LiveAuctioneers
Auction software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$25 per event
Free Trial unavailableFree version unavailable
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What is LiveAuctioneers
LiveAuctioneers is an online auction marketplace and bidding platform used by auction houses to run timed and live online auctions and to reach remote bidders. It supports catalog publishing, online bidding, and post-sale workflows such as invoicing and payment collection, with integrations commonly used by auctioneers. The product primarily serves professional auctioneers and galleries selling art, antiques, jewelry, and collectibles, rather than one-off fundraising events.
Large bidder marketplace reach
LiveAuctioneers operates as a marketplace as well as an auction platform, which can help auction houses reach bidders beyond their local audience. Buyers can discover auctions through the site’s browsing and search experience rather than only through an organizer’s direct marketing. This marketplace model is a practical differentiator versus tools designed mainly for private, organization-run events.
Supports live and timed auctions
The platform supports both live online bidding and timed (online-only) auctions, enabling different sale formats under one system. Auction houses can publish catalogs and run bidding in a way that accommodates remote participation. This is useful for businesses that run recurring auctions with varying formats.
Auction-house oriented workflows
LiveAuctioneers is oriented to professional auction operations, including lot-level cataloging and post-sale processes such as invoicing and payment handling. It is designed for ongoing auction programs rather than single campaigns. This focus can reduce the need to adapt event-fundraising features that are common in other auction tools.
Not tailored to fundraising events
The product is primarily built for commercial auctions and auction houses, not for nonprofit gala-style fundraising. Organizations that need features like ticketing, sponsorship packages, donor CRM, paddle raises, or peer-to-peer fundraising may need additional systems. This can increase operational complexity for charity event use cases.
Marketplace rules and fees
Because it functions as a marketplace, sellers typically operate within platform policies and fee structures that may not match every auction house’s preferred model. Some organizations may prefer a fully white-labeled experience with complete control over bidder acquisition and communications. The marketplace approach can also make it harder to keep all bidder relationships exclusively within the seller’s own brand and channels.
Fit varies by auction complexity
Auction houses with specialized requirements (e.g., complex consignor accounting, highly customized terms by lot, or deep ERP-style back office needs) may find gaps that require workarounds or integrations. Data migration and catalog preparation can be time-consuming for organizations with large inventories. Suitability depends on how closely the auction house’s operational processes align with the platform’s standard workflows.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze Partner | $275 per event | Requires LivePayments & LiveShipping enabled on all auctions (U.S.-based). Commission rates: 5% (Arts & Antiques, Estate & Personal Property, All other categories), 3% (Cars & Vehicles/Collector Cars). LiveShipping fee: $0 per event. LivePayments credit card rate: 3.99% + $0.25 per transaction; ACH: 1% + $0.50. |
| Silver Partner | $225 per event | Bronze requirements + Preferred Client Usage Model. Same commission and LivePayments/LiveShipping rates as Bronze. |
| Gold Partner | $25 per event | Silver requirements + $50,000 lifetime sales on LiveAuctioneers + exclusive use of LiveShipping on all auctions. Same commission and LivePayments/LiveShipping rates as Bronze/Silver. |
| Branded / White Label | Bidding: starting at $500 per month; Website powered by ATG: starting at $250 per month with $500 one-time setup; Unlimited Events | No Partner requirements listed; commission rates typically 5% (category exceptions noted on master rate card). LiveShipping: Not applicable for Branded. |
Additional vendor-offered pricing (advertising & add-ons):
- Advertising packages: leaderboard and featured lots (examples shown: Leaderboard standard prices $1,000–$2,500; Featured Lots: 5 items $350, 20 items $1,300; ACN Portrait Ads standard prices shown (e.g., $1,400 for Art category)).
- LivePayments (payment processing) rates: Credit card 3.99% + $0.25 (4.49% + $0.25 for High Risk); ACH 1% + $0.50 per transaction.
- LiveShipping: $0 per event for Bronze/Silver/Gold; not applicable for Branded.
Notes: All pricing and eligibility/requirements taken directly from LiveAuctioneers' Master Rate Card and official advertising pages. Some fees/requirements vary by category, partner tier, region, and may include additional terms and rebates described on the master rate card.
Seller details
LiveAuctioneers, LLC
New York, NY, USA
2002
Private
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/
https://x.com/liveauctioneers
https://www.linkedin.com/company/liveauctioneers/
