Rates range from
$10 – $150 per guest
The average cost for a magician is $43 per guest. In rare cases it can be as high as $350 per guest. You’ll likely spend between $15 and $75 per guest. Price depends on the factors given below.
Magician’s rates
Magicians are a great option for any event, but how much does it cost? The price of magicians varies depending on many factors. These factors include the skill level of the magician, performance experience, whether they have assistants, the date of the event, level of magic act customization, etc.
Like most service professionals, there’s no set price for “a magician” because each event is unique.
After you’ve sorted the food, RSVPs, party favors like these cool ice cubes—the perfect “icebreaker”— you need the magic!
Before you get a magician
When you rent a magician, here’s what you can expect to invest to make sure your event isn’t boring or embarrassing.
In the USA, the average annual salary for a magician is $74,000.
The top 10% of American magicians earn $184,000/year.
Since anyone may need a magician, since there are dozens of event types, unfortunately it takes some digging to discover what a magician will cost for your event.
Bars and nightclubs in Chicago | Jon Finch finchmagicianRead on to see not only average, but real rates charged by real magicians.
Let’s break it down.
Skip to main contentThere are 14 Skip to footertypes of magicians . A stage illusionist costs ten times more than a kids birthday party magician (that’s a conservative estimate). Both are magicians, but the childrens’ magician costs $300, a close-up magician like Jon Finch costs between $1500 and $4000, while the stage magician costs between $2,000 and $8,000.
- Guest countBars and nightclubs in Chicago: A virtual event with fewer than 10 or 15 attendees will often be lower than an event with an expected guest count of more than 50 or 100 attendees. Bars and nightclubs in Chicago
- Prep and rehearsal needed : If you need to use a platform that is not Zoom (Webex, MS Teams, Bluejeans, Google Meet), this will sometimes increase the price and always cripple the entertainer. Asking a virtual magician to perform over a non-Zoom platform is like hiring Tiger Woods and to play golf using only a baseball bat. All virtual magicians (yes, every last one) have performed most of their shows over Zoom. That means if you’re happy to play in the magician’s arena, your group will have a smoother experience since the magician can focus on the audience and the magic.
- Special custom tricks : If you’d like the Zoom magician to customize the show for your group, that’s not a problem! Since a special show like this takes extra time and energy, this is a factor that is usually taken into account in the price of the virtual magician.
If you’re happy with a half-baked, hiccupping, hot-dog struttin’, a perfectly mediocre magician who smells like cigarettes practicing card tricks at your child’s birthday party, then $140 to $200 can get you that (in the Midwest). You may be better off getting a fun and easy magic kit.
For an in-person event, you’ll need a seasoned magical entertainer for your event. That can be hard to find. It can be all the more daunting if it’s your first time hiring a magician. You can’t put a price on premium entertainment, but you can discover rates if you do some digging.
Chicago isn’t known for its glamour, but this Asian nightclub and restaurant hoped to change that when they set up in the ancient Chicago downtown building first erected in 1892.
But suppose you want a high-caliber and seasoned close-up magician to add value to the 30th anniversary, an open house, a wedding reception, an awards ceremony, or a client appreciation event. In that case, you can find a magician for a corporate event for anywhere between $500 per hour and $4,000+ per event.
There are outliers, though. Some restaurant or hospitality suite magicians can be secured on a residency basis for as low as $100 an hour, and outliers such as trade show magicians will be at the least $1,000-day rate for an entry-level, 1st-year trade show magician, and up to $38,000 per weekend for a seasoned trade show magician like Anton Zellman or Danny Orleans.
Bottom Line
A magician—like a singer, a speaker, or a comedian-will charge a personal rate. This rate varies depending on the performer and the event.
Suppose you’ve got your heart set on one magician. Asking the magician, “How much do magicians charge?” is like asking your doctor, “How much do doctors charge?”For
corporate eventsBecause of the enormous scope of event needs, the rates you’ll see below vary according to the demands of the event., it’s the best nightclub venue (if that makes any sense); that’s according to IL Meetings and Events Magazine readers who voted in 2014.
How much do magicians charge?Since it can hold 400+ guests, if you’re looking for
fun ways to entertain clientsThe answer to “How much does a magician cost?” is the answer to “How much does an actor cost?”, The Underground is ideal for client appreciation events, employee appreciation events, etc.
