UK Live Music Booking Platforms: 7 Compared (2026) — GigPig, Encore, Alive Network & MoreIncluding GIGXCHANGE — the peer-to-peer challenger

• 7 platforms compared — GigPig, Encore, Alive Network, GigSalad, Gigmit, Last Minute Musicians, GigXchange
• 0-40% — commission range across the market (lowest: GigXchange 0-8%; highest: premium agency tiers up to ~40%)
• 4 user types — artists, venues, agents, promoters (only GigXchange supports all four equally)
• ~20% — typical UK agency/marketplace commission (Encore, Alive Network)
• 3 models — agency, marketplace, peer-to-peer

I’ve been gigging in the UK since 2009 — that’s over 15 years on the circuit. 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. Meanwhile the sector matured around us: UK Music’s Music by Numbers 2024 put total industry contribution at £7.6bn with 216,000 people employed, and live music alone was worth roughly £2.5bn.

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 (an agency commission, typically around 20%, 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 — the UK wedding market is worth around £14.7bn a year and roughly 10% of that is typically earmarked for entertainment. Directories work for established acts who want passive enquiries. Marketplaces are best for regular venue bookings where both sides want efficiency and transparency — particularly valuable when the Music Venue Trust reports 125 grassroots venue closures in 2023 (one every 3 days) and every remaining venue needs to fill calendars without expensive intermediaries.

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. Self-reported booking and payout figures are published in their Accountability section.

How it works: Clients describe their event. Encore matches them with suitable acts. Musicians set their own pricing. Encore takes a 20% service fee from the musician’s performance fee^[1].

Pricing: Free to join as a musician. 20% commission on every booking^[1].

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: A 20% commission is a meaningful share of fee, especially on lower-paying gigs — at the Musicians’ Union recommended minimum of £140 for a 3-hour engagement, that’s £28 gone per gig, or around £1,450 across a year of weekly pub work. Not designed for regular venue bookings (pubs, bars, restaurants). 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 base price per county; Alive adds their commission on top^[2]. Clients pay a deposit to Alive, then the balance direct to the artist on the day.

Pricing: Around 20% commission, varying by membership tier^[2]. 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: 0–8% commission — 0% if you settle the booking offline (cash, bank transfer), up to 8% if paid through the platform’s Stripe checkout (covers card processing and platform infrastructure). 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	Marketplace	20%[1]	Yes	Via Encore	Weddings, corporate
Alive Network	Agency	~20% (varies)[2]	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	0–8%	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?, run the numbers in the free UK gig rate calculator, or check the live UK gig rate index for what your tier actually pays in 2026.

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Sources & verification
[1] Encore Musicians commission rate — quoted from encoremusicians.com/musicians: “This is 20% of your total performance fee. Unlike some agencies, we don’t hide this amount — so you can always see the commission split when you quote.” Accessed April 2026.
[2] Alive Network commission rate — quoted from alivenetwork.com/join: “Our normal commission rate is around 20% depending on your membership level.” Accessed April 2026.
Other platform statistics (catalogue size, booking volume, funding etc.) are self-reported figures published by each provider on their public pages. We have not independently audited these and they may have changed since publication.

Accuracy & trademarks. All comparative claims in this article were verified against the cited public sources on 22 April 2026. Pricing, commission rates, product features and other particulars at competing providers can change without notice; verify current details directly with each provider before making a decision. GigPig, Encore Musicians, Alive Network, Last Minute Musicians, GigSalad, Gigmit and any other named platforms are trade names of their respective owners and are referenced here for informational comparison only — no endorsement, partnership or affiliation is implied. If you believe any factual claim on this page is out of date or incorrect, please contact us at hello@gigxchange.app and we will update or remove it promptly.