Guarantee vs door vs versus deals
Three main deal structures. Understanding them keeps you from signing a $500 guarantee when a versus deal would pay $1,200.
When you'd use this
A venue responds to your inquiry proposing "700 v. 80/20 after expenses." You want to know what that means and whether it's a good offer.
Guarantee
A fixed amount the venue pays you, regardless of attendance. You get paid even if no one shows up.
Typical: $250–$2,500 for indie rooms. Higher for theaters.
When to prefer: early in a market, shoulder seasons, uncertain draws. You trade upside for certainty.
Record-keeping: straightforward. Venue pays, you note it.
Door deal
You get a percentage of the door revenue. No floor.
Typical: 60–80% of door to artist, less any expenses.
When to prefer: you know you'll sell out. High upside in hot markets.
Risk: empty room = empty pockets. Bad deal in uncertain markets.
Math: (attendance × ticket price × your %) − your cut of expenses. Attendance and expense deductions vary wildly, so read the fine print.
Versus (vs.)
Combination: you get the greater of a guarantee OR a door-deal calculation.
Written as "[guarantee] v. [door %] after expenses" — e.g., "$700 v. 80% door."
How it plays out:
- Attendance low → guarantee ($700) pays out
- Attendance high → door calculation wins; you get the higher amount
- You're protected on the downside and upside-exposed on the upside
When to prefer: mid-sized markets where you're confident in at least moderate attendance. Almost always better than pure guarantee if the venue offers it.
Guarantee + backend
Similar to versus, but additive: you get the guarantee PLUS a percentage of door over a threshold.
Example: $500 guarantee + 50% of door over $2,000 in ticket sales. Venue covers the first $2k; you split everything after.
When to prefer: when the venue has a strong base draw independent of you (opening for a headliner), so the threshold gets hit easily.
Buy-out
A flat fee the venue pays for your entire performance regardless of tickets or draw. Common for weddings, corporate events, some festival slots.
Typical: $800–$5,000 for private events.
Record-keeping: treat it like a guarantee.
Deal terms that SHOULDN'T be negotiable
- Soundcheck time — get this locked in the deal, not on the day
- Backline (house drums, amps) — what's provided, what you bring
- Hospitality — buy-out for food or catering provided
- Parking — especially urban venues
- Load-in time — your arrival window
- Drink tickets — if relevant to your band (crew especially)
These often get shoved to day-of and you lose negotiating leverage. Get them in writing via the inquiry thread before signing.
What to do with offers you don't understand
Reply with "can you walk me through the math on this deal?" — any legit venue will explain. If they won't, that's signal.
Or use Mintoor's built-in deal calculator (inquiry reply → Deal math tab) to project each scenario.
Still stuck?
Ask other artists in your genre about typical deals in that market. Mintoor's public artist profiles sometimes surface recent venue reviews — useful data.