Types of ticketing
Performances where a full-price or concession ticket is purchased before the performance, either in advance or on the door.
Shows that are ticketed with no price attached, or non-ticketed but do not charge in advance. The Fringe Box Office can issue tickets for free ticketed shows. Many free shows give the audience the option to contribute money to a bucket at the end of the performance.
The PWYW/C model gives the audience the option to ‘buy a ticket in advance to guarantee entry or pay what you want (or what you can) at the venue’ when the show ends. Ticket holders for the show are allowed in first, followed by those who have opted not to buy a ticket in advance. Many PWYW/C shows give the audience the option to contribute money to a bucket at the end of the performance.
The Fringe Box Office
The Fringe Box Office sells tickets for all shows registered with the Society. Tickets are sold over the counter, by phone, on edfringe.com and through the Fringe app.
You are required to make at least the equivalent of 25% of your tickets per performance available to sell at the Fringe Box Office. This percentage can be increased when you fill in your Show Registration Form, or at any point during your run via the Box Office Reporting Portal (see below).
The Fringe Box Office opens earlier than many venue box offices, and because of this many companies allocate half or more of their tickets to our Box Office. An administrative commission of 5% plus VAT is applied on the face value of all tickets sold as part of the payout process.
Box Office Reporting Portal
Once your show goes on sale through the Fringe Box Office, we’ll send an email to your registered primary contact with instructions for logging into the Box Office Reporting Portal.
The Reporting Portal is where you can do the following:
By using the Reporting Portal, you can view full details of tickets sold for past and future performances of your show. You can also find additional guidance by using the ‘Need Help’ option on the portal; if you have any questions regarding your box office reports that aren’t answered here, you can contact [email protected].
Log into the Reporting Portal and select ‘Ticket Management’ and then ‘Stop Sales & Allocation Management’; from here, you can select your show and the relevant performance and edit the Fringe Box Office Allocation.
The Box Edits Team is also available to assist with this if you need help – just email [email protected]. Please remember that you must allocate a minimum of 25% of your tickets to the Fringe Box Office.
Please note: all changes submitted by email must be from the email address provided as the primary contact on your show registration form, to ensure the changes are properly recorded and entered on the box office system accordingly.
The Half Price Hut (HPH) is a great promotional opportunity for shows and an efficient way for shows and venues to generate last-minute ticket sales for any performances that need an extra boost. Please see the Half Price Hut section below for more details.
Ticket sales through the Fringe Box Office can be stopped within the 24-hour period prior to the start time of each performance.
To complete this process, log into the Reporting Portal and select ‘Ticket Management’, then ‘Stop Sales & Allocation Management’. You can then select ‘Stop Sales’ next to the performance of your show – this will stop sales through all Fringe Box Office sales channels (but not through external channels, such as your venue). Once you have stopped sales, if you scroll to the bottom of the screen, you can click the ‘Generate’ option for the Stop Sales Report which will confirm the number of tickets sold by the Fringe and the number of tickets left available to be sold or used on the door for your performance.
We also have a dedicated telephone service through which Fringe venues can instruct the Fringe Box Office to stop selling tickets for a particular performance. They can call ‘Stop Sales’ on 0131 226 0018 within the 24-hour period prior to the start of the performance. We advise calling at least one or two hours beforehand. Our staff will let them know how many tickets we have sold. The venue will then know how many tickets are left to sell on the door.
If you’re having trouble logging into the Reporting Portal, please email [email protected].
Box Office FAQs
All you need to do is email the Fringe Box Edits team on [email protected] with the details and we will make the changes on our system. Please note that all changes must be submitted by email, by the primary contact on the show registration form, to ensure they are properly recorded and entered on the box office system accordingly.
All you need to do is email the Fringe Box Edits team on [email protected] with the details and we will make the changes on our system.
Please note that all changes must be submitted by email, by the primary contact on the show registration form, to ensure they are properly recorded and entered on the box office system accordingly.
In very particular circumstances the Box Office team will change the copy for your show on the edfringe.com website. Examples of copy changes that we would consider making include:
- inaccuracy in the copy
- significant changes to the nature of the show
- significant new announcements about the show, eg a casting change
- announcement of a new award or being shortlisted for an award.
Please note that due to the high volume of shows we will only be able to process a limited number of requests. The 100-word limit for web copy, including the show name, still applies.
