Nail services pricing: 2026
What to charge for nails
Solo independent nail-tech pricing for May 2026. Nine service tiers + regional adjustments. Aggregated from public booking listings + Yelp data; treat as starting- point ranges.
By service tier
Natural manicure
Shape + cuticle + buff + polish (or natural finish). Premium-tier salons in big metros run higher.
Gel manicure
Shape + cuticle + gel polish under UV. Lasts 2-3 weeks before chips appear. Bundled-with-pedi discount common.
Gel-X full set
Soft-gel tip extensions + gel polish. 60-90 min chair time. Nail-art surcharges priced separately.
Gel-X refill (2-3 weeks out)
Cuticle reset + new gel polish on existing tips. ~45 min. Discount vs full set encourages cadence.
Acrylic full set
Liquid + powder system. Less popular than gel-x in 2026 but still standard at high-volume salons.
Standard pedicure
Soak + cuticle + shape + buff + polish. Bundled-with-mani discount $10-20 standard.
Gel pedicure
Standard pedi + gel polish under UV. 2-3 week wear before chips. Popular in summer / cruise / wedding prep.
Spa pedicure (massage + paraffin)
Extended treatment with paraffin wax, scrub, massage. 60-75 min total. Premium positioning.
Nail art (per design / per hour)
Per-nail or per-hour. Simple line/dot: $10-25 per nail. Hand-painted / 3D / chrome: $60-120 per nail or hourly $80-150.
By region
Major metros (NYC, LA, SF)
20-40% premium over the national median. Gel-x $120-180; refill $75-120; spa pedi $120-200.
Mid-tier US (Austin, Nashville, Miami)
Aligned with national medians. Gel-x $80-110; refill $55-80; gel pedi $70-100.
Secondary markets + smaller cities
10-15% below national median. Gel-x $70-100; refill $45-70; gel pedi $55-85.
Mobile nail services
Mobile / house-call nail services typically charge a flat $15-40 travel surcharge on top of the standard service. For mobile-only artists, also consider:
- $50+ minimum service ticket (filter out non-economic micro-bookings)
- UV/LED lamp + electrical-outlet requirement in the in-home setup checklist (see /help/in-home-setup-checklist)
- Travel zones priced like spray-tan (see /help/travel-zones for the pattern)
FAQ
- How much should I charge for gel-x?
- Gel-x full set runs $75-$140 for solo independent nail techs in 2026. Refills (2-3 week cadence) run $50-$95. Premium designs + intricate nail art are charged hourly on top of the base ($60-$120 per hour of art).
- What's a typical cancellation policy for nail services?
- 24 hours notice is standard. Nail services have shorter chair time + faster recovery from a no-show vs hair/spray-tan, so a 24-hour window is fair to both sides. See /help/cancellation-policy-templates.
- How often should clients rebook?
- Gel manicure: 2-3 weeks. Gel-x full set: 3-5 weeks for refill, full removal+reset every 6-8 weeks. Natural manicure: weekly to bi-weekly. Goldenhour's smart-rebook tracks per-client cadence after 3+ visits.
- What about pedicures?
- Standard pedicure: $50-$85. Gel pedicure: $65-$110. Spa pedicure (with massage / paraffin / extended soak): $85-$150. Mobile pedicure surcharge typical $15-$40 on top.