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Best sites to buy sports tickets

For sports tickets, TickPick usually has the lowest all-in price because it charges no buyer fee, Gametime is the best bet on game day as prices drop, SeatGeek is the official marketplace for several leagues and teams, and Ticketmaster handles most primary sales. StubHub and Vivid Seats have the deepest resale inventory. All six are legitimate and guarantee valid tickets.

Sports tickets behave differently from concerts: most games do not sell out, prices often fall in the final hours, and the leagues themselves partner with specific marketplaces. That changes which site wins. This ranking reflects the lowest final price for a typical regular-season game, with notes on playoffs and sold-out rivalry games where inventory matters more than fees.

  1. #1

    TickPick

    Best for: The lowest final total, with no fee surprises

    No buyer fees and strong sports inventory, so its total on an identical listing is usually the lowest. The gap is biggest on premium seats and playoff games where percentage fees add the most.

    Buyer fees: No buyer feesGuarantee: BuyerTrust GuaranteeDelivery: Mobile transfer, e-tickets, instant download
  2. #2

    Gametime

    Best for: Last-minute, mobile-first deals

    The game-day specialist: prices on its app fall as kickoff or tip-off approaches, and it sells right up to and past the start. The best choice if you decide to go the same day.

    Buyer fees: All-in (bundled)Guarantee: Ticket CoverageDelivery: Mobile-first, mobile transfer and e-tickets
  3. #3

    SeatGeek

    Best for: Value shoppers who want a slick app

    Official ticketing partner for several leagues and teams, which can mean inventory others lack, and Deal Score helps judge value across a stadium map.

    Buyer fees: ~10–30%* + all-inGuarantee: Buyer GuaranteeDelivery: Mobile transfer, e-tickets, instant download
  4. #4

    Vivid Seats

    Best for: Frequent buyers who want loyalty perks

    Deep inventory for every league and a rewards program for fans who buy several games a season. Fees sit at the higher end of the range.

    Buyer fees: ~20–40%*Guarantee: 100% Buyer GuaranteeDelivery: Mobile transfer, e-tickets, instant download
  5. #5

    StubHub

    Best for: Finding a ticket to almost anything

    The largest selection, which is what matters for sold-out rivalry games and playoff runs. Fees are added at checkout and shown in the total.

    Buyer fees: ~15–30%*+Guarantee: FanProtectDelivery: Mobile transfer, e-tickets, instant download
  6. #6

    Ticketmaster

    Best for: Buying primary, face-value tickets at on-sale

    Primary seller for most teams, so face-value tickets for non-sold-out games are often cheapest here, especially from the team’s own ticket office link.

    Buyer fees: ~20–30%*+Guarantee: Event-based (US)Delivery: Mobile (SafeTix), plus print-at-home where allowed

*Buyer fees are third-party estimates and float with demand. Rankings are Tixplorer’s assessment; facts current as of 2026.

At a glance

SiteBuyer fees*GuaranteeTypeBest for
TickPickNo buyer feesBuyerTrust GuaranteeresaleThe lowest final total, with no fee surprises
GametimeAll-in (bundled)Ticket CoverageresaleLast-minute, mobile-first deals
SeatGeek~10–30%* + all-inBuyer GuaranteeresaleValue shoppers who want a slick app
Vivid Seats~20–40%*100% Buyer GuaranteeresaleFrequent buyers who want loyalty perks
StubHub~15–30%*+FanProtectresaleFinding a ticket to almost anything
Ticketmaster~20–30%*+Event-based (US)primary + resaleBuying primary, face-value tickets at on-sale

The verdict

For a regular-season game, start with TickPick and check Gametime on the day. For a sold-out game, StubHub and Vivid Seats are where the inventory is, and the cheapest of them changes seat by seat. Tixplorer compares every marketplace for each game so you can see which one actually wins.

See which site is cheapest for your event

Prices move by the hour and the cheapest site changes per event. Tixplorer compares live, all-in prices across TickPick, Gametime, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, Ticketmaster and other trusted marketplaces so you see the lowest total in one search.

Compare live prices →ConcertsSports

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest website for sports tickets?

TickPick is usually cheapest on identical listings because it adds no buyer fee; Gametime is often cheapest on game day as prices drop; Ticketmaster is cheapest for face-value tickets to games that have not sold out. For any specific game, compare the all-in total across sites.

Do sports ticket prices drop closer to the game?

Often, yes, for games that are not sold out. Resale sellers cut prices in the final 24 to 48 hours to avoid being stuck with tickets, which is why Gametime and last-minute buying work well for regular-season games. Playoff and rivalry games are the exception and tend to rise.

Which site has the lowest fees for sports tickets?

TickPick, which charges buyers no service fee. Gametime bundles its fee into the displayed price. SeatGeek, StubHub, Ticketmaster and Vivid Seats add fees that commonly range from roughly 10% to 40% depending on the site and the demand for the game.

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Head-to-head comparisons

StubHub vs SeatGeekStubHub vs Vivid SeatsSeatGeek vs Vivid SeatsTickPick vs StubHubGametime vs StubHubVivid Seats vs GametimeTicketmaster vs StubHubSeatGeek vs TicketmasterTickPick vs Vivid SeatsTickPick vs SeatGeekGametime vs TicketmasterTickPick vs Gametime vs SeatGeekTicketmaster vs Gametime vs SeatGeekTickPick vs Gametime vs Ticketmaster