Attending a live show, game, or event can be a thrilling experience. These events can be really in-demand, so it’s important to know which ticket event sites offer the best deals and protection. More specifically, you might want to know whether to use Ticketmaster or StubHub to buy cheap concert tickets and more.
Whatever live event you want tickets for, this guide will compare Ticketmaster vs StubHub to help you decide which one to use in the following categories:
- Ticketmaster vs StubHub: how are they different?
- Ticketmaster vs StubHub fees
- Ticketmaster vs StubHub refunds, protection, & policies
- Ticketmaster vs StubHub ticket delivery methods
- Ticketmaster vs StubHub payment options
- Ticketmaster vs StubHub ticket availability & volume
- Ticketmaster vs StubHub customer support
- Fraud protection on StubHub & Ticketmaster
- How buying tickets works on Ticketmaster vs StubHub
- Bottom line: best method to find event tickets
Before we get into all the ways Ticketmaster and StubHub compare to each other, let’s start with a general overview of the two sites.
Did You Know
Choosing the best ticket site for your needs can vary if you're a buyer vs a seller. If you're a seller, be sure to check out our detailed comparison on Ticketmaster vs StubHub for sellers instead.
Ticketmaster vs StubHub: how are they different?
Ticketmaster and StubHub are arguably two of the most popular ticket marketplaces on the web, but what are the biggest differences between them? This section will cover both platforms and how they differ from each other.
Ticketmaster is primarily a site for purchasing tickets for live events. Shoppers are able to find tickets for millions of concerts, games, theater performances, and more. It is currently available in 35 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, and Mexico.
While Ticketmaster is known primarily for selling tickets to official events, they also allow users to resell their tickets. American Express cardholders are also able to get Early Access to events using the platform.
StubHub is primarily a site for fans who want to buy tickets from other fans, especially those for live events that are in demand or sold out. They offer a FanProtect Guarantee, ensuring that all orders are valid. They've been a leading site for over 20 years and are available in over 90 countries.
Fans can use this platform to buy and sell tickets for sports, concerts, theater, and comedy events. StubHub has even partnered with many sports teams to ensure a quality experience for fans. They also offer an Affiliate Program for those interested in earning cash.
Pro Tip
Both sites are pretty well known for their concert tickets, so check out Ticketmaster Concerts or StubHub Concerts if that’s what you’re looking for!
Ticketmaster vs StubHub fees
One of the biggest deciding factors when choosing between StubHub vs Ticketmaster are the fees buyers must pay to receive their tickets. We’ve compared Ticketmaster’s vs StubHub’s fees below:
Ticketmaster | StubHub | |
|---|---|---|
Service Fee | Around 19% of ticket price | Around 28% of ticket price |
Processing / Fulfillment Fee | $2.95 | $8.00 |
Delivery Charge | Usually free | Included in the Fulfillment Fee |
Facility Charge | Rare; varies by event and venue | Rare; varies by event and venue |
Learn more |
Verdict: Ticketmaster charges lower fees for tickets
Ticketmaster is the clear winner of this category with their much lower fees. Both Ticketmaster’s and StubHub’s fees can differ based entirely on the event or the venue where it’s being held, but Ticketmaster’s fees seem to be lower in general.
You’re more likely to pay less for original-source tickets on Ticketmaster; however, there is always a chance that StubHub could offer a better deal if a reseller is listing tickets for a cheaper price. Both platforms will clearly state how much buyers will be charged for these fees during the checkout process.
Ticketmaster vs StubHub refunds, protection, & policies
Life happens, which is why many buyers want to know how Ticketmaster and StubHub compare when it comes to getting buyers their tickets or getting their money back. We cover how Ticketmaster and StubHub compare when it comes to refunds, protection, and policies in the table below:
Policy | Ticketmaster | StubHub |
|---|---|---|
Refunds | ||
Guarantees / Protection | ||
Cancellations |
| |
Rain Outs |
| |
Age | ||
Transfers / Gifting | Easily transfer tickets through the StubHub or affiliate partner apps | |
Ticket Insurance | Not available |
Verdict: Ticketmaster has better options for obtaining refunds
While StubHub offers an impressive 120% credit as a first resort for canceled events, Ticketmaster is the clear winner when it comes to receiving full cash refunds with confidence. Not only do they prioritize refunds in the event of cancellations or special circumstances, but they also offer ticket insurance to better protect buyers in the event of a personal emergency that prevents them from attending.
