This post may contain affiliate links, so I may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Check out the disclosure for more info. And thank you for supporting free content!
UPDATE MAY 2022: This article was originally published early 2020 as “11 FREE Casting Sites Every New Actor Need to Know About” …. things have changed. In some cases the sites simply aren’t free anymore, and others just weren’t up front about fees to submit. I’ve gone through these sites one by one and updates the listings with current prices and my feedback on the site overall. 🙂 H.
For actors, there are a two main questions that run your acting career; “Where do I find acting work?” and “Where do I find more auditions?”. This can be especially challenging if you are a new actor and you don’t have any experience or credits or an agent or a manager. This is one of those catch 22 situations; the more work you’ve booked, the easier it is go to get auditions and therefore more work. This also helps in signing with an an agent or a manager.
Ultimately you need experience, credits and footage. And to get any of them, you’re going to first need to audition.
Like everything else in your career, the quality and quantity of your auditions will really improve with time and experience. Getting an audition for a network series out of the gate may be tough, but you have just got to jump in and start!
Commercials, are an excellent way to get your foot in the door, and indie films and student projects are the best way to build your resume, get demo reel footage and your hone your skills, both on-camera and in the audition process.
If you don’t have an agent or manager to look out for you, be smart and do your research first; if a project sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If they are promising to make you a star overnight or are asking for money to audition, really, seriously, just consider walking away!
Below I’ve listed 16 casting sites that all new actors should know about.
Thinking about submitting to a casting call?
Watch this first!
Entry Level Casting Sites
Backstage is an industry giant and a very reputable and established company – it’s been around since the 1960’s! It started out as a magazine and print listing of auditions for Broadway, but has quite obviously evolved over the years. It is huge and established company, brand and casting site, and is an excellent starting point for those seeking a professional acting career. This is not a place for the total newbie – make sure you have some training and a professional headshot and resume. It’s not one of the official “breakdown sites” used by major casting directors, but it is a solid jumping off point for serious actors. There is a lot of great information on the site and membership benefits to consider as well. For sure at least set up a free profile.
This site is a rare gem, it’s completely FREE … no sign-up required! I love it because you can just scroll through and view the casting notices and all of the details without logging in. This site is very reputable, with audition listings in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, London and New York. They also specify “Nation Wide” for broad casting calls and even have a separate sections for Feature Fils, Indie Films, Theatre, Extras and Reality TV.
This is a very unique site in that it is run by actors! And yes… in the UK. They compile audition notices that they find online and repost them.
From the site: “Auditions and Castings open to ALL – Agent or Not! Sign-up FREE FOR LIFE and we will send you those vital castings as soon as they are published. No Profile. No Subscription. Just Free Casting News! All the information you need to bag that next great job!”
Not a major player in the online audition space, but if you are looking for work in the UK, it’s a very specific resource.
Background Acting is a great place to start for new actors!
Get the complete guide here:
In addition to the standard casting site features, Cast Caller also allows talent to upload video clips and receive endorsements from people you’ve worked with. You can search casting calls by region and see if they’re union or non-union, paid or not and what type of production. When I looked, there were a lot of non-union commercials and short films. Great way to get experience! They seem to have a decent amount of services available on the free profile and you can browse audition notices without an account. Make sure to complete your profile as I noticed many actors listed on this site hadn’t taken the time to do that.
This is by far my favorite site and probably one of the most reputable of the free sites. And they don’t just list for New York area, they also have listings for Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, New Orleans, SanDiego, San Francisco and Seattle to name a few.
Entry Level. Free to sign-up. Paid to submit to auditions. $10 -$20 / month
Mandy is a well know site listing audition notices in a number of different countries and of course across the US. Creating a profile is free and you can view and submit to non-paying work with a free account – great resume builders! To access the paid job listing you need a paid account but their prices are pretty reasonable compared to some of the other sites. Definitely one to get on!
Just starting out as an actor? Be sure to read this first!
