Promoter pay
Promoter pay per head calculator.
Enter the names you submitted, the share who show up and the rate in your deal. See the payout, the check-in count it rests on and what a weaker night would do to it.
Payout = per-head rate x heads you are paid on. 150 names at a 55% show rate is 83 check-ins. At $5.00 a head paid on check-ins that is $415.00, against $750.00 if the same list were paid on names.
Your deal
Result
Worked example
You submit 150 names. You expect about 55% to arrive, so the model uses 150 x 0.55 = 82.5, rounded to 83 check-ins. Your deal pays $5.00 a head on verified check-ins, so the payout is 83 x $5.00 = $415.00. Paid on names it would have been 150 x $5.00 = $750.00, so the basis in the contract is worth $335.00 on this list. The what-if rows take 10, 20 and 30 points off the show rate you entered: $340.00, $265.00 and $190.00. Those are your own scenarios, not benchmarks.
How the calculation works
Check-ins C = names N x show rate s, rounded to a whole person, unless you type a real check-in count, which then replaces the estimate. Per-head payout = rate r x C when you are paid on check-ins, or r x N when paid on names. The gap between the two bases is r x (N - C). Payout per person who arrived is the payout divided by C. For each scenario the show rate is lowered by the points you enter, never below zero, and check-ins are recalculated.
Names or check-ins: why the basis matters
A name on a list is a promise to show up, not an arrival. Some deals pay on names, some on people who are scanned or counted in, and some pay on a mix. If you are paid on names, a bad night costs the venue and not you. If you are paid on check-ins, the same bad night comes straight out of your payout. Ask who counts the door, when the count is final and whether walk-ups attached to your name are credited. The names vs check-ins calculator puts both bases side by side.
Edge cases the calculator handles
Zero names returns a prompt instead of a payout. A show rate above 100% is capped at 100% with a note. If you enter more check-ins than names, the page flags it, because names-based pay will not count the extra people. Scenarios that would push the show rate below zero stop at zero.
What this does not cover
This page does not cover: door fees or cover charges, table or bottle-service commission, drink tickets, bonuses for hitting a headcount, tips, chargebacks, taxes, or any contract clause not typed into the form. 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.
Promoter pay is also taxed. Money paid to a promoter who is an independent contractor is generally self-employment income, and the payer may report it on Form 1099-NEC. That is general information from the IRS pages above, not tax or legal advice. How you are classified, what you owe and what you can deduct depends on your facts, so check the official pages or ask a qualified preparer.
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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
How do you calculate promoter pay per head?
Multiply your per-head rate by the number of heads you are paid on. If the deal pays on verified check-ins, use the count who actually arrived; if it pays on names, use the names you submitted.
Are club promoters paid on names or check-ins?
It depends on the deal. Some venues pay on names submitted and others on verified check-ins, and a software vendor argues for check-ins. Neither is a universal rule, so confirm the basis in writing.
What show rate should I use?
Use your own record for the same kind of night and list. The page has no benchmark show rate on purpose; the default of 55% is only a placeholder you can change.
Does this include taxes or fees?
No. It shows the gross payout from the per-head rate. Taxes, deductions and any chargebacks depend on your situation and your deal.