Every UK Live Music Booking Platform Compared (2026)
I’ve been gigging in the UK since 2009. For most of that time, booking a gig meant emailing into the void, hoping someone replied, and shaking hands on a fee that may or may not get honoured. There was no “platform” for live music booking. There was email, Facebook, and word of mouth.
That’s changed. There are now genuine platforms trying to solve this problem — some better than others, all taking different approaches. I built one of them (GigXchange), so I’m obviously biased, but I’ll be honest about every platform here, including what they do better than us.
This isn’t a “we’re the best” sales pitch. It’s a genuine landscape overview for any musician or venue trying to figure out which platform is worth their time in 2026.
The Three Models
Before comparing specific platforms, it helps to understand that there are fundamentally three models at play:
- Agency model — You tell them what you want, they find an act from their roster. You pay a premium (20-30% commission on top of the artist fee) for the convenience. Examples: Alive Network, Encore Musicians.
- Directory model — A listing site where musicians pay a subscription to be visible. Venues browse and contact acts directly. Examples: Last Minute Musicians, Bands for Hire.
- Marketplace model — Both sides use the platform. Venues post dates, musicians apply, and the platform handles contracts/payments. Examples: GigPig, GigXchange.
Each model suits different situations. Agencies are great for weddings and corporate events where you want a guaranteed level of quality and don’t mind paying for it. Directories work for established acts who want passive enquiries. Marketplaces are best for regular venue bookings where both sides want efficiency and transparency.
GigPig
What it is: The biggest live music marketplace in the UK right now. 18,000+ artists, 3,000+ venues, and over 120,000 gigs facilitated since 2023. Recently expanded into Ireland.
How it works: Venues post available dates. Artists apply. GigPig handles invoicing and payment. Venues choose from a vetted catalogue of performers.
Pricing: Free for artists. Venues pay £10 per booking (pay-as-you-go), £150/month (up to 20 gigs), or £250/month (up to 60 gigs). They claim venues save up to 70% compared to traditional booking. Backed by £1.3M seed funding from Haatch Ventures and Notion Capital.
Strengths: Scale. They’ve got the most artists and venues of any UK platform. If you’re a venue booking live music every week, the volume is hard to beat. The invoicing system is a genuine time-saver.
Weaknesses: Venue-driven model. Artists can’t approach venues directly — they wait for opportunities to appear. The monthly fee for venues can be steep if you only book occasionally. And there’s no built-in contract system — the “agreement” is essentially the booking confirmation.
Encore Musicians
What it is: A UK-based marketplace focused heavily on weddings, private events, and corporate gigs. Acquired by Mixcloud in 2024. Over 52,000 bookings completed and £25M+ paid to musicians.
How it works: Clients describe their event. Encore matches them with suitable acts. Musicians set their own pricing. Encore takes a 15% service fee from the musician’s earnings.
Pricing: Free to join as a musician. 15% commission on every booking. Over 52,000 bookings completed and £25M+ paid to musicians.
Strengths: Strong for functions, weddings, and corporate events. The vetting process means quality is generally high. Good for musicians who want passive income from private gigs without doing their own marketing.
Weaknesses: 15% is a significant cut, especially on lower-fee gigs. Not designed for regular venue bookings (pubs, bars, restaurants). The Mixcloud acquisition may shift their focus further toward DJ/electronic acts. Musicians don’t have direct relationships with bookers — Encore mediates everything.
Alive Network
What it is: The UK’s largest traditional entertainment agency. Over 10,000 events per year. Primarily weddings, corporate events, and private functions.
How it works: Classical agency model. Artists set their price per county, Alive adds their ~20% commission on top. Clients pay a deposit to Alive, then the balance direct to the artist on the day.
Pricing: ~20% commission (varies by membership tier). Artists control their base fee.
Strengths: Massive reach for private events. Trusted brand. Legally binding contracts on every booking. If you’re a function band or wedding act, Alive can keep your diary full.
Weaknesses: Strictly agency model — no direct relationships. Not designed for pub/bar/restaurant bookings. Commission on top of artist fees means clients pay more. Heavily weighted toward covers and function acts — original artists are largely excluded.
Last Minute Musicians
What it is: One of the UK’s longest-running musician directories. 3,500+ acts listed. Focused on functions, weddings, and events.
How it works: Directory model. Musicians pay a subscription to be listed. Clients browse, watch videos, read reviews, and contact acts directly. No commission on bookings.
Pricing: Musicians pay a subscription fee. Zero commission — you keep 100% of your fee.
Strengths: No commission is the big draw. Strong SEO — they rank well for “hire a musician” type searches. Direct contact between client and musician means you build your own relationships.
Weaknesses: No contract system, no payment handling, no booking management. It’s essentially a Yellow Pages for musicians. Heavily function/wedding focused. Not useful for regular venue bookings. The quality varies hugely since there’s minimal vetting.
