When musicians announce tours, fans race to secure the best seats — or any seats at all. Some of the big summer 2025 tours include Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish and Bad Bunny.Another highly sought-after act is Beyoncé, who will bring her Cowboy Carter Tour to North America from April 28 through July 14, per Ticketmaster. The burning question: Is it possible tobuy cheap concert tickets?
What complicates ticket buying in the digital era is that your main rival might not be another person but an automated bot. In fact, automated systems handle over 40% of online ticket purchases, according to Imperva. This issue prompted Congress to pass the Better Online Tickets Sales Act in 2016, intended to curb bots buying tickets for resale. Yet the Federal Trade Commission has enforced that law only once, perRolling Stone. Bot-driven scalping was widely blamed for the ticket chaos around Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in 2022.
Still, if you’re undeterred by the bot problem, here are practical tips to help you land cheap concert tickets.
Make money easier. Sign up for Savinly’s newsletter today.
Snag Cheap Concert Tickets During Presale
Presales are often the best-kept trick for getting tickets. If you don’t already have a Ticketmaster account, consider creating one so you can enroll directly on an artist’s presale page. Only those registered for a presale can enter it when it becomes available, so signing up is well worth the effort if you’re a dedicated fan. (It’s also worthwhile on other ticket platforms, like Live Nation.)
Presales don’tnecessarilyoffer discounted prices for early buyers, but they often let you buy directly from the source rather than from a scalper who will hike the cost. Below are additional approaches to access presales before other fans do.
More From Savinly:How to Save Money on Groceries: 25 Tools and Tricks to Save $100 or More
Join the Fan Club
Fan clubs are more than a cute label for super fans — they’re a useful way to gain early ticket access. Some artists provide what Ticketmaster calls “Fan Club Bundles” that are only available if you buy an official fan club membership, which can grant early access to tickets. Presales often require a code, so check your messages or the artist’s communications. Some musicians also run street teams of volunteers; in exchange for promoting the band through posters or social posts, volunteers can sometimes earn discount tickets or presale codes.
More From Savinly:Is InboxDollars A Legitimate Way To Make Money in 2025?
Use Your Credit Card Benefits
While it’s wise to be careful with credit cards, certain cards can unlock presale access.
Ticketmaster partners with companies like Chase, Cash App and Citibank to run presales. Check if your own card issuer — even if it’s not one of those — offers perks for live events or exclusive presale opportunities.
More From Savinly:100+ Places That Will Give You Free Stuff on Your Birthday
Hunt for Presale Codes Online
If you can’t get a presale code through official channels, a web search can sometimes help. Searching the artist’s name paired with “presale” on Google or Twitter often turns up codes or leads.
More From Savinly:Our Picks for The Best Budget Apps for Couples
Buy on General Sale Day to Get Cheap Concert Tickets
To land cheaper tickets during the general sale, you need speed and preparation.
Create an Account Ahead of Time
Before tickets go live, open an account on the site you’ll use to buy tickets — think Ticketmaster or Live Nation. This is smart for regular concertgoers since those platforms handle the bulk of sales.
Having to create an account at the last second and enter all your details will slow you down when every second counts between adding tickets to your cart and checking out.
Make a Plan
Planning ahead helps. Review the seating chart and venue layout in advance so you know which sections you can tolerate if you must choose quickly.
Watch the Clock
Pro tip: artists sometimes release tickets in stages and can open sales minutes before the official start time. Set an alarm for 15 minutes early so you’re at your computer and ready to go.
Treat the sale like a sprint — preparation matters if you want success.
Speed Matters
A slow internet connection is the last thing you want. Use the fastest network available; it can be the difference between getting tickets and missing out (remember the Eras Tour frenzy).
Buy from Your Mobile Device
Most ticket platforms have mobile sites or apps, so you don’t have to be tied to a desktop to make a purchase.
Depending on device speed, buying via phone can even be faster than using a computer.
Boost Your Odds
Increase your chances by having two people attempt to buy tickets at the same time. If possible, do it from the same room so you can coordinate. Worst-case scenario: you both get tickets and have an extra pair to sell on a verified resale platform (resist the urge to massively markup the price).
Consider Smaller Groups
Unfortunately, if you’re part of a large group, you might need to split up seating. A single other purchaser interfering could cancel theentireorder. Buying one seat at a time can often be cheaper: single seats are less in demand than blocks and may be sold at a discount by venues or brokers.
More From Savinly:50 Easy Ways You Could Make Extra Money This Month
Look for Last-Minute Deals on Tickets
Just as promoters sometimes release tickets early, they may also hold some back to release hours, days or even weeks later. Check back periodically to see if more inventory appears.
When resellers can’t move all their extra tickets, they may slash prices at the last minute to recoup costs.
The day before or the day of a show is often the sweet spot to find discounted tickets if you missed presales.
Waiting until the last minute isn’t ideal if you have travel or lodging to arrange, but if you live nearby and can keep your schedule flexible, it can be a great way to save.
Always buy from reputable resale sites like StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats.
Fees still apply, but they’re often lower than Ticketmaster’s assortment of charges.
You can also try aggregator services, which scan multiple resale platforms to surface the best offers.
More From Savinly:Smarten Up, Americans. No Offense But Millions of Us Haven’t Used These Money Secrets
Additional Strategies to Find Cheap Concert Tickets
If bots beat you to the punch, there are still creative ways to find cheaper tickets.
Choose Less Expensive Cities
If seeing the artist is your priority rather than the city, consider buying tickets for a show in a less popular market. For some performers, this may not yield huge savings, but for others it can mean the difference between getting tickets and not finding any at all.
Keep in mind different dates and venues come with different price tags. If you can drive to two nearby cities, compare prices — tickets might be cheaper in one market than another.
Visit the Box Office
Buying directly from the venue’s box office can shave off ticketing service fees. Most arenas and theaters sell tickets in person, but box office hours are limited, so confirm times before you go.
Work the Event
Ask the venue if event staff or security receive complimentary or discounted tickets. You won’t be there purely to relax, but working a show can save you money or grant access to sold-out events.
Enter Giveaways
Bands, venues and radio stations sometimes give away free tickets. You may need to be a specific caller number or participate in social contests. Follow local radio and your favorite artists on social media to learn about these opportunities.
Check Groupon
Groupon often features discounted offers for local events, including concerts. You can often find deals for shows within a couple months, which can help you save on tickets.
More From Savinly:
- If You Have More Than $1,000 in Your Checking Account, Make These Money Moves
- Budgeting 101: How to Budget Money
- Ditch Overpriced Car Insurance Now — Save $500 Today
Writer Emma Rivers is a contributor to Savinly, frequently covering tips for selling items online via social platforms. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Smithsonian Magazine and the Tampa Bay Times.
Contributors: Mark Latham, Rachel Christian and Grace Schweizer helped with this piece.