To request a change to your web copy, please email the Box Edits team on [email protected].
Booking fees
The Fringe Box Office charges a booking fee to cover administrative costs – in 2026, this is £1.50 per ticket, up to a maximum of £9 (ie six tickets) per transaction.
New legal guidance from the Competitions & Markets Authority (CMA) means that, in the interests of transparency, the booking fee must be included in the advertised ticket price. This applies to all shows advertised on Fringe Box Office channels, including edfringe.com, the EdFringe app, in the official printed programme and via counter and telephone sales at the Fringe Box Office.
We've written a short blog about the changes, including what it means for your show listings and how you might want to address the guidance in your own marketing materials.
Ticket offers
The Fringe offers various discount ticket options to audiences that your show can opt to participate in, including 2for1 offers and Fringe Friend discounts.
Taking part in these offers can help your show build audiences and take maximum advantage of the festival calendar.
More information on these offers is available in Edfringeware when you decide whether or not to opt in, and on the EdFringeware help site.
Fringe Friends are your friends
Fringe Friends are 'super fans' who pay a membership fee to the Fringe Society in exchange for benefits including 2for1 tickets. They buy over four times as many tickets as regular attendees – this higher engagement level makes them particularly valuable audience members, for several reasons.
Word-of-mouth marketing
Since these members see many shows, their recommendations carry weight within the arts community. When they enjoy a performance, they're likely to tell others about it, creating organic promotion for your show.
Early momentum
Getting those first audience members is often one of the biggest challenges for a new show run. Even a small but engaged early audience can create the initial energy and buzz that attracts more viewers. Think of it like a snowball effect – those first few attendees help build momentum for the entire run.
How the 2for1 ticket offer works
- You can choose to opt into the Fringe Friends scheme at any time.
- Friends are notified that your show is part of the scheme.
- There are limits on how many times Friends can use their 2for1 offers during a single show run.
- As your show is advertised as being part of the scheme, you may even attract new Friends to sign up.
- Friends’ membership fees are vital in supporting our artist services and community work.
From a financial perspective, while you're offering tickets at half price, consider that an empty seat generates no revenue and no word-of-mouth benefits. A filled seat, even at a discount, creates value beyond the ticket price through potential reviews, recommendations and general show awareness.
Think of these discounted tickets as an investment in marketing. The Fringe Friends who attend your show using this offer are likely to:
- share their experience with other Fringe-lovers
- help create the crucial early audience energy that new shows need
- boost the prospect of full-price ticket sales, perhaps as returning audience members themselves.
Fringe Friends updates for 2026
From 2026, 35% of net income from Fringe Friends membership fees will be returned directly to the Fringe community, via the artist or venue that registers a show in the scheme. In practice, this works as a Friends scheme rebate.
The rebate pot will be split proportionally based on the number of free Friends tickets redeemed.
The aim is to ensure participating shows and venues see a direct financial return, alongside the audience development and visibility benefits the scheme delivers.
Why the Fringe Society retains a share
The Fringe Society will retain 65% of net Fringe Friends income to operate, market and maintain the scheme at scale. This includes:
- Audience marketing and acquisition – campaigns that help increase Friends memberships and ticket use, benefiting participating shows and venues.
- Scheme administration and customer support – managing memberships, handling queries and complaints and resolving ticketing issues during the festival.
- Ticketing and technical delivery – website hosting, system integration with registration and ticketing partners and technical support throughout August.
- Friends engagement and retention – managing benefits, communications and activity / events that encourage Friends to attend more shows and return year after year.
- Scheme development and future investment – maintaining Fringe Friends in 2026 and investing in technical and operational improvements to deliver greater flexibility from 2027 onwards.
How show participation works in 2026
For shows, Fringe Friends will operate as a standardised opt-in scheme:
- Shows are either in or out of Fringe Friends – ticket quantities and performance days can’t be varied within a show’s run.
- Participation is a choice made at registration level, and is not mandatory – you don't have to take part in the Friends scheme if you don't want to.
There’s real scope to evolve Fringe Friends further for 2027 – keep an eye out for more updates if registering next year.
Supporting local audiences
We’re also introducing an EH postcode discount on Friends memberships in 2026, supporting local engagement, repeat attendance and goodwill towards the Fringe.
