Last updated 28 August 2026

Privacy Policy

This notice explains how Compare the Band intends to collect and use personal information about customers, acts, musicians, crew and website users. It should be read alongside any shorter notice shown when information is collected.

1. Controller and contact

Compare the Band will be the controller of information used to operate the marketplace and booking service. Privacy questions and rights requests can be sent to privacy@comparetheband.co.uk. The final operator name and trading address will be published here before launch.

2. Information we collect

• Customer identity and contact details, event location, date, timings, venue, budget, music preferences, shortlisted acts, first-dance request, dietary or accessibility information voluntarily supplied, quotes, confirmations, contracts, messages and booking history.
• Act account contacts, agency-only and internal real identity information, base postcode, travel range, musicians and crew, line-ups, services, setlist, YouTube links, uploaded photos, insurance and compliance documents, quotes, availability, payments and profile activity.
• Payment records such as amount, currency, payment status and provider reference. We do not intend to store full card numbers.
• Technical and security information such as IP address, device/browser information, timestamps, authentication and audit logs, and cookie choices.
• Support correspondence, complaints, cancellations, reviews and dispute evidence.

3. Why we use information and lawful bases

• Contract: to create accounts, match events and acts, obtain quotes, administer confirmations, contracts, deposits, contact release and bookings.
• Legitimate interests: to operate a safe and commercially sustainable marketplace, prevent fraud and circumvention, moderate content, improve matching, maintain audit records and defend legal claims. We will balance these interests against individual rights.
• Legal obligation: for tax, accounting, consumer, regulatory and law-enforcement requirements.
• Consent: for optional marketing and non-essential cookies where consent is required. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.

We do not intend to use special-category information unless necessary and lawful. Dietary or accessibility information should be limited to what the event requires and shared only with relevant booking participants.

4. Who receives information

Before booking, customer budgets and contact details remain hidden from acts. Acts receive the event details needed to quote. After both sides confirm, sign and the booking deposit is paid, relevant customer and act contact details are shared with each other. We may also use contracted hosting, email, payment, electronic-signature, security, analytics and support providers; Google Sheets as a restricted administrative booking register; and professional advisers, regulators or law enforcement where required.

5. Public profile information

An act’s approved agency name, general base area, travel range, genres, line-ups, services, public setlist, photos, embedded YouTube videos, insurance status and customer reviews may be public. Direct contact details, private account information and the act’s real external identity are not intended to appear publicly.

6. YouTube and cookies

Profiles use privacy-enhanced, non-autoplay YouTube embeds. Loading or playing an embedded video may still allow Google or YouTube to receive device and usage information under their own policies. Essential cookies may be used for security, authentication and preferences. Non-essential analytics or advertising cookies will not be activated without any consent required by law.

7. Automated matching

The service may automatically filter acts using event date, location, travel range, genre, line-up and the customer’s total budget. Premium status may affect a clearly labelled featured carousel only after relevance checks. The final booking decision is made by the customer and act, not solely by an automated system. Users may contact us if they believe a matching result is incorrect.

8. International transfers

Some service providers may process information outside the UK. Where this occurs, we will use an approved safeguard such as UK adequacy regulations, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or an approved UK Addendum, together with appropriate security checks.

9. Retention

• Unbooked enquiries and quotes: normally up to 12 months after the quote window closes.
• Booking, contract, fee, tax and dispute records: normally up to seven years after the booking or final resolution.
• Act profiles and account records: while active, then normally up to 12 months after closure, except records required for legal or fraud-prevention purposes.
• Unsuccessful or abandoned act applications: normally up to 12 months.
• Routine support correspondence: normally up to 24 months.

Periods may be shortened or extended where reasonably necessary for legal claims, safeguarding, fraud prevention or a statutory requirement. Information will then be deleted or anonymised securely.

10. Security

We intend to use access controls, encryption in transit, restricted administrative records, secret-protected integrations, audit logging, data minimisation and vetted processors. No online system is risk-free; users should use unique passwords and report suspected account misuse promptly.

11. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data-protection law may give you rights to access, correct, erase or restrict your information; object to certain uses; receive portable information; withdraw consent; and challenge certain solely automated decisions. The right to object to direct marketing applies at any time. Contact privacy@comparetheband.co.uk. We may need to verify identity before responding.

12. Complaints and updates

Please contact us first so we can try to resolve a concern. You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint. We will review this notice as the service and providers change and will bring material new uses of personal information to users’ attention before they begin.