Money & contracts · 8 min read
Commission vs booth rent
Every chair is offered on one of two models, and the headline number tells you almost nothing. What matters is what each side covers and how full your calendar really is.
How each model works
On commission, the shop takes a percentage — commonly 40% to 30% once you're established — and usually handles bookings, front desk, supplies and part of your setup.
On booth rent you pay a fixed weekly or monthly amount, keep everything you earn, and take on your own bookings, deposits, supplies and admin.
The break-even maths
Work out what you actually bill in a typical month, not a good one. If rent is $900 a month and the alternative is a 60/40 commission split, the break-even point is $2,250 in monthly billings — below that, commission pays you more.
Then subtract what you'd buy yourself on rent: needles, ink, cartridges, membranes, card fees and booking software. Those costs are often the difference between the two models.
What to ask before you sign
Get the answers in writing, even if it's just an email summary.
- The exact percentage or rent figure, and when it changes.
- Who takes deposits, where they sit, and when they reach you.
- Whether you keep your client list if you leave.
- What the shop supplies versus what you buy.
- Notice period on both sides.
- Whether you're free to guest elsewhere.
The hidden variable: who owns the booking
The clause that costs artists most isn't the split — it's who holds the client relationship. If the shop's system owns your clients' contact details and you can't export them, leaving means starting over.
Ask what happens to your client records on the way out, and get the answer before you start.
Frequently asked questions
- Is booth rent better than commission?
- Booth rent suits artists with a full calendar who want to keep everything they earn. Commission suits artists who want the shop to book for them and cover more overhead. Run your own numbers rather than following a rule.
- What's a normal tattoo commission split?
- Splits commonly sit between 50/50 and 70/30 in the artist's favour, depending on experience and how much the shop does for you.
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