Can You Resell Tickets on Ticketmaster? Fees and the "Official = Fair" Myth
TL;DR (as of June 2026):
Yes, you can resell tickets on Ticketmaster for many events through its fan-to-fan resale, but "official" does not mean fee-free: Ticketmaster typically charges both sides, with buyer fees reported around 10–20% and a seller fee around 15%, although some events use a Face Value Exchange where tickets resell at face value with no resale fee (help.ticketmaster.co.uk, June 2026). TicketHunter charges 11% all-in (10% platform + 1% processing) to buyers and 0% until 2027 (1% thereafter) to sellers, shown on the listing before checkout.
A lot of people assume that because Ticketmaster is the official seller, its resale must automatically be the fairest, cheapest option. That assumption is worth examining. Ticketmaster's resale is legitimate and convenient, and on some events it genuinely is face-value-only. But on many events it charges fees to both the buyer and the seller, just like an open secondary marketplace. This page explains how resale on Ticketmaster works, where it is and isn't capped, runs three worked examples, and compares it fairly with TicketHunter.
How Ticketmaster's resale fees work
Ticketmaster offers fan-to-fan resale on many UK events, letting a ticket holder relist a ticket they can no longer use through the same account and platform they bought it on. Two different models sit underneath that.
Standard fan-to-fan resale. On these events, Ticketmaster charges both sides. The buyer pays a buyer fee reported in the region of 10–20%, and the seller pays a fee of around 15% (help.ticketmaster.co.uk, as published June 2026). This is the part that breaks the "official equals free" assumption: the platform takes a cut from both the person selling and the person buying, and the listing price itself is not necessarily capped at face value on standard resale. The combined cost of a ticket changing hands can therefore be meaningful, even though the transaction happens entirely within the official platform.
Face Value Exchange. On some events, organisers and artists choose to run resale through a Face Value Exchange. Here tickets are resold at their original face value, and the resale fee is removed — the mechanism is designed so fans who can no longer attend can pass tickets on without markup (blog.ticketmaster.com, as published June 2026). This is a genuinely fan-friendly model, and where it is available it is one of the cleanest ways to resell.
The practical takeaway is that "resale on Ticketmaster" is not one thing. Whether you pay resale fees depends entirely on which model the specific event uses. Always check the event: if it is a Face Value Exchange, there is no resale fee and the price is capped at face value; if it is standard resale, expect fees on both sides.
Payout to sellers follows Ticketmaster's terms for the event. On standard resale there is no general price cap; on Face Value Exchange events the price is capped at face value.
Ticketmaster Resale vs TicketHunter at a glance
| Ticketmaster Resale (UK fan-to-fan) | TicketHunter | |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer fee | 10–20% (standard); £0 on Face Value Exchange events | 11% all-in (10% platform + 1% processing) |
| Seller fee | 15% (standard); £0 on Face Value Exchange events | 0% until 2027 (1% thereafter) |
| Fee visibility | Per Ticketmaster checkout | Shown on listing |
| Price cap | Some events capped via Face Value Exchange; standard resale not capped | No — sellers set their own price |
| Seller payout | Per Ticketmaster terms | 7 days after the event |
| Buyer guarantee | Per Ticketmaster terms | a full refund if anything goes wrong (payments held in escrow until after the event) |
| Coverage | Ticketmaster-listed events only | the UK and EU across all event categories |
Fees are illustrative ranges as published June 2026; secondary-market fees vary by event, price and demand. See sources.
Three worked examples (£100 / £300 / £1,000)
These examples are illustrative and apply to standard fan-to-fan resale (not Face Value Exchange events, where the resale fee is £0). They use a buyer fee of 15% (within the reported 10–20% range) and a seller fee of 15%.¹ Your actual figures depend on the specific event and which resale model it uses.
A £100 ticket
- Buyer pays: £100 + 15% = £115
- Seller receives: £100 − 15% = £85
- Combined cost of the resale changing hands: £30
A £300 ticket
- Buyer pays: £300 + 15% = £345
- Seller receives: £300 − 15% = £255
- Combined cost of the resale changing hands: £90
A £1,000 ticket
- Buyer pays: £1,000 + 15% = £1,150
- Seller receives: £1,000 − 15% = £850
- Combined cost of the resale changing hands: £150
The figures show why "official" is not the same as "free": on standard resale, both sides pay, and the combined cost scales with price. The important caveat is the other direction too — on a Face Value Exchange event, the same three tickets would resell at face value with no resale fee, so the buyer pays £100 / £300 / £1,000 and the seller receives the same, less only any payment processing per Ticketmaster's terms. Which model applies makes all the difference.
¹ Rates used for standard resale: buyer fee 15% (within reported 10–20%), seller fee 15% (help.ticketmaster.co.uk, as published June 2026). Face Value Exchange events carry no resale fee (blog.ticketmaster.com, June 2026). Figures rounded and illustrative.