Casting Calls America is actually an umbrella site – they have individual sites for each market. Example: one site each for Portland, Seattle, Denver, Phoenix, Boston etc. Interestingly enough though, nothin gin major markets: Los Angeles, New York or Atlanta. Again, you can create a free profile, but you have to be a paid subscribe to submit to jobs. (They are transparent about their pricing up front which is a nice change!) The monthly fee isn’t bad, but it seems like it’s only good for one city. Maybe better to consider something that is more widely used if you can work in more than one location.
Similar to Casting Call Hub (below) this is a big, pretty, glossy site with a lot of big network auditions – for very specific roles. i.e. “Seeking outgoing, attractive groups of friends who have known each other for years but have hit a rough patch.” One of the things I love about this site is that they have a really slick talent directory. Well laid out, looks very professional, and a great option before you have your own website.
Entry Level. Free to sign-up. Paid to submit to auditions. $10 -$20 / month
Project Casting has a wide variety of casting calls, and seems to cover Europe as well as the US. You can search casting calls based on production type including film, television, theatre, voiceover, modeling and even influencer and positions for crew members. The casting calls are specific and detailed and you can apply at the click of a button – super easy! Honestly, I’m not sure what the difference is between the paid membership and the free one, they’re not really clear on that.
Overall it seems to be a great site to start with, at least to post a profile and submit to a couple of auditions.
Entry Level. Free to sign-up and submit to limited auditions. $25/ month or $120 annually
Ready to start booking work?
This is an absolute must need-to-know!
This is a bit of a unique service where 100% of the auditions are done online. You create a profile, casting directors post audition notices, you self-record the audition and upload it. The site is free to join, create a profile and limited submissions. A paid membership is required for casting directors to view your full profile, but the price isn’t readily available. The site is also unsecured, and I kept getting error messages. Seems like a possible entry level site but the technical issues and hidden pricing is annoying and a bit of a red flag.
Similar to the others, I’m not seeing a huge difference. A couple of things I like about this site is that you can create a great looking online profile for free and they seem to have a lot of fresh content, with new casting calls coming in every day. What I don’t like is on the home page they actually say “no experience, high pay” – for me that’s a red flag. Along with a hefty price tag that come close to professional sites.
Entry Level. Free to sign-up. Paid to submit to auditions. $24/ month or $150 annually
And now for the heavy weights….
Professional Casting Sites: The Big Three
*Please note: the next 3 sites are best for professional actors who have had some training and have professional headshots and a professional resume. They are also be suited to actors who live in major markets like New York, Los Angeles or Atlanta.
Actors Access is by far the most reputable of all the casting sites. It is also the most used for professional “theatrical” casting in North America. (meaning principle film and television roles vs. commercial or background casting) The company started out as Breakdown Services and has been around for 40+ years. It is the industry gold standard for actors to use. If you are signed with an agent or a manager, you will absolutely need to have professional membership on this site – this is how they get the breakdowns and submit you.
For actors who are just starting out and brand new to the biz, or even just trying this whole acting thing, this might not be my first choice since the competition on this platform is fierce! Because it’s such a high-level professional site, there are a lot of professional working actors using it, and that’s who you’re going up against. When you’re ready and have professional materials, definitely sign up for a free account and at least take a look at the auditions and how the site works. At some point you’re going to need it!
Professional. Free to sign-up. Paid to submit to auditions. Approximately $70/year
Casting Networks, or LA casting for those of us living and working out of Los Angeles, is another one of the industry giants. It’ been around for a little over 10 years and has become the industry standard for commercials and background talent casting. They get very few principle roles on this site, but if you are going to be working with an agent who is submitting you for commercials this site is going to be mandatory.
Again, it is a professional site, so the competition is tight and you really need to have professional materials to be competitive here. This one also comes with a hefty price tag of $26/month or $260/year + a $25 registration fee.
