Commission split calculator
Enter a booking and see what the client pays, what the placing agency and mother agency keep and what reaches the model.
The booking
Default percentages are examples. Use the figures in your own contracts.
Who gets what
| Talent fee | €1,500.00 |
| Agency fee charged to client | €300.00 |
| Client pays (before tax) | €1,800.00 |
| Placing agency keeps | €501.00 |
| Mother agency | €99.00 |
| Model receives (before tax) | €1,200.00 |
How one booking is split
A booking starts with the talent fee: the day rate multiplied by the days worked, plus any payment for usage or a buyout of image rights. Everything else is calculated from that number.
On the client side, most agencies add an agency fee (also called a service fee or booking fee) on top of the talent fee. The client pays the talent fee plus the agency fee, and usually VAT on the agency's invoice.
On the model side, the agency deducts its commission from the talent fee. If the model has a mother agency that placed them with the booking agency, the mother agency is paid too. Finally, any expenses the agency advanced and is allowed to recoup are taken off before the model is paid.
In short: client pays talent fee + agency fee. Model receives talent fee − commission − mother agency share (if it comes from the model) − recouped expenses.
Two ways to pay a mother agency
A mother agency discovers and develops a model, then places them with agencies in other markets. Contracts handle its payment in one of two ways, and the calculator supports both:
- From the commission. The placing agency shares part of the commission it earns with the mother agency. The model's net does not change.
- From the model. The mother agency takes its own percentage of the model's earnings, on top of the placing agency's commission. The model's net is lower.
Which method applies, and the percentage, should be written in the agreement between the two agencies and in the model's management contract.
Showing the split on a statement
Models trust agencies that show every deduction. A clear statement lists the job, the client, the talent fee, each deduction with its percentage, recouped expenses with dates, and the amount paid. Keep the client's agency fee off the model's statement only if your contract says the model has no share in it.
Related: what a model should check in a contract is covered on Jurgita, our sister magazine for models.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the agency fee and the commission?
The agency fee is added on top of the talent fee and paid by the client. The commission is deducted from the talent fee and paid by the model. Many agencies use both, so one booking earns the agency money from each side.
How is a mother agency paid?
Either the placing agency passes part of its own commission to the mother agency, or the mother agency takes its own percentage from the model's earnings. Which one applies is written in the contracts between the agencies and with the model.
Are the default percentages market rates?
No. They are example values so the calculator shows a result. Commission and fee levels differ by country, market and contract; enter the percentages from your own agreements.
Does the calculator include VAT or income tax?
No. All figures are before tax. VAT on the agency invoice and the model's income tax depend on the countries involved and the status of each party.
What expenses can an agency recoup from a model?
Typically only what the contract allows: travel and accommodation advanced for jobs, composite cards, portfolio prints or test shoots. They should be itemised on the model's statement.