Since May 12, 2025, the price you see when browsing for tickets is supposed to be the price you pay. That’s the short version of how all-in ticket pricing works now: the FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees (the “junk fees” rule) requires ticket sellers — primary and resale alike — to display the total price, including all mandatory fees, up front, before you ever reach checkout.
This guide is the practical version: what all-in pricing actually includes, what’s still allowed to sneak in at checkout, how each major platform now displays prices, and how to spot the ones still bending the rules. For the legal background, see our explainer: what is the FTC junk fees rule for tickets?
What All-In Pricing Means for Ticket Buyers
Before the rule, “drip pricing” was the industry norm: you’d see a $150 ticket, then discover at checkout that service fees, facility charges and processing fees pushed it to $195. Research cited during the rulemaking found hidden fees were behind up to half of all abandoned ticket purchases.
Now, any advertised price for a live-event ticket — in search results, listings, ads and the seat map — must show the total price more prominently than any breakdown. The rule doesn’t ban fees; it bans hiding them.
What “All-In” Includes — and What It Doesn’t
| Included in the all-in price | Can still appear separately |
|---|---|
| Ticket face value | Government taxes (in some cases) |
| Service / convenience fees | Shipping or delivery charges |
| Facility and venue charges | Optional add-ons (parking, insurance, upgrades) |
| Order processing fees | — |
| Any other mandatory fee you can’t avoid | — |
The key distinction is mandatory vs. optional. If you must pay it to complete the purchase, it has to be in the advertised total. If you can decline it, it can be shown separately — as long as it’s clearly disclosed before you pay.
One more caveat: dynamic pricing is still legal. The rule governs how prices are displayed, not how they’re set — so a ticket’s all-in price can still rise and fall with demand.
How Each Major Platform Shows Prices Now
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster moved to all-in pricing by default on its site and apps ahead of the rule’s effective date: every advertised price includes all fees except local taxes. This is a big change for a company whose checkout fees are legendary — see our breakdown of why Ticketmaster fees are so high.
StubHub
StubHub rolled out all-in pricing across its website and then its mobile app, so listings now display the total with fees included rather than adding them at checkout. Full fee breakdown: how much are StubHub fees? Note that StubHub has faced FTC scrutiny over its compliance — if a listing looks suspiciously cheap, double-check the total before paying.
SeatGeek
SeatGeek was the first major secondary marketplace to adopt all-in pricing voluntarily. Listings show the total including mandatory fees up front; taxes may still be added at checkout depending on the event’s location, so the final number can tick up slightly.
TickPick and smaller platforms
TickPick was showing all-in prices long before the rule — its whole pitch is no service fees, so the listed price is the checkout price. Most smaller marketplaces have followed suit, though compliance is less consistent on niche sites.
What’s Still Not Covered by the Rule
- Fees aren’t banned — only hidden. A $40 service fee is perfectly legal as long as it’s in the advertised price. Combined buyer fees still average around 30% of face value across the major platforms.
- Taxes can still be added at checkout in some cases, so “all-in” doesn’t always mean “final.”
- Resale sellers set their own prices — the rule makes the total transparent, but it doesn’t stop a $100 ticket from being listed at $400.
- Optional extras like parking, ticket insurance and VIP upgrades can still be offered (and priced) separately.
5 Buyer Tips for the All-In Era
- Compare totals, not headlines. With all platforms showing all-in prices, cross-shopping is finally apples-to-apples — put the same section through two or three checkouts and pick the lowest total.
- Watch for the toggle trick. Some sites still offer a “show prices with/without fees” toggle. Make sure it’s set to with fees before you compare.
- Screenshot the advertised price. If the total changes between the listing and checkout, you have evidence — and that’s exactly the drip pricing the rule prohibits.
- Check the fee breakdown anyway. All-in pricing shows the total, but the itemized breakdown (usually one click away) still tells you who’s charging what — useful when deciding between platforms.
- Report violations to the FTC. If a seller advertises one price and charges another, that’s a complaint worth filing at the FTC’s website. Enforcement actions — including warning letters and settlements — started as soon as the rule took effect.
FAQs
When did all-in ticket pricing become required?
The FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees took effect on May 12, 2025. The major platforms — Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek and others — rolled out all-in displays in the weeks around that date.
Does all-in pricing mean there are no more ticket fees?
No. The rule doesn’t ban or cap fees — it only requires them to be included in the advertised price. You’ll still pay service, facility and processing fees; you’ll just see them up front instead of at checkout.
Why did my total still go up at checkout if pricing is all-in?
Most likely taxes or shipping, which can be excluded from the advertised total in some circumstances, or an optional add-on you selected. If a mandatory fee appeared at checkout that wasn’t in the advertised price, that’s drip pricing — and it’s prohibited.
Do resale marketplaces have to show all-in prices too?
Yes. The rule covers primary sellers, resale marketplaces, venues and third-party platforms alike — anywhere a live-event ticket price is advertised to US consumers.
Can ticket prices still change with demand?
Yes. Dynamic pricing is untouched by the rule. A ticket’s all-in price can still rise as an event sells out — the rule just requires that whatever the current price is, it’s shown in full.