GigSalad
What it is: International entertainment marketplace. US and Canada only — does not operate in the UK, but included here because it appears in search results. 110,000+ entertainers, $113M in gigs booked.
How it works: Clients post events. Entertainers send quotes. GigSalad handles booking and payment.
Pricing: Musicians pay a membership fee. GigSalad adds a service fee to client bookings.
Strengths: Broad range of entertainment (not just music). Good for private events. International reach.
Weaknesses: US-centric. UK catalogue is thin compared to domestic platforms. Not designed for regular venue bookings. Pricing structure can be confusing.
Gigmit
What it is: European-focused platform connecting artists with festivals and live events. Strong in Germany and expanding.
How it works: Festivals and promoters post opportunities. Artists apply. Gigmit facilitates the booking.
Strengths: Best platform for getting on festival lineups. Good for touring artists looking for European dates.
Weaknesses: Not useful for regular UK pub/bar gigs. Limited venue presence in the UK. More suited to emerging artists trying to break into the festival circuit than working musicians filling their weekly diary.
GigXchange
Full disclosure: I built this. So take what follows with that in mind.
What it is: A peer-to-peer live music marketplace for the UK. Artists, venues, agents, and promoters connect directly. Launched 2026, currently in Open Alpha.
How it works: Completely democratised — any user type can initiate an engagement. Venues post dates with fees upfront. Artists browse and apply. But artists can also approach venues directly, and agents/promoters can manage bookings for their roster. Every booking generates an automatic digital contract. Payment is secured through Stripe escrow and released when the gig is complete. Built-in messaging, two-way reviews, calendar sync, and emergency cover.
Pricing: Free during Open Alpha. First 250 musicians and 250 venues get permanent free access.
Strengths: The only platform where all four user types (artists, venues, agents, promoters) have equal access. Automatic contracts on every booking. Secure payments via Stripe — no cash, no chasing. Fees visible upfront. Search with filters for genre, location, budget, date, capacity. Built by a working musician who’s lived the problem for 16 years.
Weaknesses: Early stage. Smaller catalogue than GigPig or Encore — we’re building the network now. One-person operation, which means development is fast but support is limited. No mobile app yet (web only). Unproven at scale.
I’d rather be honest about where we are than pretend we’re something we’re not. We’re new, we’re small, and we’re building in public. What we do have is the right architecture — proper contracts, secure payments, and equal access for everyone.
The Comparison Table
| Platform | Model | Artist Cost | Contracts | Payments | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GigPig | Marketplace | Free | No | Invoicing | Regular venue bookings |
| Encore | Agency | 15% commission | Yes | Via Encore | Weddings, corporate |
| Alive Network | Agency | ~20% commission | Yes | Deposit + direct | Functions, big events |
| Last Minute Musicians | Directory | Subscription | No | Direct (cash) | Passive enquiries |
| GigSalad | Marketplace | Membership + fee | Yes | Via platform | Private events (US/Canada only) |
| Gigmit | Marketplace | Freemium | No | Direct | Festivals, Europe |
| GigXchange | P2P Marketplace | Free (Alpha) | Automatic | Stripe escrow | All UK gig types |
Where the Industry Is Heading
The live music industry at grassroots level is about 10 years behind every other marketplace. Uber solved transport. Airbnb solved accommodation. Deliveroo solved food delivery. Live music is still running on Facebook messages and handshake deals.
That’s changing. The platforms listed here are the first wave. Within a few years, I think the standard will be:
- Every gig has a digital contract — not optional, built in
- Fees are transparent and agreed before anyone commits
- Payments are secured, not cash-on-the-night
- Reviews build accountability on both sides
- Access is democratised — talent matters more than connections
Some of the platforms above are heading in this direction. Some are still fundamentally agencies or directories wearing marketplace clothing. The ones that will win long-term are the ones that solve the trust problem: contracts, payments, and reviews. Everything else is just a listing.
Which Platform Should You Use?
If you’re a musician playing regular pub/bar gigs: GigPig for volume, GigXchange for transparency and contracts. Use both — they’re not mutually exclusive.
If you’re a function/wedding act: Encore or Alive Network. The commission is worth it for the lead generation.
If you’re a venue booking weekly live music: GigPig has the biggest catalogue. GigXchange has automatic contracts and secure payments. Try both and see which delivers better acts for your room.
If you’re trying to get on festival lineups: Gigmit is your best bet.
If you want zero commission: Last Minute Musicians (directory only, no booking tools).
The honest answer is: use multiple platforms. No single platform has the entire market covered yet. Put your profile everywhere, be active on 2-3, and build direct relationships alongside. The platforms are tools, not replacements for genuine networking.
If you want to try GigXchange, we’re in Open Alpha and the first 250 musicians and venues get free access permanently. I’m building it because I wished it existed when I was doing 20 cold emails a week and getting two replies. If you’ve been there, you know exactly what I mean.
For more on how GigXchange works, read What Is GigXchange and Why Did I Build It? or check out the For Artists and Showcase pages.
