How Much to Charge for a Gig
An hour on stage is never an hour of work. Rehearsal, travel, setup and the drive home all come first. Count them, and your price makes sense anywhere in the world. 💸
Gig fee calculator
What an hour of skilled work costs where you live. A good yardstick: what a local electrician or hairdresser charges.
Quote this
Enter your hourly rate to see your price.
Where the hours go
7 hours in all. The stage is only 29% of the work.
Count every hour, not just the set
A two-hour set is often an eight-hour day. Rehearsing the songs, loading the car, driving there, setting up, the soundcheck, the wait, the set itself, and packing it all down again. If you only charge for the stage, you’re working most of the day for free.
Start from your local hourly worth
What a musician can charge depends on where you live, so start from your own market. A fair yardstick: what a skilled tradesperson charges per hour where you play, like an electrician or a hairdresser. You’re a skilled professional too, with years of practice behind every hour.
Price by what the gig means to them
Same songs, different stakes. The more depends on the night, the more it’s worth.
Bar, café or club
×1
Your base rate.
Private party
×1.25
More planning, someone's big night.
Wedding
×1.5
No second chances, long days, special requests.
Corporate event
×1.75
Budgets are bigger, and so is the pressure.
Get it in writing
A short agreement, even an email, saves a long argument. Before the date is confirmed, agree on:
- Date, arrival time and set times
- The fee, and when and how it's paid
- Deposit and what happens if it's cancelled
- Who brings the sound system and the lights
- Number and length of sets, and breaks
- Parking, food and drinks for the band
Three ways to get paid
Fixed fee
One agreed sum, whatever happens on the night. The safest deal, and the one to aim for.
+ You know what you'll earn
− Agree it before the gig, in writing
Door split
A share of the ticket money. Common in clubs and for touring bands.
+ A full room pays more than a fee
− An empty room pays nothing
Fee plus a bonus
A smaller guaranteed fee, plus a share of the door above a set number of tickets.
+ A floor and an upside
− Ask how tickets are counted
Make booking you easy
Bookers pick the band that’s easiest to say yes to. Put your best live video, your songs and your contact details in one place with a Link in Bio page, and walk into the gig with a ready Setlist. 🎤
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for a gig?
Count every hour the gig takes, from rehearsal and travel to packing up, and multiply by what an hour of skilled work is worth where you live. Add your costs, then adjust for the kind of gig: a wedding or a corporate event is worth more than a bar. The calculator on this page does the sums in any currency.
Should I ask for a deposit?
Yes, for private parties, weddings and corporate events. A quarter to half of the fee, paid when the date is booked, is normal. It holds the date for them, and protects you if they cancel.
Why can I charge more for a wedding?
Because there's no second chance. A wedding means a long day, special songs to learn, a tight schedule and a couple who will remember every minute. That responsibility is worth paying for.
What do I say when they say it's too expensive?
Explain what the price includes: the hours behind the set, the gear and the rehearsals. Then offer a smaller version, like a shorter set or fewer musicians, instead of the same show for less.
Should I ever play for free?
Sometimes. For a cause you care about, or a showcase in front of people who book bands. But a business that makes money on the night can pay the musicians who make the night.