For promoters and the acts they book
Music promoter deals
How the money works: guarantees, door splits, versus deals, break-even.
How music promoters pay acts and make money in the UK: guarantee, door split and versus deals explained, with break-even maths from live gig fees.
Updated 23 October 2026
01 — Music promoter deals
How Promoter Deals Work
GIGXCHANGE is where UK promoters and acts agree the deal and sign it direct. A promoter pays an act in one of three ways: a fixed guarantee, a share of the door, or a versus deal - whichever is greater. On GigXchange, 982 artists and the promoters who book them agree the deal in the chat and sign it in a contract on every booking. The booking fee is 5% on top only when you pay through GigXchange – 0% when you settle privately.
The most common argument at the end of a UK gig is about money that was agreed in a message months earlier: was it a guarantee or a door split, were the costs taken off first, and when does the band get paid?
Every deal type is fair if both sides understand it. A guarantee puts the risk on the promoter, a door split shares it, and a versus deal protects the act on a quiet night while rewarding a busy one. What makes a deal unfair is leaving it vague.
On GigXchange the deal is part of the contract: the type, the split, what counts as costs and when the act is paid, signed by both sides before anyone plays. Live act fees from the GX Index give the guarantee side a fair starting point, and break-even is total costs divided by the ticket price - so a promoter can see before they book whether the night can work.
| 02The deals, explainedGuarantee, door split, versus | |
| 03Act feesBudget the acts before you book | |
| 04Rooms for your nightThe venues in our directory | |
| 05Members across the UKThe acts and rooms near you | |
| 06The licence rulesEach with its official source | |
| 07Pick the dealWhich deal suits which night. | |
| 08Choosing the right actsWhat to check before you book, so the night goes the way you planned. | |
| 09Free tools for promotersFree with a promoter account. | |
| 11QuestionsWhat promoters and acts ask about the money | |
| 12Keep exploringThe other guides and the longer reads |
02 — The deals
5 stepsThe deals
| Step 01GuaranteeA fixed fee for the act, whatever the crowd. The promoter carries the risk. | |
| Step 02Door splitThe act takes an agreed share of ticket or door money, often after costs. The act shares the risk. | |
| Step 03Versus dealThe act gets the greater of a guarantee or a share of the door. | |
| Step 04Work out break-evenAdd the acts, the room, sound and promotion; divide by the ticket price. | |
| Step 05Put it in writingThe deal type, the split, what counts as costs and when the act is paid - in the contract. | |
| Before you bookAgree it before the nightSettle the deal, what counts as costs and when the act is paid before anyone plays - never on the night. |
03 — Act fees
LiveThe price ladder
How much does a promoter pay an act? Under a guarantee, about the market fee: on the live GX Index, a 3 to 4 piece band at a pub or bar is typically £350 (275 fees) and a solo act £250 (370 fees). Under a door split, it depends on the crowd.
GX Index UK medians, live - ARTIST fees only, against the Musicians’ Union per-musician minimums. Room hire, sound, staff and promotion come on top and are not in these figures. Use them as the guarantee side of a deal.
- Pub or bar, solo £250 median · 370 observationsThe MU publishes no solo figure
- Pub or bar, duo £325 median · 67 observationsMU minimum £334.32
- Pub or bar, 3 to 4 piece £350 median · 275 observationsMU minimum £501.48 · for 3 players; 4 players: £668.64
- Pub or bar, 5 piece or more £525 median · 223 observationsMU minimum £835.80
You pay the acts’ fees. 5% on top only when you pay through GigXchange – 0% when you settle privately.
| GuideYour first event, budgetedBudgets, venue hire and break-even. | |
| ToolRate calculatorA fair fee for your night. | |
| DataGX IndexEvery UK fee table, open data. |
04 — On GigXchange
70 venuesRooms for your night
70 venues are on GigXchange - rooms where the deal and the room hire are agreed. Each venue lists its capacity and what it hosts; message the booker, agree the date and the terms, and keep the whole night in one thread. How is a venue paid for a promoter’s night? A room hire fee, a share of the bar, a share of the door, or a mix - agreed with the venue before the acts are booked.
