There are quite a few different ways to get to see shows at the end of the fringe when you are on the budget, from special offers to freebies.
Attending shows at the Edinburgh Fringe with little money is extremely difficult due to high costs across the board. Tickets—even for smaller performances—aren’t cheap, and free or pay-what-you-can shows aren’t a perfect solution, since they fill up fast and still rely on donations from the audience.
The biggest problem is how expensive it is to stay in Edinburgh during the festival. For example, students or artists might pay well over£400 each week for university accommodation, with standard prices for centrally located stays often well over £100 per night.
On top of this, daily expenses like food and transportation become much pricier in August, making it tough for people with limited budgets to be part of the festival. These escalating costs mean that access is restricted, pushing out less wealthy visitors and narrowing the range of people who can truly experience the festival.
But there are several ways to take advantage of free and discounted ticket offers, as well as enjoying hundreds of shows on the free fringe. PBH’s Free Fringe and The Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival suggest you pay what you can.
According to the Edinburgh Fringe web site: “Shows can choose to take part in the 2for1 offer on the first Monday and Tuesday of the Fringe (04 and 05 August in 2025). Purchase two (or multiples of two) full-price tickets and the discount will be automatically applied to your basket. Please note: this offer does not apply if you purchase one ticket. Concessions are not part of the 2for1 offer.” You can also get familt ticket offers.
