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Ticketmaster vs SeatGeek Refund Process

Side-by-side comparison of refund processs, conditions, and refund timelines.·Last updated: 2026-10-12

Quick Summary

Ticketmaster has a Determined by Event Organizers for limited circumstances refund window with 5-7 business days (for requested refunds) or 14-21 days (for automatic refunds from canceled events) processing, while SeatGeek offers All ticket sales are final, except: with the optional Refundable Tickets add-on (bought at checkout) you can cancel your entire order up to 48 hours before the event start time, and officially canceled events are refunded under SeatGeek's Buyer Guarantee. with 3–10 business days processing. See the full breakdown below.

Refund Conditions

Ticketmaster

  • All sales are final, with refunds determined by Event Organizers for limited circumstances
  • No refunds for Fan Club membership purchases or shipped/delivered merchandise
  • If a refund or credit choice is offered, the selection applies to the entire order and cannot be split
  • Transferred tickets must be transferred back to the original purchaser for a refund to be issued

SeatGeek

  • Event is officially canceled (events labeled TBD or to be rescheduled are not considered canceled)
  • Optional Refundable Tickets service was added at checkout, and the order is canceled up to 48 hours before the event start time
  • Refundable Tickets refunds apply to the entire order only; partial ticket refunds are not available
  • Service charge for a Refundable Tickets add-on is refundable only if the event is canceled and covered by SeatGeek's Buyer Guarantee

Refund Steps

Ticketmaster

  • Check your Ticketmaster Account for a 'Request Refund' button if the Event Organizer has approved refunds
  • Submit your refund request via the button in your account
  • For transferred tickets, if the transfer hasn’t been accepted and refunds are allowed, cancel the transfer to request a refund
  • If a ticket has been transferred to you, transfer it back to the original purchaser to enable their refund request

SeatGeek

  • With Refundable Tickets: log in to your SeatGeek account and go to your Tickets
  • Select Refund tickets and confirm that you want to cancel your order (this cannot be reversed)
  • For officially canceled events, wait for SeatGeek to contact eligible fans with refund instructions; you usually don't need to contact support
  • Allow up to 10 business days for bank processing after a refund is issued
  • If refund is not received after 10 business days, contact SeatGeek support for help reviewing your order

Refund Methods

Ticketmaster

  • Original method of payment used at time of purchase
  • Ticketmaster account credit (if offered as an alternative)

SeatGeek

  • Original payment method
  • Account credit where permitted by law (officially canceled events)

Partial Refunds

Ticketmaster

  • Partial refunds are not available if the Event Organizer offers a choice between a refund or a credit; the selection will apply to the entire order

SeatGeek

Not available

Dispute Process

Ticketmaster

Not available

SeatGeek

  • Contact SeatGeek support if your refund has not appeared after 10 business days
  • Contact SeatGeek Event Experts from 9 AM EST - 1 AM EST by clicking or tapping Contact Support when viewing order details in the Tickets section of your SeatGeek account

Additional Notes

Ticketmaster

  • Consider purchasing ticket insurance for refunds on covered reasons
  • Cost of upsells (e.g., VIP Club, Parking) will be refunded to the original payment method if the Event Organizer authorizes refunds for the main ticket

SeatGeek

  • The exact refund timing depends on your bank or card provider
  • Some refunds may take additional time to appear depending on the situation, such as major event or tour cancellations
  • The service charge for a Refundable Tickets add-on is not refundable unless the event is canceled and covered by SeatGeek's Buyer Guarantee