05 — Members across the UK
Tap a cityActs near you
Scroll to zoom (hold Ctrl / two fingers)· tap a layer to switch · click a pin for details, a cluster for its area.
Booking in a city? London · Birmingham · Leeds · Glasgow · Sheffield · Manchester · Bradford · Edinburgh · Liverpool · Bristol · Leicester · Cardiff · every city guide
06 — The licence rules
Checked 22 October 2026What you need
Which rules affect a promoter’s costs? The venue’s licence usually covers the night; a one-off event outside a licence needs a temporary events notice, and music in public needs TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS.
| England and WalesOne-off events: a TENFor an event outside your licence: fewer than 500 people at all times, including staff, up to 7 days. Give the council at least 10 clear working days' notice (a late TEN: 5). One premises can have up to 15 a year, 21 days in total. | |
| UKYou still need TheMusicLicenceThat is permission to hold the event, not copyright. Playing or performing music in public needs a music licence from PPL PRS. | |
| England and WalesKeep the neighbours on sideYour council can act if noise becomes a statutory nuisance. Agree finish times and volume with the act in the contract. |
| Scotland and NILicensing (Scotland) Act 2005Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own licensing law - check with your council. | |
| ToolLicensing checkerTen questions, a plain-English verdict. |
07 — Which deal when
Pick the deal
| A headliner who sells ticketsA guarantee or a versus deal - they bring the crowd. | |
| A new night, unknown crowdA door split shares the risk while the night builds. | |
| A charity nightReduced fees or expenses, agreed in writing. | |
| A battle or showcaseEntrants often unpaid, a prize or a paid headliner instead. |
08 — Choosing the acts
Before you book
| Hear the real thingAudio, video and two-way reviews on profiles, where the act has added them - venues review acts and acts review venues. | |
| Find acts by sound and dateSet the date, the budget and the sound, and invite ranked acts that are free that night. | |
| Ask about coverMany venues ask acts for public liability insurance. Musicians’ Union members are covered to £10 million each with their membership. | |
| Agree the kitWho brings the PA, the stage space and the power - written into the contract so nobody guesses on the night. |
| Musicians' UnionNational gig rates | |
| PPL PRSTheMusicLicence | |
| GOV.UK - Temporary events noticeOne-off events |
09 — Free tools
7 toolsFor promoters
| DiscoveryFind an ArtistRanked acts for your dates | |
| BookingPost a GigArtists apply to you | |
| ContractsBooking ContractsUK-compliant and e-signed, on every booking | |
| PromotionEvents PosterYour what’s-on, in one click | |
| PromotionFlyer BuilderOn-brand gig flyers, no design skill needed | |
| CoverGX Gig RescueFill a dropout, fast | |
| MoneyInvoice GeneratorSynced to your bookings, paid faster |
See it in action
A look inside GigXchange Mainstage — the members app where artists, venues, agents and promoters manage bookings, messaging, events and payments. Scroll: the phone follows you through the app.
- 01 / 04
Your dashboard
The moment you log in, everything that matters is in front of you — what's booked, what you've earned, and what needs you next. No digging through tabs.
- Bookings at a glanceConfirmed, pending and upcoming gigs in one view — so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Earnings, trackedSee deposits held securely and payouts released, with a running total you can trust.
- Live activity feedNew messages, offers and event updates surface the second they happen — you're never the last to know.
- 02 / 04
Explore the scene
Find the right artists, venues and open gigs across the UK from one place — filtered by what actually matters to you: location, genre, date and budget.
- Search that fits youFilter by role, city, genre and availability to surface only the people and gigs worth your time.
- Smart Match suggestionsThe strongest matches rise to the top, so the right connection finds you — not just the loudest.
- Open gigs, liveBrowse gigs that need filling and apply in a tap — no cold outreach, no gatekeepers.
- 03 / 04
Bookings, end to end
Offer, negotiate and confirm a gig in a single thread — every date, fee and deposit agreed in one place and held to.
- One thread, start to finishThe whole deal lives in one conversation — no lost emails, no he-said-she-said.
- Negotiate with clarityCounter-offers, dates and fees are structured and tracked, so both sides always know where they stand.