This Fringe Friends refresh is about strengthening a shared audience offer now, while investing in a scheme that works better for artists, venues and audiences in the years ahead.
The Half Price Hut
The Half Price Hut (HPH) is a great promotional opportunity for shows and an efficient way for shows and venues to generate last-minute ticket sales for any performances that need an extra boost. It opens from Wednesday 12 August 2026, following the 2for1 days on the first Monday and Tuesday of the Fringe.
The HPH only sells tickets for performances taking place on the day of purchase, or the following day if the show takes place before 14:00 (more info on this below).
Here’s how it works:
- Choose which performance(s) of your show you would like to make available in the Half Price Hut.
- Choose how many tickets per performance you would like to allocate to the HPH. These tickets will be available to audience members at half the price of a standard full-price ticket. Please note that if you are using Pay What You Can ticket pricing with multiple ticket options, it is not possible to use the Half Price Hut offer for your performances
- This allocation of tickets will be exclusively available via counter sales at the Fringe Box Office at 180 High Street.
- Half Price Hut shows will be listed on a dedicated edfringe.com page, with signage around the Box Office directing audience members to that information and further details of how to take advantage of the ticket offer.
- Please note:
- For performances taking place before 14:00, tickets will be available from 14:00 the previous day.
- For performances taking place after 14:00, tickets will be available from 10:00 on the day of the performance.
- Requests for inclusion in the Half Price Hut need to be made 48 hours in advance of a performance.
- Once tickets have been allocated to the Half Price Hut they cannot be returned to general sale.
Who can allocate tickets to the Half Price Hut?
If your company is performing at any of the following venues you will have to contact them directly to be included in Half Price Hut offers:
- Assembly
- C venues
- Gilded Balloon
- Greenside
- Just the Tonic
- Paradise Green
- Pleasance
- Scottish Storytelling Centre
- Shedinburgh
- Summerhall Arts
- theSpaceUK
- Underbelly
- Zoo
If your show is not at one of these venues, you can allocate tickets to the HPH using the Box Office Reporting Portal.
- Log into the Portal and select ‘Ticket Management’ and then ‘Offers’.
- Select the event / show that you want to include in the Half Price Hut Offer and then the date (and time) of the performance.
- You will see the number of tickets available. Click the ‘Add Ticket Type Offer’ button on the right-hand side.
- Click ‘Half Price Hut Offer’ and enter the ‘Maximum Number of Tickets to be sold at Half Price’. Click ‘Save’.
- The screen will update and display which performances have been added, the Max Number of tickets available and the number of tickets sold.
- If any entry needs editing, you can click on the arrow on the right-hand side to edit or remove the offer for that performance.
If you cannot use the Reporting Portal, the Half Price Hut form should be completed by the Primary Contact for your show (aka the person listed as a Primary Contact in your show registration) or someone at your venue. If you are unsure who the Primary Contact is, contact [email protected] and our team will be able to let you know.
If you are not the appropriate contact for your show, this may delay or prevent the Half Price Hut ticket offer being applied.
If you have any questions about any of the above or the Half Price Hut ticketing service more generally please email [email protected].
Venue box office
Many venues operate an on-site box office as well. You may choose to sell some tickets through the Fringe Box Office and the remainder through the venue – discuss how to allocate your tickets with your venue manager. Check for hidden costs such as supply of ticket stock or additional fees or commissions.
Some venues have box offices that are linked to the Fringe system. In these cases, the venue staff will be your main point of contact for all box office, ticketing and sales reports enquiries.
Otherwise, please contact the Fringe Society using [email protected] for:
- box office issues
- questions about changes to performances
- information about online ticket reports.
Fringe Box Office settlements
Your takings from the Fringe box office will be sent via bank transfer by 30 September following the end of the festival. If a bank transfer is not possible for your organisation, please contact us.
We will deduct a 5% commission (plus VAT) as well as any PRS payments (plus VAT) if applicable.
You can enter your bank details directly into EdFringeware – you'll find a tab called 'Payout Details' within the Organisation.
We calculate the commission on your gross sales (ie before tax is deducted) and send through the remaining amount. It is your responsibility to settle any VAT or other tax liabilities as appropriate for your individual set-up.
Note that if your show registration is submitted by your venue manager or you have selected to have payout sent to your venue, the funds will go directly to your venue for settlement. Your venue will then add their box office takings and forward you your money under the terms of your agreement with them.
