Vendor 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.
Free members |
Paid members |
The service fee for free members is 5%. |
The service fee for paid members is 2.5%. |
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 but will be split between your two payouts, with a portion being taken from each. For example, if you have a free membership and you book a gig for a total of $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. Then, when we send you the remaining balance of $200 after the event, we'll keep a $10 service fee (5% of $200) and send you $190. We do it this way to make sure both you and GigSalad are paid fairly.
Note: Service fees are slightly higher when marking gigs as booked since we are only collecting a fee from one party.
Frequently asked questions:
Are there minimum amounts for the service fee?
There is no minimum service fee when you book through the platform. Minimum fees create a disproportionate structure for our members and a higher percentage fee for bookings under $300. However, if you book off-platform and want to mark it as booked, 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 fees for my membership, as well as bookings?
These fees serve two different purposes. With your membership, you pay to increase your exposure and get more features for your PromoKit, like access to client phone numbers prior to booking. The service fee covers the cost associated with collecting and distributing payments and general maintenance of the booking platform. For paid members, the 2.5% fee is lower than most other popular payment processing solutions.