- Held securelyThe deposit is held safely until the gig is done — performers get paid, bookers get peace of mind.
- 04 / 04
Messaging
Agree the details before you commit. Direct, real-time conversations with venues, artists, agents and promoters — with bookings built right in.
- Talk first, book secondSort the awkward questions — sound, timings, fee — before anything's signed.
- Bookings inside the chatTurn a conversation into a confirmed offer without ever leaving the thread.
- Share availability & filesSend your calendar, riders and posters in-line, so everyone's working from the same page.
- 01 / 04
Your dashboard
The moment you log in, everything that matters is in front of you — what's booked, what you've earned, and what needs you next. No digging through tabs.
- Bookings at a glanceConfirmed, pending and upcoming gigs in one view — so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Earnings, trackedSee deposits held securely and payouts released, with a running total you can trust.
- Live activity feedNew messages, offers and event updates surface the second they happen — you're never the last to know.
- 02 / 04
Explore the scene
Find the right artists, venues and open gigs across the UK from one place — filtered by what actually matters to you: location, genre, date and budget.
- Search that fits youFilter by role, city, genre and availability to surface only the people and gigs worth your time.
- Smart Match suggestionsThe strongest matches rise to the top, so the right connection finds you — not just the loudest.
- Open gigs, liveBrowse gigs that need filling and apply in a tap — no cold outreach, no gatekeepers.
- 03 / 04
Bookings, end to end
Offer, negotiate and confirm a gig in a single thread — every date, fee and deposit agreed in one place and held to.
- One thread, start to finishThe whole deal lives in one conversation — no lost emails, no he-said-she-said.
- Negotiate with clarityCounter-offers, dates and fees are structured and tracked, so both sides always know where they stand.
- Held securelyThe deposit is held safely until the gig is done — performers get paid, bookers get peace of mind.
- 04 / 04
Messaging
Agree the details before you commit. Direct, real-time conversations with venues, artists, agents and promoters — with bookings built right in.
- Talk first, book secondSort the awkward questions — sound, timings, fee — before anything's signed.
- Bookings inside the chatTurn a conversation into a confirmed offer without ever leaving the thread.
- Share availability & filesSend your calendar, riders and posters in-line, so everyone's working from the same page.
11 — Questions7 answersMusic promoter deals FAQ
12 — Keep exploring
Go deeper
| How to Become a Music PromoterPut on your first nights and build a following. | |
| How to Start a Club NightDJs, the room, the licence, the crowd. | |
| How to Start an Open Mic NightHost a weekly open mic that lasts. | |
| How to Put On a GigRoom, line-up, budget, tickets. | |
| How to Organise a Charity GigRaise money with a night of live music. | |
| How to Run a Battle of the BandsRules, judging, the bands, the night. | |
| How to Start a Music FestivalSite, licence, safety, line-up - small first. | |
| Gig rate calculatorA fair fee for any act. | |
| All the promoter guidesEvery kind of night in one place. | |
| Your first eventThe first-timer checklist. | |
| GigXchange for promotersEverything a promoter account does. |
| How cancellations work | |
| The booking fee | |
| Gig rate calculator |
Music promoter deals
How music promoters pay acts and make money in the UK: guarantee, door split and versus deals explained, with break-even maths from live gig fees.
Last updated: 23 October 2026
How Promoter Deals Work
GIGXCHANGE is where UK promoters and acts agree the deal and sign it direct. A promoter pays an act in one of three ways: a fixed guarantee, a share of the door, or a versus deal - whichever is greater. On GigXchange, 982 artists and the promoters who book them agree the deal in the chat and sign it in a contract on every booking. The booking fee is 5% on top only when you pay through GigXchange – 0% when you settle privately.
The most common argument at the end of a UK gig is about money that was agreed in a message months earlier: was it a guarantee or a door split, were the costs taken off first, and when does the band get paid?
Every deal type is fair if both sides understand it. A guarantee puts the risk on the promoter, a door split shares it, and a versus deal protects the act on a quiet night while rewarding a busy one. What makes a deal unfair is leaving it vague.