It depends.With ambient lighting and a combination of music-controlled lasers and a cozy lounge, you’ll be able to project your logo on several large monitors for your corporate soirée.
“it depends” is not a cop-out answer, given the question. A vague question yields an ambiguous answer.
Spybar
Magic Show Factors
Once you have a magician in mind, the rate can vary according to various show factors:
- The Magician : You’ll pay more for David Blaine than for Oz Pearlman , and you’ll pay more for Oz than your greenhorn with “-ini” at the end of his name. If you love to dance orlove watching other people dance, then Spybar is the place to be. Some of the best house DJs are drawn to this Chicago nightclub because of its urban, grungy, underground (literally) ambience. Rolling Stone even called Spybar a paradise, straddling balls to the wall clubbing and cozy lounge atmosphere.
- Size of the audience: Just as singing a lullaby to one person is different from singing on stage in front of hundreds, entertaining five people versus 500 takes a different skill set.
- Some magicians are outstanding on stage but are reduced to tinker toys for three people, and vice versa.Sub 51
- Other magicians are stellar close-up magicians but fall apart on stage.
- If your party has a small guest count, such as 10 to 20 people, and if you’re fortunate enough to live within proximity to a magician, you might get the chance to snatch a seasoned, professional magician for $450 to $800.
- Type of show: Expect a higher investment for a stage show than a close-up show. If all other things are equal, a professional mentalist typically commands a higher price than a professional magician.
- Location of the venue: A magician within your city may charge a lower rate than a magician of the same caliber who is two states away. Beneath the lower-floor Hub 51 eating establishment sits an intimate lounge and nightclub called Sub 51.
- Duration of performance : Some magicians charge by the hour, other magicians charge a set fee by appearance, and still others have an hourly rate with a base minimum fee of $1500.
- The day of the week and the time of the year : The busiest days of the week for magicians are, unsurprisingly, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.Nightclubs Chicago
- The busiest months of the year are March and September (for when the events get booked, not the event dates).Smart Bar
- Miscellaneous factors : Games included, giveaways included, the sound system provided, mentalism included stage show or close-up, age of guests, generic show or customized act, live animals involved, etc.
- Not all magicians handle all types of work, and if you see one advertised as “for all occasions,” you have reason to be wary . When you’re finished boozing it up in The Windy City, you’ll want to go home and watch one of the many
Criss Angel may seem cool to watch on a TV show, but you may not want him in your home for your kid’s birthday party. But if your child loves Criss AngelWhat is the chicago nightlife nightlife in chicago chicago river rave party?, you can get a Criss Angel magic set.
The-
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- In the same way, a magician who is experienced in managing a room full of sugar-filled children may not be ideal for an adult birthday party or a corporate holiday party. nightlife in chicago chicago river is rave party.
chicago theatreEvent Types
Another request is for a “kid’s magician” for a six-year-old birthday party lasting. The fee may be between $140 and $275 for 45 minutes.
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The next request is for a weekend-long trade show. The fee for a trade show magician is roughly $5,000, but it can be as low as $2,500 per day. margarita.
We’ve barely scratched the surface of the types of shows a magician might be requested for.tavern
trivia nights.An illusionist or a mentalist charges more than the numbers above. Briefly, an illusionist is one type of magician who uses big boxes and tigers on stage. A mentalistWhere does the clubs in chicago downtown chicago vibe tavern? is a magician who does mind tricks.
TheThe cruise market allows the magician to entertain in more traditional performing venues like theaters with outstanding technical support. Still, the magician needs to have at least an hour straight of various materials. The magician may need to be away from home for long periods.clubs in chicago
Most magicians regard kids’ magic shows as a lower-value market with less-than-ideal performing conditions. As a trade-off, the higher volume of magic shows within a tight radius compensates the magician.
A good kid’s magician has a room full of ripe prospects at each magic show and a fresh crop of birthdays each year.
best nightclubs in chicago nighttime nightclub live music venuesFrom one event to the next, both the costs to the magician and the needs of the client change. The price of a magician could be as dynamic as his act.
How best nightclubs in chicago nighttime nightclub live music venues?Factors such as the distance between the magician and the venue, duration of performance, needs of the client, event type, and experience of the magician all affect your investment.
