How SpareSeat works
A safe way for fans to pass on tickets they can't use, at fair prices.
Buying
- Search
Look up the artist, event or city. Each event page lists every seller, cheapest first, with the seats, delivery method and the seller's rating.
- Reserve and pay
Pick a quantity and pay. The tickets are held for you for 15 minutes while you pay, so nobody else can take them.
- Get the ticket
Once you've paid, you and the seller see each other's phone and email. The seller has 24 hours to send the ticket, or until 2 hours before the show if that is sooner.
- Confirm
When the ticket is in your app or inbox, confirm it. Only then is the seller paid.
Selling
- List your tickets
Choose your city, then your event and date from the list. If it's missing, type in the details. Add the ticket type, quantity, face value and your price.
- Wait for a buyer
Your listing goes live straight away. You can change the price, pause it or remove it from your account at any time.
- Send the tickets
When someone buys, you get their phone and email. Transfer the tickets in the original app (or courier or hand them over) and tap "I've sent the tickets".
- Get paid
Your payout, minus the 5% SpareSeat fee, is released to your UPI when the buyer confirms, or automatically after the event if they report no problem.
Payment held until delivery
If the seller doesn't send the ticket in time, you get a full refund without having to ask.
Fair-price cap
Asking prices can be at most 10% over face value, enough to cover the booking fee the seller paid.
Problems get handled
If something goes wrong, report it before the deadline. The payment stays on hold until our team decides.
Questions
What does it cost?
Buyers pay a 5% service fee on top of the ticket price, shown before you pay. Sellers pay 5%, taken from the payout. Listing is free.
Why can't I sell above face value?
SpareSeat is for fans who can't go, not for touts. Capping prices keeps tickets affordable and keeps the marketplace on the right side of organisers and the authorities, who are cracking down on black marketing. The 10% allowance covers the booking fee you paid.
Will a resold ticket work at the gate?
It depends on the event. Many organisers allow transfers inside BookMyShow, District and similar apps, and those are the safest. Some events check ID against the original buyer's name, and some ban resale outright. Check the event's terms, and prefer sellers who offer in-app transfer.
What if the seller never sends the ticket?
If the ticket isn't marked as sent by the deadline, the order is cancelled and you're refunded in full automatically. The seller's listing is paused.
What if the ticket doesn't work?
Report a problem from your order page before the confirm deadline. The seller isn't paid while our team looks into it, and you are refunded if the ticket was not valid.
My event isn't listed. Can I still sell?
Yes. On the sell page choose "My event is not listed" and type in the event name, venue, city, state, date and time. It goes live immediately, marked as not yet verified until our team checks it.
Can I pay the seller directly to save the fee?
Please don't. Payments made outside SpareSeat have no protection, and most ticket scams start this way.