The ultimate guide to buying & reselling tickets in the US (Without getting scammed)

Buying or selling tickets these days feels like the wild west. From sketchy WhatsApp chats to overpriced platforms with surprise fees, trying to score a legit resale ticket (or sell one without losing 30%) can be straight-up exhausting.

If you've ever tried to grab last-minute tickets to Club Space Miami or offload an extra one for a sold-out show at Brooklyn Mirage, you know the chaos. This guide breaks down all the ways people in the U.S. actually buy and resell tickets in 2025—what works, what doesn't, and how to avoid the usual traps.

1. WhatsApp Groups

What it is: WhatsApp resale groups are private community chats, often organized around specific cities or scenes (like Miami techno or LA warehouse crews). They're fast, personal, and very informal.

Pros:

• Feels personal; you often know someone who knows someone

• No fees

• Fast for last-minute stuff

Cons:

• Full of scams if the group isn't vetted

• Zero buyer protection

• Payments often happen via Venmo/Zelle = no refund if ghosted

Tips:

• Only use groups where admins verify listings

• Always ask for screenshots + proof of transferability

Sneaky downside: Most WhatsApp sellers want you to pay upfront with no safety net. Compared to platforms with secured transactions or instant refunds, you're on your own.

2. Reddit

What it is: Reddit has active communities like r/EDMtickets, r/avesNYC, or r/avesforSale where users post tickets and connect. It’s big for niche events and underground shows.

Pros:

• Huge reach

• Niche-specific (great for EDM shows)

• Sometimes cheaper than major platforms

Cons:

• No guarantees

• People create fake accounts to scam

• No delivery confirmation

Tips:

• Look for sellers with a comment history

• Use Reddit's chat, not just comments

• Confirm transfer method (PDF? mobile transfer?)

Real talk: Reddit is great for discovery but not for protection. Unlike apps that hold the money until the ticket is confirmed, here you're risking a ghost deal.

3. Facebook Groups

What it is: Facebook resale groups are everywhere—for cities, music festivals, even specific venues. Think "NYC Rave Tickets Buy/Sell" or "Echostage Resale Community."

Pros:

• Fast moving

• Easy to find friends-of-friends

• Can negotiate in real time

Cons:

• Scams are super common

• No way to verify if the ticket works

• Admins rarely intervene

Tips:

• Ask for a live screen recording of the ticket

• Avoid accounts with no photo, friends, or activity

• Don't pay with non-refundable apps

Comparison point: There's no seller rating system or delivery confirmation. Apps with verified sellers and pay-only-when-you-get-it flows give more peace of mind.

4. StubHub

What it is: StubHub is one of the most well-known ticket resale platforms, used for sports, concerts, and festivals. It acts as a marketplace where sellers list and buyers browse.

Pros:

• Major platform

• Buyer guarantee

• Decent selection for big events

Cons:

• High fees for both buyers and sellers

• Payout delays

• Prices are often way over face value

Tips:

• Use filters to find mobile transfer tickets

• Compare with other platforms before buying

Hidden flaw: StubHub makes sellers wait days after the event to get paid. Contrast that with instant payouts on modern platforms.

5. Ticketmaster Resale

What it is: Ticketmaster Resale is Ticketmaster's built-in system that allows fans to resell tickets through their original platform. It's convenient if you bought your ticket there to begin with.

Pros:

• Official resale for many events

• Guaranteed transfer

Cons:

• Very high service fees

• Not available for all events

• Not great for sellers (payout delays, rules)

Tips:

• Check if your event allows resale before buying the original ticket

• Confirm the ticket type (not all are transferable)

Perspective: It’s safe, but at a cost. You're paying for the "official" stamp—not necessarily the best experience. Also, no 0% seller fees here.

6. SeatGeek

What it is: SeatGeek is a sleek, mobile-first ticketing platform that works for concerts, sports, and comedy. It aggregates listings from multiple resellers, so it's more of a marketplace engine.

Pros:

• Slick mobile app

• Event discovery is solid

Cons:

• Prices include hidden fees until checkout

• Payouts take time

• No true buyer-seller interaction

Tips:

• Toggle "all-in pricing" in filters

• Use alerts to catch drops

What’s missing: Instant refunds and true peer-to-peer resale. It’s built more for big ticket brokers.

7. Vivid Seats

What it is: Vivid Seats is a large U.S.-based resale marketplace similar to StubHub. It focuses heavily on concerts and sports, offering rewards points for frequent users.

Pros:

• Loyalty program

• Lots of concert inventory

Cons:

• High service fees

• No seller control

• Often redirects to third-party sellers

Tips:

• Use during early ticket rush; prices spike closer to event

• Don’t expect fast payouts or contact with buyer

Comparison: You’re buying from a middleman. With apps that let you resell directly and buy easily and get tickets fast, the experience is just smoother.

8. Peer-to-Peer (Venmo, Zelle, DMs)

What it is: A lot of people still buy or sell tickets in the DMs. You find someone online, send money via Venmo or Zelle, and hope for the best.

Pros:

• Zero fees

• Instant

Cons:

• No protection at all

• Fake screenshots, ghosting, no-shows

• You might get scammed. Period.

Tips:

• Don’t send money unless it’s someone you personally trust

• Ask for ticket transfer first

Alternative: There are platforms that do this for you—they hold the payment until the buyer gets the ticket. Just saying.

9. Portalys

What it is: Portalys is a fan-to-fan ticket resale app built specifically for modern event-goers. Designed with EDM fans and concert lovers in mind, it focuses on secure transfers, speed, and no-fee selling.

Pros:

• Buy verified tickets securely

• Sell without fees

• Instant payouts for sellers

• Instant refunds for buyers

• Secured transactions: pay only when tickets arrive

• Works great for Club Space Miami, Brooklyn Mirage NY, Sound LA, and more

Cons:

• Newer platform, so not everyone knows about it yet (that’s changing fast)

Tips:

• Use bidding to name your price

• List tickets in under 60 seconds

Why it stands out: It’s built around the actual problems buyers and sellers have. From instant payouts to no fees, Portalys handles the hard parts for you, without making you feel like you're dealing with a robot.

Final thoughts: What actually works in 2025

Every platform has its pros and cons, and what's "best" depends on what matters to you, speed, safety, flexibility, or fees.

But if you want a resale experience that feels made for how we actually buy tickets today? One where you can sell without fees, get instant payouts, and buy verified tickets securely with instant refunds if anything goes wrong... then yeah, a modern peer-to-peer app like Portalys makes life easier.

You don’t need to risk a sketchy WhatsApp deal or wait 10 days for your money. Just list, sell, and go party.

Download Portalys and join the new era of ticket resale.