Ticketmaster vs StubHub ticket delivery methods
Once buyers purchase their tickets, they’ll eagerly await for them to arrive. It’s important that buyers receive their tickets on time and in the method most convenient for them. The below table outlines the possible delivery methods that can be offered by Ticketmaster and StubHub:
Delivery Method | Ticketmaster | StubHub |
|---|---|---|
Instant Download |  | |
Email Tickets | | |
Physical Box Office Tickets | | |
Mail Physical Tickets | | |
Mobile App | | |
Verdict: Both platforms offer multiple delivery methods
When it comes to getting your tickets delivered, both Ticketmaster and StubHub offer a variety of different delivery options. Buyers are likely to be able to choose a delivery method that works best for them, regardless of which ticket platform they’re using.
However, there are two important things to note:
- The delivery options available for your tickets are dependent on the event and venue.
- While Ticketmaster largely oversees the delivery of tickets, delivery of tickets purchased through StubHub fall to the sellers.
Ticketmaster vs StubHub payment options
Paying for event tickets can be an investment for many buyers, which is why offering different payment options is helpful. The payment options offered on Ticketmaster and StubHub are compared in the table below:
Payment Method | Ticketmaster | StubHub |
|---|---|---|
Credit Card | | |
Debit Card | | |
PayPal | | |
Venmo | |  |
Klarna | | |
Gift Card | | |
Preferred Method | |
Pro Tip
When shopping on Ticketmaster, check out their Ticket Deals to save up to 50% on live events.
Verdict: Ticketmaster has slightly more payment options
Although both platforms offer a nice range of payment options, Ticketmaster has a couple more options that will benefit buyers. Ticketmaster is the only one of the two to allow the use of Venmo for payment, and they offer early access and rewards for American Express cardholders.
Ticketmaster vs StubHub ticket availability & volume
Ticketmaster and StubHub are two of the most popular ticket marketplaces in the world. Ticketmaster has websites for over 30 countries and sold 115 million tickets internationally in 2019. StubHub, on the other hand, claims they sold tickets in 175 countries in 2022, which is also an impressive statistic.
Although both companies were founded in the US, they’ve both had an impressive global reach with millions of users around the world visiting their websites each month.
In addition to offering access to live events around the world, both platforms sell tickets to the most popular live events in a variety of categories. The table below lists the types of tickets available on Ticketmaster and Stubhub:
Event Type | Ticketmaster | StubHub |
|---|---|---|
Concerts | ||
Sports | ||
Arts & Theater | ||
Family | ||
Comedy |
Verdict: Ticketmaster reaches more users globally for many types of tickets
While both platforms have attracted buyers all over the world by offering tickets for different types of live events, Ticketmaster beats StubHub by a hair for having a larger reach. Their web traffic around the world suggests that users have more faith that Ticketmaster will have what they’re looking for, leading us to pick them over StubHub.
Ticketmaster vs StubHub customer support
If there are any issues with their tickets, buyers need to know they have access to customer support that can help. How Ticketmaster compares to StubHub for customer support offerings is compared in the table below
Ticket Master | StubHub | |
|---|---|---|
Instant Chat | Not available | |
Phone | Not available | 1.866.788.2482 (5am-9pm PST daily) |
Not available | ||
Community Forums | Not available | |
Learn More |
Verdict: Both platforms offer unique customer support options
This category is hard to pick a winner, as both Ticketmaster and StubHub offer multiple but different ways to access customer support. Due to this, the preferable option comes down to personal preference.
Ticketmaster is the only one of the platforms to offer 24/7 access through their Virtual Assistant, and they’re accessible by email through their Contact Form. Buyers can also use the Virtual Assistant to connect live with an agent during their business hours.
StubHub, on the other hand, is the only one of the two to offer a customer service phone line, which buyers can call during their business hours. They also have community forums, which allow buyers to connect with each other and get their questions answered.
