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Entertainment · head to head

StubHub vs VLC

StubHub logo

StubHub

Entertainment

Ticket resale marketplace charging both buyers and sellers, with combined fees often a large share of face value

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VLC logo

VLC

Entertainment

The free and open source media player

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: StubHub combined buyer and seller fees can amount to a large fraction of a ticket's face value, so the printed listing price understates the real total cost by a wide margin.; VLC vLC is completely free open source software with no paid tier, ads, or vendor support contract
  • They diverge on capability: StubHub covers Buy and sell marketplace, VLC covers Media playback.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which StubHub and VLC actually diverge.

Attributes where StubHub and VLC differ
AttributeStubHubVLC
Pricing modelFree to browse, two sided transaction fees on buyers and sellersfree
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWindows, Mac, Linux, Ios, Android, Web
FoundedUnknown1998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Entertainment).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in StubHub

  • Buy and sell marketplace
  • FanProtect guarantee
  • Price alerts
  • Interactive seat maps
  • Mobile and PDF ticket delivery
  • Seller payout tracking

Only in VLC

  • Media playback
  • Codec support
  • Streaming
  • Conversion
  • Plugins
  • Network streaming
  • DVD playback
  • Open source

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

StubHub

  • A fan trying to buy a ticket to a sold-out event no longer available at face value from the primary sellernot VLC
  • Someone who bought tickets they can no longer use and wants to resell themnot VLC
  • A buyer wanting a guarantee that a resold ticket will be valid and delivered on timenot VLC
  • Comparing seat locations and prices across multiple listings for the same event before buyingnot VLC

VLC

  • Media playbacknot StubHub
  • Video conversionnot StubHub

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

StubHub

  • Combined buyer and seller fees can amount to a large fraction of a ticket's face value, so the printed listing price understates the real total cost by a wide margin.
  • Buyer fees are typically not shown until near checkout, which regulators in the US and UK have specifically targeted as a form of drip pricing in the ticketing industry.
  • Sellers receive less than their listed price after StubHub's seller fee is deducted, which can surprise first-time sellers expecting to net the full listed amount.
  • As a secondary market, prices for popular events can be well above face value, and there is no guarantee of a cheaper option appearing before the event date.
  • Refund and guarantee terms depend on FanProtect policy conditions, and disputes over cancelled or changed events can take time to resolve through customer support.

VLC

  • VLC is completely free open source software with no paid tier, ads, or vendor support contract

Pricing, plan by plan

StubHub

Free
  • Buyer fee$undefined/per transaction
    • Service fee added at checkout, commonly around 20 to 30 percent or more of ticket price
    • Fee amount varies by event and is shown before final purchase confirmation
  • Seller fee$undefined/per transaction
    • Service fee deducted from the sale proceeds, historically around 10 to 15 percent
    • Rate can vary by event and seller volume

VLC

Free
  • FreeFree
    • All codecs
    • No ads
    • Open source

Which should you pick?

Choose StubHub if

  • You need buy and sell marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want fanprotect guarantee.
StubHub review

Choose VLC if

  • You need media playback.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want codec support.
VLC review

Questions people ask

Is StubHub or VLC better?
Neither clearly leads. StubHub starts at Free and VLC at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, StubHub or VLC?
StubHub starts at Free and VLC at Free.
Does StubHub or VLC run on more platforms?
StubHub runs on iOS, Android, Web. VLC runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use StubHub for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is StubHub best used for?
StubHub is most often used for a fan trying to buy a ticket to a sold-out event no longer available at face value from the primary seller, someone who bought tickets they can no longer use and wants to resell them, a buyer wanting a guarantee that a resold ticket will be valid and delivered on time, comparing seat locations and prices across multiple listings for the same event before buying. Of those, a fan trying to buy a ticket to a sold-out event no longer available at face value from the primary seller and someone who bought tickets they can no longer use and wants to resell them are not what VLC is typically brought in for.
What can StubHub do that VLC cannot?
StubHub covers Buy and sell marketplace, FanProtect guarantee, Price alerts, Interactive seat maps. VLC covers Media playback, Codec support, Streaming, Conversion.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

StubHub: Does StubHub charge fees to both buyers and sellers?

Yes, it charges a service fee to sellers deducted from their proceeds, and a separate service fee to buyers added at checkout.

VLC: Is VLC media player free to use?

Yes. VLC is completely free and open source software with no subscription or licensing fees.

Source
StubHub: How much are StubHub fees in total?

They vary by event, but buyer fees are commonly in the range of 20 to 30 percent or more of the ticket price, and seller fees historically around 10 to 15 percent, so combined fees can be a large share of face value.

VLC: Can VLC be used commercially?

Yes. VLC explicitly states there is no spyware, no ads, and no user tracking. As open-source software under permissive licenses, commercial use is permitted within each license's specific terms.

Source
StubHub: Are resold tickets guaranteed?

StubHub's FanProtect guarantee covers ticket validity, on-time delivery and event cancellation or significant changes, subject to its terms.

VLC: Does VLC include all features across all platforms without additional purchase?

Yes. All playback features, codecs, cross-platform compatibility, and customization options are included with no additional purchases required for full functionality on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Source
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