Professional. Free to sign-up. Paid to submit to auditions. Approximately $260/year
Casting Frontier is the newest and “smallest” of the industry giants. It is very similar to Casting Networks where they seem to be heavy on the commercial side. Agents are starting to favor this site, but for most, it’s not mandatory….yet.
Another professional site, the competition is tight and you really need to have professional materials to be competitive here. Again, a pricier site at around $16 – $21/month or $200/year.
Professional. Free to sign-up. Paid to submit to auditions. Approximately $200/year
A lot of actors start out in Reality TV… (now called “Non-Scripted”) Check out this article if you’re thinking about it.
Reality TV & Showcases
I couldn’t go without mentioning this one! Think you have what it takes to be a superstar? Check out the largest talent competition show in the world…. you never know if you might hit it big or at least get massive exposure.
Ever thought about working for one of the largest entertainment companies in the world? Actors, dancers, musicians, stunt performers and variety acts can apply for work at Disney cruise lines and theme parks around the world. While they don’t seem to list TV auditions here, I know many actors who got their start and made great money while having fun, doing what they loved and cruising around the world.
Please read this! I get actors emailing me
all the time about casting scams.
Be careful!
When you’re a new actor it can be tempting to look for audition opportunities anywhere and everywhere and to take any job that comes your way. While I understand your eagerness to get going, there are a lot of unscrupulous people out there who will try to take advantage of your enthusiasm and lack of knowledge in the business. Be extremely cautious when looking for jobs on Craigslist and other “gig” sites that don’t properly vet their job listings or screen the clients.
Here are a few ground rules for staying safe and making sure the project is legit!
- Legitimate casting companies and production companies have legitimate websites, business contact information, and project history.
- Legitimate companies or industry professionals will never hide their identity in any way, or have auditions in non-professional settings.
- If the contact information seems weird in any way, it’s probably a scam.
- If it’s not a major company, Google them first. Red flags tend to pop up pretty fast.
- If you aren’t 100% positive it’s legit, just don’t do it.
- Promises of “high pay, no experience necessary” should be an immediate red flag. There are hundreds of thousands of working actors in the US alone, and if “high pay” is in the budget, they will go with experienced talent almost every time
- Non-Union gigs don’t pay more than union gigs, ever. There are fees and paperwork and accountability involved in signing with the union. There are completely legitimate productions that don’t have the budget for union procedures or union talent, but they definitely pay less.
- Major studios don’t cast on Craigslist or send out random emails or messages on social media. They always use reputable casting directors and websites with clear instructions and specific qualifications for applicants to follow.
Be sure to bookmark this page and go through the sites and at least set-up the free online profiles for yourself with whatever materials you have, (headshots etc.) to get your name and image out there. And although they are a great place to start, please note that I am not endorsing any of these sites, but I have researched whatever is here. They are the best I’ve found so far and only included ones that are legit. So jump in, try this out, and start building your career.
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
- What audition challenges do you face?
- What stage of your career are you at?
- Where do you live? What city or town?
- And what are your big audition questions?
Head to the comments sections and post your answers below. I promise to respond to every one!
Brand new to acting?
This is absolutely the place to start!
Did you like or love this post? Be sure to share it on Facebook, send it to actor friends, Pin it or Tweet it! It’s a tough business and we could all use a little help out there!
* Please Note: I am not an agent, manager, or casting director. I do not procure work for actors. All information, workshops and coaching are for educational purposes only and are not a guarantee or promise of employment. Thank you for being here!
Which site is good to use for babies
Hi Lorina,
Great question! Honestly, you’re probably better contacting agents in your area who rep children. That’s such a highly specialize area, I’n not sure you’d find much on general audition postings. Just do a Google search for “acting agents for children (city)” Hope this helps!! 🙂
Yes, Thank you
Hi ! I live in India . Is there any way I could apply for US casting calls ? I would love to know if there’s a way.
