How GIGXCHANGE Works
The complete guide to peer-to-peer live music booking in the UK. 412 artists, 42 venues across 66 cities — digital contracts, Stripe payments, two-way reviews. No agency, no middleman.
Explore by Role
How It Works for Artists
Create a free profile, get discovered by venues, sign contracts digitally and get paid via Stripe.
How It Works for Venues
Browse artists, post gigs, book direct with contracts and Stripe payments. No agency markup.
Compare UK Platforms
GIGXCHANGE vs Encore, Alive Network, Bands for Hire, GigPig — fees, features and booking models.
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Last updated: 13 May 2026
The 60-Second Version
Four steps from discovery to payment
Search
Browse 412 artist profiles and 42 venues by genre, city, budget and availability. Or post a gig listing and let matching acts apply.
Message
Contact anyone directly on the platform. Discuss dates, set length, equipment needs and fees — no agency middleman, no back-and-forth emails.
Book & Contract
Send a booking request, agree terms, and sign an auto-generated digital contract — legally enforceable under the Electronic Communications Act 2000.
Pay & Review
Deposit held via Stripe escrow. Released when both sides confirm the gig is complete. Two-way reviews build your reputation for next time.
End-to-End Walkthrough
From a venue posting a gig to an artist getting paid — every step explained
Venue Posts a Gig
A venue creates a gig listing with date, genre, budget range, equipment needs and capacity. Published instantly to the Gig Directory and surfaced to matching artists by genre and city. Venues hosting regular live music should check they have the right entertainment licence.
Artist Applies or Gets Discovered
Artists browse the directory or get found through their public profile. Smart matching surfaces relevant profiles based on genre, city and availability.
Direct Conversation
Real-time messaging on the platform. Share audio samples, discuss set lists, negotiate fees — everything in one thread per booking. No agency mediating the conversation.
Booking Request Sent
Either side can initiate a formal booking request with date, fee, deposit amount and any special terms. The other side accepts, counters or declines.
Digital Contract Signed
An auto-generated performance agreement covers date, fee, deposit, cancellation terms, equipment and set times. Both sides sign electronically. The contract generator handles 8 standard UK clauses.
Deposit Paid via Stripe
The venue pays the agreed deposit through Stripe. Funds are held in platform escrow — the artist can see the deposit is secured before the gig.
Gig Happens
The artist plays. Both sides confirm completion on the platform. If there's a dispute, GIGXCHANGE mediates before releasing funds.
Artist Gets Paid
Funds release to the artist's bank account within 7 days of confirmation. Two-way reviews go live on both profiles. The booking is complete. Remember to declare your earnings — most gigging musicians are self-employed.
What It Costs
GIGXCHANGE vs traditional UK booking agencies
GIGXCHANGE is free to use — the only charge is 5% for protected payment. Traditional UK agencies take 15–20% commission on your fee. That's the structural difference — see the full 7-platform comparison or check the GX Index for current UK gig rates.
Settle Privately: If both sides agree to handle payment off-platform, the platform fee drops to 0%. You still get messaging and contracts, just no Stripe escrow protection.
| GIGXCHANGE | UK Booking Agencies | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission on artist fee | 0% | 15–20% of your fee |
| Platform fee | Free — 5% only for protected payments | Built into quoted price |
| Artist keeps | 92–100% of agreed fee | 65–85% of quoted price |
| Settle Privately option | Yes — 0% fee, no escrow | No |
| Cost to join | Free | Audition / invitation |
| Monthly subscription | None | Varies |
Four Ways to Use GIGXCHANGE
One platform, four user types. Each gets tailored features but shares the same booking, contract and payment flow.
Artists & Musicians
Create a free profile, get discovered by venues, browse open gigs in the directory. Digital contracts and Stripe payments on every booking.
Venues, Pubs & Bars
Search artists by genre and city, post gig listings, manage bookings. No agency markup — emergency cover if an act cancels.
Booking Agents
Manage your roster, pitch venues, track per-artist commission. Scale from 1 act to 100 with the same toolset.
Promoters
Build lineups, create events with multi-act bookings, sell tickets. Contracts and payments handled on platform.
Trust & Safety
Every booking is backed by contracts, escrow and reviews
Stripe Escrow Payments
Deposits held by the platform via Stripe (PCI DSS Level 1 certified). Funds release only when both sides confirm the gig is complete.
Digital Contracts
Auto-generated performance agreements with 8 standard UK clauses. Enforceable under the Electronic Communications Act 2000. Sign in under a minute.
Two-Way Reviews
Both artist and venue rate each other after every gig. Your reputation builds over time and follows you across bookings.
Dispute Resolution
If something goes wrong — cancellation, no-show, disagreement on terms — GIGXCHANGE mediates before releasing funds. Fair process, documented evidence.
Why Peer-to-Peer Beats Agencies
The structural argument for direct booking
No Gatekeepers
Any artist can approach any venue. No auditions, no roster limits, no exclusivity contracts. Your talent and track record do the talking. The Musicians' Union advises checking any agent's exclusivity terms before signing — on GIGXCHANGE, there are none.
Transparent Pricing
Artists set their own fees. Venues see real market rates via the GX Index — live UK rate percentiles by city, band size and event type. No hidden agency markup.
Direct Relationships
You deal with the person, not their agent's assistant's email. Repeat bookings happen naturally because both sides know each other.
What We Don't Do
Transparency about what GIGXCHANGE is — and isn't
Not an agency
We don't represent artists or take bookings on anyone's behalf. All deals are direct between the two parties.
No vetting or auditions
Anyone can join. Quality is handled by reviews, complete profiles, audio samples and market competition — not by us picking favourites.
No equipment or crew
We're a booking platform, not a production company. Equipment, transport and sound engineers are between artist and venue.
No exclusivity
Book on GIGXCHANGE and anywhere else. We don't lock anyone in — if Encore, GigPig or Alive Network work for you too, use them.
The Numbers
Live data from the platform, updated in real time
- 412Artists on the platformBrowse profiles
- 42Venues actively bookingVenue directory
- 66UK cities coveredCity index
- 499Total membersAll profiles
- 3,878Rate observations in the GX IndexGX Index
- £300Median solo artist take-home per gigRate data
How It Works FAQ
- UK Gig Rate Calculator — live market percentiles by city, band size and event type
- Open Mic Finder — 1,170+ verified listings across 122 cities
- Contract Generator — UK-compliant, 8 clauses, dual e-signatures
- Setlist Builder — drag-reorder, auto-calc duration, share by link or PDF
- GX Index — the full UK live-music rate dataset, refreshed nightly
Ready to Get Started?
Free to join, 5 minutes to set up, no card needed. Join 499 members across 66 UK cities.