FanSeater is a fan-funded event platform where creators host campaigns and fans vote with real financial stakes to prove demand for live events. Creators launch campaigns with multiple location options and funding thresholds. Fans back their preferred location with a small payment held in escrow. When a location reaches its threshold, the campaign is confirmed and escrow is released to the creator in staged payouts to fund the event. FanSeater facilitates demand validation, escrow management, ticketing (including QR-coded tickets and door entry scanning), priority presale code generation, digital perk delivery, and post-confirmation fulfillment tracking — we are not the event organizer.
Every campaign clearly displays one of three ticketing models before you pay, so you always know exactly what your payment includes: (1) Vote + Ticket (FanSeater Ticketing) — your payment includes your ticket. If the campaign is confirmed, a QR-coded ticket is generated automatically for door entry. If the campaign does not reach its threshold, you receive a full refund. (2) Vote + Presale Access — your payment secures your vote and a unique presale code. You use this code to purchase your ticket separately on the creator's chosen ticketing platform (e.g. Ticketmaster, AXS, See Tickets) during a 48-hour exclusive presale window before public sale. The vote fee is not deducted from the ticket price unless the creator explicitly states otherwise. (3) Vote Only (FanSeater Lite) — your payment is a vote to bring the show to your city. Ticket information and sales are handled entirely by the creator outside FanSeater. In all three models, if no location reaches its threshold, you receive a full refund of your vote payment.
Fans may vote on campaigns without creating a full account by checking out as a guest with only an email address. Guest voters receive a lightweight (lite) profile that tracks their spending and votes. Presale codes, perk passes, and QR tickets are delivered to the guest email address provided at checkout. Guest voters may create a full account at any time to link their existing votes, tickets, and perks by using the same email address. FanSeater is not responsible for lost access to votes or tickets if a guest voter cannot access the email address used at checkout or does not link their account before a campaign concludes.
For campaigns using FanSeater Ticketing (Vote + Ticket), each confirmed backer receives a unique ticket linked to their account or guest email. The in-app QR code rotates on a time-based system — the code changes every 60 seconds, so a screenshot or photo goes stale within a minute and will not work at the door. Fans must open the FanSeater app and present the live rotating QR to door staff. Check-in is single-use: the first valid scan admits the fan, and any subsequent scan of the same ticket is flagged as a duplicate. QR codes also regenerate upon ticket swaps to prevent duplication. Creators are provided with a secure door scan page (accessible via a staff scan token) to validate tickets at entry. FanSeater is not responsible for entry disputes arising from device failures, internet connectivity issues at the venue, or misuse of the scan page by event staff. Creators are responsible for ensuring the scan page is accessible to authorized door staff.
After a campaign is confirmed, creators are provided with fulfillment tracking tools to manage tier-based rewards and perks (e.g. meet & greets, backstage passes, merch). Fulfillment items are auto-generated from campaign vote tiers and track quantity needed, sourced, and remaining. Post-confirmation signups (fans who join after the campaign wins) are tracked separately from original backers. Creators are responsible for sourcing and delivering all tier benefits promised during the campaign. FanSeater provides tracking tools but does not guarantee fulfillment of individual perks — disputes regarding undelivered perks should be directed to the creator.
All fan vote payments are held in escrow via Stripe until the campaign outcome is determined. If a campaign reaches its funding threshold, the platform commission (10% of gross, or 0% for free-tier creators) is deducted first, and the remainder is released in three stages under the venue-direct model: Stage 1 (deposit, 30%) — paid to the venue's bank account up to the venue's requested deposit amount, with any remainder to the creator, after the venue contract and bank details are verified by FanSeater admin; Stage 2 (pre-show, 30%) — paid to the creator's Stripe Connect account for production costs, triggered by admin as the event approaches; Stage 3 (completion, 40%) — paid to the creator's Stripe Connect account after event completion proof is verified by FanSeater. No creator can access fan money without platform oversight at each stage. If a campaign fails to reach its threshold, full refunds are issued to all voters and no escrow is released. The commission rate applicable to a campaign is locked at the moment Stage 1 escrow is released.
