Bartenders for Hire

Bartenders on bartendersNow™ set their own hourly rates, so the labour cost varies by experience, event type, and location. What is fixed is our fee structure: a 12% platform fee for hosts and a 12% fee on bartender earnings, shown before you book. There are no setup fees, no membership, and no hidden charges. See our pricing page for the full breakdown.

There is no single guest-per-bartender ratio — the drink menu moves the answer as much as the headcount does. As planning guidance for 3–4 hours of service: up to 50 guests, 1 bartender; 51–75 guests, 1–2. From there, the ranges split by menu. For beer, wine, ready-to-drink, and basic mixed drinks: 76–100 guests, 1–2; 101–150 guests, 1–3. When the menu includes cocktails or mocktails: 76–100 guests, 2; 101–150 guests, 2–4. The Smart Staffing Calculator recommends a bartender count from your guest count, service hours, beverage menu, and event type. It recommends at least two above 60 guests when the menu includes cocktails or mocktails, and above 125 guests on any menu.

RBS certification is self-reported on bartendersNow™ and we do not verify it. Bartenders add their own certification details to their profile, including the issuing organization and expiration date, so you can filter for it when you book and see what a bartender has listed before you send a request. Confirm it directly with the bartender when your venue requires it. California requires RBS training for alcohol servers at licensed premises, which includes licensed caterers working an off-site event; requirements differ in other states. Every bartender must pass Government-ID identity verification through Stripe Identity to be paid through bartendersNow™. We do not conduct background checks.

Two to four weeks is comfortable for most events, and longer for peak wedding and holiday dates when availability tightens. Shorter timelines are often possible — you send a request and the bartender accepts or declines, so you know quickly where you stand.

Hosts purchase the alcohol. That keeps you in control of what is served and avoids the licensing complications that come with a vendor reselling alcohol. The Stock List gives you an ingredient-level shopping list sized to your guest count, event length, and menu, so you are not guessing at bottles, mixers, ice, or garnish.

Refunds follow documented tiers based on how far ahead you cancel: 14 or more days before the event is a 100% refund, 7 to 14 days is 50%, and within 7 days is no refund. If a bartender cancels on you, you receive a full refund. Captain Service coordination fees follow their own terms. Our cancellation policy has the complete detail.

We publish city guides across the San Francisco Bay Area and California Central Coast, including San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and the Peninsula, plus Napa and Sonoma wine country, the Tri-Valley, Santa Cruz County, and the Monterey Peninsula. Every city has its own page with local venue detail.

A caterer typically bundles food, staff, and beverage into one package and marks up the alcohol. A mobile bartender is hired for bar service specifically: they bring the professional skill and tools, you buy the alcohol, and you pay for the service rather than a markup on the product. It fits when you have the food handled and want the bar run by someone who does it for a living.