Free gig rate calculator · no sign-up
Work back to your price
Most rate guesses start from the room. This one starts from the band. Say what each player should walk away with, add the drive, the gig costs, the band fund and the tax you hold back, and it works back to the lowest price that covers all of it. Round it up and you have a number you can stand behind.
Opens the pay-split calculator with this price and your settings, replacing what was saved there.
The math
Worked backwards
- Each player's share has to cover their take-home plus the tax held back from it.
- Shares times players is the amount that gets split.
- Add the band fund: a flat amount, or enough that the fund's percent of the total still leaves the split intact.
- Add mileage and gig costs. That's the lowest price that works.
- Round up to a number you'd say out loud. Anything above the lowest price is extra in every player's pocket.
The result is checked by running the price forward through the same split the pay-split calculator uses, so the two tools always agree. Tips aren't counted; treat them as a bonus.
Before you quote
What moves the number
- The whole day, not just the set. Load-in, soundcheck, breaks and the drive home are part of the job. Price the hours you give up.
- Songs you have to learn. A first dance or a special request means rehearsal time. Build it into the take-home.
- Gear you bring. Running your own PA and lights is worth more than plugging into the house system.
- How booked you are. When your weekends are spoken for months ahead, you have room to raise your minimum.
Common questions
Pricing a gig
Why start from take-home instead of a going rate?
What bands charge changes from one town, venue and season to the next, and none of those numbers know what it costs your band to show up. Starting from each player's pay and your real costs gives you a minimum you can explain to a client. How far above it you go is your call.
What should each player take home?
Ask what the night is worth to the player who has the most to give up: the rehearsal, the drive and a weekend night. Many bands set one number for bar gigs and a higher one for private events. Try a few values here and see what price each one needs.
Why does a 10% band fund add more than 10%?
Because the fund's percent comes out of the total. To leave $1,000 for the split after a 10% fund, the total has to be about $1,111, not $1,100.
Do tips count toward the price?
No. A tip jar isn't something you can quote. If tips come in, the pay-split calculator adds them on top.
Does this replace a tax professional?
No. The tax line is only what your band holds back from each share. What anyone actually owes depends on their own situation, so check with a tax professional.
Does this page save my numbers?
Only in your own browser, so the form is filled in next time. Nothing is sent to StageCut or anyone else.
Played it? The app works out the cuts.
After the gig, StageCut works out every player's cut by your band's rules and shows each member only their own pay.