Most event agencies quote "custom pricing" because they mark up every vendor by 20–30% and don't want you doing the math. We charge a flat management fee and show you every line item. That's it.
We charge a 13–25% management fee on your total event budget — tiered by size, locked in at proposal, with zero hidden markups. That fee covers strategy, vendor sourcing, production management, on-site coordination, and post-event reporting.
Every vendor invoice you see is the invoice we received. No padding. You keep any unspent budget at the end of the event.
Our fee is calculated on your budget, not inflated vendor quotes. No incentive to overspend.
You see every vendor quote and final invoice. We share our cost sheets at proposal stage.
If final costs come in under estimate, the difference is yours. No holdbacks, no padding.
Larger events get a lower percentage. Commitment recognized at every tier.
Our fee is a percentage of your total trade show budget. We plan, manage, and execute your show at whatever level of involvement you need. Everything beyond the core management scope is available as an add-on.
Most mid-market agencies don't publish pricing for a reason. Here's what the research actually shows.
| Criteria | ReadySetShow! | Endless Events | Sparks | PRA | Agency EA | GoGather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat fee | Opaque | Opaque | Opaque | Opaque | Flat fee |
| Published pricing | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Typical fee range | 13–25% | 20–30% | 20–28% | 22–30% | 18–25% | ~15% |
| Vendor markup | ✓ None | ✗ Yes | ✗ Yes | ✗ Yes | ✗ Yes | ~ Varies |
| Min. budget served | $10K | $100K+ | $150K+ | $200K+ | $100K+ | $1M+ |
| Max. budget served | $500K | No limit | No limit | No limit | No limit | No limit |
| Open-book invoicing | ✓ Standard | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No | ~ Partial |
| Unspent budget returned | ✓ Always | ✗ Kept | ✗ Kept | ✗ Kept | ✗ Kept | ~ Varies |
| Mid-market focus ($10K–$300K) | ✓ Primary | ~ Secondary | ✗ Enterprise | ✗ Enterprise | ~ Secondary | ✗ No |
See our service packages or browse upcoming events.
At a 20–30% blended rate with vendor markups, you're paying $45K+ in fees you can't see itemized. With ReadySetShow!'s 15% Core tier, that same event costs $22,500 in fees — every dollar above that goes to the actual event.
Traditional agencies make more money when vendors cost more. We don't. Our fee is fixed on your budget, so we have every reason to find you the best-value vendors — not the most expensive ones.
Submit an inquiry today. We'll come back within one business day with a scope outline, vendor estimates, and a total cost breakdown — line by line. No surprises when the invoice arrives.
Submit your event details and get a full cost breakdown within one business day. No obligation, no locked-in pricing until you're ready to commit.
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