Guest list names vs check-ins payout calculator.

Worked example

A list of 200 names, 45% arriving (90 people), $4.00 a head. Paid on names: 200 x $4.00 = $800.00. Paid on verified check-ins: 90 x $4.00 = $360.00. Switching bases removes $440.00, which is 55% of the names-based figure. To earn the same money on check-ins you would need $8.89 per check-in instead of $4.00.

How the calculation works

Names N come from your list. Check-ins C are N x show rate, rounded, or the real count if you enter it. Pay on names = r x N. Pay on check-ins = r x C. The loss from switching is the difference, the share lost is that difference divided by the names-based pay, and the matching check-in rate is r x N / C, which is the per-head rate that makes both bases pay the same on this list. An optional extra amount per check-in is added to the check-in figure only.

Why this is worth modelling

Venues and promoters often disagree about what a head is. A nightlife software vendor argues that pay should follow verified check-ins because a submitted name is not attendance; that is a vendor position and not a rule of the trade. What the table above shows is the size of the disagreement in dollars for your own numbers, so you can negotiate a rate that fits the basis rather than accepting a basis that quietly changes your pay. Pair it with the per head calculator to test weaker nights.

Edge cases

No names means no result. No arrivals means names-based pay is shown but no matching rate exists, and the page says so. A show rate over 100% is capped. Check-ins above names are flagged because names-based pay cannot reward walk-ups.

What this does not cover

This page does not cover: table minimums, cover charges, bonuses for reaching a headcount, late-arrival cutoffs, how the door count is verified, disputes about who counts as your guest, or taxes. It also does not tell you what a fair rate is, what any venue or platform actually pays, or what your results will be. Results vary night to night and deal to deal, and the model only does arithmetic on the assumptions you enter.

Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.

Sources

Retrieved October 2026. All rates, show rates, percentages, tiers and splits on this page are numbers you type in from your own deal; none comes from a source below.

• Ticket Fairy, promoter and affiliate commission calculator: a ticketing vendor's page, cited only for the common ways commission is structured (flat percentage, flat fee per ticket, percentage plus per-ticket bonus). Its figures are not used here.
• Fourvenues blog on promoter guest-list data: a nightlife software vendor's argument that pay should follow verified check-ins rather than names submitted. A vendor view, not an industry standard.
• IRS: Independent contractor (self-employed) or employee?
• IRS Topic 554: Self-employment tax and About Form 1099-NEC
• Canada Revenue Agency: sole proprietorships and partnerships (for readers outside the US)

FAQ

What is the difference between paying on names and on check-ins?

Names are everyone you put on the list. Check-ins are the people who actually arrived and were counted. The gap is the rate times the no-shows.

What rate on check-ins matches a rate on names?

Multiply the names rate by names and divide by check-ins. The calculator shows it for your numbers.

Who should count check-ins?

That is a contract question. Ask for the counting method, the cutoff time and the right to see the final count in writing.

Is the 45% show rate typical?

It is only a placeholder. The page does not claim any typical show rate; use your own history.