Ticketmaster and StubHub are two of the most well-known ticket sales platforms, but they are not the same thing. While there is some overlap in what they offer, there are also key differences between the two companies.
What is Ticketmaster?
Ticketmaster is a ticket sales and distribution company based in Beverly Hills, California. It sells tickets for music, sports, theater, and other live entertainment events on behalf of event organizers. Ticketmaster has exclusive partnerships with many major venues, artists, and sports franchises to be their official primary ticket outlet. This means that often the only way to buy tickets to certain events is through Ticketmaster.
In addition to selling tickets to events, Ticketmaster also provides box office software and services to venues and event organizers. Its products help clients sell tickets, manage inventory, print tickets and wristbands, and analyze sales data and customer demographics.
Ticketmaster offers tickets through its website, mobile app, phone sales, and retail outlet locations. It earns revenue by charging fees on top of the ticket’s face value. These fees include order processing fees, service fees, and sometimes hidden convenience charges or dynamic pricing markups. Ticketmaster has been criticized for its exorbitant fees, which can sometimes more than double the stated ticket price.
What is StubHub?
StubHub is an online ticket marketplace owned by Viagogo, based in San Francisco, California. Unlike Ticketmaster, StubHub does not actually sell the tickets themselves. Instead, it acts as a platform connecting independent ticket resellers with buyers.
StubHub allows users to resell event tickets they cannot use. Sellers list their tickets for sale, often at marked-up prices, especially for high-demand events. Buyers can search for and purchase tickets from individual sellers. StubHub makes money by charging both the buyer and seller a fee when a sale is made. The buyer typically pays a 10-15% fee above the ticket price, while the seller is charged a commission of around 15%.
StubHub offers a larger selection of tickets, since it aggregates listings from many small sellers, not just the official source. Users can find last-minute tickets to sold-out events. However, since StubHub is a resale marketplace, ticket prices are driven by supply and demand and can be very expensive for popular events.
Key Differences Between Ticketmaster and StubHub
While both platforms offer event tickets for sale online, there are some notable differences between Ticketmaster and StubHub:
Primary vs. Secondary Market
The main difference is that Ticketmaster is a primary ticket outlet, while StubHub is a secondary ticket marketplace:
- Ticketmaster sells tickets directly on behalf of event organizers as the official source. Tickets are available for face value price.
- StubHub sells tickets via independent resellers. Tickets are often marked up over face value, sometimes heavily.
Ticket Availability
Another key difference is ticket availability:
- On Ticketmaster, once an event sells out, no more tickets are available.
- On StubHub, you can often still buy tickets after an event sells out, since you are buying from resellers. However, prices may be very inflated.
Buyer Protection
The buyer protection policies are different:
- Ticketmaster tickets are guaranteed valid when bought directly from their site.
- StubHub offers buyer guarantees to refund or replace tickets that are fraudulent or unusable. However, there is some risk buying from unverified sellers.
Fees and Pricing
There is also a difference in fees charged and ticket pricing:
- Ticketmaster charges order processing and services fees on top of the base ticket price.
- StubHub charges buyer and seller fees. Ticket prices may be above face value.
Mobile Experience
Both platforms offer mobile apps, but the experiences differ:
- The Ticketmaster app is primarily for ticket purchases and management.
- The StubHub app allows for ticket purchases but focuses more on reselling tickets from your account.
Other Key Differences
Feature | Ticketmaster | StubHub |
---|---|---|
Primary vs. secondary ticket source | Primary | Secondary |
Tickets for unavailable events | No | Yes |
Buyer protections | Guaranteed valid tickets | Refunds for unusable tickets |
Fees | Order processing and service fees | Buyer and seller fees |
Ticket prices | Face value prices | May be above face value |
Mobile app focus | Purchasing tickets | Reselling tickets |
Conclusion
In summary, while Ticketmaster and StubHub both provide a way for fans to buy tickets online to live events, they operate very differently. Ticketmaster sells tickets directly as the primary outlet, while StubHub acts as a secondary reseller marketplace. StubHub provides more options for sold out events and last-minute purchases, but tickets may be very expensive. Ultimately, Ticketmaster is the best place to buy tickets for your chosen event at face value prices, while StubHub is an option if an event is sold out or you want to resell extra tickets.