8 Best Alternatives To Ticketmaster For Buying Concert Tickets
Whether you want front-row seats to the Eras Tour or the chance to see a trending local indie band at a small venue, you'll need a ticket to even get inside. Live music is a lucrative business, and for the most part, you'll have to go through Ticketmaster to get anything. Of course, that isn't always a desirable option given the state of Ticketmaster as of late.
In May 2024, the Department of Justice pursued antitrust violations against the behemoth company. Not long thereafter, Ticketmaster experienced a huge data breach, compromising the personal information of over half a billion people. Such a breach of privacy undoubtedly makes some people want to know how to delete their Ticketmaster account altogether. At the bare minimum, it would be a good idea to at least change your Ticketmaster password, but all of these events put together suggest it may be good to find an alternative to buying tickets to live events.
Unfortunately, Ticketmaster is almost unavoidable these days — hence the lawsuit — but if you personally don't want to purchase anything through Ticketmaster, there are third-party reseller sites that'll still help you see Taylor Swift in all her glory. If you're lucky and know where to look, you may just find places to buy tickets that aren't being resold at all.
TickPick
For anyone who frequents concerts, it may seem like Ticketmaster is the only game in town. However, there are plenty of websites and apps that often provide discounted deals, and one that is worth checking out is TickPick. This is a secondary marketplace site where people upload tickets they already own for purchase. This means they may go for extravagantly more than face value, but you may be able to get lower prices if people just want to offload their tickets, especially if the show in question is only a day or two away.
One great feature of TickPick is that there are no hidden fees. What you see on the initial webpage is what you pay. Ticket fees and convenience charges — which never really seem all that convenient — are just some of the hidden costs of online shopping out there where you think you're getting one price only to pay double at checkout. For a lot of people, they only become aware of the true price when they're about to pay, and at that point, they're so far into the process they likely just pay whatever it winds up being, even though it's ridiculously high.
With TickPick, you know what you're getting upfront. Beyond that, unlike tickets purchased from someone on social media or Craigslist, tickets sold on TickPick have added protection, so you know when you hand over your money, you'll actually get to see the show.
SeatGeek
Whereas TickPick is strictly a reseller site, SeatGeek functions as both a primary and secondary ticket selling site. Sometimes, SeatGeek works directly with venues to sell tickets, but individuals can also upload their own tickets to the site to sell. The website really soars when it comes to the user interface, making it a breeze to locate events and figure out which tickets and what prices are right for you. It's also a particularly great resource if you're a fan of America's pastime.
SeatGeek has an official partnership with Major League Baseball, so if you have the SeatGeek and MLB apps downloaded already on your phone, you can sync them up. When you purchase a ticket for a baseball game on SeatGeek, it'll be transferred automatically to your MLB app, so you're ready to see the game. Not only that, but as you're searching for the best seat in the stadium, you can see exactly what your view will be like from your seat. No more inconvenient surprises — unless the person sitting in front of you happens to be unusually tall, of course.
From venue directly
When watching old movies or TV shows, it may become odd to see people standing outside of a venue waiting for tickets to be released. Still, that was the law of the land not too long ago, and while you don't see many lines outside venues these days, buying directly from such concert halls can often be a great way to get tickets for cheaper than Ticketmaster.
You can try searching a venue's website or calling, but most of the time, this will require you to show up in-person and buy tickets directly from the box office. This can be tough, especially if you anticipate the show selling out right away. However, in the event it's a more laid-back show, you can swing by the box office when it's convenient for you. There may be some fees, but they likely won't be as costly as Ticketmaster.
Just make sure the box office will be open before you spend time driving over. For example, the iconic Greek Theatre in Los Angeles offers tickets at the box office, so as long as you don't mind running an extra errand, it's a good way to keep some extra money in your pocket for merch.
