Guide
Booth rent vs commission: which is better for a tattoo studio?
Short answer: commission (a split such as 60/40) shares the risk and suits newer artists and studios that bring the clients; booth rent (a fixed weekly or monthly amount) suits busy artists with their own clientele. A hybrid – lower rent plus a small split – is common too.
The three models
| Model | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Commission split | The artist keeps a share of each session (50–70 %), the studio the rest. | Newer artists; studios that supply clients, marketing and supplies. |
| Booth rent | The artist pays a fixed rent (for example $150–$400 a week) and keeps everything else. | Established artists with their own clients. |
| Hybrid | Lower rent plus a small split (for example $100 a week + 80/20). | Studios that want steady income and a share of busy months. |
An example month
An artist takes $8,000 in sessions in a month. With a 60/40 split the artist earns $4,800 and the studio $3,200. With booth rent of $250 a week the artist earns about $6,920 and the studio $1,080. With a hybrid of $100 a week + 80/20 the artist earns about $5,970 and the studio $2,030. In a slow month of $3,000, the split gives the studio $1,200, rent still $1,080, the hybrid $1,030.
Try your own numbers with the artist pay calculator.
Decide the details in writing
- Tips: all to the artist, or split?
- Card fees: taken off before the split, or paid by one side?
- Deposits kept for no-shows: studio, artist or split?
- Products sold (jewelry, aftercare): studio or split?
- Piercings: the same split or a different one?
- Supplies: who pays for ink, needles and gloves?
- When is pay settled – weekly, every two weeks, monthly?
How GITECHY INK helps
Each artist has their own model – split, booth rent or hybrid – with the date it started. Payments recorded at check out are shared automatically (tips, card fees, products and kept deposits by your rules), statements are created per pay period and artists see their own.
Questions
Are booth renters employees?
Usually not – booth renters and commission artists are often independent contractors, but the rules depend on how you work together and on your state. Ask an accountant or attorney.
Can one studio use different models?
Yes. Many studios have resident artists on a split and guest or senior artists on booth rent.
Related
Run your studio with GITECHY INK
Booking with deposits, consent forms, artist pay and aftercare – one flat price per studio, no commission on your payments.