If you are into sports matches, theater performances, or concerts, you will need tickets to attend these events.
Here’s the problem: You need to access the tickets in advance, and that could mean going to a box office and waiting in line to buy the ticket. If the event is in high demand and gets sold out, you might miss out.
Luckily, platforms like StubHub and SeatGeek ensure you don’t leave your home’s comfort to obtain a ticket to your favorite event. The two ticket marketplaces make it easy for people to buy and sell tickets online.
SeatGeek and StubHub are secondary ticket marketplaces. Simply put, they purchase tickets from a box office (primary marketplace) and sell them for a profit. They also allow users to buy and resell tickets.
Let’s discuss StubHub vs SeatGeek to understand how these ticket marketplaces work so you can make an informed decision when purchasing or selling tickets online.
StubHub vs SeatGeek: Brief Overview
StubHub
StubHub is a ticket trading platform based in the United States and was founded in 2000. It provides services to both ticket sellers and buyers.
Through this ticket exchange platform, you can purchase event tickets from other users who bought the tickets but cannot attend the event for one reason or another.
After purchasing the ticket, you can print it off the website or via email. You can let them mail you, as well. Do you have event tickets that you don’t want to use? Use this platform to find interested buyers.
SeatGeek
SeatGeek is a ticketing platform that brings sellers and buyers together. Through this platform, you can sell and buy tickets for different events, such as sports, theater shows, concerts, and more.
Jack Groetzinger and Russell D’Souza founded the company in 2009, and since then, it has grown into a popular platform for people looking to get tickets to various events.
SeatGeek aggregates tickets from diverse sources, such as individual sellers, primary sellers, and other ticker-based marketplaces. Their wide range of ticket selections lets you browse various available tickets.
You can also compare ticket prices from different sellers. The company aims to offer transparency and empower users to find great deals and seats for their favorite events.
SeatGeek is known for its interactive seating charts that give you the venue’s visual representation. You can see the seats and their cost and make an informed decision when buying tickets.
Why Compare the Two Ticket Marketplaces?
Comparing and understanding the difference between these two ticket marketplaces is essential as it helps you know which platform has tickets for your event.
You will also know which platform is easy to use, which is more cost-effective in terms of fees, and which is ideal for ticket reselling.
Ticket Availability and Selection
StubHub
SeatGeek offers tickets for sports, music, and shows. Their sports category is the biggest and includes tickets for Baseball, Basketball, Football, Soccer, College Sports, Hockey, Golf, Motorsports, and Rodeos.
They also have concert tickets, including Pop/Rock, Classical, Alternative Music, R&B, Latin Music, Rap and Hip-Hop, Country and Folk Music, and more.
Are you a theater fan? Find tickets for Comedies, Musicals, Plays, Dance Performances, Speaking Tours, and more. The platform lets you search events by city, as well.
After clicking on your favorite event type, filter the available tickets by location, date, price, and venue. You will also see the price and visual representation of the venue, allowing you to choose your preferred spot.
StubHub’s ticket availability depends on the event’s popularity. To plan and secure seats, you can find tickets for an upcoming event beforehand. However, the availability of on-demand events may be limited, and pricing may vary based on supply and demand.
Also Read: Why Is Stubhub Cheaper Than Ticketmaster?
SeatGeek
SeatGeek provides tickets from primary sellers, like box offices, teams, and venues. They also aggregate tickets from secondary sellers, including other ticket marketplaces and individual sellers.
The platform covers various live events in the sports, music, shows, and cities categories. Under sports, you can find tickets for MLB, MLS, NBA, NHL, NFL, Golf, Fighting, NASCAR, Tennis, WWE, and more.
The music category displays tickets for trending artists, festivals, and music genres, such as Hip-Hop, Rock, Folk, Classic Rock, Latin, Pop, Soul, Hard Rock, and more.
The shows category lets you choose Comedy, Broadway, Classical, or Family. You can also search event ticket availability by city.
After clicking on a favorite event, SeatGeek displays an interactive seating map that lets you see the venue seats and layout. You can then decide based on your desired location at the venue.
Verdict
Both platforms let you select tickets for various events, including sports, music, shows, and theater.
Check Out: Is Viagogo Legit For Buying Tickets?
Pricing and Fees
StubHub
Pricing
On StubHub, the ticket price depends on where you want to sit in the venue. Seats closer to the stage or at the center of the stage cost more than those in the back row.
You will see the pricing of each seat after clicking an event to see the venue’s visual representation.
Besides, pricing depends on the current market price for similar tickets. Sellers check what others charge for similar events and adjust the pricing accordingly.
Also, the nearness of the event affects pricing; prices may drop if the event is close and people aren’t buying.
Fees
There are no pre-set fees on StubHub. Rather, the fees may vary based on event demand and ticket price. In other words, expect to pay higher fees when purchasing a ticket to a big-name event and reduce fees for a run-of-the-mill performance.
Additionally, listing a ticket on StubHub is free. When you sell it, they charge a fee that may vary depending on ticket marketing costs and supply.
SeatGeek
Pricing
A greater percentage of SeatGeek’s inventory comes from the secondary market, meaning they purchased the tickets from the venue box office for resale at higher prices. Generally, sellers price their tickets based on existing or predicted demand.
