How Much Do Tattoos Cost?

You’ve heard this question, you’ve asked this question, and you’re probably still wondering what the answer really is. Calling a tattoo shop and asking “how much do tattoos cost?” Is kind of like asking a grocery store “how much for a bag of groceries?”

The real answer is: it depends.

Let’s unpack that bag of groceries and figure out how tattoo pricing works once and for all.

Full disclaimer: every artist and shop will have their own pricing structure that may or may not follow this outline. This breakdown has been curated using nearly two decades of experience and observing the industry standards.

There are also several factors that are hard to account for, such as the cost of living in your area, whether an artist is traveling (e.g. conventions or guest spots) and several other things.

Tattoo Pricing: Hourly vs. Flat Rates

A common question that tattoo artists receive is whether we charge by the hour, or charge by the piece. Typically, the answer is both!

For smaller or less complex tattoos, flat rates are typically the standard. Most shops have a minimum rate that covers the supplies and time needed by the artist. 

For example: our shop minimum is $120, and we will typically charge this for tattoos that take less than 30-45 minutes to complete.

Flat rates are also common when picking flash from an artist’s book. Sometimes this can amount to less than an artist’s hourly rate as an incentive for picking one of their pre-drawn designs. 

Hourly rates are most common when getting custom pieces or tattoos that take multiple sessions to complete. 

Some artists may even charge by blocks (e.g. a half day or full day) that include a set amount of hours. 

A note on day rates: While we will never criticize or tell another artist how to run their business, it is important for you as the client to be diligent in understanding what an artist’s day rate includes. Unfortunately, predatory artists have been know to take advantage of clients by charging in excess of $1200-$2000 for a “full day” that only includes 2-3 hours of actual tattoo time after drawing, breaks, etc.

There are plenty of honest artists that charge worth-while day rates and complete a lot of work in that time. Just make sure the details are communicated between you and your artist!

Factors That Influence the Final Price

The Artist’s Experience and Reputation

As with any skilled trade, a person’s level of experience and the reputation they build for themselves is reflected in the cost of their work. Newer artists may charge less than somebody who is 20+ years into their career, but there may be trade-offs in quality of work or the professional experience you have.

Again, it is important to note that this isn’t “one size fits all” and that there are plenty of new tattooers who provide arguably better work and experiences than people with decades of experience. This is just a generalization to help folks understand how pricing works in a very subjective trade!

Tattoo Size, Complexity, and Color

This is probably the most important factor in the cost of your tattoo. A large-but-simple design could end up taking less time and being cheaper than a small-but-intricate one. The devil is in the details.

Fine line tattoos are a great example of this. Although they seem small and simple, a greater degree of detail and experience is required.

Color vs. black and grey is another question that we receive when discussing cost. Some artists may charge more for color due to the application potentially taking a little longer than black and grey. 

Back in the day, many street shops used to charge per ink cap (or even “by letter” when doing script tattoos!). Want 3 different colors? Each one is another $20.

This practice is rare and outdated by today’s standards, and an example of our craft’s ever-changing pricing methods. 

The Tattoo’s Location on Your Body

Another important thing to consider is the placement on your body. Yes, some artists may charge “handling fees” for sensitive areas—but that is less common than what we are talking about here.

Bodies are challenging mediums to work on. Skin has varying degrees of elasticity, nerves cause different reactions, and sometimes just maneuvering a tattoo machine into the right position is difficult due to a person’s anatomy. 

The inside of your forearm, for example, is nearly perfect to tattoo. The skin is firm, typically a little less sun exposed, and easy to get to. The area is less painful for you, as the client, so we can work quicker with fewer sudden movements to worry about.

Compare that in contrast to your neck or the side of your stomach. These areas see a lot of movement, so the skin tends to be stretchier. The pain causes people to move more or need more breaks. The positioning on the body itself makes it difficult to find the right “leverage” when tattooing you. 

Difficult areas will always take more time and skill, which means that you can usually expect to pay a little more for them.

The tattoo may only cost $200 on your forearm, but double that on your neck! 

Custom Designs vs. Flash Art

As we briefly touched on when discussing hourly vs. flat rates, flash art may end up costing less than custom designs.

This is sometimes due to the artist incentivizing you to choose their drawings, but may also be due to the ease of preparation. Flash and pre-drawn designs are ready to go right then and there. You pick it, we stick it. 

Custom designs, however, take a little leg work. We need to gather references, work through multiple sketch iterations, make necessary changes, and sometimes even map out exactly how the tattoo will sit on your body.

Most artists don’t charge for “drawing time” but it may be baked into their hourly rates. The prep work is also why deposits are almost always required for your appointment! 