On GigXchange the deal is part of the contract: the type, the split, what counts as costs and when the act is paid, signed by both sides before anyone plays. Live act fees from the GX Index give the guarantee side a fair starting point, and break-even is total costs divided by the ticket price - so a promoter can see before they book whether the night can work.
The deals, explained
The three ways promoters pay acts, how to work out break-even, and how to write it down.
Guarantee
A fixed fee for the act, whatever the crowd. The promoter carries the risk.
Door split
The act takes an agreed share of ticket or door money, often after costs. The act shares the risk.
Versus deal
The act gets the greater of a guarantee or a share of the door.
Work out break-even
Add the acts, the room, sound and promotion; divide by the ticket price.
Put it in writing
The deal type, the split, what counts as costs and when the act is paid - in the contract.
Agree it before the night
Settle the deal, what counts as costs and when the act is paid before anyone plays - never on the night.
Act fees, live
GX Index UK medians, live - ARTIST fees only, against the Musicians’ Union per-musician minimums. Room hire, sound, staff and promotion come on top and are not in these figures. Use them as the guarantee side of a deal.
How much does a promoter pay an act? Under a guarantee, about the market fee: on the live GX Index, a 3 to 4 piece band at a pub or bar is typically £350 (275 fees) and a solo act £250 (370 fees). Under a door split, it depends on the crowd.
- Pub or bar, solo £250 median · 370 observationsThe MU publishes no solo figure
- Pub or bar, duo £325 median · 67 observationsMU minimum £334.32
- Pub or bar, 3 to 4 piece £350 median · 275 observationsMU minimum £501.48 · for 3 players; 4 players: £668.64
- Pub or bar, 5 piece or more £525 median · 223 observationsMU minimum £835.80
You pay the acts’ fees. 5% on top only when you pay through GigXchange – 0% when you settle privately. Your first event, budgeted · Work out a budget for your night · Every GX Index fee table · The Musicians’ Union national gig rates
Rooms for your night
70 venues are on GigXchange - rooms where the deal and the room hire are agreed. Each venue lists its capacity and what it hosts; message the booker, agree the date and the terms, and keep the whole night in one thread. How is a venue paid for a promoter’s night? A room hire fee, a share of the bar, a share of the door, or a mix - agreed with the venue before the acts are booked.
Browse the UK venue directory · What a promoter account does · Join as a promoter
Members across the UK
Artists, venues, agents and promoters on GigXchange, by city - the acts and rooms near you.
Scroll to zoom (hold Ctrl / two fingers)· tap a layer to switch · click a pin for details, a cluster for its area.
Booking live music in a city? London · Birmingham · Leeds · Glasgow · Sheffield · Manchester · Bradford · Edinburgh · Liverpool · Bristol · Leicester · Cardiff · every city guide
The licence rules
The rules every promoter night meets, each with its official source. Checked 22 October 2026.
Which rules affect a promoter’s costs? The venue’s licence usually covers the night; a one-off event outside a licence needs a temporary events notice, and music in public needs TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own licensing law - check with your council. Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. Not sure which applies? Licensing checker · Compliance checklist · Martyn’s Law check
Pick the deal
Which deal suits which night.
A headliner who sells tickets
A guarantee or a versus deal - they bring the crowd.
A new night, unknown crowd
A door split shares the risk while the night builds.
A charity night
Reduced fees or expenses, agreed in writing.
A battle or showcase
Entrants often unpaid, a prize or a paid headliner instead.
Choosing the right acts
What to check before you book, so the night goes the way you planned.
Who sets the rules: Musicians' Union · PPL PRS · GOV.UK - Temporary events notice
Free tools for promoters
Free with a promoter account.
Find an Artist
Pick the empty date, set a 60-second brief, and invite up to 5 ranked best-fit acts — fit scores, fee bands and kit tags attached.
Post a Gig
List an open slot in two minutes — genres, budget, house kit — and take applications from gig-ready artists with verified reviews attached.
Booking Contracts
Every GigXchange booking auto-generates a UK-compliant performance contract — 8 standard clauses, deposit terms, dual e-signatures, instant PDF.
Events Poster
Your upcoming programme becomes a designed poster — ticket QRs on every listing, status badges, your branding. Print, post or publish to your profile.