Make sure you know how long it will take for you to get your money after the Fringe Society has paid it out – your venue contract should make this clear.
The Fringe Society offers the advance payment of show sales during the month of August.
Payment of advances can only be requested by the organisational primary contact and paid into the account nominated to receive payout within the organisation.
Payments will only be made on ‘matured sales’. This means sales for performances that have already taken place. For instance, the payment on Monday 10 August is on sales of performances that have taken place up to the end of Sunday 09 August. The payments are not based on when the sale is made.
Advances are set at 80% of those matured sales, the remaining amount/s due will be paid in September as part of the wider Fringe payout process.
Payment schedule for Fringe 2026:
- Monday 10 August 2026 for all matured sales up to and including Sunday 09 August 2026.
- Monday 17 August 2026 for all matured sales up to and including Sunday 16 August 2026.
- Monday 24 August 2026 for all matured sales up to and including Sunday 23 August 2026.
- Monday 31 August 2026 for all matured sales up to and including Sunday 30 August 2026.
Please contact [email protected] to apply to receive advances. The email must come from the registered organisation primary contact within EdFringeware.
Providing advances is done at the discretion of the Fringe Society and we reserve the right to retract the service at any point.
If you have any questions about advances, please email [email protected] in the first instance.
Email [email protected] if you have additional questions about your Fringe payout.
Fringe Box Office booking fee rebate
Since 2022, the Fringe Society has operated a rebate process after payout, redistributing part of the revenue from our Box Office booking fees and retaining only what we need to provide our services. This is to recognise the large market-share of ticket sales that the Fringe Box Office has across the festival, and the value of supporting venues to offer box office services when these cannot be covered by their own booking fee revenue. This rebate was reviewed by the Fringe Society Board of Directors in advance of Fringe 2025.
The rebate is offered on the volume of tickets we sell over 50% of the total sales for a show. For example, if a show’s venue box office sells 20% of tickets for a show’s run, and the Fringe Society sells the other 80%, we will retain the booking fees for 50% and offer a rebate on the remaining 30%.
The Fringe Society contacts eligible recipients with a rebate claim form; there is no rebate for shows where the Fringe Box Office sells less than 50% of the tickets across the run.
The rebate is issued in October, to ensure it doesn’t slow down the payout process, and is offered to the organisation that is registered to receive the show’s payout. For some shows, the artist or company receives payout and rebate directly; in other cases, these are issued to the venue, which in turn manages the individual settlement with the show as per their agreed contract. Free Ticketed shows also receive a rebate of associated booking fees.
It is up to the organisation that receives the payment to decide what to do with those funds. Some venues use the money to offset their box office overheads or other operating costs, supporting a broader network of box office services across the Fringe; some pass a portion (or the entirety) to the artists. We encourage artists and venues to discuss rebate when contracting.
This process was initially agreed for three years (2022–2024) by the Fringe Society Board, and reviewed ahead of Fringe 2025. The Board is elected by members of the Fringe Society – find out more about becoming a Fringe Society member.
Do-it-yourself box office
If your venue does not run a ticketing facility, you are welcome to allocate all of your tickets for sale through the Fringe Box Office. Alternatively, you can sell advance tickets and offer door sales yourself.
DIY box office tips
- Print simple, numbered tickets in advance. If possible, sell space on your ticket to advertisers to help cover print costs.
- Ticket design should be simple and include:
- show title
- company name
- venue and space
- date and time of performance
- ticket price.
- Equally, for a very simple, functional ticket you could buy a book of cloakroom / raffle tickets to sell on the door.
- Assign only one or two people from your company to run the box office.
- Maintain a spreadsheet of sales. Balance box office costs and income daily and deposit takings in a bank account set up for that purpose.
- Post conditions of sale clearly at your box office, including your policy on refunds and exchanges. If giving a refund, take the ticket back from the customer.
- Set a process for verifying and documenting concession statuses and sales (eg over 60s, students, unemployed).
- Keep a record of any seats given away as complimentary tickets - including press tickets, if applicable.
- Have your front of house staff retain tickets. Take a head count before the performance for fire and safety purposes.
- Track your customer base by asking your audience for contact details. Get permission before adding anyone to a mailing list.
Contact the Fringe Society at [email protected] for more advice on setting up and running your own box office.