Free guide and calculator

How to price Gel X nails

Price Gel X from your own time and product cost: add the minutes a full set really takes at your target hourly rate, plus your overheads and a margin, and set separate prices for a soak-off with a new set, a removal only and single nail replacements. Gel X is not filled like builder gel, so every return visit is close to a full set and should be priced like one.

Updated

What it is, from the salon side

Soft gel extensions (often called Gel X) are pre-shaped full-cover tips made of soft gel, sized to each nail and bonded with a gel adhesive cured under the lamp. Instead of an infill, the old set is usually soaked off and a new one applied, so the return appointment is long and the price has to reflect it. Length and shape are mostly set by the tip, which makes the service fast once your sizing is quick.

How much time to plan

AppointmentPlan for
Full set, short to medium75–90 min
Full set, long or detailed shapeExtra shaping and colour work90–105 min
Soak-off and new setIncludes removing the previous set100–120 min
Removal only20–30 min
Single nail replacementPer nail10–15 min
Nail art or chrome on topDepends on the design+5–15 min

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

What goes into the cost

  • Soft gel tips, adhesive gel, colour and top coat used per client, including tips that do not fit
  • Files, buffers and drill bits, which wear out
  • Prep products: dehydrator, primer, cleanser, cuticle oil
  • Removal supplies: acetone, foil or clips, pads
  • Your time, including sizing, 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 full sets and soak-offs with a new set, 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 (full set, soak-off and new set, removal, single nail) 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. Write in your price list what is included (length, shape, plain colour) and what costs extra, such as long length, art or a removal of another salon's work.

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 X full set85 min

    Cost: $61.67

    $80

    Profit: $18.33

    Price per hour: $56

  • Gel X soak-off and new set110 min

    Cost: $79.33

    $100

    Profit: $20.67

    Price per hour: $55

  • Gel X removal25 min

    Cost: $17.67

    $25

    Profit: $7.33

    Price per hour: $60

  • Single nail replacement15 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 X full set85 min$80
  • Gel X soak-off and new set110 min$100
  • Gel X removal25 min$25
  • Single nail replacement15 min$15

What to ask before the first appointment

  • Is she coming with another product (acrylic, hard gel, gel polish) that needs removing first?
  • What length and shape does she want, and does she have a photo?
  • How did a previous set of extensions hold up for her, and how often does she want to come back?
  • Any allergies or reactions to gel products before?

Add-ons that fit

  • Nail art per nail
  • Chrome, cat eye or French finish
  • Extra length or a detailed shape
  • Hand treatment or cuticle care

In CutieCure Salon

In CutieCure Salon you give each service its own duration, so a full set, a soak-off with a new set and a removal are each booked for the time they really take, and clients only see free times that fit. In the client record you can note her tip sizes and shape, so the next set starts faster.

Questions

How much should I charge for Gel X?

There is no single right price: it depends on your time, product cost, overheads and local market. Price the full set, the soak-off with a new set and the removal separately from your own numbers, then compare with salons near you.

Should a new Gel X set after soak-off cost the same as the first set?

It often takes longer, because the old set comes off first. Either price it from its real minutes or add the removal to the full set price.

How long should I book for Gel X?

Plan around an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half for a short to medium full set and more when a soak-off comes first, 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.

Start your free trial

Other service guides

Related guides