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How to price a gel polish manicure

Price a gel polish manicure from your own time and product cost: add the minutes a full appointment really takes at your target hourly rate, plus your overheads and a margin, and set a separate price for removal and for nail art. Because gel polish is a short, frequent service, a few unpaid minutes on every visit add up fast.

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What it is, from the salon side

Gel polish is a coloured gel painted on the natural nail and cured under a lamp, so it stays glossy for a couple of weeks. For the salon it is the everyday service: short, booked often and usually the first thing a new client tries, so a clear price and a well-timed slot matter more than on longer services.

How much time to plan

AppointmentPlan for
Manicure with gel polish, one colour45–60 min
With removal of the previous gel polishSoak-off or filing included60–75 min
Gel polish only, no cuticle work30–45 min
Removal only15–25 min
French or simple nail artDepends on the design+10–20 min

Starting points for planning, not measured averages. Time your own appointments for two weeks and use your numbers.

What goes into the cost

  • Gel polish colour, base and top coat used per client
  • Files, buffers and drill bits, which wear out
  • Prep and removal products: cleanser, primer, remover, cuticle oil
  • Disposables: pads, wipes, foil, gloves, towels
  • Your time, including prep, curing and clean-up
  • A share of rent, power and software for every hour you work

How to set the price

  1. Time three or four real gel polish appointments, with and without removal, from greeting to payment, and use the average of your own minutes.
  2. Set a target hourly rate for yourself and add your monthly overheads spread over the hours you can really sell.
  3. Enter each variant (with removal, without removal, removal only) in the calculator below with its own minutes and product cost.
  4. Round to a clean price and check it against two or three salons near you to decide where you want to sit.
  5. List nail art, French and removal of another salon's work as separate lines, so the base price stays clear.

Work out your price

The rows below are examples for this service. Change the minutes and product cost to your own, set your hourly target and overheads, and the calculator gives a price that covers them.

Your numbers

What you want to earn per booked hour, before profit.

Rent, utilities, software, insurance and other costs you pay every month.

Hours you can realistically book, not opening hours.

Share of the final price you keep as profit.

Overhead per hour
$15.00
Cost per booked hour
$40.00

Your services

Example rows. Replace them with your own services, real durations and product cost.

Suggested prices

  • Gel polish manicure55 min

    Cost: $39.67

    $50

    Profit: $10.33

    Price per hour: $55

  • Gel polish with removal70 min

    Cost: $50.17

    $65

    Profit: $14.83

    Price per hour: $56

  • Gel polish removal only20 min

    Cost: $14.33

    $20

    Profit: $5.67

    Price per hour: $60

  • French or simple art15 min

    Cost: $10.50

    $15

    Profit: $4.50

    Price per hour: $60

Overhead per hour = monthly fixed costs ÷ sellable hours. Cost = product cost + (minutes ÷ 60) × (hourly pay + overhead per hour). Price = cost ÷ (1 − margin), rounded up.

Your price list

The printed page shows only the price list.

Price list

  • Gel polish manicure55 min$50
  • Gel polish with removal70 min$65
  • Gel polish removal only20 min$20
  • French or simple art15 min$15

What to ask before the first appointment

  • Is she coming with gel polish or another product on her nails that needs removing first?
  • Does she want one colour, a French or some nail art, so you can book the right length?
  • How often does she plan to come back for a new colour?
  • Any allergies or reactions to gel products before?

Add-ons that fit

  • French tip, chrome or cat eye finish
  • Nail art per nail
  • Strengthening base under the colour
  • Hand treatment or cuticle care

In CutieCure Salon

In CutieCure Salon you give each service its own duration, so gel polish with or without removal is booked for the time it really takes, and clients only see free times that fit. You can also keep a catalog of your colours and designs with their prices, and clients can try a colour from your catalog on a photo of their own hand before the appointment.

Questions

How much should I charge for gel polish?

There is no single right price: it depends on your time, product cost, overheads and local market. Price the manicure, the removal and any art separately from your own numbers, then compare with salons near you.

Should removal be included in the gel polish price?

Removal of your own work can be included if you book the extra minutes for it. Removal of another salon's work often takes longer, so it is worth listing it as a separate line.

How long should I book for gel polish?

Plan around 45 minutes to an hour for a one-colour manicure and longer when removal is included, then adjust to the times you measure in your own salon.

Book every service at the right length

In CutieCure Salon each service has its own duration, so clients only see times that really fit. 14-day free trial, no card required.

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