Is CashorTrade legit? Yes. CashorTrade (cashortrade.org) is a legitimate fan-to-fan ticket marketplace that has operated since 2009, built around one rule: tickets can only be bought and sold at face value or below — never above. Here’s the quick verdict:
- Legitimacy: founded by brothers Brando and Dusty Rich in Burlington, Vermont; featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, and NPR; publicly endorsed by The Cure, Phish, Dead & Company, and other artists.
- How it works: sellers list at face value and choose their buyer (no instant “buy now” — this is what keeps bots out). Funds are held in escrow until the ticket transfer completes.
- Protection: Trader’s Protection provides a 100% money-back guarantee on purchases, with verified users, moderated listings, and fan support 7 days a week. In April 2026, Ticketmaster integrated ticket verification directly into the platform.
- Fees: sellers pay $0; buyers pay 10% (plus 3–5% card processing) unless they’re Gold members, who pay only processing.
- The catch: availability depends on fans listing tickets — there’s no instant checkout, and popular shows require patience and alerts.
What Is CashorTrade?
CashorTrade is a community-driven ticket exchange for live music fans — think of it as the digital version of the parking-lot ticket swaps of the jam-band scene, which is exactly where it started. Founders Brando and Dusty Rich launched it in 2009 after Phish reunion tickets instantly hit $2,000 on the secondary market, with a mission summed up in the tagline “embrace the face” (face value, that is).
The platform’s defining rule is its face-value pledge: every member agrees never to charge more than face value. Face value means the original primary-sale price including tax and fees — and if you bought a ticket on a secondary market like StubHub or SeatGeek, you must still sell it on CashorTrade at the original face value, not what you paid. Listings above face value can be flagged by the community and removed.
Artist trust runs deep: members of Phish, Dead & Company, Widespread Panic, Umphrey’s McGee, and others have endorsed the platform — and in March 2023, The Cure publicly urged fans to buy and sell on cashortrade.org (and twickets.live) at face value rather than pay scalper markups.
How CashorTrade Works
The key difference from StubHub or SeatGeek: there is no click-to-buy. Instead, buyers make an offer and the seller picks who gets the tickets — a model designed so bots and brokers can’t scoop inventory.
Buying (5 steps)
- Find your show — create a free account, search your artist, and pick the date (or browse the Ticket Feed).
- Browse fan listings — every listing shows the seller’s reviews and a clear description, all at face value.
- Request to buy — save a payment method and send your request with a message. Sellers see your reviews, badges, and profile.
- Pay safely — when the seller accepts, your card is charged and CashorTrade holds the money in escrow until the transfer is complete.
- Get your tickets — the seller sends them; you mark them received. The seller is paid before the event. After the show, both sides leave reviews.
Selling
- List your spare tickets at face value (listing is free).
- Connect PayPal to receive payment.
- Review offers — each shows the buyer’s trust level and reviews — and accept the one you want.
- Transfer the tickets as described. Warning: if you accept a request but can’t deliver the exact tickets, it’s a “dropped sale” — the buyer gets a full refund and you can be charged up to 150% of the sale amount.
Gold members get a 10-minute head start messaging sellers on new listings.
CashorTrade Fees: What Buyers and Sellers Pay
| Fee | Who pays | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | Buyers (non-Gold members) | 10% of purchase |
| Platform fee | Gold members | $0 — only card processing fees; 5% (capped at $250) on purchases over $2,500 or select partnered events |
| Card processing | All buyers | 3–5% depending on card issuer |
| Listing / selling | Sellers | Free — no cost to list or sell |
| Dropped sale penalty | Sellers who fail to deliver | Up to 150% of the listing price |
| Chargeback fee | Buyer issuing a chargeback | $25 |
For comparison, CashorTrade notes that major resale platforms typically take a combined 28–45% from buyers and sellers on top of already-inflated prices — versus face value plus ~10–15% here. Note that fees are non-refundable if an event is cancelled.
Is CashorTrade Safe? Protection and Verification
- Trader’s Protection: every purchase is backed by a 100% money-back guarantee — if the tickets aren’t delivered as described, the buyer gets a full refund.
- Escrow: your payment is held by CashorTrade until the transfer is complete; the seller isn’t paid until you’ve confirmed receipt.