Flyer Builder
Design striking gig flyers from on-brand templates in minutes — built from your booking details, no design skill needed.
GX Gig Rescue
Broadcast an urgent booking invite to up to 25 available acts near you — last-minute specialists first, first to accept is booked.
Invoice Generator
Create polished invoices in seconds and get paid faster — synced to your bookings, numbered and dated automatically.
See it in action
A look inside GigXchange Mainstage, the members app promoters book in: find the acts, agree the date and fee in the chat, track every booking. Scroll: the phone follows you through the app.
- 01 / 04
Your dashboard
The moment you log in, everything that matters is in front of you — what's booked, what you've earned, and what needs you next. No digging through tabs.
- Bookings at a glanceConfirmed, pending and upcoming gigs in one view — so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Earnings, trackedSee deposits held securely and payouts released, with a running total you can trust.
- Live activity feedNew messages, offers and event updates surface the second they happen — you're never the last to know.
- 02 / 04
Explore the scene
Find the right artists, venues and open gigs across the UK from one place — filtered by what actually matters to you: location, genre, date and budget.
- Search that fits youFilter by role, city, genre and availability to surface only the people and gigs worth your time.
- Smart Match suggestionsThe strongest matches rise to the top, so the right connection finds you — not just the loudest.
- Open gigs, liveBrowse gigs that need filling and apply in a tap — no cold outreach, no gatekeepers.
- 03 / 04
Bookings, end to end
Offer, negotiate and confirm a gig in a single thread — every date, fee and deposit agreed in one place and held to.
- One thread, start to finishThe whole deal lives in one conversation — no lost emails, no he-said-she-said.
- Negotiate with clarityCounter-offers, dates and fees are structured and tracked, so both sides always know where they stand.
- Held securelyThe deposit is held safely until the gig is done — performers get paid, bookers get peace of mind.
- 04 / 04
Messaging
Agree the details before you commit. Direct, real-time conversations with venues, artists, agents and promoters — with bookings built right in.
- Talk first, book secondSort the awkward questions — sound, timings, fee — before anything's signed.
- Bookings inside the chatTurn a conversation into a confirmed offer without ever leaving the thread.
- Share availability & filesSend your calendar, riders and posters in-line, so everyone's working from the same page.
- 01 / 04
Your dashboard
The moment you log in, everything that matters is in front of you — what's booked, what you've earned, and what needs you next. No digging through tabs.
- Bookings at a glanceConfirmed, pending and upcoming gigs in one view — so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Earnings, trackedSee deposits held securely and payouts released, with a running total you can trust.
- Live activity feedNew messages, offers and event updates surface the second they happen — you're never the last to know.
- 02 / 04
Explore the scene
Find the right artists, venues and open gigs across the UK from one place — filtered by what actually matters to you: location, genre, date and budget.
- Search that fits youFilter by role, city, genre and availability to surface only the people and gigs worth your time.
- Smart Match suggestionsThe strongest matches rise to the top, so the right connection finds you — not just the loudest.
- Open gigs, liveBrowse gigs that need filling and apply in a tap — no cold outreach, no gatekeepers.
- 03 / 04
Bookings, end to end
Offer, negotiate and confirm a gig in a single thread — every date, fee and deposit agreed in one place and held to.
- One thread, start to finishThe whole deal lives in one conversation — no lost emails, no he-said-she-said.
- Negotiate with clarityCounter-offers, dates and fees are structured and tracked, so both sides always know where they stand.
- Held securelyThe deposit is held safely until the gig is done — performers get paid, bookers get peace of mind.
- 04 / 04
Messaging
Agree the details before you commit. Direct, real-time conversations with venues, artists, agents and promoters — with bookings built right in.
- Talk first, book secondSort the awkward questions — sound, timings, fee — before anything's signed.
- Bookings inside the chatTurn a conversation into a confirmed offer without ever leaving the thread.
- Share availability & filesSend your calendar, riders and posters in-line, so everyone's working from the same page.
Music promoter deals FAQ
What promoters and acts ask about the money.
More answers: How cancellations work · The booking fee · Gig rate calculator
Your next night, booked
Join free and book the acts direct.