AXS
While many people seem to think Ticketmaster is the only game in town to get access to live events, AXS is here to shake things up. It's also an official ticketing platform for numerous venues around the globe, allowing fans to buy tickets directly rather than from resellers. Sometimes, artists and venues work directly with one or the other, and in other instances, tickets will be split between the two. Notably, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour saw some presale tickets divided between the two platforms, so be sure to double-check any presale codes to see if they direct you to one platform or the other ahead of time.
As a straightforward ticketing platform, buyers don't have to worry about whether their tickets will come through from some unknown third party. In addition, AXS made waves in the live event realm earlier in 2024 when it was announced the site was partnering with TikTok to allow individuals to buy tickets for their favorite artists directly on the social media site. Ticketmaster previously had this arrangement set up via TikTok, but now, AXS is moving in on their territory. Granted, TikTok could soon be banned in the United States, which would put a damper on this development, but for the time being, it's one more tool for people to enjoy their favorite acts live.
See Tickets
See Tickets may not be as well-known as sites like StubHub and SeatGeek, but it's quickly making a name for itself. People can upload their tickets to resell, but the company has also become the official partner for various recurring events, including becoming the exclusive ticketing partner for the Glastonbury Festival in England and Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival. The site typically deals with smaller acts, so you probably won't be able to get tickets for the likes of Kendrick Lamar or Taylor Swift here. Still, if you want to see who's performing at a smaller venue near you, it's a solid option.
See Tickets has expanded a lot, and it's all thanks to some aggressive pushes during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, which put live events at a standstill. So while See Tickets may not have every show you want, it's still a decent tool to have in your arsenal and a great option if you're trying to avoid using Ticketmaster and still get access to some very high profile festivals.
MegaSeats
Similar to TickPick, MegaSeats is also primarily a reseller site that advertises tickets with no buyer fees. Since people are reselling, it may require some savvy shopping to determine if a given ticket is way overpriced, but people using the platform can take solace in the fact the site regularly offers promo codes. If the website's actively hosting a promotion, you'll find the discount automatically applied to whatever ticket you want to buy. Purchasing is simple, but there's one slight caveat.
You'll still need a Ticketmaster account to access whatever you buy. Make sure you sign up with MegaSeats with the email address you have for your Ticketmaster account, and you should get the tickets in that account within a reasonable amount of time. This makes it tough if you were planning on deleting Ticketmaster entirely, but the fact you may be able to get some significantly reduced tickets may make it worth it.
Eventbrite
How often have you found yourself wanting to do something for the upcoming weekend but had no idea of where to begin your search? Eventbrite makes it easy to search for events in your area and buy tickets right there on the platform. You're generally not going to find tickets for major concerts, but you can find everything from smaller music events, stand-up comedy shows, book signing, painting exhibitions, and so much more. You could discover a side of your city you never knew existed before with affordable ticket prices and manageable fees.
Eventbrite is also worthwhile if you plan on hosting your own events that you want to get the word out about. After you sign up on your platform, there's a simple series of steps to follow to create an event. Even better, if the event is free then it's free to create a listing for it. In the event you're charging per ticket, then Eventbrite does charge a small fee per ticket.
A lot of people already know the good word. Eventbrite reported how 84 million tickets were acquired through the platform in 2022 in its five most prominent event categories. Much of that was due to music-related events, so while you may not see the biggest names in the world sell on Eventbrite, you could find your new favorite act that could use your support even more.
Sports Illustrated Tickets
If there's one lesson many ticket reselling sites have learned, it's that customers don't like being surprised with large fees at the end of checkout. Being transparent is a big plus in many customers' books, and that ethos applies to Sports Illustrated Tickets, which has been offering a live event alternative to the general public since 2021. The service doesn't solely deal with live sports. You can also purchase tickets for concerts and theatrical performances, too. Either way, the price you see listed initially is what you pay, minus any local taxes.
Of course, there are various Spotify features you can use to level-up your listening experience and plenty of great streaming services offering live sports, but nothing ever really comes close to matching the wonder of seeing a band or team you love in person. If you're tired of exorbitant fees and giving money to Ticketmaster, rest assured you have some options to still see your favorite acts while maybe even saving some money in the process.