For example, a ticket’s price will be above its face value if the event has an unusually high demand or is sold out and someone doesn’t want to attend for any reason.
Are some tickets’ prices below the face value? Absolutely! This occurs if the event isn’t popular, there’s plenty of unsold inventory, and the event date is close.
When you purchase tickets on this platform, you will pay delivery and service fees depending on the event type and the ticket type you’re getting.
Fees
SeatGeek’s fees fall within the range of other ticket market platforms and are affected by demand and supply factors.
To view ticket listings with and without fees, choose an event on the SeatGeek website and tap the ‘include fees’ filter. You can also filter by the ticket quantity to see the fees.
The fees may also vary depending on factors, such as the event type and venue location. You may incur extra fees if you purchase tickets for a favorite event in a state requiring people to pay entertainment taxes.
You can list tickets for free on SeatGeek. If you sell the ticket, SeatGeek charges a 10% fee.
Verdict
Both StubHub and SeatGeek price their tickets in the same way. The pricing structure depends on the event demand, venue, market value, and proximity to the event date.
Also Read: Is Stubhub Legit For Tickets Resale?
User Experience and Interface
StubHub
This ticket marketplace is easy to navigate. There’s a search bar at the top to search for an event, team, or artist and go straight to a page with tickets.
Below the search bar, event categories include sports, concerts, theater, and comedy. On the right, you can select a city and date.
You can let StubHub use your location or plug in a location of your liking. With a Netflix-style interface, you’ll see rows of different events grouped by categories.
Each event has a thumbnail image, date, venue, and name. Prices don’t appear until you click, allowing you to find your favorite event and only click to purchase the ticket.
Clicking on an event takes you to a page that lets you choose the number of tickets (you’ll see two tickets by default). After selecting the ticket quantity and clicking continue, the venue diagram appears.
The venue’s visual map shows general positions like front, middle, and balcony but doesn’t display the available seats.
But selecting vacant seats is easy because the sold-out sections are in a different color from the available sections. You can see a detailed section on the right for the ticket price, availability, seat position, and view type (partial or unrestricted).
Selling tickets is equally easy; search for your preferred event, artist, or venue and sign up with your Facebook or Apple account to start selling.
SeatGeek
SeatGeek is popular for its clean and easy-to-use interface. You can navigate the platform effortlessly when looking for tickets. There’s a search bar to type the event name you have in mind and see the available tickets right away.
Browsing through events is super easy; hover the mouse on each category to see a drop-down list of events below it. This applies to sports, music, shows, and cities.
Are you looking for a sports event featuring your favorite team? You can find it by going to sports, selecting a particular sport, and finding the team under it. All these options appear when you go to the sports category.
Similarly, you can find your favorite event by the artist; point the mouse to the music category and go to trending genres or festivals. Each category displays the popular performers or artists under it, saving you time finding tickets to an event you like.
You can easily navigate to the price and click on it to see the quantity, best seats, low prices, VIP, and include fees buttons.
Clicking on a specific event shows the venue’s visual diagram with different seats and positions. You can hover the mouse over each available seat to see the cost.
Selling is equally intuitive; click sell at the top of the website, fill out a short sign-up form, and place your tickets quickly.
Verdict
Both platforms make navigation easy. You can find your favorite event without clicking a lot and see a visual map of the venue to select your seats.
Finding a preferred event and purchasing a ticket takes a couple of minutes. Selling on both platforms is also straightforward, although signing up for a seller account is easier on StubHub.
Ticket Guarantees and Customer Support
StubHub
At times, events don’t come off as scheduled. Sporting events may get canceled, or musicians get sick. Through its FanProtect Guarantee, StubHub promises to provide valid tickets to your preferred event or give your money back.
If you place an order to buy tickets and the seller doesn’t deliver them, StubHub steps in to find a replacement.
They will find tickets within the price range (not location) as what you paid during the original purchase. StubHub will refund you if replacement tickets are unavailable or you no longer wish to accept them.
On the other hand, if your event gets canceled and needs to be rescheduled, StubHub will give you a credit worth 120% of what you paid. You can also opt for a cash refund.
You can call StubHub or sign into your account and message them with your order or listing number.
SeatGeek
SeatGeek assures its buyers of timely delivery of tickets for scheduled events. The tickets will also provide valid entry to your preferred event. Besides, you will receive tickets the same as the ones ordered.
However, if the event gets canceled and isn’t rescheduled, SeatGeek will notify you on time and refund you in full of the purchase price. They may also issue you a credit for future purchases, although this option is subject to applicable laws.
On the other hand, if the event is postponed, you can use the tickets on the rescheduled date. But if fans need to obtain replacement tickets to attend a rescheduled event, SeatGeek will provide you with replacement tickets.
Do you need help to attend the event on the rescheduled date? SeatGeek encourages you to list your tickets on the platform.
Note that SeatGeek doesn’t issue refunds for rescheduled events except when required by the applicable law.
Further, to get a full refund or replacement tickets, you must comply with SeatGeek’s terms. Also, contact them immediately after realizing an issue with your tickets. You can message customer service at hi@seatgeek.com.
