Yombu vs The Bash: Comparing Two Ways to Book a Kids Party Entertainer

The Bash — GigMasters, if you booked a party a decade ago — is one of the longest-running event entertainment marketplaces in the US. It has real history, real vendors and a booking flow that plenty of people have used happily. It's also, at its core, a quote marketplace, which means it shares the workflow Yombu was built to replace. Here's a fair look at both.

What The Bash Is

The Bash is a vendor marketplace for event entertainment and services. Performers maintain profiles with photos, videos and reviews; you search, shortlist and request quotes; vendors respond; you compare and book through the platform. It rebranded from GigMasters and carries that long operating history with it.

How the Money Works

The Bash's published model has historically combined a paid annual vendor membership (roughly $129–$219 a year) with a booking fee of around 5% when a gig is booked. Numbers like these change, so check their current pricing — but the structure matters: performers pay to be on the shelf all year, then pay again per booking, and those costs shape the prices you're quoted.

Where The Bash Genuinely Shines

• Longevity and depth. Decades of operating history mean established vendors with long review track records.
• Committed vendors. An annual membership filters for performers serious enough to pay for their storefront.
• They understand what clients want. The Bash's own published findings are telling: vendor profiles with video earn roughly three times more bookings, and clients strongly prefer vendors who display a realistic starting price. In other words — their data shows clients want to see the performer and see the price before talking to anyone.

Where the Quote Model Hurts Parents

That last finding is the irony worth sitting with. The platforms' own experience says clients want upfront prices and real previews — yet the quote workflow still asks you to request pricing, wait for responses, and stitch together who's actually available. A quote is an opening offer, not a commitment: until money changes hands, nobody has held your date. Between the request and the booking sit the familiar chores — comparing quotes that include different things, nudging slow repliers, and hoping your first choice doesn't go quiet a week before the party.

How Yombu Does It Differently

Yombu starts where the quote model ends. Every profile shows the entertainer's real starting price — no 'request pricing' button, no mystery. When you tell us about your party, we don't forward your details and wish you luck: we check availability with vetted local entertainers and come back, usually within about two hours, with performers who have genuinely confirmed your date. You pick one, pay online, and your money is held safely until after the party. Booking a face painter should take one evening, not a week of correspondence.

For Entertainers: The Bash vs Yombu

On The Bash, you pay an annual membership before your first booking and a percentage on each one after — as published, roughly $129–$219 a year plus about 5%, though you should verify current rates. On Yombu there's no membership and no upfront cost at all: you list free, set your real prices, and answer gig invitations with a tap. We take a commission only when you're booked, and payment lands automatically after the party. Fast, reliable responders get more gigs — the ranking rewards exactly the behaviour that makes parents happy. Sound like your kind of deal? Join Yombu as an entertainer.