FanSeater operates a 'try before you buy' commission model. The first 2 completed campaigns per creator are free — 0% platform commission, and the creator keeps 100% of escrow revenue. From the 3rd completed campaign onwards, a flat 10% commission applies on escrow revenue (90% creator / 10% platform). The commission rate is determined dynamically based on the creator's completed campaign count at the time Stage 1 escrow is released, and is locked at that point for the duration of the campaign. Platform commission is capped at a maximum of 10%. Fans are not charged additional fees for voting.
Full refunds are issued to all voters if a campaign fails to reach its threshold. For campaigns that succeed, voters in non-winning locations may migrate their vote to the winning location or request a refund during the migration window. When a refund is owed, the fan chooses: keep it as FanSeater credit for future campaigns, or withdraw it to the original payment method (their card). If the fan does not choose within 7 days, the refund is automatically withdrawn to the original payment method. After the migration window closes, undecided voters are notified to make the same choice. Once escrow release has begun (Stage 1 deposit), no refunds are available — funds have been committed to the venue and creator to produce the event. If a creator defaults after receiving escrow, the venue addendum guarantees return of the Stage 1 deposit to fans.
When demand for a winning location exceeds venue capacity, overflow bidding opens. Fans may place additional overflow bids to express demand beyond capacity. If multiple shows are scheduled to meet overflow demand and capacity is still exceeded, a two-stage raffle is conducted: a Ticket Selection Draw determines which backers receive tickets, and a Date Assignment Draw assigns winners to specific show dates. Raffle winners are notified and receive priority ticket access. Non-winning backers receive a refund and may choose to keep it as FanSeater credit or withdraw it to their original payment method. Raffle outcomes are final and non-appealable.
Ticket swaps are permitted between shows of the same event, subject to the following rules: swaps are limited to the same ticket tier only (general for general, VIP for VIP); each ticket may be swapped a maximum of 3 times; swaps require a mutual match — a fan wanting your show must be found in the desired direction; upon completion of a swap, QR codes are regenerated for both tickets to maintain security and prevent duplication. Swap requests that cannot be matched remain open until a counterparty is found or the swap window closes. FanSeater facilitates matching but does not guarantee a swap will complete.
Tickets are personal to the account holder and are tied to your FanSeater account or guest email. Resale of tickets for profit, or listing tickets on secondary ticketing websites or marketplaces, is prohibited. FanSeater reserves the right to cancel any ticket found to have been resold or listed for resale, with a refund issued to the original buyer. Tickets purchased via public sale are subject to the same rule. Native FanSeater QR tickets rotate on a time-based system to prevent copying — a screenshot of a QR code will not work at the door. Do not purchase FanSeater tickets from anyone other than the original account holder; tickets bought second-hand may not be valid for entry.
You may not use FanSeater to: engage in ticket scalping or reselling tickets above face value; create fraudulent or misleading campaigns; manipulate vote counts or use bots to artificially inflate demand; post hate speech, harassment, or discriminatory content; infringe on intellectual property rights; attempt to circumvent escrow or payment processing; or use the platform for money laundering or any illegal activity. Violations may result in immediate account suspension, forfeiture of credits and pending payouts, and legal action where appropriate.
FanSeater provides the platform infrastructure for demand validation, escrow management, and ticketing. We are not the event organizer and do not guarantee that any event will take place as described. We are not liable for event cancellations, venue issues, creator default, quality of the event experience, or disputes between creators and fans. Our liability is limited to the fees paid to FanSeater for the relevant transaction. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages. The vote and ticket purchase create a direct relationship between you and the creator for event delivery.
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, compromise platform integrity, or fail to fulfill campaign obligations. Suspended accounts may forfeit store credits, pending payouts, and the ability to create future campaigns. Creators who default on confirmed campaigns may be permanently banned from the platform and subject to legal action by affected fans. Users may delete their own account at any time, which will close their profile and revoke access to active campaigns.
In the event of a dispute between a fan and a creator, parties should first attempt to resolve the matter directly through the platform's messaging or support channels. If unresolved, either party may submit a dispute claim to FanSeater for mediation. FanSeater will review the claim and may issue a non-binding recommendation. If the dispute remains unresolved, it shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered in the United Kingdom under the rules of a mutually agreed arbitration body. These Terms are governed by the laws of the United Kingdom. Class actions are waived to the extent permitted by law.