You got an offer. The venue says "we pay a guarantee." You nod like you know what that means. Then you go home and Google it.
Good. That's the right instinct. Here's what it actually means, why it matters, and how to pick a number that doesn't make your drummer cry on the drive home.
What a Guarantee Is
A guarantee is the minimum amount the venue pays you, no matter what. Ten people show up? You still get your guarantee. The power goes out and you play acoustic in the parking lot? You still get your guarantee. The venue has a bad night? Their problem. You get paid.
It is the floor of the deal. Not the ceiling. Not the average. The floor. You cannot make less than your guarantee, by definition.
This is why it matters. Without a guarantee, you're betting your night's income on factors you don't control: the weather, the competing shows, whether the Utes have a home game. With a guarantee, you know what you're going home with before you load the van.
What a Door Split Is
A door split is a percentage of ticket revenue. You and the venue each get a cut of every ticket sold. 80/20 in your favor is standard. That means if 100 people pay $10 to get in, $800 goes to you and $200 goes to the venue.
Door splits work great when you can pack a room. They're terrible when you can't. This is why the strongest deal structure combines both: a guarantee (your floor) plus a door split (your upside).
The math on a real show:
Scenario: 80 people, $10 ticket, 80/20 door split, $300 guarantee
Door revenue: $800
Your 80% cut: $640
You go home with: $640 (guarantee was $300, so door wins)
Bad night scenario: 20 people, $10 ticket, same deal
Door revenue: $200 · Your 80% cut: $160
You go home with: $300 (guarantee kicks in)
What a Merch Commission Is
Some venues take a percentage of your merch table sales. Shirts, vinyl, stickers, whatever you're selling in the back of the room. That cut goes to the venue.
15% is common. 20% is reaching. 0% is better, you made the product, you take the risk of making it, you should keep the money. When you negotiate, merch commission is usually the easiest one to push back on. A lot of venues will just say "fine, keep all of it" if you ask nicely.
The math on a merch table:
You sell $300 in merch. At 15% commission, you give the venue $45. That's $45 that came out of shirts you designed, printed, and lugged to the show. At 0%, you keep the full $300. Worth asking for.
How to Pick Your Guarantee Number
Most new bands lowball themselves because they're afraid the venue will say no. That's the wrong fear. The right fear is saying yes to $75 for a night that costs you $40 in gas and four hours of your life.
Here's a simple formula. Add up the hard costs of the gig:
Gas / transportation to and from the venue
Wear and tear on gear (strings, batteries, sticks)
Parking
Food (you're going to eat)
Your time, load-in, sound check, the set, load-out. Often 4-6 hours for a 45-minute set.
That number is your absolute floor. Below that and you're paying to play. Now add a realistic hourly rate for your time. Even $15/hour times 5 people times 5 hours is $375.
Most first-time local bands land their guarantee between $150 and $300. That's not a lot split four ways, but it covers costs and proves you value your time. As you build a following and fill rooms, the number goes up.
The rule:
Set your guarantee at the number where, if you go home with exactly that amount and nothing more, you feel okay about the night. Not great. Okay. If you'd feel ripped off, your guarantee is too low.
What Happens at Different Split Percentages
Venues will sometimes try to negotiate the door split. Here's what different splits actually mean on a typical local show: 100 tickets at $10 each, $1,000 door total.
Below 70%, you're splitting your own crowd's money with a room that's benefiting from you being there. That's a bad deal no matter how much you want the gig.
You Can Always Raise Your Guarantee Later
Start conservative if you need to. But start somewhere. And set it in writing before the conversation happens, not during it.
The moment a venue asks "what do you charge?" is not the moment to decide. That moment requires a number. Have one ready.
Set your guarantee before the call comes:
The Spider Rider has you lock in your guarantee range, door split, and merch commission upfront. Publish it once, and venues come to you already knowing your terms.
Build your Spider Rider →The Salt Vault · Business · 101 Level · Rock Salt Academy, Track 4