If you are an actor in 2026, you will hear two names over and over: Casting Networks and Backstage. Both promise the same thing — access to real casting calls, auditions, and jobs. But they serve different corners of the industry, cost different amounts, and suit different kinds of actors.
This is the honest, numbers-first breakdown: what each platform actually is, who it is best for, what it costs (with the caveat that prices change, so verify before you pay), where each one falls short, and which one a first-timer should pick.
The 30-Second Answer
- Backstage is the broader, more beginner-friendly casting platform. It lists theater, indie film, student projects, commercials, and background work, and its open-call culture makes it the friendliest starting point for actors without an agent.
- Casting Networks is the industry-standard platform for commercial and theatrical casting offices, especially in Los Angeles. If agents and casting directors are submitting you to commercials, you almost certainly need a profile there.
- Most working actors eventually use both. They are not really rivals so much as two different rooms where different people cast different jobs.
If you only want one subscription right now, the answer depends on where you are in your career — the decision section below walks through it.
What Each Platform Actually Is
Backstage
Backstage is a casting marketplace and entertainment trade publication with roots going back decades. For actors, it functions as a job board: casting notices are posted, you filter by location, role type, and union status, and you submit directly with your profile.
Its defining trait is breadth. Backstage carries a huge volume of theater, indie film, student film, web series, voiceover, and background/extras work alongside commercial notices. A meaningful share of listings are non-union or open calls, which is why it has a
reputation as the most accessible major casting site for actors who are just getting started or who do not have representation yet.
Casting Networks
Casting Networks is the digital infrastructure behind a large share of professional commercial casting. Its talent profiles are the system many LA, New York, and Chicago commercial casting offices use to receive submissions, issue self-tape requests, and manage auditions.
The key difference is who uses it: Casting Networks is heavily agent- and casting-office-driven. Many submissions to the biggest commercial opportunities on the platform come through agents and managers rather than direct talent submissions. It is the platform your reps will expect you to be on if you are pursuing commercial work seriously — the phrase “get on Casting Networks” is standard advice from commercial agents in LA.
Side-by-Side Comparison: Features
Casting call volume and types
- Backstage lists a high volume of notices across theater, indie/student film, commercials, voiceover, crew, and background work. Its open- call listings are a genuine differentiator: theater companies, indie directors, and student filmmakers actively use it to find new faces.
- Casting Networks is dominated by commercial casting and theatrical (film/TV) breakdowns flowing through professional casting offices. The volume of individual notices an unrepresented actor can self-submit to is generally smaller, because so much activity on the platform happens through agent submissions.
Neither site publishes verified public numbers for total active listings, so treat any specific figure you see elsewhere as an estimate and compare the types of work, not just raw counts.
Talent profiles and media
Both platforms let you build a profile with headshots, resume, credits, physical stats, skills, and demo reels.
- Casting Networks profiles are structured the way commercial casting offices expect: precise measurements, detailed skills, and reel organization that matches how CDs filter. When an agent submits you, this format is the industry standard they are working in.
- Backstage profiles are more general-purpose and slightly easier for beginners to fill out completely in one sitting. The bar to having a presentable profile is lower, which matters when you are submitting to your first dozen gigs.
Self-tape and audition workflow
- Casting Networks has deep tooling here: casting offices send self-tape requests directly through the platform, track submissions in real time, and talent can see submission status (for example, whether a submission is under consideration). This is the workflow commercial casting offices actually run on.
- Backstage supports video submissions and media on your profile, but its audition workflow is closer to a classified ad model: you respond to a notice, submit your materials, and wait. It is simpler but less integrated with professional casting offices.
Filters and search
Both let you filter by location, role type, age range, and union status. Casting Networks’ filtering skews toward the granular data casting directors care about (sizes, skills, availability); Backstage’s skews toward the questions a job-hunting actor asks (what kind of project, where, paid or unpaid, union or non-union).
Side-by-Side Comparison: Cost
Important: subscription prices for casting sites change frequently, and both companies run promotions. Everything below is an estimate based on publicly listed pricing as of 2026 — verify current prices on each site before subscribing.
- Backstage (estimate): roughly $13–20/month depending on whether you pay monthly or annually. Backstage’s own advice column has described typical casting website fees as around $20/month, which lines up with this range. Annual plans are generally the cheaper per-month option.
- Casting Networks (estimate): roughly $25–35/month, with annual plans bringing the effective monthly cost down (third-party reporting has cited around $29.99/month or ~$299.90/year). Casting Networks also historically has region- or market-specific pricing, so confirm the
rate for your market.
Bottom line on cost: Backstage is the cheaper entry point. Casting Networks costs noticeably more — and for commercial actors with an agent, it is a non-negotiable business expense either way.
