Nail Salon Cost Calculator
Enter what your salon charges for a full set and for a fill, how many weeks you leave between appointments and what you tip. The calculator shows what your nails cost per month and per year.
Free, no sign-up. What you enter stays in your browser: it is not saved or sent to HerFound. Reviewed .
Currency
Charged when an old set is taken off before a new full set.
Use 0 if you get a new full set every time.
Compare with a regular manicure (optional)
Enter the price of a full set and a fill to see what your nails cost per month and per year.
How it works
The calculator works with a repeating cycle: one full set, then a number of fills, then a new full set. Cost of one cycle = full set price + removal price (if you entered one) + number of fills × fill price. The cycle has one appointment for the full set and one for each fill.
Average cost per appointment = cost of one cycle divided by the number of appointments in it, then multiplied by (1 + tip percent ÷ 100). The tip is worked out on the price of the services, removal included.
Appointments per year = 52 ÷ weeks between appointments. Cost per year = appointments per year × average cost per appointment. Cost per month = cost per year ÷ 12.
The regular manicure row uses the same method: 52 ÷ weeks between manicures × price × (1 + tip). It is there so you can see the difference in yearly cost.
What it cannot tell you
- It only knows the prices you enter. Nail art, repairs for a broken nail, longer lengths and shape changes are usually charged as extras and are not included unless you add them to your prices.
- It assumes you keep the same routine all year. Any break from artificial nails lowers the real figure.
- The currency symbol is only for display. Nothing is converted, and tax is only included if your prices already include it.
- It is a cost calculator, not advice on how often to have your nails done. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that frequent touch-ups can seriously damage natural nails.
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Common questions
What acrylic nails cost per month depends on your salon's prices and how often you go. As a worked example, a 60 full set, 40 fills every 3 weeks, a new set after every 3 fills and a 20% tip comes to 78 a month, or 936 a year. Enter your own prices above to get your figure.
Artificial nails need a fill, also called a touch-up or infill, every 2 to 3 weeks to cover the gap that appears as the nail grows, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Many salons book fills anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks apart. The same source warns that frequent touch-ups can seriously damage natural nails.
A full set is a completely new set of artificial nails, built on bare natural nails. A fill, or infill, keeps the existing nails and fills in the gap of new growth near the cuticle. A fill takes less product and time, so salons charge less for it than for a full set.
Tipping at a nail salon depends on the country. In the United States a tip of 15% to 20% of the service price is a common custom. In the United Kingdom and much of Europe tips are smaller or optional. This is custom, not a rule, so the calculator lets you enter any tip from 0% to 30%.
Getting fills is cheaper than a new full set each time whenever your salon charges less for a fill than for a full set, which most do. With a 60 full set and a 40 fill every 3 weeks, a new set every visit costs about 1,040 a year before tips, and a new set after every 3 fills costs about 780.