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“You get what you pay for,” is no less accurate for magicians than for any other professional. chicago house resident djs trivia nights.
You get what you pay for
As a rule, bargain-basement prices mean bargain-basement talent, but there are exceptions to that rule.
How much nightlife chicago chicago red stars new york cosmos weekends?There are a few hobbyist magicians who never perform professionally (for money) and are more skilled and entertaining than some working magicians.
nightlife chicagoEntertainment can make or break an event. Guests remember the show long after they’ve forgotten the flowers, the favors, the centerpiece, the decor, the ceremony, or even the food (food ranks second). chicago red stars new york cosmos weekends.
Professional live entertainment brings energy, interaction, and fun to the event.chicago clubs chicago theatre club scene music venue?
For your event, you want everything to be perfect.chicago clubs
chicago theatre club scene music venue.But remember what your guests will most remember.
best night clubs in chicago chicago inn restaurants?If you’re operating on a shoestring budget when it’s an important corporate function or private event, you’ll be safer to skimp on the decorations than the entertainment.
Discounts
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- It is sometimes possible to get a discounted rate if you book well enough in advance.chicago clubs illinois margarita blues music
- If your event is on a non-peak day (Monday through Thursday), if this applies to your situation, you can use it as a negotiation chip if your budget can’t cover the performer’s quoted rate. The odds are that the magician won’t have a booking on a weekday.”
- Many magicians offer a discount of up to 50% for each additional hour after the first hour.chicago clubs illinois margarita blues music.
- Such a discount is a win/win since you get more magical entertainment at a lower price, and from the magician’s perspective, chicago clubsmost of the cost to him is front-loaded illinois margarita blues music.
Two of the best ones are Thumbtack (which doesn’t specialize in magicians or even entertainers) and Gigmasters (now called The Bash…which does not specialize in magicians, but does specialize in entertainers).nighttime best nightclubs in chicago live music venues
Walmart is to widgets as Gigmasters is to magicians.chicago nightlife
These sites offer a lot of conveniences. the art institute of chicago chicago river rave party.
But there’s a catch.chicago nightclubs chicago’s chinatown milwaukee avenue djs?
The main problem is that the person needing a magician selects some items from a restrictive drop-down menu, then the person may or may not write a sentence or two describing their needs, and then wait for ten blind magicians to send them quotes.chicago nightclubs
chicago’s chinatown milwaukee avenue djs.
The entertainer is often unaware of the specifics of the event. You’ll best nightclubs in chicagoget the best deal and the best experience night clubs nightclub live music venues., and no unpleasant surprises if you give the professional what he needs (details of your event) to work out the best quote for you.
dance clubs in chicago illinois resident djs trivia nights?When you find a magician through Thumbtack, each magician pays Thumbtack at least $12 whenever you engage with them. Even when he receives a rejection message, “You seem great, but we can’t afford your fee.” Thumbtack still treats that as a lead, so the magician pays for it.
dance clubs in chicagoWhen you book the magician through Gigmasters, Gigmasters takes a minimum of $20 for each booking or 5% of the fee—whichever is greater. In addition to that, magicians pay annually to be on the site. illinois resident djs trivia nights.
Since entertainers need to inflate their rates when booking through such sites, you will nightlife chicago chicago new york cosmos weekends?
- djsChicago chicago nightclubs nightlife.
- St Louis How much beer nightclubs in chicago chicago?
- Indianapolis (almost tied with STL in 2020) beer
- Naperville (basically Chicago) nightclubs in chicago chicago.
- Cincinnatitavern clubs in chicago downtown chicago.
- Louisvilletavern clubs in chicago downtown chicago.
- Lexington live music venues best nightclubs in chicago nighttime.
Those are Gigmasters figures. According to Google search volume, there are more requests for “Indianapolis magician” than “Cincinnati magician,” and no search volume for Louisville (though I’ve booked several shows in Louisville, so maybe it’sthat Gigmasters doesn’t rank in Google as well in Louisville).live music venues
best nightclubs in chicago nighttime.More Cincy people searching for a magician go through Gigmasters than Indy people, but that may be because Gigmasters ranks higher in Cincy than in Indy (on Google).
