Freshly updated for 2026.
Looking for free and cheap comedy in London? You're in luck, because the capital is teeming with free, cheap and pay-what-you-want shows. We've put together this roundup of the best.
Nothing here will cost you more than a fiver. Just bear in mind that almost all free comedy shows ask for a donation at the end from those who can afford it.
Free and cheap comedy in London: regular shows
Angel Comedy Club @ Camden Head and Bill Murray, Angel (daily)
Ever come across a snaking queue in Angel? It's either for the Breakfast Club or Angel Comedy Club — held at the Camden Head. Upstairs in this unassuming boozer, you'll find free stand-up every freaking night of the week, with RAW comedy nights (Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs and Sun) and more honed shows (Fri and Sat), interspersed with WIPs from mahoosive names like Dylan Moran and Simon Amstell. You can catch anything between three to six consecutive shows at the Camden Head each night. Truly the daddy/mummy/legal guardian of the free comedy circuit.
Angel Comedy Club also oversees the nearby Bill Murray — a regular pocket-sized laughter emporium. Multiple shows are hosted here every day of the week, with frequent surprise appearances from VIPs. Just remember, legally it's named after Charles I's whipping boy, not that Groundhog Day chap. Free and upwards, Angel Comedy Club
Top Secret Comedy Club, Covent Garden (daily)
They don't announce all the acts in advance, hence the name. That's some savvy marketing in a biz where you might not actually know who your headliner is till the last second. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised though; Top Secret Comedy Club has hosted the ilk of Trevor Noah and Katherine Ryan. Tickets from £1, Top Secret Comedy Club
Big Belly @ Big Belly Bar & Comedy Club London, South Bank (most days)
Barely pausing for breath, Big Belly (formerly Vauxhall Comedy Club) puts on a cavalcade of razor-witted young acts (Patrick Spicer, Alex Kealy, Lou Taylor, Sikisa) most days, with tickets at a very fair price. Note: these days the venue's on the South Bank. From £5, Big Belly
Backyard Comedy Club, Bethnal Green (most days)
'West End Shows at East End Prices' runs the motto. Feast on new acts as well as established ones. This place also home to the London Alcohol-Free Comedy Club. And yes, the venue looks like its been made out of old pallets — got a problem with that? Free and upwards, Backyard Comedy Club
Comedy Cabin, Hoxton (a lot of the time)
Queer comedy nights, French comedy nights... the Comedy Cabin has it all, so long as it's funny. The cosy cellar bar puts on a high frequency of shows, and it's often only a few quid to get in. From £3, Comedy Cabin
Comedy Virgins @ Cavendish Arms, Stockwell (Monday-Wednesday)
A slew of acts take to the stage for five mins at a time in a bid to win your laugher/applause/respect. Given the sheer amount, some are inevitably better than others, but it all moves so fast that hardly matters. Ultimately, you'll choose who was funniest of all. Two shows a night, so six in all. Free, Comedy Virgins
Comedy Incorporated @ Signature Brew, Haggerston (Tuesday), @ The Railway, Putney (Wednesday), @ The Gipsy Queen, Kentish Town (Thursday), @ The Wheatsheaf, Tooting Bec (Thursday)
Plenty of chances to catch this laid-back affair, taking place four times across London every week. There's no crowd work (phew), no heckling (phew on the comedians' behalf) — just a heap of freshly worked out material. It's free and you can just show up. Like we say, proper chilled. Free, Comedy Incorporated
The Queer Comedy Club, Archway (Tuesday-Saturday)
Billing itself as 'the UK's First LGBTQ+ Comedy Club', this is a safe space for queer performers and audience members, with a 'Raw' Monday show (free), a 'Not Totally Queer' Tuesday show (free), plus a paid-for 'Big Thursday Show', where you get proper polished/star name comedians. There are occasional Saturday shows too. Queer allies are welcome. Free and upwards, The Queer Comedy Club
Hoopla Improv @ the Miller, London Bridge (most days)
You can hardly miss this improv theatre located above the excellent Miller pub near London Bridge; its name is slathered in huge letters outside the building. Here, Hoopla Improv run classes and workshops — as well as shows most days of the week. Depending when you go, you could be watching complete newbies, utter pros and anything in between. Free and upwards, Hoopla Improv
Comedy Bandits @ Railway Tavern, Clapham (Monday, Wednesday and once a month on Friday)
