make money), and buy multiple tickets to in-demand, sold-out shows the day they go on sale, you can potentially expect to generally make about a 20-30% profit on the original price of your tickets.
What’s the best way to resell tickets fast?
If you’re looking to get rid of tickets as quickly as possible - which is typically the case for those looking to just recoup the original cost rather than trying to make a profit - you should follow all these guidelines when listing your tickets:
- List your tickets for the original cost or no more than 10% higher than the original cost
- Use a ticket resale site with the largest potential buyer pool, like Ticketmaster or StubHub
- List your tickets as early as possible rather than waiting until closer to the event date
- Look at tickets listed in the same section, and price them $5-$20 cheaper per ticket than the other cheapest comparable tickets for sale
6 tips for reselling tickets to get the highest profit
If you’re looking to get into selling tickets for a profit, and maybe ‘flipping’ tickets or selling larger quantities over time, here is a simple 6-step process you can follow to ensure your profits stay high and your risk of not selling your tickets stays low.
1. Target high-demand events that are likely to sell out
Not all tickets are suitable for trying to make a profit. If an event isn’t sold out, it’s extremely unlikely you will make a profit on the resale, as the buyer still has the option to buy an original ticket. This means you need to target specific events that you think will sell out.
If you’re trying to choose in-demand tickets, look at some historical data for artists like Ed Sheeran who grossed half a billion dollars on his Divide tour, or Taylor Swift, whose Eras tour is breaking all kinds of records. You could also focus on in-demand sports teams who are surging in popularity or who look like they will likely be in the playoffs for the upcoming season based on their current performance.
Once you choose the event you think is likely to sell out, you need to buy them as soon as they go on sale. If you wait too long to try to buy tickets, you likely won’t be able to before they sell out, which means you won’t be able to purchase an original ticket. Buying an original ticket is key to your profits, because if you try to buy a resale ticket, the price will already be inflated, which cuts into your profits. This means you need to buy them from Ticketmaster first, and not from a resale site.
2. Start with cheaper original tickets, nor floor seats or VIP packages
Once you’ve chosen the event, you need to then pick the type of ticket you are going to purchase. It might be tempting to purchase more expensive tickets (thinking more money spent = more profits), but this isn’t necessarily the case. When you choose tickets with a higher price tag, you’re significantly limiting the pool of buyers who can afford to buy your resale ticket (hence why these floor seats and VIP packages are often not the first to sell out).
If you buy cheaper tickets instead, you can often resell them for a higher markup than you can with tickets that already come with a higher price tag. Buying floor seats or VIP packages is a bit more of a gamble by limiting your buyer pool, and isn’t the approach you should take - especially if you’re just getting started with ticket reselling.
3. Buy tickets in strategic groupings
Once you choose the type of tickets you’re going to buy, you then need to choose your quantity. You should buy tickets in groupings that make sense and are more likely to be in demand, which are typically groups of 2 or 4 people. Buying clusters of 6 or more people, odd numbers, or purchasing single tickets will limit your buyer pool. Most people don’t go to concerts solo, but on the other side of the spectrum, the more people you add to your grouping, the less likely you are that someone is going to buy all of them.
4. Choose a resale site that fits your specific needs
Once you have your original tickets, use our list above to choose a website that specifically fits the parameters of what you’re trying to resell based on what you have.
Pro Tip
If you’re trying to up the profits, you should probably choose a site like Vivid Seats or SeatGeek, which both have seller commissions of only 10%.
5. List the tickets for resale as early as possible
Don’t wait until the last minute to list your tickets, and if at all possible, list them immediately after you purchase the original ticket. If you can’t do this immediately, at least list them on the same day you purchased them or right when the event sells out completely. As soon as the event is sold out, buyers will start flocking to resale sites, so the sooner your tickets are listed, the better your chances are of selling them.
You are also far less likely to sell your tickets the closer you get to the event date, so there’s no incentive to stall listing your tickets for resale.
6. Monitor other resale offers and adjust the price if needed
If you’re lucky, you might be rid of those tickets quickly, but as time goes on if your tickets aren’t selling, make sure to monitor comparable tickets being resold on the same site or on other resale sites, check out their prices, and see how your tickets compare to that.
If needed, you should adjust the price (probably by lowering it slightly) to make sure the tickets get sold. If your tickets aren’t selling, they are likely overpriced, and though you might be missing out on a couple of bucks, it’s far more important that your tickets actually sell than slightly upping the exact amount you sell them for.
How we completed our ticket resale site research
Techboomers has been around for years helping our users learn how to use the world’s most popular sites and apps, and explaining how they work, but diving into the resale ticket industry took a lot of effort. Because each website uses different commission structures and operates in slightly unique ways, ranking them based on which is best for sellers was no easy task.
We conducted over 30 hours of research comparing every minute aspect of every website to build these rankings and see how each site stacks up against one another, and then narrowed our list here of the best ticket resale sites for sellers to just the top 10. Though there are some other reselling sites out there, these 10 hold up the best and each offer something useful to a potential ticket reseller.
Because the service fees are so inconsistent on ticket websites, we even researched specific events in the same locations to verify the true service fees being charged.
Because we looked at every aspect of all of these resale websites, it was easy to rate them by their various components, knowing what the baseline for the industry was, and knowing which ones stand out for potential ticket resellers like yourself.
That wraps up our detailed comparison of the best resale ticket sites. If you want to see how these sites stack up on the other side of the spectrum, check out our guide on the best ticket resale sites for buyers. And if you’re looking for more of a head-to-head comparison of two sites you might be interested in, check out our thorough breakdown of Ticketmaster vs StubHub for sellers.