How Much Does a Magician Cost?

“How much do you charge for a show?” Seems like a fair question. However, that’s about as broad of a question as walking into a dealership and asking, “How much do you charge for a car?” The cost of magician depends on a wide variety of factors. If satisfaction is your ultimate goal, it’s in your best interest to know what these factors are.

Types of Shows

Obviously, corporate shows and children’s birthday parties are going to be priced differently. You also have to think of customization. Shows that are customized to deliver your company’s message are going to have a different price tag. Sometimes, for children’s parties, magicians will offer giveaways/gift bags to the kids, or they’ll have a special gift for the birthday child. This is usually an optional add on, very similar to how magicians can help with giveaways for trade shows or large corporate events to make more of an impact. Find out your options for the show you’re booking.

Factors of Price

Like any business, magicians will have rates rates based on numerous scenarios. Certain dates and times are much more in demand than others. September through December is my busiest time of year, while weekends are my busiest time of the week and evenings are my busiest time of day. A company Christmas party on a Saturday night in December is going to be way more in demand than a Wednesday morning in July. Another factor is location. Local events will obviously cost less than ones that require travel and potentially a hotel room. One other potential factor is length of performance. This one is definitely a ‘per magician’ factor. Sometimes, there won’t be a price difference for different length performances of the same type.

Who Are You Getting?

Some people think that the term “professional” simply refers to someone who makes money at what they’re doing. That’s only one part of it. The other part is going to be how the person conducts themselves, not just at your event, but also during the booking process and the rest of the time leading up to the event. Do they stay in contact with you? Do they give you suggestions on how to setup the venue? You personally need to feel that your job has been made so much easier by hiring them. So how can you know who the professionals are? You can ask for references or, a much easier way, type their name and the word “magician” on Google. It will likely bring up third party websites with reviews for that particular performer. I call these “uncontrollable reviews.” In other words, these are reviews the performer can’t control. What’s the consensus? That’s what you’re looking for. It may result in a little more work, but it’s better than being disappointed.

So How Much Does a Magician Cost?

While all of these prices are going to vary based on city and state, these are middle of the road fees for a local market. I’m simply sharing information I’ve learned after many years of experience.

For a children’s party, you should expect to pay anywhere from $250-$450, depending on what the magician provides.

Private parties for adults will typically have a range of $750-$1500+.

Small, company parties of less than 100 people are typically $1500+, however, with a much larger group that might involve a stage, sound system and possibly lighting, you should expect to pay $1500-5000+.

For close-up and strolling magic, some performers will charge an hourly rate, while others do an all inclusive fee per event. These rates vary to the point that it’s difficult to even give an educated guess. For 2 hours, think in terms of at least $1000, and can easily go up to multiple thousands depending on the quality of the performer.

Keep in mind that what you’re seeing here is the cost for what I consider middle of the road for local magicians. It’s very easy to find ones with much lower fees. And as I caution everyone, if they have a much lower fee, there’s a reason. And just FYI, it’s usually not one you want to discover after you’ve hired them. In the same way, if you find someone that’s significantly higher in price, there’s a reason for that too. It usually means they are top notch in many if not all categories. I’ve learned that if people want quality, and budget is not a factor, they’ll pay top dollar. A first class experience puts their mind at ease.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is, stay away from the bottom line. Don’t book someone who is significantly lower than their competition, unless they really have a justified reason. If your budget is not going accommodate a professional, then don’t book an amateur. There’s nothing worse than having a tight budget and spending it all on disappointment. If your primary focus is pricing, then you likely won’t see quality.

If you’re interested in booking a magician for an event, feel free to contact us.