Every order on StubHub is backed by our FanProtect Guarantee. Here’s a guide to what it covers, what it doesn’t, and how to use it when you need it.
Buying a ticket on StubHub means buying in a marketplace built for real fans. That’s why StubHub offers more sections, more price points, and last-minute options for sold-out shows.
FanProtect is what makes that freedom real. It’s the reason a fan can decide on Saturday morning to buy a ticket for that night’s show, and know they’re covered from the moment they hit purchase to the moment they walk through the gate.
What Is the StubHub FanProtect Guarantee?
The StubHub FanProtect Guarantee is the protection built into every ticket purchase on StubHub. In short, it promises you’ll get into your event, or we’ll make it right with a comparable replacement ticket or a full refund. Getting you into the event is always the goal — with a refund as a safety net.
FanProtect isn’t an add-on, and it isn’t something you opt into or pay extra for. It’s baked into every order, supported in part by our fees. That means you never have to stop and wonder whether you’re covered. You already are.
At a high level, FanProtect covers four core promises:
- Your tickets will arrive in time for the event.
- Your tickets will be authentic and valid for entry.
- If there’s a problem, you’ll receive tickets that are comparable, or your money back.
- If the event is canceled and not rescheduled, you’ll be refunded.
Those four commitments are the foundation of the guarantee — and they matter most when you consider what buying a ticket looks like without them.
The Alternative: Buying Tickets With No Guarantee at All
It helps to compare the FanProtect Guarantee to how tickets may get bought and sold elsewhere. Social media platforms and online forums have all become informal marketplaces for reselling tickets, especially for sold-out shows where fans are desperate to find a seat. None of those channels offer any real protection: there’s no guarantee behind the transaction, no fraud detection, and no one to call if something goes wrong.
That’s exactly the environment where ticket scams thrive. A common version: a seller posts a screenshot of a ticket, takes payment through a peer-to-peer app, and sends a duplicate that’s already been sold to other buyers. Payment apps generally aren’t built to reverse transactions between two people who agreed to send money, and social platforms don’t require sellers to provide any verification or information before letting them post. Fans can lose hundreds of dollars this way, with no path to get it back.
This is the real, practical value of buying through a protected marketplace. On StubHub, every listing is backed by the same guarantee. You’re never just relying on a stranger’s word in a comment thread or a screenshot sent over text.
Sellers on StubHub are held to our standard before a ticket ever reaches you. Every seller is required to have the tickets in hand, or be officially allocated them, before they can list. Speculative ticketing or “ghost ticketing” — putting up tickets you don’t own — is against StubHub’s seller policies. If a seller fails to deliver valid tickets, they can face real consequences, from fines to a permanent ban from the marketplace. StubHub takes that seriously, because seller accountability is what keeps trust in the marketplace intact for everyone: sellers don’t get paid until after the event takes place.
What FanProtect Covers
- Valid tickets, guaranteed. If the tickets you receive aren’t honored at the venue when you try to enter, FanProtect steps in.
- On-time delivery. Whether your tickets are mobile transfers, PDFs, or physical tickets shipped to your door, FanProtect covers situations where the tickets don’t arrive on time.
- Event cancellations. If an event is officially canceled and isn’t rescheduled, you’re entitled to a refund.
Having an Issue? Here’s What To Do
In the rare event something goes wrong — you’re denied entry, your tickets don’t arrive, or they turn out to be invalid — document the issue on the spot if you can (a photo at the gate, a screenshot of the problem), then contact StubHub as soon as possible, ideally the same day. The sooner we hear from you, the faster we can investigate and get you a comparable replacement or a refund.
What FanProtect Does Not Cover
It’s just as important to know the edges of FanProtect, so you know exactly where you stand.
Change of plans. We get it, life happens. Whether you simply can’t make it anymore or had a change of heart, that’s not a FanProtect scenario. The good news: if your plans change, you’re not stuck (more on that below).
