How much resale sites really add in fees
Across our checkout observations, buyer fees average roughly 28% on StubHub, 23% on SeatGeek, 26% on Vivid Seats — while TickPick adds nothing. On a pair of $100 tickets, that's up to $56.00 of pure fees for identical seats.
Observed average buyer-fee rates
| Marketplace | Average rate | Observed range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| TickPick | 0% | No buyer fees | All-in pricing policy |
| StubHub | ~28% | 25–30% | Checkout observation, Aug 2026 |
| SeatGeek | ~23% | 20–26% | Checkout observation, Aug 2026 |
| Vivid Seats | ~26% | 22–30% | Checkout observation, Aug 2026 |
Rates are averages from our own checkout tests (see methodology), last re-checked Aug 11, 2026. Marketplaces don't publish fee schedules; actual fees vary by event, seller and demand, which is why we publish ranges alongside averages.
What that means in dollars
Total checkout cost for a pair of tickets at common face prices:
| 2 tickets at… | TickPick | StubHub | SeatGeek | Vivid Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50.00 each | $100.00 | $128.00 | $123.00 | $126.00 |
| $100.00 each | $200.00 | $256.00 | $246.00 | $252.00 |
| $150.00 each | $300.00 | $384.00 | $369.00 | $378.00 |
| $250.00 each | $500.00 | $640.00 | $615.00 | $630.00 |
| $500.00 each | $1,000.00 | $1,280.00 | $1,230.00 | $1,260.00 |
The pattern is linear and merciless: because fees are percentages, the premium grows with the ticket. At the $500 level — playoff and premium-tour territory — choosing a fee-charging marketplace costs more than an entire extra cheap ticket.
Method in one paragraph
We price identical seats (same event, section and row) across marketplaces and record the gap between advertised price and final checkout total on each. Observations are logged with date and device; averages above pool our tests across sports and concerts. Full procedure, including how we handle dynamic fees and screenshots, is on the methodology page. Want to run your own numbers? Use the fee calculator.