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Magicians in Toronto & the GTA: prices and how to compare

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Toronto has one of the deepest magician markets in Canada, from strolling close-up performers who work a cocktail hour without a stage, to illusionists who headline galas, to trade show specialists who script product messaging into the act. Prices run $650–$1,500 for a two-hour close-up set and $1,500–$6,000 for a stage show, before HST.

Booking notes: one close-up magician per 60–80 guests; stage shows need a 3 × 3 m minimum, a wireless mic and ideally blackout; kids' shows run 30–45 minutes. Compare the profiles below, then send one quote request.

Frequently asked questions

What does a magician cost in Toronto?

Close-up from about $650 for a two-hour set; stage shows from $1,500; corporate and trade show rates vary with scripting.

Magician or mentalist for a corporate dinner?

Mentalists suit executive audiences and quiet rooms; magicians suit mixed ages and louder receptions.

How much a magician costs in Toronto

Magicians in the GTA price by format and by the hour of the week you want, not by a single rate card. The ranges below are typical for 2026, before 13% HST, and they match the figures used across this site’s budget guides. Individual quotes vary, sometimes widely, with experience, demand and what the act brings with it.

FormatTypical lengthTypical GTA range, before HSTNotes
Kids’ party show30–45 minutes$300–$500Often ends with balloons; weekend afternoons cost more
Strolling close-up for a cocktail hour2 hours$650–$1,500 per performerOne performer per 60–80 guests
Corporate stage show30–45 minutes$1,500–$5,000Higher when the act scripts in company names or awards
Mentalist30–45 minutes on stage, or 2 hours strolling$1,500–$5,000 on stage; close-up rates when strollingPriced like a stage act when it is the feature of the evening
Trade-show booth magicianFull show day of scheduled micro-shows$1,500–$5,000 per dayMulti-day bookings are usually lower per day
Large illusion show30–60 minutesUpper end of the stage range, to about $6,000Assistants, dancers and props are quoted as a production

Five things move a quote more than anything else. Length: most performers price in blocks, so a third hour of strolling costs less than the first but is not free. Travel: a downtown booking for a downtown performer is cheaper than Muskoka or Niagara, where mileage, parking or an overnight may be added. Sets and props: large illusions need a truck, load-in time and sometimes a crew. Assistants: every person on stage is paid. December demand: Friday and Saturday nights in the first three weeks of December are the busiest dates of the year for corporate magicians, and many quote their highest rates then or decline short sets. A Thursday in late November, or a January “holiday” party, often costs less for the same act. The kids’ birthday entertainment guide and the trade show budget guide show where these fees sit within a whole event budget.

Close-up, stage, mentalist or illusion: which fits

The format matters more than the individual performer. A brilliant close-up magician is wasted on a 400-seat ballroom, and a stage illusion show will not fit a restaurant private room. Match the format to the room and to the moment in your program first, then compare performers within it. For the difference between a magician and a mentalist in more depth, see Magician vs mentalist: which fits your event?

FormatAudience sizeRoom needsBest moment in the program
Strolling close-upAny size; one performer per 60–80 guestsNone beyond space to move between groups; works in a noisy roomCocktail hour, arrivals, between courses
Stage magicAbout 40 to several hundredA 3 × 3 m stage area minimum, a wireless mic, guests seated and facing forwardAfter mains and before speeches or dancing
MentalistSmall groups strolling; up to several hundred on stageA quiet room and a good mic; the act depends on being heardExecutive dinners, conference sessions, after-dinner feature
Kids’ showUp to about 25 children per performerClear floor space with children seated in frontMid-party, after arrival games and before food
Large illusion showUsually 200 or moreA real stage, wings or masking, load-in access, often blackout and lightingThe headline feature of a gala, festival or company celebration

How to compare quotes

Two quotes at the same price can describe very different bookings. Ask every performer for a written quote and compare these points line by line:

  • Performance length: minutes of actual performance, and whether breaks are included in a strolling booking.
  • Arrival time: when the performer arrives, how long setup takes, and whether early arrival for a sound check costs extra.
  • Sound needs: whether they bring their own speaker and mic or need the venue’s AV, and who pays for it.
  • Insurance: whether they carry liability insurance and can send a certificate of insurance naming your venue if it asks.
  • Deposit and cancellation: the deposit amount, when the balance is due, and what happens to the deposit if either side cancels.
  • Substitution clause: whether the named performer is guaranteed, or whether an agency may send another act, and what approval you have over that.
  • HST and extras: whether the price is before or after HST, and whether travel, parking or meals are added.

The vendor contract outline lists the clauses to look for once a quote turns into a contract.

Questions to ask before you book

  • Have you performed for this kind of audience and room before, and can I see video of a recent full set rather than a highlight reel?
  • Will you be the person who performs on the day, and is that in writing?
  • How do you handle a mixed-language room, a noisy bar or guests who do not want to take part?
  • Is your material suitable for children, for colleagues of all ages, or for a specific cultural audience we have described?
  • What do you need from the venue, and what do you bring yourself?
  • For children’s events, do you have a current police check?
  • Can you take a short brief about our company, our guest of honour or our sponsor, and is that included?

Red flags

  • No written quote, or a quote that does not state the performance length.
  • A request for full payment far in advance with no cancellation terms.
  • Only short highlight clips, and no willingness to share a longer recording.
  • Vague answers about who will actually perform, or a price that is far below every other quote for the same format.
  • No liability insurance when the venue requires it.
  • A stage show offered for a room with no stage, no sound and guests standing at the bar.

Disclosure: listings in this category include acts owned or represented by Magic Magic, a company owned by this site’s founder; independent magicians can list free.