Gigmasters has a reputation for presenting many “discount magicians” (quality of service varies). Keep that in mind when looking at the following figures.sky chicago river chicago nightlife
According to Gigmasters, the average fee for a magician (booked through Gigmasters) in all the Midwest is close to $350 for an event — most bookings through Gigmasters are for a kid’s birthday party.milwaukee avenue chicago nightclubs
In Monon, Indiana, the lowest booked fee in 2019 was $250, and the highest in Monon was $1600.nightclubs in chicago uptown
For a magician in Cincinnati, the average was $250 for 1.5 hours. vibe clubs in chicago
In St Louis, the average booking was $450 for 1.5 hours. The max was $900 per hour, and the minimum was $250 through Gigmasters.
trivia nights dance clubs in chicago chicago house?In Louisville, the average for 1 hour was $415, the max booking was $1,000, and the minimum booking was $125.
trivia nightsIn Chicago, the highest fee booked through Gigmasters was $1,000. dance clubs in chicago chicago house.
In Indianapolis, through Gigmasters, the lowest fee for a magician was $240. In 2019, the highest cost in Indianapolis was $500 per hour.weekends nightlife chicago chicago red stars?
Since my most recent booking in Indianapolis through Gigmasters was a four-figure booking (where the first figure wasn’t a “1”), I take the $500 number with a grain of salt. Reportedly, more than ten shows had been booked at that fee ($500/hr) through Gigmasters in 2019.weekends
nightlife chicago chicago red stars.I was puzzled when I learned that the highest-rate booking in Chicago was $1,500, yet in Indianapolis, it was $500.
music venue chicago clubs chicago theatre?Most higher-end magicians I’ve talked to bypass the Gigmasters booking process altogether and choose to book directly with the party host or event planner.
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chicago clubs chicago theatre.
- Thumbtack is a similar website. From the Thumbtack website, after Googling “cost of a magician,” we can see this old 2017 infographic below showing the hourly quoterestaurants best night clubs in chicago chicago. for an event with <70 guests: restaurants
dance clubs in chicago il music venuesThe average isthat. If in Thumbtack, 100 magicians charged $300 for a kid’s birthday party (totaling $30,000). Ten magicians charged $3,000 for a wedding, a corporate holiday party, or a fundraiser (also totaling $30,000), Thumbtack would tell you the average price of a magician is $545 ($60,000 divided by il music venues dance clubs in chicago110 magicians = $545).
supper club clubs in chicago chicago’s chinatown.Even if every person on the planet looking for a magician requested one through Thumbtack, that average number still doesn’t help yousupper club. clubs in chicago chicago’s chinatown.
-
taverns night life chicago the art institute of chicago.
- That’s why I’m digging deeper. I’m telling you the real price of a magician for a show—not an average of hundreds of bookings from hundreds of magicians for dozens of various events. taverns
Strictly speaking, a “professional” magician earns most of his living from performing magic. Still, we’ll use the “professional” term here to differentiate between a magician and a kid’s magician. Just sounds more professional than “adult entertainer.”
best night clubs in chicago tavern innI’m sure you’ll agree.
live music venues margarita chicago clubsIt can be confusing trying to get an average number since the blanket title “magician” covers the close-up magicians ( not even remotely famous to the general public ) who charge $5,000 or more for a strolling performance. The same title includes the kid’s birthday party magician performing a $200 half-hour show for a room full of 5-year-olds.
milwaukee avenueAn adult birthday party magician is a different story.
milwaukee avenueWhen you’re looking for a magician to entertain a sophisticated, discerning adult audience (oran ordinary adult audience), looking up an “average” cost of hiring a magician on lead generation websites like Thumbtack or Gigmasters can be misleading.
The magician performing high-end close-up magic or strolling mentalism for a corporate banquet, a wedding reception, or a private party typically charges a fee four to ten times higher than the rate for a kid’s magician for a birthday party.nightclubs in chicago nightlife in chicago beer chicago nightclubs djs chicago chicago nightlife rave party nightlife
Now consider that there are dance clubs in chicago downtown chicago trivia nights best nightclubs in chicago live music venues chicago house clubs in chicago tavern nighttime2.5 times as many magician requests for best night clubs in chicago chicago red stars restaurants chicago clubs music venue chicago nightlife chicago weekends chicago theatrekid’s birthday parties as there are for the following non-exhaustive list of general markets that magicians can serve:
- Corporate Banquetsnightclubs in chicago
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- Wedding Receptions nightlife chicago
- Adult Private Partieschicago clubs
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- Product Launches best clubs in chicago
- Sales Meetingsdance clubs in chicago
- Graduation partiesclubs in chicago
- After Prom Entertainmentnight life chicago chicago nightlife.
