Free tool for makers
Is that craft fair
worth your weekend?
Work out how many items cover your booth, travel and time. Compare a quiet day with a busy one before you book.
Craft shows, markets and fairs · USD, GBP, EUR and more · no signup
What the event needs to earn
Profit after paying for your time
-$30.00At 30 items sold, after event costs and $20.00/hour for making and attending.- Cover cash event costs
- 9 items
- Cover costs and target pay
- 34 items
- Cash left per item, before your pay
- $18.00
- Available hourly pay at this scenario
- $18.57/h
- Event cash costs
- $150.00
- Making pay allowed per item
- $10.00
- Event-time pay allowed
- $120.00
- Cash left at your scenario
- $390.00
Cash left excludes pay for your own time. Profit after pay deducts it once. Your target pay is a cost allowance, not an extra fee paid to someone else.
| Items | Revenue | Cash left | Profit after pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | $450.00 | $120.00 | -$150.00 |
| 30 | $900.00 | $390.00 | -$30.00 |
| 60 | $1,800.00 | $930.00 | $210.00 |
Some organisers require liability insurance; check your booking terms and existing cover. Examples: Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festivals (US) · Carmarthenshire markets (UK).
Two ways to break even.
Cash break-even covers booth, travel and other event costs after each item's materials and payment fee. Break-even including pay also covers your target pay for making every item and attending the event.
The example uses $150 of event costs, a $30 item, $12 of materials and no payment fee. Nine sales cover the cash event costs. Allowing $20/hour for six event hours and thirty minutes to make each item takes 34 sales to cover costs and pay. These are example inputs, not suggested prices or expected sales.
Formula: cash break-even items = event cash costs ÷ cash contribution per item, rounded up. Pay-inclusive break-even adds event-time pay to the numerator and subtracts making pay from the per-item contribution.
Use an average item only when your range has similar costs and prices. Item costs are allocated to sold items; unsold inventory and upfront stock funding are outside this estimate. It also excludes sales tax and income tax. Enter prices and costs net of any sales tax you remit; enter only costs you actually want allocated to this event.
Plan the product too
Choose what to take to the next market.
Explore product directions and check the market before committing to a batch.