How artists get booked and paid on Crackerjack
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In short
Crackerjack is a booking marketplace for musicians, DJs, performers and visual artists. You create a public profile with your craft, city, rate and availability; organisers send booking requests through it; you quote, agree a contract, and the organiser pays the full amount up front. Crackerjack holds that money until the show is done, then releases all of it to your balance, less our 10% commission. Creating a profile is free — the commission is the only charge, and it applies only to completed bookings.
Who this is for
For solo artists, bands, DJs, dancers, comedians, visual artists and the managers who represent them. It covers profiles, rates, booking requests, contracts, held payment and release. It does not cover selling event tickets — see the limits below.
Key facts
- Cost to create a profile
- Free. There is no listing fee and no subscription requirement.
- Commission
- 10% of the booking value, deducted at release. It is the only deduction.
- When the organiser pays
- In full, up front, before the booking is confirmed.
- Who holds the money
- Crackerjack, until the show is confirmed as done.
- When it is released
- Once you and the organiser have both confirmed the set happened and your release window is reached — 5 minutes after the set for Crackerjack Pro artists, 12 hours otherwise.
- Currency
- Indian rupees (INR).
- Verification
- Identity verification is reviewed by a person, not automatically, so it isn't immediate. You'll see your status in the app either way.
How it works, step by step
Create your profile
Sign up, pick the artist role, and fill in your stage name, craft, genres, city, bio and media. The profile is public only when you choose to publish it.
Set your rate and availability
You decide whether to show a rate range publicly or take quote requests instead, and you mark the dates you are not available. Your calendar detail stays private; only a public summary appears on the profile.
Receive booking requests
An organiser sends a request with the date, place and brief. You can decline, ask questions, or send a quote.
Agree the contract
The quote becomes a contract both sides accept. The terms — fee, date, duration, cancellation — are recorded and visible to both of you.
The organiser pays, and Crackerjack holds it
The full amount is paid before the booking is confirmed. Crackerjack holds it in a Crackerjack-controlled account: not sent to you yet, and not ours to keep. It is not held by an independent third-party escrow agent.
Play the show, then confirm it
You mark the set complete and the organiser confirms it happened.
The money is released
The whole amount is released to your Crackerjack balance at once, less our 10% commission. From there you cash out to your saved payment method.
What this does not cover
- Released to your balance and arrived in your bank are two different things. Release is timestamped by us; the bank transfer happens when you cash out.
- Confirming a set early does not skip the release window.
- Identity verification is reviewed by a person rather than automatically, so it is not instantaneous. Payouts also need verified payout details on file before money can move.
- Crackerjack does not find work for you, guarantee bookings, or set your rate. It is where a booking is transacted, not an agency.
- Selling tickets to your own event is not currently a public feature of the site.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to create an artist profile?
Yes. Creating and publishing an artist profile on Crackerjack costs nothing, and there is no subscription needed to receive booking requests. Crackerjack charges a 10% commission on a completed booking, deducted when the money is released to you. If no booking happens, nothing is charged.
When does the artist actually get paid?
The organizer pays the full amount up front and Crackerjack holds it — not sent to the artist, and not ours to keep — until the show is done. Once the organizer confirms the set happened, the entire amount is released to the artist in one payment. Nothing is released before that, and nothing is held back after it. The artist marks the set complete, the organiser confirms it, and the money is released once that's done and the artist's release window is reached — 5 minutes after the set for Crackerjack Pro artists, 12h otherwise. Confirming early doesn't skip the wait. Our 10% commission is the only deduction — every figure the artist sees is already net of it. Once released, it shows as a withdrawable balance the artist can cash out to their saved payment method — standard within 24 hours, or in minutes for a ₹149 fee.
How much commission does Crackerjack take?
10% of the booking value. The organizer pays the full amount before the booking is confirmed, and Crackerjack holds it until the show is done. Then all of it is released to your balance at once, less our 10% fee. There is nothing else deducted.
How do I show my rates and availability?
On your profile you can either publish a rate range or ask organisers to request a quote — your choice, set on the profile itself. Availability is shown as a public summary of the dates you are open to work; the detail of your calendar, including who booked you and for what, stays private.
What happens if an organiser cancels?
Cancellation is settled against the Refund Policy, by how far ahead of the event it happens: 48 hours or more before the event, 100% of what is still held is refunded; 24–48 hours before, 50% of what is still held is refunded; less than 24 hours before, 0% of what is still held is refunded. Approved refunds are returned by the original payment provider, typically within 5–10 business days.
Can a manager represent several artists?
Yes. A manager can hold a roster and handle booking conversations on behalf of the artists on it. Each artist still has their own public profile and their own contract terms.
Does Crackerjack guarantee I will get bookings?
No. Crackerjack gives you a public profile, a booking flow and payment protection. It does not promise work, does not sell placement, and does not guarantee that any organiser will contact you.