Postponed or rescheduled events. If your event gets postponed or rescheduled, your tickets stay valid for the new date. Think of it as a second shot at the same great seats, not a loss.
Travel and other costs around the event. FanProtect covers the ticket, but other costs like the hotel or flights aren’t included, and we know that can be a hard loss to absorb. If you’re planning to travel, it’s worth looking into travel insurance or refundable bookings, so the whole trip has a safety net.
Can’t Use Your Tickets? You’re Not Stuck With Them
StubHub was built for flexibility. Schedules change. A kid gets sick. The friend group changes their mind. Whatever the reason, you’re not out of options: you can sell your ticket on StubHub to another fan looking for a last-minute chance to catch an event they love. It’s one of the best parts of buying in a real marketplace. A change of plans doesn’t have to mean a sunk cost.
Protection for Festival Season: Meet FestProtect
Festivals bring their own kind of chaos: rainouts, an artist dropping off the lineup, or two must-see sets scheduled at the exact same time. That’s why StubHub built FestProtect, a festival-specific protection platform that extends the spirit of the FanProtect Guarantee to those uniquely festival-shaped headaches. Fans who run into a qualifying disruption can submit a claim at StubHub.com/festprotect and, depending on the tier, may be eligible for things like a future festival credit, tickets to catch a missed artist another time, or an on-the-spot upgrade. Same commitment to fans, just built for the realities of a festival weekend.
FanProtect and the Fees You Pay
Fans sometimes ask why StubHub charges fees, and FanProtect is a meaningful part of that answer. The guarantee is powered by fraud prevention systems, real customer support, and the capacity to make buyers whole when something goes wrong. Our fees help fund that protection, along with the broader technology that keeps a global marketplace running smoothly. FanProtect is built into how the marketplace works, covering you automatically on every order.
Buying With Confidence
At its core, FanProtect is simple: your tickets will be valid and arrive on time, and if something goes wrong, wherever possible, we’ll work to get you into the event itself — that’s always the first priority. A full refund is the backstop. If your event is canceled outright, you’re covered there, too. That guarantee is automatic on every order, at no extra cost, so you can buy with confidence.
FAQ
What is the StubHub FanProtect Guarantee?
It’s the protection automatically included with every order on StubHub. It guarantees valid, on-time tickets, or a comparable replacement or refund in the rare instance something goes wrong.
Does FanProtect cost extra?
No. FanProtect applies to every order by default and is funded through the service fees already included in the price.
Why is buying on StubHub safer than buying through social media?
Social listings and peer-to-peer payment apps come with no guarantee behind them, so if something goes wrong with your ticket, there’s usually no way to get the money back. Every StubHub order is backed by FanProtect.
What if I buy a ticket and then my plans change?
No worries, it happens to everyone. Since the ticket is still valid, you can relist it for sale on StubHub to help recoup your cost instead of letting it go to waste.
What happens if my event is postponed?
Your original tickets typically remain valid for the new date, so you get another shot at attending. That’s different from a cancellation that isn’t rescheduled, which qualifies for a refund.
What should I do if I’m denied entry at the venue?
In the rare case something goes wrong at the venue, try to document the issue on the spot, then contact StubHub as soon as possible, ideally the same day, so we can review and resolve it quickly.
Does FanProtect cover travel costs if something goes wrong with my trip?
FanProtect covers the ticket itself, not other trip costs. We’d genuinely recommend looking at travel insurance or refundable bookings for that part of your plans, so you’re covered on every front, not just the ticket.
How does StubHub decide what counts as a comparable replacement ticket?
Replacement tickets are matched based on factors like your original purchase price, seat location, and real-time availability, with the goal of keeping your group together the way you were originally seated.
What is FestProtect?
It’s StubHub’s festival-specific protection platform, built to extend the spirit of the FanProtect Guarantee to the kinds of disruptions unique to festivals, like rainouts, artist cancellations, and lineup conflicts.