Verdict
StubHub has a clear and reasonable refund policy; customers will receive a full refund or credit when an event gets canceled or rescheduled. They also offer replacement tickets.
SeatGeek has a strict refund policy. They only refund if the event is canceled but not rescheduled. They also issue a credit, but this isn’t guaranteed.
StubHub lets customers reach them through a toll-free number, email, or community support. SeatGeek only accepts email communication.
Mobile Apps and Features
StubHub
StubHub has an app for Android and iOS devices.
The Android app provides event recommendations based on what you listen to, download on Spotify, and your favorite teams and artists.
- You can find out your friends’ favorite events and try them.
- The event categories make event discovery easy based on your mood or interests.
- The app displays interactive venue maps from an immersive, three-dimensional view.
- You can pay for events fast through Google Pay (this applies to US events only).
- The app supports mobile tickets, allowing you to get into the event with your phone and not print anything.
- You can also see venue and artist details, allowing you to discover future events and similar artists.
- My Tickets feature lets you track orders and view your tickets.
- With the Sell Tickets option, you can list tickets, manage listings and view sales.
The iOS app has similar features to Android, such as a search bar for events, mobile tickets, my tickets, and a sell option. Both apps are free to install.
SeatGeek
You can access SeatGeek on your Android or iOS device.
The Android app has powerful features, including:
- Interactive seat charts – Before buying tickets, know what the view from your seat will look like.
- Mobile tickets – Use your e-ticket to access venues without a printer.
- Deal Score – Each deal is color-coded depending on value; you won’t get ripped off again.
- If you can’t attend an upcoming event, sell the tickets with one tap.
- For free, you can send extra tickets to friends with just one tap.
- Discover nearby events – Search by venue, genre, artist, or team to see upcoming events.
- Pay with a credit card or Google Pay.
- Win tickets to events by entering The Daily Tap challenge once a day.
- This app is free to install and use.
The iOS app has similar features to Android, but more outstanding features such as:
- Show prices with fees – When browsing events, you can see the tickets with fees already included to avoid last-minute surprises when paying for them.
- The View From Seat feature looks so real from an iPhone or iPad, helping you choose the best available spot.
- There’s an option to tell friends about SeatGeek, so when they make their first purchase, you both enjoy credit for future purchases.
- Sort positions by price on the visual map.
Verdict
SeatGeek mobile apps have superior features to StubHub. Examples include The Daily Tap and Deal Score on the Android app and getting credit when you convince friends to purchase on the iOS app.
Secondary Market Options and Reselling
StubHub
If you purchased too many tickets, StubHub allows you to resell them to other fans so they can attend the event.
Also, if you purchased a ticket and no longer wish to attend the event for personal reasons, you can resell it on the platform.
To resell tickets on StubHub as an existing buyer:
- Go to ‘My Tickets’ and then click Orders.
- From the order details, choose ‘Sell your ticket.’
- Select the price per ticket and how you’d like to get paid
- Choose ‘List Tickets,’ which directs you to the ‘Edit listing’ page. When on this page, adjust the per-ticket price
- Click ‘Save’ if you made changes.
If your tickets sell, depending on the ticket type you’ve purchased, the relisting criteria will tell you if:
- StubHub will automatically deliver the tickets to the new buyer on your behalf, or
- You have to deliver those tickets. StubHub will email you instructions for this case.
If you are a guest, here’s the process you must follow.
SeatGeek
SeatGeek’s customers, licensed sellers, and the team’s box office sell tickets on the platform
If your event is rescheduled and you can’t attend for whichever reason, SeatGeek allows you to list the tickets on the platform.
Selling tickets on this platform is as easy as choosing the ticket group you want to sell to, setting the pricing, and the number of tickets.
You can edit or delist your tickets before the event day.
Here’s the step-by-step procedure for reselling tickets on SeatGeek based on the platform you’re using.
Verdict
Both platforms allow ticket reselling and have clear, similar procedures for that.
Recap – StubHub vs SeatGeek
Choosing a ticketing platform ultimately depends on your event preferences, budget, and other needs. So, find out what StubHub and SeatGeek provide to see if it matches your needs.
The two platforms are similar in many ways. Both have an intuitive user interface with plenty of events to select from. Both have similar pricing models where ticket prices are based on the event’s demand, market value, and closeness to the event date.
Also, both platforms have a straightforward process for ticket listing and allow customers and guests to sell. Their mobile apps are excellent, too.
However, there are slight variations in terms of guarantees. StubHub guarantees refunds and 120% credit when events are canceled or you are unwilling to accept ticket replacements.
Conversely, SeatGeek only gives refunds on canceled, but not rescheduled, events. Credit isn’t guaranteed as well. Plus, not communicating promptly may prevent you from getting a refund.
Also, I noticed StubHub has more customer support options (email, phone, and community support) than SeatGeek, which only allows customers to send a message.
I also like StubHub’s simple sign-up procedure for selling; you can sign up with an Apple or Facebook account, unlike SeatGeek, which requires creating an account from scratch.
Therefore, if I had to choose, I would go for StubHub.