Thank you
Hi! you can apply for anything you want…. but the question of course becomes shooting. Some companies will have the budget to fly you in and get temporary work papers, but not usually. Same in any country. They are usually looking for local hires. Hope this helps!
thank you
You’re welcome!! 😀
Hi, I have a question I did sign up free for backstage and all casting but I’m confused on which one I should pay for because I need one where they allow no experience people in like agh I can’t have it already like all of them say oh you need a resume/reel/and headshot I got nothing but a headshot like then how can I ever get an audition?
Hi! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Yes! You do need more than just a headshot! You need some kind of resume…. watch the video at the top pf this page for more info on that + check out this article https://myactorguide.com/resume-template-what-to-include-on-an-actor-resume . I would also HIGHLY recommend that you buy the New Actors Resume Templates…. these will save you HOURS …. and make you look super professional. https://myactorguide.com/shop/digital-downloads-for-actors/new-actor-resume-templates
You can do it! It just takes a bit fo work 🙂
Do I need an equity card to be in tv ads?
Nope! Not at all! In fact 80% of commercials are shot non-union
The same way I know you are real. I’m a working actor with a reputation in the industry. Check out the sites for yourself! 😀
I need to know if this website “Backstage” is real. Do you know anything about it?
Backstage is very real! They’ve been around for at least 40 years – started out as a printed publication in New York for Broadway actors to find work 🙂
How is What allcasting.com does any different then what castingtalent.com is doing?
I’m not a member of either site, and it’s been a while since I wrote this article so I’m not 100 sure, but I’m going to be going through and re-researching every site on this list. Anyone who claims to be free and is actually charging will be marked with that info so actors know!
Thank you I love this help. So kind
Awwww… you’re so welcome! I’ll be updating this soon so be sure to check back 🙂
should I write my real name or my stage name(the name I want to be called by)?
Stage name. legal name will go on any contracts to get paid 🙂
What’s about for kids?
There will be a lot of kids stuff on these sites, but honestly, you’re better off going with an agent who specializes in child actors. There are a lot of them around today and they’ll help you navigate the business as well 🙂
Good day,
When was the last time this list was updated? Asking because there are some sites mentioned, where you do have to pay for a profile/membership in order to apply for roles/auditions eg. Project casting, direct submit, just to name a few. Thank you.
Yes, I’ve noticed that just recently! Just updating it now. Thanks for your comment and your patience 🙂
Hi, i have a question. i was wonder if they have acting site for 13 years old girls
A lot of agents out there specifically for kids…. much better to go through one of them since there are very strict laws in the industry regarding child labor.:)
Do my mom have to pay for this acting audition per month or something
Yes, minors are not permitted to submit themselves. Parents need to be involved and yes there will be fees.
Auditions Free is terrible. I posted a casting call on Auditions Free, and got no responses! You’d be better off paying for backstage or Mandy.
Thanks for sharing! Did you post the same casting call do Backstage and Mandy and get a different response?
How about Casting Agencies Directory? Is it good for actors?
https://www.castingagenciesdirectory.com
Thanks for sharing! I’ll look through these!
Hello, I write scripts and I want to make them into movies, what site do you recommend? I’m really trying my best to be noticed by someone…
Writing and selling scripts is a different profession. These sites are for scripts that have already been produced 🙂
Hi Hunter! Great article. I think if there was one to remove from this list, it is Casting Networks — it used to be great for commercials; I’ve made some really amazing bookings using LACasting in the past. But now they’ve merged their sites together, deleted all previous media and headshots from user profiles(my own and others I’ve witnessed) as well as hiked the prices of LA Casting from $15/month to $21. I am a producer as well as an actor and I can assure you I will not be using LACasting anymore for my slated films and neither will the casting offices under my employment (I will retire any under contracts with CN). The #1 casting website to use at a far more affordable cost to the talent is Actors Access; and as you’ve mentioned AA uses BREAKDOWNS which is an AMAZING casting site for those of us in the industry. No surprises with this site, you get what you pay for and the quality of the submissions range from commercial to film to television. I hope any actors reading this will agree and SAVE THEIR MONEY by making the right choice! 🙂
Hi Nicholas! Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I understand your frustrations with Casting Networks, but it is MANDATORY for all professional agents and agencies – no way around that one. Believe me, I’m not thrilled about the rate hikes either and especially since they did it during a global pandemic when 95% of actors were completely out of work and many film industry people going to food banks!! Really horrible thing to do. Actors Access / Breakdown Services on the other hand comped every free months to ease the financial strain.
