Are You Charging Enough? Try the Free Pricing Benchmark Calculator

Key takeaways

• To see if you're charging enough, the free GlossGenius Pricing Benchmark Calculator compares your average service price with businesses of your type.
• Your result shows where you land, from below average to the top 10%.
• Charging a few dollars too little per service can cost you thousands a year.
• Read it next to your costs and how fast you book up before you change a price.

Say you're booked three weeks out and nobody blinks at your prices. That feels like a good problem, until you wonder if you're undercharging.

Undercharging adds up. At $10 under the going rate on 25 services a week, you give up $250 a week, about $13,000 a year (illustrative). Do nothing, and you lose that again next year.

It's hard to check, though. Plenty of menus aren't posted online, and asking "what are you charging?" in a group chat gets you a dozen answers.

The free GlossGenius Pricing Benchmark Calculator does the checking for any service business, one location or several. Enter your business type and average service price to see how you compare with businesses like yours.

See how your prices compare, free

What is a pricing benchmark?

When you set a price, you probably start with your costs and a peek at a competitor's menu. A pricing benchmark adds the typical price that businesses of your type actually charge, based on real sales. Call it the going rate.

Your costs set the floor, and most pricing calculators online stop there. A benchmark shows if you're under or over the going rate, and by how many dollars a service.

How do your prices compare with businesses like yours?

Picture two businesses on the same block, one booking 30-minute services and one booking three-hour ones. Their prices will never match. Compare with the wrong one, and you could stay too cheap or raise so far that regulars leave.

So the calculator compares you only with your own business type, using anonymized transaction data from 130K+ service businesses. There's no city field, so it won't tell you what the shop down the street charges.

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How does the pricing calculator work?

You only need two things you already know: your business type and your average service price. Fill in a short contact form, and your result shows right away with no account. That's quicker than calling around.

Four steps:

Step 1: Pick the business type closest to yours.

Step 2: Enter your average service price, then select See how I compare.

Step 3: Add your contact details, website, and team size.

Step 4: Read your result, including an estimated revenue opportunity for the year.

What does your pricing benchmark result mean?

When your result loads, the top line tells you where your price lands: below average, average, above average, or top 10%. Then it shows your gap in dollars per service, to the average or, if you're past it, to the top 10%.

Below the top 10%, you'll also see an Estimated Revenue Opportunity, what top 10% pricing could add in a year. It assumes a set number of weekly appointments, so test it against your calendar.

Multiply your gap per service by your real weekly appointments, then by 52.

What should you do with your result?

Say your result comes back below average and you're booked weeks ahead. That's room to charge more. Prices for personal care services rose 25% from September 2021 to September 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so clients are used to paying more.

Check your costs before you change anything, since another business's price doesn't pay your rent. If you're ready, consider this order:

Step 1: Raise one popular service first.

Step 2: Update your booking site and service menu before the new price starts.

Step 3: Email clients a few weeks ahead with the new price and the date it starts.

Step 4: Watch bookings for a month. If they hold, move to the next service.

At or above average, lost money more likely shows up after the booking, as no-shows and late cancellations. The free hidden revenue leaks guide shows where to look.

In GlossGenius, you can take deposits to protect each booking. Memberships and packages keep regulars coming back.

How often should you benchmark your prices?

When something changes, like a new menu or a jump in costs, run it again. Otherwise, check once a year. The going rate moves, so a price left alone for two years can slip below it.

After a price change, compare your rebooking rate for the next 60 days with the 60 days before. If it holds, you earn more per visit. The free client retention quiz shows how well clients keep coming back.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Pricing Benchmark Calculator free?

The calculator and your result cost nothing. You add your contact details to see it.

Which businesses can use the Pricing Benchmark Calculator?

If you charge by the service, the calculator works for you, whether you work on your own or run a team across several locations. Pick the business type closest to yours, then enter your average service price.

Does it work for teams and businesses with more than one location?

For a team, enter the average across everyone's services. With more than one location, run it once for each.

What does "average service price" mean?

Add up what clients paid for services over a recent month, then divide by the number of services. Leave out tips and retail. If you charge by the hour, use a typical appointment's price.

How often should I rerun the Pricing Benchmark Calculator?

Run it once a year, and again after any price change or new service menu.

Are you charging enough? Compare your prices with the free Pricing Benchmark Calculator. Whether you lead a team or you're an individual business owner, you can book a demo to see GlossGenius in action, or start a free trial and try it yourself.