Fraud protection on StubHub & Ticketmaster
Fraud is not uncommon in the online ticketing marketplace. Many buyers have been scammed while purchasing tickets, whether it be they receive fake tickets or the seller fails to deliver their tickets on time. Fortunately, both Ticketmaster and StubHub use practices and guarantees to help protect their customers from fraud.
Fraud against buyers on Ticketmaster is rare because ticket sales are automatically fulfilled by Ticketmaster, and the majority of their tickets, including resale tickets, are verified to be authentic. Since Ticketmaster authenticates the tickets they sell and automatically transfer tickets once purchased, it’s extremely difficult for buyers to experience typical methods of fraud.
On StubHub, it can happen when a ticket seller sends fake or duplicate tickets to a buyer or simply fails to deliver the tickets on time. However, this doesn’t occur often as StubHub likes to promote verified partners and trustworthy sellers on their platform. They also offer their FanProtect Guarantee, which guarantees buyers similar or better tickets for their event if there is an issue with their tickets.
Verdict: Ticketmaster best protects buyers from fraud
While both platforms have put in the effort to protect buyers, Ticketmaster is the clear winner in this category. By verifying the authenticity of tickets sold on their platform and opting for an automated ticket delivery process, Ticketmaster makes it incredibly difficult for buyers to be scammed when purchasing tickets through their platform.
How buying tickets works on StubHub vs Ticketmaster
Now that you've decided where to purchase your tickets, it’s time to check out. Both Ticketmaster and StubHub have very similar and easy-to-follow purchase processes, they just might look a little different depending on which one you use. Follow the steps below to successfully purchase tickets on StubHub or Ticketmaster.
How to buy tickets on Ticketmaster
- Go to Ticketmaster.com
- Search for and/or click on event of interest
- Find date and location of interest and click "See Tickets"
- Select desired tickets and view total price, then click "Next"
- Log into Ticketmaster account (if not already logged in)
- Enter payment information and complete purchase.
Did You Know
Ticketmaster lets you browse tickets for a wide variety of live events! Click the buttons below to explore upcoming events near you:
Verdict: Ticketmaster has a faster process for buying tickets
While both Ticketmaster and StubHub have similar steps for purchasing tickets, Ticketmaster’s process feels much cleaner and simplified. Searching for tickets on Ticketmaster tends to get you to your desired event faster, and their checkout process is much faster. StubHub’s search function doesn’t always generate the best results, and their step-by-step checkout process - although easy to follow - feels really drawn-out.
Bottom line: best method to find event tickets
When it comes to which site you should use, it could be dependent on the specific event you want tickets for. However, we think there’s a clear winner overall when it comes to using Ticketmaster vs StubHub. This final section will cover if you should use one site or the other.
Comparison summary table: who wins overall
Comparison Criteria | Who Won? |
|---|---|
Fees | Ticketmaster |
Refunds, protection, & policies | Ticketmaster |
Ticket delivery methods | Tie |
Payment options | Ticketmaster |
Ticket availability & volume | Ticketmaster |
Customer support | Tie |
Fraud protection | Ticketmaster |
How to buy tickets | Ticketmaster |
Choose Ticketmaster, then StubHub for finding the cheapest tickets
We recommend first checking if you can buy non-resale tickets on Ticketmaster.
- If yes, and you have a few minutes to spare, you may as well check if you can get similar tickets for cheaper on StubHub (sometimes people will resell at a lower cost if they can’t attend and just want to get rid of the ticket, especially if it’s last minute).
- If not, check if you can buy it resale (maybe even for a lower price) on both Ticketmaster and StubHub. Sale prices might be lower on one vs the other simply based on which site a buyer is choosing to unload tickets they don’t need.
Pro Tip
Even if you find a ticket, it doesn't hurt to double check both sites for lower than face value resale prices (especially when it’s last minute).
While we did choose Ticketmaster as the winner for reselling tickets, StubHub is definitely a better option if you’re someone who’d like to see how much money you can make off of reselling your tickets. See our guide on Ticketmaster vs StubHub for Sellers for a breakdown on using both platforms to resell tickets.