Newish, but nonetheless gifted, stand-ups stiffen the sinews and summon up the blood, to perform free shows at this Clapham boozer on Monday and Wednesdays. Monthly Fridays showcase more established acts, which they'll (rightly) charge you for. Free, Comedy Bandits
LOLipops Live Comedy @ the Distillers, Hammersmith and @ the White Hart, Southwark (Monday and Tuesday, plus some Thursdays and Fridays)
New acts on two Tuesday shows in Hammersmith and in Southwark, inc. new acts/material plus Neurospicy Comedy. Shows with established comics headlining on some Thursdays and Fridays. Free and upwards, LOLipops Live Comedy
Slap and Giggle Comedy @ Coin Laundry, Exmouth Market; @ Little Yellow Door, Notting Hill; @ Never For Ever, Gospel Oak; @ Greenwich Theatre (some Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays)
Prolific comedy slingers Slap and Giggle put on up-and-coming comics in various corners of London, having them rattle out two-and-a-half hours of free laughs every other week. Free, Slap and Giggle Comedy
Comedy In Your Eye @ Camden Eye, Camden (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)
With tickets as cheap as £3 a pop, this is a thrifty way to catch grassroots comedy in north London — and some pretty big acts as well. From £3, Comedy In Your Eye
Knock2Bag Comedy @ MOTH Club, Hackney (Wednesday and occasional Thursdays and Saturdays)
A voguish working men's club turned music venue is home to Knock2Bag's glittering comedy nights (and that ain't just the golden curtains). The ilk of Bridget Christie, Sheeps, Tom Basden and Lolly Adefope await. NOTE: shows here are not technically free, but sign up to the mailing list for the occasional chance of free/heavily reduced tickets. Free and upwards, MOTH Club
City Comedy Club @ Trapeze Bar, Shoreditch (Wednesday-Sunday)
Tickets range from £5 to £12 depending which night of the week you go. They also do bottomless wings, drinks and laughs for £55. From £5, City Comedy Club
Rose & Crown, Kentish Town (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday)
Bucketloads of comedy gratis at this plucky north London boozer: Shtick (Wednesday and Sundays) and Freedom Fridge (Thursdays). Free and upwards, Rose & Crown
Free and cheap comedy in London on a Monday
Happy Mondays @ Amersham Arms, New Cross
The backroom of a pub, a pint, and a slew of high-class comics for a reasonable fee can elevate your Monday night from silently sobbing in front of Happy Valley, to crying with laughter and tricking yourself into thinking it must be at least Wednesday. From £5, Happy Mondays
Jester Jesters @ Betsey Trotwood, Farringdon
Throw caution to the wind with a Monday night on the tiles, or more specifically, at the Betsey Trotwood, and Jester Jesters. Upcoming stand-ups (sometimes sketch and character comedians too) vie for giggles, as they perform a litmus test on newly-penned material. Free, Jester Jesters
Fool & Co @ the Albany, Fitzrovia
Marketed as "luxuriant comedy" Fool & Co's weekly Monday nights are nonetheless affordable; not only are some shows a trifling fiver, but they sometimes do a 2-for-1 on these tickets! Recent comedians have included the much-vaunted Ruby Carr and QI Elf Joe Mayo. From £2.50, Fool & Co
Duck Duck Goose @ Hope & Anchor, Brixton
Every Monday night, this small room in a south London pub comes alive with improv-ers acting out strange scenarios that you've told 'em to create. Tickets are free, but it's recommended you reserve in advance. Free, Duck Duck Goose
Punchlines @ the Cornershop Bar, Shoreditch
Gary Michaels — a man with 20+ years experience on the circuit — takes the helm at this night where wannabe stars of tomorrow brave the mic. Expect a real pick 'n' mix. Free, Punchlines
Ivory Arch Comedy @ Ivory Arch Comedy, Elephant & Castle
A south London railway arch offers an intimate space in which to watch freshman comedians play with newly-cooked-up gags. Free, Ivory Arch Comedy
Free and cheap comedy in London on a Tuesday
2nd Row Comedy @ Piehole Shoreditch
When you think about it, there really ought to be more free comedy shows where you can see circa eight acts AND score a decent pie. As if that weren't appealing enough, 2nd Row Comedy also offers 'free exit' as well as free entry; big if true. Free, 2nd Row Comedy
Hot Comedy @ Hot Toddy's, Camden
Cheap comedy once a week at (from what we can fathom) is a nice little stage inside a Belushi's. From £6, Hot Comedy
Free Comedy @ Hoxley & Porter, Highbury & Islington
Catch weekly bouts of comedy from (usually lesser-known) comics with some good food and drink deals to boot. Free, Free Comedy
Hood Rat Comedy @ Rumba, Soho
Free comedy from fresh comedians, plus beers from £2.50 a pop. That's a cheap laugh we can get on board with! Free, Hood Rat Comedy
JK Comedy Club @ Spice of Life, Soho