- Ticketmaster verification (2026): Ticketmaster’s April 2026 integration lets verified Ticketmaster tickets be resold on CashorTrade at face value or below, with the price confirmed by Ticketmaster — no receipt uploads needed.
- Community accountability: verified users, moderated listings, public reviews on both sides of every transaction, and the face-value pledge enforced by flagging.
- Human support: a fan support team available 9 AM–9 PM EST, 7 days a week.
No system is perfect — fraud is rare (the company says fewer than 1 in 200 trades even contact support), but check seller reviews and history before requesting, just as you would anywhere. For more on avoiding bad actors generally, see how to not get scammed buying tickets on Facebook.
What Happens If a Show Is Cancelled?
If an event is cancelled, Trader’s Protection covers the ticket cost — contact CashorTrade’s fan support team rather than filing a payment dispute, since they handle ticketing-specific issues (split orders, transfer delays, cancellations) directly. Two things to know:
- Platform fees are non-refundable on cancelled events, per CashorTrade’s help center — only the ticket price itself is covered.
- If a show is rescheduled rather than cancelled, the tickets typically remain valid for the new date; check the specific event and your order terms.
CashorTrade vs Other Ways to Buy Resale Tickets
| CashorTrade | StubHub / SeatGeek / Vivid Seats | Facebook groups | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Face value or below, always | Market pricing — often well above face | Varies; scams common |
| Buyer fees | 10% (+3–5% processing); Gold members pay processing only | Typically 20–30%+ for buyers | None — but no protection either |
| Seller fees | $0 | ~8–15% | None |
| Purchase protection | Trader’s Protection: 100% money-back, escrow | Platform guarantees | None |
| Checkout | Seller chooses buyer (no instant buy) | Instant | Unstructured |
| Best for | Sold-out shows at fair prices, jam-band and live-music scenes | Last-minute availability, sports, big tours | Local deals if you can verify the seller |
If you’re considering selling rather than buying, our guide to selling tickets on Facebook covers the social-media route’s trade-offs.
Drawbacks to Know Before You Use It
- No instant gratification. The seller-chooses model means you can be passed over, especially as a brand-new user with no reviews — fill out your profile and write a genuine message.
- Inventory is fan-dependent. If nobody lists tickets for your show, there’s nothing to buy. Set alerts and check back; listings pop up daily, especially closer to show dates.
- Skews toward live music. The community is strongest for concerts and festivals (jam bands, indie, EDM); sports and theater inventory is thinner.
- All sales are final once a transaction completes — there’s no buyer’s remorse window, so be sure before you request.
FAQs
Is CashorTrade legit?
Yes. CashorTrade has operated since 2009 as a face-value-only fan ticket exchange, with Trader’s Protection (100% money-back guarantee and escrow), verified users, moderated listings, and a 2026 Ticketmaster verification integration. It’s been featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, and NPR and endorsed by artists including The Cure and Phish.
How does CashorTrade verify tickets?
Listings are moderated and sellers build public review histories. Since April 2026, Ticketmaster tickets can be authenticated through a direct integration that confirms the ticket price at face value with no receipt uploads required. Funds are held in escrow until the buyer confirms receipt.
What fees does CashorTrade charge?
Sellers pay nothing to list or sell. Buyers pay a 10% platform fee plus 3–5% card processing; Gold members pay only the processing fees (with a 5% fee capped at $250 on purchases over $2,500). A $25 fee applies if a buyer issues a chargeback.
Can you sell tickets above face value on CashorTrade?
No — never. All listings must be at face value or below, where face value is the original primary-sale price including tax and fees. Even tickets you bought on a secondary market must be listed at the original face value. Violations can be flagged and removed.
What happens if my CashorTrade tickets are fake or never arrive?
Contact CashorTrade’s fan support team (available 9 AM–9 PM EST daily). Under Trader’s Protection, if the seller can’t deliver valid tickets as described, the buyer is entitled to a full refund — and the seller faces a penalty of up to 150% of the sale amount.
What happens if the event is cancelled?
Trader’s Protection covers the ticket cost for cancelled events — contact support rather than filing a payment dispute. Note that platform fees are non-refundable on cancelled events.
Is CashorTrade better than StubHub?
For price, yes: CashorTrade caps everything at face value with ~10–15% in buyer fees versus market pricing plus 20–30%+ buyer fees on StubHub. For selection and instant checkout, StubHub wins — CashorTrade only has what fans list, and sellers choose their buyers.
