Reliability Scoring
Last updated January 2, 2025
Overview
Your reliability score reflects your track record on PlugVerse. A high score helps you stand out to potential partners, while a low score may limit your visibility. The score ranges from 0 to 100 and is calculated based on your completed gigs, cancellations, and payment history. Everyone starts at 80 points - you earn your way to "Exceptional" through consistent, reliable behavior.
Who Has a Reliability Score?
- Artists - Bands, solo performers, DJs, and all performers
- Venues - Bars, restaurants, event spaces, and performance locations
- Organizers - Fraternities, sororities, corporate event planners, and promoters
Score Tiers
| Score Range | Tier | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 95-100 | Exceptional | Outstanding track record. Priority visibility in search results. |
| 85-94 | Reliable | Consistently dependable. Normal visibility. |
| 70-84 | Moderate | Generally good with some concerns. Partners may see a caution indicator. |
| 50-69 | At Risk | Significant concerns. Warning shown to potential partners. |
| <50 | Unreliable | Serious issues. Limited visibility. May require additional verification. |
How Artist Scores Are Calculated
Artists start at 80 points. Points are added or subtracted based on the following events:
Positive Events
| Event | Impact |
|---|---|
| Complete a booked gig | +3 points |
| Step in as replacement for another artist | +5 points |
| Win a verified dispute | +2 points |
Negative Events
| Event | Impact |
|---|---|
| Cancel 14+ days before event (no replacement) | -3 points |
| Cancel 7-14 days before event (no replacement) | -8 points |
| Cancel less than 7 days before event (no replacement) | -15 points |
| Cancel but find a replacement (pending) | -15 points (temporary) |
| Cancel but replacement completes gig successfully | -2 points (final) |
| No-show (verified by platform) | -25 points |
| Contract breach (verified) | -10 points |
How Replacements Work: When you cancel and find a replacement, you initially receive a -15 penalty (same as a late cancel). This is "pending" status. Once your replacement successfully completes the gig, your penalty is reduced to just -2 points. This ensures you can't game the system by finding a replacement who then also cancels.
How Venue Scores Are Calculated
Venues start at 80 points. Points are added or subtracted based on the following events:
Positive Events
| Event | Impact |
|---|---|
| Successfully host a gig | +2 points |
| Pay artist on time | +1 point |
| Win a verified dispute | +2 points |
Negative Events
| Event | Impact |
|---|---|
| Cancel gig 14+ days before event | -3 points |
| Cancel gig 7-14 days before event | -8 points |
| Cancel gig less than 7 days before event | -15 points |
| Pay artist 1-7 days late | -5 points |
| Pay artist 8-14 days late | -10 points |
| Pay artist 15-30 days late | -20 points |
| Pay artist 30+ days late | -30 points + suspension review |
| Non-payment (verified by platform) | -25 points |
Note: If a venue cancels within 7 days of an event, they must also pay 30% of the agreed compensation to the artist, per our cancellation policy. Late payments are a serious violation - venues that consistently pay late or don't pay at all may be suspended from the platform.
How Organizer Scores Are Calculated
Organizers (fraternities, sororities, corporate event planners, etc.) start at 80 points and follow a similar system:
- +2 points for each successfully completed event
- +1 point for on-time payments to artists
- +2 points for winning a verified dispute
- -5 to -30 points for late payments (tiered by how late - see venue section)
- -3 to -15 points for cancellations (based on notice given)
- -25 points for verified non-payment
Why Reviews Don't Affect Reliability Scores
You may notice that reviews are not part of the reliability scoring system. This is intentional. Reviews are displayed separately on profiles, but they don't impact reliability scores because:
- Fake reviews - It's too easy for bad actors to create fake positive reviews for themselves or fake negative reviews for competitors
- Revenge reviews - When disputes happen, the losing party might leave unfairly negative reviews
- Coordinated attacks - Groups could target specific artists or venues with negative review campaigns
- Subjectivity - One person's 3-star experience might be another's 5-star. Actions like completing gigs and paying on time are objective facts.
Reliability scores are based only on verifiable actions: Did you show up? Did you pay on time? Did you cancel? These are facts we can confirm, not opinions that can be manipulated.
Time Decay: Recent History Matters More
We believe people can improve. That's why recent events carry more weight than older ones:
| Time Period | Weight Applied |
|---|---|
| Last 30 days | 100% (full impact) |
| 31-90 days ago | 80% impact |
| 91-180 days ago | 50% impact |
| 181-365 days ago | 25% impact |
| Over 1 year ago | 10% impact |
This means a cancellation from 6 months ago only affects your score half as much as a recent one. Keep performing well, and past issues will fade.
Force Majeure: Exceptions for Emergencies
We understand that sometimes cancellations happen due to circumstances beyond your control. The following situations do not impact your reliability score:
- Severe weather events (hurricanes, blizzards, etc.)
- Natural disasters
- Documented medical emergencies
- Venue closure due to safety concerns
- Government-mandated event restrictions
To claim a force majeure exception, please contact support with documentation of the circumstances.
Recovering Your Score
If your score has dropped, here's how to recover:
- Complete gigs - Each successful performance adds +3 points
- Be a replacement - Stepping in for cancelled artists earns +5 bonus points
- Wait it out - Time decay means old negative events will fade (50% impact after 6 months)
- Pay on time (venues) - Consistent on-time payments add +1 point each
Example Recovery: An artist at 65 points who completes 10 gigs (+30 points) and has their old cancellation decay by 50% over 6 months could return to 90+ points. Being a replacement artist for others accelerates recovery even faster (+5 points each).
Note: Since everyone starts at 80 points (in the "Moderate" tier), new users need to complete 5-7 gigs successfully to reach "Reliable" status (85+ points). This ensures that high reliability scores are earned through a track record, not given by default.
Viewing Your Score
You can view your reliability score on your profile dashboard. Your score is visible to:
- You (always)
- Venues and organizers when you apply for gigs (artists)
- Artists when they view your gig listings (venues/organizers)
Questions?
If you have questions about your reliability score or believe there's an error, please contact our support team. We're committed to fairness and will review any concerns.