Provider service fees

GigSalad charges a small fee for every booking made through our site. This fee covers the costs associated with taking credit card payments, distributing deposits and balances, and general maintenance of the booking platform so it remains safe and easy to use for both you and the client.

IMPORTANT: These service fees are only applied when a booking is confirmed through the site. You will not be charged for receiving leads or sending quotes. 

The client will pay the total amount you quoted (deposit and balance) at the time of booking, plus their own service fee. We will send the payment to you in two separate installments. The deposit amount you request will be paid out in advance, but the balance will be held by GigSalad and sent to you one or two business days after the event. (Read more about payouts.)

The service fee is applied to your total booking price and will be split between your two payouts, with a portion deducted from each. For example, if you have a free membership and book a gig for $300, your 5% service fee will be $15. If you request a $100 deposit, we'll keep a $5 service fee (5% of $100) and send you $95. We'll take the other $10 (5% of $200) from your remaining balance and send $190 after the event. We do it this way to make sure both you and GigSalad are paid fairly.

Note: If you ever collect payment directly from the client, you must mark the gig as booked and pay a higher service fee in order to cover the fees from both parties. 

Frequently asked questions:

• Are there minimum service fee amounts?

  There is no minimum service fee when you book through the platform. Minimum fees create a disproportionate structure for our members, with a higher percentage fee on bookings under $300.

  
  

  However, if you handle payment off-platform, you must mark that lead as booked. In that case, there is a $10 minimum service fee.

• Can I choose who pays the service fee?

  We did have that option long ago (prior to June 2017). Our current structure, where we take a smaller fee from both parties, is more aligned with standard marketplace practices.

  
  

• Why do I have to pay both a membership fee and booking fees?

  These fees serve two different purposes. With your membership, you pay to increase your exposure and unlock additional features for your account, including lead insights and access to client phone numbers before booking. The service fee covers the costs of collecting and distributing payments and the general maintenance of the booking platform. For paid members, the 2.5% fee is lower than most other popular payment processing solutions.