Tattoo Cost by Size and Type

As with most of the discussion thus far, there are no perfectly set answers. Tattoos don’t have standard sizes like t-shirts or shoes. Subjectivity is everything here. What is “small” to one person may be average or actually totally huge to someone else (get it?)

How Much Do Small Tattoos Cost?

Depending on how intricate your desired design is, many small tattoos will end up costing the “shop minimum” or close to it. At our shop, we typically see “small” walk-ins that end up costing $120-$150.

Think palm-sized or smaller for these.

However, some small tattoos may actually end up costing more due to the technicality or placement! 

Pricing for Medium Tattoos

Most tattoos will fall under the “medium” category if we’re being real. This could be considered hand-sized or slightly bigger. In terms of time, most “medium” tattoos are in the range of 1.5 to 4 hours worth of work.

The average hourly rate as of writing this sits right around $200 per hour. This could of course be different based on the artist you choose, but going off of averages—you can likely expect to spend anywhere from $300 to $800 for a “medium” tattoo.

The Cost of Large Tattoos and Sleeves

You’re probably realizing by now that there are a lot of ambiguous answers to these questions, and that’s okay. 

This is probably the most ambiguous of all, because, really… it depends.

Large tattoos are typically going to take several hours spanning across multiple sessions. This could be broken down into a typical hourly rate, or a block rate as we mentioned above. That really just depends on the artist you are working with.

Without listing specific numbers, you can expect larger tattoos to be in excess of $1000+. Sleeves, legs, back pieces, etc. will cost thousands of dollars and take a significant amount of planning, time, and commitment from both you and your artist.

While that may give some people a little sticker-shock, it is also important to note that this cost is paid over multiple sessions and rarely in one single payment.

Remember, though, that tattoos are a lifelong investment and you truly do (or should) get what you pay for. 

Tipping Your Tattoo Artist: How Much Should You Give?

“How much should I tip you?”

This is a question that many tattooers have faced for their entire careers. There is really no right answer to this, so I am going to jump to a first-person op-ed perspective here.

Tipping culture in America has taken a drastic turn in the last 5 years (I wonder why) and everywhere you look, you are met with a small screen asking “just a couple questions” that offer tip amounts in excess of 30%.

I personally disagree with this and think that people are experiencing “tip fatigue” when we are already spread financially thin.

Gratuity is meant to be complimentary and optional by nature. The tip reliance that we’ve forced upon workers is egregious in my opinion. 

When you cross that over into tattooing, a large tip percentage could leave you spending several hundred dollars extra on top of your already expensive tattoo.

I have personally eliminated tipping from my business model and have charged a flat hourly rate for the last few years, which has been met with many compliments from my clients. You pay what you pay—no need to have an uncomfortable moment and do mental math to make sure I’m happy when you leave.

H O W E V E R…

My business model is the exception, not the rule. Tipping is still customary for most artists and you should probably communicate the practice with them before stiffing them because the guy online said so.

When tipping, though, you should remember that it is optional. Did they go above and beyond? Did they make you feel comfortable the entire time? Do you feel like their service is worth more than what you are already paying?

If the answer is “yes” to those questions, kick them a little extra as a sign of appreciation.

As for this artist… my best tip is a good referral (and maybe a coffee on your way in).

How to Get a Tattoo on a Budget

Times are a little tough right now, aren’t they? We are all feeling the economic pressure thanks to rising costs of living, inflationary expenses, and good ol’ corporate greed.

While tattooing is most certainly a luxury expense, simple pleasures go a long way in both good times and bad. 

As artists, we understand that not everybody can spend thousands of dollars on sleeves and monthly appointments. 

Rather than cancelling your appointment or not booking one at all, here is the best advice for someone wanting to get tattooed on a budget:

Ask.

That’s it.

Just ask. 

While we can’t guarantee that every artist will be enthusiastic about working with your budget, it doesn’t hurt to communicate what you have available to spend. We are people too, and many of us are willing to work with someone within reason.

The obvious disclaimer here should be the understanding that working with a budget and haggling an artist are two different things.

Communication is key, here. There is a big difference in saying “I can only spend $____ today” and trying to aggressively barter a $400 tattoo down to $80 (yes, it has happened.)

Again, my personal opinion is that I would rather tattoo a person within their budget rather than not tattoo them at all.

While your artist should tell you the cost up front, it is also your responsibility as the client to ask if they are not clearly communicating. We’ve heard of too many awkward interactions where people are surprised by the cost at the end because they sat down to get tattooed without either party communicating the price first.

Now that you (hopefully) have a better understanding of how much tattoos cost, reach out to that artist you’ve been eyeballing and get that tattoo you’ve been dreaming of.

Like what you’re seeing here? Contact us or walk in today!