You know it's a proper comedy show when they've got a brick wall behind the comedians. For the markedly un-princely sum of £5, you get to enjoy an evening of stand-up comedy every Tuesday. £5, JK Comedy Club
Armpit Comedy, Clapham North, Clapham (sometimes on Wednesday, every two weeks)
A frankly ludicrous number of comedians i.e. nine are packed into every Armpit Comedy show, so even if you don't get out to another comedy show this year you've still seen more comedians than most. From £5, Armpit Comedy
Free and cheap comedy in London on a Wednesday
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Comedy at the Old Crown, New Oxford Street
Established acts mingle with the newbies at this super central weekly evening that often packs out. Free, Comedy at the Old Crown
It's Comedy @ Spit & Sawdust, Elephant & Castle
Big laughs in a small room with an invisible entrance fee — that's It's Comedy, which showcases two comedians each Wednesday, with shorter support sets from others. Free, It's Comedy
The Laugh Bath @ the Endeavour, Deptford
Up and coming comics serve as a warm-up for a more established headliner. There's also a 'Rubber Duck Award for Cleanest Comedian' — presumably the least sweary one? Free, The Laugh Bath
Elgin's Marvels Comedy Club @ the Elgin, Maida Vale (every other Wednesday)
The posh areas of London like a laugh too, at least every other Wednesday. Expect newer acts, and no entrance fee. Free, Elgin's Marvels Comedy Club
Rip It Up Comedy @ Wood Street Bear, Wood Street (every other Wednesday)
"London’s most indie comedy night" showcases up and coming comics with no entrance fee. Free, Rip It Up Comedy
Armpit Comedy, Clapham North, Clapham (sometimes on Tuesday, every two weeks)
A frankly ludicrous number of comedians i.e. nine are packed into every Armpit Comedy show, so even if you don't get out to another comedy show this year you've still seen more comedians than most. From £5, Armpit Comedy
Free and cheap comedy in London on a Thursday
Downstairs at the King's Head, Muswell Hill
Unassuming basement venue riddled with comedians, with a Try Out Night on Thursdays. More established acts (think Arthur Smith, Shazia Mirza) appear on Saturdays but you pay more. From £6, Downstairs at the King's Head
Rye Lane Ruckus @ Eagle Eats Bakery, Peckham
What is presumably the best-smelling comedy club in London, Rye Lane Ruckus mixes established and emerging acts... in a bakery. It's free (the cakes are not). Free, Rye Lane Ruckus
The Comedy Industrial Complex @ Pub on the Park, Hackney
Stand-up with a difference, as apparently much of this is topical comedy/satire. (They also promise "story tellers and just plain wacky bafoonery"). Free, The Comedy Industrial Complex
Quintessentially Comedy @ Quinn's, Camden (every other Thursday)
Friendly new act/material night MCed by Dave Lynch. Free, Quintessentially Comedy
Free Me Abeg, the Brookmill, Greenwich (some Thursdays)
Damiete MCs this semi-regular bout of stand-up from on-the-up comedians. Free, Free Me Abeg
Free and cheap comedy in London on a Friday
Comedy Club Shoreditch @ Bistrot Walluc (also on Saturday)
The Friday night offering from the busy London Comedy Group, Comedy Club Shoreditch ushers you into Bistrot Walluc for free comedy, and (not free) fondue. Free, Comedy Club Shoreditch
Comedy Oxygen @ the Trinity, Borough
Pro comics try out new bits, while newer ones dip their toe into the circuit. Free, Comedy Oxygen
Free and cheap comedy in London on a Saturday
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Comedy Club Shoreditch @ Bistrot Walluc (also on Friday)
The Friday and Saturday night offering from the busy London Comedy Group, Comedy Club Shoreditch ushers you into Bistrot Walluc for free comedy, and (not free) fondue. Free, Comedy Club Shoreditch
Free and cheap comedy in London on a Sunday
Candlemaker Comedy @ the Candlemaker, Battersea
New acts and new material are given a public airing for a couple of hours every Sunday evening. Free, Candlemaker Comedy
Free Comedy @ Brewhouse & Kitchen, Highbury
A 90-minute blast of free comedy might be just what the doctor ordered ahead of Monday morning. Free, Free Comedy
The OM Comedy Club, North Nineteen, Upper Holloway (first and third Sunday of the month)
Not many places are slinging free comedy on a Sunday, but this place almost makes up for the deficit, platforming 10+ acts in one fell swoop. Chris Ali comperes. Free, The OM Comedy Club
Free radio and TV recordings
Watching taping for the likes of HIGNFY and Graham Norton in London is a great way of seeing live comedy of a different genre — and perhaps a Hollywood star or two. Read more about getting free tickets with our guide.
