is booth rent or commission better for tattoo artists?

it depends on how busy you are. divide your weekly rent by the shop's cut. tattoo more than that in a normal week and renting keeps you more. less, and commission does.

what is a normal tattoo shop commission split?

a common split is somewhere between 50/50 and 60/40 in the artist's favor. it depends on the shop, your experience, and whether the clients are yours or walk-ins.

how much is booth rent at a tattoo shop?

it varies a lot from shop to shop and city to city, so there isn't one normal number. ask a few shops near you, and plug their prices into the calculator.

does commission include supplies?

often, yes. shops usually cover supplies for commission artists, while renters buy their own. ask what the split covers before you start.

tattoo booth rent vs commission: which pays more

Q: does goodwork cost more if i rent a booth?

no. goodwork works the same either way: free to list, 15% only on the first booking of a new client it found for you, 0% on repeats and your own link.

the short version

%commission: the shop keeps a cut of every tattoo. slow week, small cut.
$booth rent: you pay a flat amount and keep the rest. busy week, you keep more.
1number decides it: weekly rent divided by the shop's cut.

booth rent calculator

put in a normal week. see which deal keeps you more.

what you tattoo in a weektotal price of your tattoos, before any split. tips not included$the shop's cutthe part the shop keeps on a commission deal%booth rent a weekwhat the shop would charge you to rent instead$

what you keep each week

commission

$1,200

booth rent

$1,500

at your numbers, booth rent keeps you $300 more a week.they're even at $1,250 a week. busier than that, renting wins. slower, commission wins.

this compares money only. renters usually also pay for their own supplies, and rent is due even in a slow week.

renting pays when the chair stays full. get found by new clients.

goodwork costs the same either way: 15% only on the first booking of a new client it finds for you, 0% on repeats and your own link.

get found free

the two deals

commission splits your money, rent is a fixed bill

commissionthe shop keeps part of each tattoo. often supplies and walk-ins are included%

booth rentyou pay the shop each week or month. everything else is yours$

on commission, a common split is somewhere between 50/50 and 60/40 in your favor. it depends on the shop, how long you've been tattooing and whether the clients are yours or walk-ins. rent prices vary too much from shop to shop to give one number, so ask around.

the math

busy weeks favor rent, slow weeks favor commission

1take the weekly rentsay $500.
2divide by the shop's cut$500 ÷ 40% = $1,250.
3compare with a normal weektattoo more than $1,250 a week and renting keeps you more. less than that, commission does.

the calculator above does this with your numbers. use a normal week, not your best one.

beyond the money

rent gives you freedom, commission gives you a cushion

slow weekon a split you pay less. rent is due either waycommission

supplieson commission they're often covered. renters usually buy their owncommission

walk-insshops tend to send walk-ins to their commission artistscommission

your schedule and pricesrenters usually set their own hours and ratesrent

a big, steady client listthe more you book, the more a flat rent pays offrent

every shop is different. these are the usual trade-offs, not rules.

what to do with this

run the calculator with your slowest normal month, not just a good one.
ask the shop what the split covers: supplies, walk-ins, card fees, tips.
get the deal in writing before you start.

new clients

goodwork costs the same either way

a new client goodwork found for youonce, on their first booking15%

that client every time after0%

your own clients and your own link0%

tips100% yours

the client pays their own 6% booking fee. it never comes out of your price.

rent or split, goodwork works the same. it's free to list, and the more clients you bring in, the better renting looks. see how to get more tattoo clients or work out your prices with the rate calculator.

on goodwork

either way, more clients is what pays

goodwork costs the same whether you rent or split. free to list. 15% only on the first booking of a new client goodwork finds for you. repeats and your own link are 0%.

get found free

the fine print

ask a pro about how you're classified

employee or independent contractor?

in california, how you're classified (employee vs independent contractor) matters for taxes, pay and protections. it can depend on how the shop runs, not just whether you rent or split.

talk to an employment attorney or an accountant before you sign.

this page is general info, not legal or tax advice.

commission splits your money, rent is a fixed bill

busy weeks favor rent, slow weeks favor commission

rent gives you freedom, commission gives you a cushion

goodwork costs the same either way

ask a pro about how you're classified

quick answers