Where Ticketmaster Resale genuinely wins
A fair comparison credits the real advantages of reselling on Ticketmaster:
- Face Value Exchange on some events. Where artists and organisers enable it, tickets resell at face value with no resale fee. This is a genuinely fan-friendly model and one of the cleanest resale routes available.
- Integrated and convenient. If you bought from Ticketmaster, reselling through the same account is simple — the ticket is already in your account, and the relisting flow is built in.
- Lower risk of invalid tickets on official resale. Because the ticket moves within the official platform, the transfer is managed by the issuer, reducing the chance of a void or duplicate barcode.
- Trusted, well-known brand. As the primary issuer for many events, it is a familiar, mature platform with established support.
- Barcode and delivery handled by the issuer. Ticket validity and delivery are controlled end-to-end by the same system that issued the original ticket.
These are real strengths, especially the Face Value Exchange model where it is offered. The thing to watch is that standard resale still charges both sides, so "official" does not automatically mean cheapest.
Where TicketHunter differs
Stated as verifiable facts about platform setup:
- Fee visibility. TicketHunter shows the fee position on the listing (11% all-in (10% platform + 1% processing) to buyers, 0% until 2027 (1% thereafter) to sellers). Ticketmaster's standard resale charges both sides per its checkout.
- Coverage. Ticketmaster resale is limited to events listed on Ticketmaster; TicketHunter covers the UK and EU across all event categories, so it can be used for events sold through other primary channels.
- Seller economics. Standard Ticketmaster resale deducts around 15% from the seller; TicketHunter's seller fee is 0% until 2027 (1% thereafter).
- Payout and guarantee. TicketHunter's seller payout timing is 7 days after the event and its buyer protection is a full refund if anything goes wrong (payments held in escrow until after the event).
Where an event runs a Face Value Exchange, that is often the most fan-friendly route for that specific event. For events outside Ticketmaster, or standard resale where both sides are charged, TicketHunter is an alternative worth comparing on the all-in total.
How to resell tickets on Ticketmaster (and how to switch)
To resell on Ticketmaster:
- Check whether resale is enabled for your event and which model it uses (standard resale or Face Value Exchange).
- Open the ticket in your account and choose the resale or "sell" option where available.
- Set your price (or accept face value on a Face Value Exchange event) and confirm the seller fee shown for standard resale.
To compare with TicketHunter:
- Check the model. If your event is a Face Value Exchange, that route has no resale fee. If it is standard resale, note the fees on both sides.
- For sellers, list via the sell page and confirm the on-listing fee and payout terms.
- For buyers, review the on-listing price including the buyer fee at checkout.
See how it works for the full flow and pricing for current fee detail.
FAQ
Can you resell tickets on Ticketmaster?
Yes, for many events Ticketmaster offers fan-to-fan resale, letting you relist a ticket you can no longer use. Whether you pay a resale fee depends on whether the event uses standard resale or a Face Value Exchange.
Is reselling on Ticketmaster actually fair or fee-free?
Not automatically. On standard fan-to-fan resale, Ticketmaster charges both sides — a buyer fee reported around 10–20% and a seller fee around 15%. Some events use a Face Value Exchange with no resale fee (help.ticketmaster.co.uk, June 2026).
What are Ticketmaster resale fees?
On standard resale, buyer fees are reported around 10–20% and the seller fee is around 15%. On Face Value Exchange events there is no resale fee and tickets resell at face value (help.ticketmaster.co.uk; blog.ticketmaster.com, June 2026).
What is Ticketmaster Face Value Exchange?
It is a resale model some events use where tickets are resold at their original face value with no resale fee, designed so fans who cannot attend can pass tickets on without markup.
Can you sell tickets back to Ticketmaster?
You do not sell back to Ticketmaster directly; you relist through its fan-to-fan resale to another fan, where enabled for your event. Some events use a Face Value Exchange.
Are Ticketmaster resale prices capped at face value?
Only on Face Value Exchange events, where the price is capped at face value. Standard fan-to-fan resale is not generally capped.
How does TicketHunter compare on fees?
TicketHunter charges 11% all-in (10% platform + 1% processing) to buyers and 0% until 2027 (1% thereafter) to sellers, shown on the listing. Ticketmaster's standard resale charges both sides (buyer 10–20%, seller 15%); Face Value Exchange events carry no resale fee.
Which is better for reselling?
For an event with a Face Value Exchange, that official route is often the most fan-friendly. For events outside Ticketmaster or standard resale, compare the all-in total with TicketHunter, which shows the fee on the listing.
Sources & disclaimer
Trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners. TicketHunter is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with any platform named on this page. Fee figures are illustrative ranges based on each platform's publicly published information as of June 2026 and may change; always check the platform's own fee page before transacting. Worked examples are illustrative.
Compare more platforms: viagogo · Twickets · StubHub · All resale fees compared