Client BookHow the calculator works
Most pros set prices by looking at what others charge. That tells you what clients expect, but not whether the price actually pays your bills. This calculator works from your side of the chair:
- Your yearly target = income goal + business costs × 12.
- Client hours per year = hours per week × how full your book is × weeks you work.
- Cost per client hour = yearly target ÷ client hours.
- Minimum price = cost per client hour × service time + products.
The suggested price is rounded up to the nearest 5, because that's how most price lists look — and a few extra dollars per client cover the things you forgot to count.
Example prices
With the default numbers above — $45,000 a year, $600 a month in costs, 35 hours a week, 75% booked, 46 weeks — your cost per client hour is about $43.
| Service | Time | Products | Minimum | Suggested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gel manicure | 60 min | $4 | $47.23 | $50 |
| Gel extensions, full set | 120 min | $10 | $96.46 | $100 |
| Women's cut & blow-dry | 60 min | $3 | $46.23 | $50 |
| Root color | 90 min | $15 | $79.84 | $80 |
| Classic lash full set | 120 min | $8 | $94.46 | $95 |
| Lash fill | 60 min | $4 | $47.23 | $50 |
| Brow wax & tint | 30 min | $3 | $24.61 | $25 |
Example numbers only — prices change a lot between cities, countries and experience levels. Run the calculator with your own.
What counts as business costs
- Rent, booth rent or suite rent
- Insurance, licences and memberships
- Software, booking tools and card payment fees
- Tools and equipment (spread the cost over a year)
- Education and courses
- Laundry, cleaning, towels and disposables you don't count per service
- Marketing, website and phone
Products you use on a specific service — color, gel, lashes, wax — go into Products used per service instead, so expensive services carry their own cost.
Common pricing mistakes
- Counting only the service time. Consultation, setup, cleanup and the gap between clients are part of the service. Include them in the minutes.
- Assuming a full book. Almost nobody is booked 100% of the time. Cancellations, no-shows and quiet weeks are why the "how full" number matters.
- Forgetting holidays and sick days. If you take 6 weeks off a year, your prices have to cover them.
- Copying the cheapest salon nearby. If their costs or income goal are lower than yours, their prices won't work for you.
- Never raising prices. Your costs go up every year. Check your numbers at least once a year — and use these price increase message templates to tell clients.
Questions
How do I calculate the price of a service?
Add up what you want to earn in a year and your yearly business costs, then divide by the hours you actually spend with clients in a year. That gives your cost per hour. Multiply it by the time the service takes (including setup and cleanup) and add the products you use. The result is the minimum you should charge.
How much should I charge for nails?
It depends on your costs, your area and how long each set takes you. As an example, if you need $45 an hour to cover your income goal and costs, a 90-minute gel set with $6 of products should cost at least $73.50 — so around $75. Use the calculator with your own numbers.
How much should I charge for lashes?
Lash sets take longer than most services, so time is the biggest part of the price. A 2-hour classic full set at $45 an hour with $8 of supplies comes to at least $98. Fills are shorter, so they cost less. Check local prices too, but don't go below your own minimum.
Should I just copy what other salons charge?
Local prices tell you what clients are used to paying, but not whether those prices work for you. Your rent, speed, products and income goal are different. Calculate your minimum first, then compare it with the market.
What should I include in business costs?
Rent or booth rent, insurance, licences, software and booking tools, card fees, education, tools and equipment, laundry, marketing and anything else you pay to run the business. Products you use on a specific service go into the per-service product cost instead.
Does the calculator include taxes?
No. The income goal is what you want to earn before income tax. If you want a take-home figure after tax, set the goal higher, or ask an accountant how much to set aside in your country.