As far as merging the sites, yes, they’ve “merged” them, but actors still have to pay more to have a profile in LA …. PLUS an additional profile fees for NYC, San Francisco and the the rest of the U.S. Yes, that’s right. If an actor wants to view breakdowns in each of those markets, the fees are additional. 🙄 Not my favorite company to deal with, but that’s business!
I really do appreciate the thoughtful comments! Please feel free to reach out anytime 🙂
Hi, I want my daughter to become an actor it been a dream and it all she talks about. But, I tight on money and can’t afford to get her an audition and websites you can recommend. I live in Paterson N.J 07501 so it’s really hard for us.
Hi Nicole, I understand your frustrations. I grew up in a small town in Canada and had to work and save for years to get into the business and then move to LA. It’s tough, but where there’s a will there’s a way! You can do it! 😀
Hunter,
First of all, thank you for this amazing article! I do have a question about obtaining an agent in the US for a 9 y/o boy. We have had quite a few agencies say they want to represent him, but they want him to go to their zoom acting classes and camps… etc. He has a desire to act in the UK and US. As a mom, where do I start looking for him an agent that isn’t going to charge us just to walk through the door. We live in the US, in Indiana, but we can go anywhere we need to. ☺️
Thank you,
Amanda Contreras
Hi Amanda! Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. NO… and agent should NOT charge you.They make money on commission NOT upfront fees!
There are agents who specifically represent children, so I would encourage you to seek those out, but not sure what’s available in your area.
Yes, I’d highly recommend acting lessons for a reputable acting studio, and often times a local teacher can help with the agent search. Definitely start local and build to get some experience and start to get resume credits. (You can find more on that here: https://myactorguide.com/resume-template-what-to-include-on-an-actor-resume
I hope this helps! Please feel free to reach out with any more questions. 🙂 Hunter
hi hunter, although the websites you mentioned are perfect for a US audience, I believe it would be great if you include the Indian section, as well as this article, which is pretty popular in india. Castkro is no 1 platform for acting and modelling aspirants in India
Find Acting Jobs And Acting Auditions From India | Castkro
Hi Lakhveer! Thanks for the feedback and for sharing the info. At this time the site focuses only on working in the US… lol! Big wide world out there and I just can’t keep up with every market. Maybe something to think about for the future though 🙂
I was offered a role for a Bollywood movie that will film here in Los Angeles but they are telling me I have to pay a registration fee before they send me a contract and full script via a PDF file. Is this a scam or not?
Hey Chris! I decided to email you directly and I hope you didn’t pay!
Absolutely a scam. Never pay for a contract or script!
Here is a full article about it, and I’ll also be posting video to TikTok and IG.
https://myactorguide.com/how-to-spot-a-casting-scam
Stay safe out there, thanks for the question and good luck!
Hi there I am 10 years old which site do you think would be good for 10 year olds and you don’t have to pay.
Hi Hope,
This is something you’re going to have to have one of your parents do for you. You won’t be able to sign up or submit to auditions by yourself until your over 18 🙂
Hope this help! Smiles, Hunter
Is there are a New Zealand site?
I’m not sure about New Zealand sites. My Actor Guide focuses primarily on information for the U.S., Canada and the U.K. 🙂
I’ve tried looking up on Google what’s real about finding acting classes and I’m not exactly sure what to choose in the Seattle Northwest area or Portland
Hi Johnathan! There’s a great article here about acting classes: How To Find The Best Acting Class for You Hope this helps! 🙂 Hunter
um i need a agent how do i do that
All of the sites that I’ve listed you can use as an actor without an agent or manager 🙂