To put the cost in perspective against what the work pays: current SAG-AFTRA minimums (contract period through June 30, 2026) are $1,246/day for performers, $4,326/week, $224/day for background, $234/day for special-ability roles, and $262/day for stand-ins/photo doubles. One union background day covers roughly a year of Backstage.
Pros and Cons
Backstage
Pros:
- Largest variety of project types, including theater, indie, student film, and open calls
- Most welcoming to unrepresented and first-time actors
- Lower subscription cost (estimate: ~$13–20/month)
- Built-in trade publication content — casting advice, industry news, audition tips
Cons:
- A significant share of listings are unpaid, low-pay, or student projects — you have to filter carefully
- Less integrated with top-tier commercial casting offices
- High competition on popular open calls
Casting Networks
Pros:
- The industry standard for commercial casting in major markets, especially LA
- Direct pipeline to professional casting offices and agent submissions
- Robust self-tape and submission-tracking workflow
- What commercial agents and managers expect you to be on
Cons:
- Higher subscription cost (estimate: ~$25–35/month)
- Much of the best activity flows through agents, so unrepresented actors get less direct value
- Less useful for theater actors and indie-film-first careers
Which Should First-Timers Pick?
This is the question that actually matters, so here is a direct answer by situation:
- You have no agent, no credits, and you want to start auditioning now: start with Backstage. It has the most open calls, the lowest barrier to entry, and the highest chance of landing your first few bookings — student films, indie projects, background work, and theater. Build credits, get footage for your reel, and learn to self-tape.
- You are in LA (or New York/Chicago) and pursuing commercial work: you need Casting Networks, ideally with an agent or manager submitting you. If you are serious about commercials in a major market, this is not optional — it is the room where the work gets cast.
- You are a theater actor first: Backstage, by a wide margin. Theater companies post there; commercial casting infrastructure is largely irrelevant to your path.
- You want background/extras work: either works, but Backstage’s volume of background notices plus its lower price makes it the economical starting point. For context, union background pays $224/day (SAG-AFTRA minimum through 06/30/2026), while non-union background typically pays $100–200/day as a market estimate.
- You can afford both: get both. They cover different rooms, and most consistently working actors maintain profiles on each.
One more practical note for first-timers: whichever platform you pick, your profile is the product. A complete profile with current headshots, an honest resume, and a short reel will outperform a bare profile on the “better” platform every time. Budget $400–1,500 for professional headshots (Backstage’s own career-cost guides cite this range) before you spend another dollar on subscriptions.
The Verdict
There is no single winner, because they are built for different jobs:
- Backstage wins for: beginners, theater actors, indie filmmakers’ projects, open calls, and anyone without representation who wants to start submitting today.
- Casting Networks wins for: commercial actors in major markets, actors with agents, and anyone whose career runs through professional
casting offices.
If you forced a one-platform answer for the average actor starting out in 2026: start with Backstage, add Casting Networks when commercial work (and ideally representation) enters the picture. That sequence matches how most actors’ careers actually unfold — open calls and indie credits first, commercial infrastructure second.
A Free Way to Browse Casting Calls First
Before you pay for any subscription, it helps to see what is actually being cast right now. Project Casting is a marketplace where TV, film,
and advertising productions post casting calls — and talent can browse the listings for free. It is a practical way to get a feel for the kinds of roles, pay ranges, and markets active in 2026 before committing to a paid membership anywhere.
Browse casting calls on Project Casting and apply to film, TV, commercial, and background gigs today.
FAQs
Is Backstage or Casting Networks better for beginners?
Backstage is better for beginners. Its open calls, indie and student film listings, theater notices, and lower subscription cost (estimate: ~$13–20/month) make it the most accessible major casting platform for actors without an agent or credits.
Is Casting Networks worth the money?
For actors pursuing commercial work in major markets like Los Angeles, yes — it is the industry-standard platform that commercial casting offices and agents use, and its estimated ~$25–35/month cost is a standard business expense in that lane. For theater actors or actors without representation, the value is lower. Prices change, so verify current pricing before subscribing.
Can you use Backstage and Casting Networks together?
Yes, and many working actors do. They serve different parts of the industry: Backstage for theater, indie, open calls, and direct submissions; Casting Networks for commercial and theatrical casting through professional casting offices and agents.
Do I need an agent to use Casting Networks?
No, you can create a talent profile and submit to posted roles without one. But a large share of the platform’s commercial activity happens through agent and manager submissions, so unrepresented actors generally get less value from it than represented ones.
How much do Backstage and Casting Networks cost in 2026?
Estimates as of 2026: Backstage roughly $13–20/month (cheaper on annual plans); Casting Networks roughly $25–35/month (cheaper on annual plans). Both change prices and run promotions — check each site for current pricing before you pay.
What is the best free way to find casting calls?
Browse free casting call listings before paying for a subscription — it lets you see real roles, pay ranges, and markets. Project Casting lets talent browse its marketplace of TV, film, and advertising casting calls for free.