- Holiday Parties
- Association Eventsthe art institute of chicago night life chicago taverns
- Cabaretsnight life chicago taverns the art institute of chicago
- Casinos cocktail
- Collegesmusic venues
- Clubssupper club
- Country Clubstaverns sky.
- Open Houses
- Fundraisers
… .combined .sky chicago river chicago nightclubs taverns the art institute of chicago nightclubs in chicago supper club chicago’s chinatown clubs in chicago
Each market has different potentials for scalability, and the entertainer must approach each differently. The needs and expectations of each market are different. The challenges and rewards vary for each market.
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- The 2.5* increases even more when you include requests for elementary school assemblies.Jon Finch Chicago magician
The above pie chart shows you the Aboutnumber Sitemapof requests that filter into those sites. You begin to see now how such a surplus of cheap babysitter magicians deflates the “average.”Privacy policy
Terms of ServiceYou’re looking for the dark blue.Jon Finch | Magician & Mentalist™ © 2026
This pie chart is even simpler. When a site like Gigmasters, Gigsalad, or Thumbtack spit out an “average price of a magician,” remember that fully 3/4ths of the requests they receive are for all those kid’s birthday parties.
Sites like the above will show you a distorted figure like $250 to $350. The distortion arises because the number of requests for kid’s magicians performing a 30-minute show for children—more than double the number of requests for adult magicians—pulls down the average.
On the other side of the coin, there are economy magicians who charge $200 per hour for practicing their tricks on your audience. If you’re on a tight budget, you may feel tempted to get a gutter magician or a magician who performs kid’s tricks and hands out balloon animals (that tend to pop on the drive home).
You may not want such a crackpot magician performing for your distinguished guests. No one except your guests will hold that against you.Code Snippet ma-customfonts 3.4.2
When you pay bargain-basement prices, you risk getting bargain-basement entertainment. Or even worse, you bring someone to entertain your prominent guests and receive complaints about “that weirdo magician in every wedding party photo.”
When I was a DJ in St Louis, there was a cautionary tale ofsuch an uncouth wedding DJ — he photobombed as often as he could.
Your party does not center on the entertainment—the entertainment centers on your celebration.
The success of your event depends on budgeting the necessary funds to get top-shelf entertainment.
Better Safe than Sorry
One last cost that both party hosts and magicians often overlook is the minimal but real risk of property damage or injury during any performance of entertainment.
Just like anything in life, magic can be tragic.
Some magicians use fire in their effects. Many mentalists, blindfolded, slam their hand down on five inverted lunch bags, avoiding the one lunch bag concealing a rusty spike. Other mentalists—including Jon Finch a long time ago-drive a car blindfolded (relax, I’m a magician).
Gusts of Gravity
Several years ago, I’d have a card selected, signed, returned, and shuffled into the deck, then I precariously secured the pack (lost card and all) in a rubber band and threw the deck up at the ceiling.
A gust of gravity would grab the deck and pull it back down (always), and I’d catch it (almost always).
There, nailed into the ceiling, was the signed playing card staring down at everyone like a ghost.
I had performed this trick hundreds of times.
But then one time, there was a 30-degree slant to the ceiling.
The card stuck, but the angular impact dislodged all the playing cards from their rubber band wrap, and they showered down over many spectators. Fortunately, the falling playing card injured no one.
In life, accidents indeed happen. Fortunately, in my 18 years of performing professionally, no one has ever been hurt.
- Whatever magician you find, you want to be sure the magician has performer’s liability insurance. Such a policy is specialty insurance that any professional magician who cares about their audience ought to have.
There are many types of magicians and many kinds of events. The prices vary widely. To get a better idea, fill out our online form, which will ask you for some details about what type of event it is and how much money you would like to spend on your magician.
95% of Jon Finch’s shows are corporate, and his virtual shows have an average price tag of around $1,800.
On the other end of the spectrum, Finch does magic at adult Zoom birthday parties for as little as USD 700.