How to Score Cheap Concert Tickets
When music artists announce their tours, fans collectively scramble to get the best seats — or seats at all. Some of the biggest ongoing acts for summer 2025 are set to be Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish and Bad Bunny. Another major artist many hope to see is Beyoncé, who will host her Cowboy Carter Tour in North America from April 28 to July 14, according to Ticketmaster. The big question: Is it possible to get cheap concert tickets?
What makes buying tickets so difficult with the advent of technology is your biggest competition may not be a real, live person but a bot behind the screen. In fact, more than 40% of online ticket booking is done by automated software, according to Imperva. This became such a problem that, in 2016, Congress passed the Better Online Tickets Sales Act, which theoretically would have clamped down on bots buying up and reselling tickets. But the Federal Trade Commission has only enforced the law once, according to Rolling Stone. Ticket scalping by way of bots was thought to be one of the main causes behind the 2022 ticket debacle of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.
However, if battling the bots doesn’t deter you, here are our tips for acquiring cheap concert tickets.
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Make Quick Money to Pay for Cheap Concert Tickets
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Get Cheap Concert Tickets During Presale
Presale may be the best kept secret when it comes to buying tickets. If you have a Ticketmaster account, which you may want to consider getting if you don’t already have one, you can sign up directly for an artist’s presale page. Only fans who sign up for a presale can access it once it opens, so it’s definitely worth doing the sign-up if you’re a major fan. (This may also be worth doing on other sites that manage concert tickets, like Live Nation.)
Presales don’t always have discounted rates for early-bird ticket purchasers, but it will at least enable you to get your tickets directly from the source as opposed to a scalper who will likely increase the total price. Here are some other ways to get in on the presale before your fellow fans.
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Become a (Super) Fan
Fan clubs are not just a cute saying to indicate that you’re a very great admirer of some artist. They can actually be a powerful tool to get early access to tickets. Some artists even offer what Ticketmaster calls “Fan Club Bundles” only accessible with the purchase of an official fan club membership. But this can get you early access to tickets. To access these presales, you’ll likely have to have a code, so check your email or relevant technology. Some musicians also have street teams of volunteers. In exchange for spreading the word about your favorite band by putting up posters and posting about them on social media, you may be able to score discount tickets or at least a presale code.
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Whip Out Your Credit Card
While you always want to be cautious signing up for (and using) a credit card, that small but mighty piece of plastic can sometimes be your ticket to the presale realm.
Chase, Cash App and Citibank are some of the companies Ticketmaster works with to run presales. However, it’s also worth checking out whether your credit card company — if it is not one of those three — has any cash back options for live event tickets or presale opportunities.
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Search Online for Presale Codes
If you really can’t get your hands on a presale access code but you’re desperate to get one, you can simply take to the internet with a Google or Twitter search. “Artist’s name” and “presale” will generally get you where you want to be.
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Buy the Day They Drop for Cheap Concert Tickets
To purchase cheap concert tickets to your dream show during the general sale period, you need to be quick — and come prepared.
Create an Account
Before the day tickets go on sale, create a user account on whichever website you’ll be using to purchase your concert tickets. Think Ticketmaster or Live Nation. This is a good idea for any avid concert-goer, since these are the main venues (see what we did there?) for ticket sales.
Nothing slows you down more in those frantic moments between loading your cart and checking out than having to create an account and fill out all of your information.
Make a Plan
It’s always a good idea in life to have a plan. One way to do that is by scoping out the layout and seating of your concert’s venue. What are the absolute worst sections you can tolerate, just in case you’re forced to make a last-ditch decision?
Watch the Clock
Here’s a secret: artists sometimes drop tickets in phases and occasionally even a few minutes before the stated start time. So you’ll definitely want to have your alarm set for 15 minutes before the allotted time and be at your computer and at the ready.
Treat your presale experience like a race. You have to prepare for it to get the outcome you want.
Speed Counts
No one wants to be impeded by a slow WiFi connection. Make sure you get on the fastest network you can possibly get, because this can make a big difference when you’re competing against thousands of people for the same spots. (Just think of the Eras Tour madness.)
Grab Your Ticket on the Go
Most ticket sale sites have a mobile site or phone app, so you don’t have to miss a sale just because you can’t be tied to your home computer.
Depending on the speed of your device, it might even make sense to buy concert tickets on your phone instead of your computer, if your mobile device gets the job done faster.
Up Your Chances
It’s always a good idea to increase your odds by having two people try to buy tickets at once. It’s even better if you can set yourselves up in the same room, so you can compare notes. Worst case scenario: you both score tickets and you have an extra pair. Not a problem — sell them through a verified resale site (and resist the urge to really increase the price.)
Strength in (Smaller) Numbers
It’s sad but true: you may have to nix your plans to sit all together if you’re going with a big group. Even one seat purchased by someone else could get the entire order canceled. And if you really want to save money, you can even consider buying tickets just for yourself. Blocks of seats are more popular — and more expensive — than single seats, so venues and ticket brokers often sell isolated single seats at a discounted rate.
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Look for Last-Minute Tickets
In the same way that sites and artists can release tickets a bit early, they may hold some tickets until hours, days or weeks later. Check back once in a while to see whether there are any more tickets available.
When scalpers and resellers fail to sell all their extra tickets, they offer cheap prices at the last minute so they can recoup some of their initial costs.
The day before or the day of an event is the best time to find cheap concert tickets if you missed the presale window.
It might be tough to wait until the very last minute to secure your tickets, especially if you’re traveling to the show and need to arrange accommodations.
But if you live near the venue and can keep your calendar clear that night, waiting until the last minute can be a great opportunity to get cheap tickets.
Just make sure to buy tickets from verified third-party sites like StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats.
You’ll still pay fees, but they’re generally cheaper than Ticketmaster’s bevy of charges.
You can also try aggregator sites, such as Ticketwood, which scan the web for the best deals from several resale sites at once.
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Other Ways to Get Cheap Concert Tickets
Even if you didn’t beat the bots, there are other ways to get cheap concert tickets — if you’re willing to get creative.
Go for the Cheap Seats in Cheap Cities
If the artist is the more important piece, and not the city, you may want to consider buying tickets in a less popular city. For some artists, like Taylor Swift, this may not save you much. But it may be the difference between being able to score tickets and, well, not.
And remember: Some tour dates and venues are cheaper than others. If you live within driving distance of two major cities, check ticket prices for both sites. You might find tickets are cheaper in Louisville, Kentucky, for example, than in Nashville.
Try the Box Office
You can always shave a little off the ticket price by going directly to the venue’s box office. Most theaters and arenas have a box office where you can buy concert tickets directly, avoiding ticket seller service fees. Box office hours are limited so make sure to check what hours they’re open before you visit.
Work the Event
Contact the venue to see if event staff or security get free tickets or discounts. You won’t get to hang out and relax like a standard concertgoer, but you could save a ton of money on tickets or get access to a sold-out show.
Win a Ticket
Sometimes bands, music venues and radio stations offer free concert tickets. You may need to be caller number X to get a pair of free tickets on the radio. Follow your local radio stations or favorite bands on social media so you can learn about giveaways and contests.
Try Groupon
Groupon offers great deals on lots of local events and activities — including sports tickets and concerts. You can score discounted tickets on Groupon, especially for shows less than two months away.
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Writer Elizabeth Djinis is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder, often writing about selling goods online through social platforms. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Smithsonian Magazine and the Tampa Bay Times.
Mike Brassfield, Rachel Christian and Grace Schweizer contributed to this article.
