Tattoo Artist Commission Split: 30% to 60% Examples

Most tattoo artists who work in a studio are on a percentage deal: a fixed share of every job goes to the studio and the rest stays with the artist. On paper the commission split is simple math. Once deposits, multi-session pieces, supplies and discounts come in, it can get messy. This guide gives concrete examples at common rates like 30%, 40%, 50% and 60%, shows where the math goes wrong and lists what to ask before you agree a deal.

What is the studio split, and what does it cover?

The studio split is the share an artist leaves with the studio from each job in return for what the studio provides. This differs from studio to studio, but usually includes:

• The space, rent, power, water and internet
• Chair, lamp and shared equipment
• Sterilization and cleaning
• The studio's name, social media and the clients it brings in
• Front desk, booking and client communication
• In some studios, consumables

So when you talk about the rate, also look at what you get for it.

The basic formula

The core of the math is two lines:

• Studio share = job price x studio rate
• Your share = job price - studio share

For an $800 job at 40%, the studio share is $320 and you keep $480.

Percentage examples on a single job

Here is how the same $800 job splits at different rates:

Even on one job, the difference between rates is significant. Over dozens of jobs a month, it multiplies.

Monthly example: same turnover, different rates

Say you turned over $7,000 this month and paid $600 for supplies out of your own pocket:

The key question: who pays for supplies, you or the studio? If a higher-rate deal includes supplies, the gap to a lower-rate deal where you buy your own can shrink. Always compare on the net figure after supplies.

Situations that complicate the math

Deposits

If the deposit is part of the total price, the studio share is calculated on the total. The trouble comes when a client does not show and the deposit is kept: is it split, or does it stay with the artist as payment for the design work? Agree on this upfront. For deposit rules, see our tattoo deposit policy guide.

Multi-session work

On a five-session back piece, is the share taken from each session payment or from the total once the piece is done? Splitting each session payment makes month-end settling easier and avoids disputes if the piece is left unfinished.

Discounts and friend prices

If you gave a client a discount, is the share taken from the discounted price? Usually it is based on what was actually collected, but agree on it.

Touch-ups

Free touch-ups bring in no income to split, but they still use the chair and supplies. Paid touch-ups can follow the normal rate. Set the rule in advance.

Card payments

Card payments can come with processing fees. Whether the split is calculated before or after the fee is another point to settle.

Questions to ask before you agree a deal

1. Which amount is the rate based on: the list price or what was collected?
2. Who pays for supplies?
3. Is the rate different for clients the studio brings in and clients you bring?
4. How are kept deposits split?
5. How often do you settle: daily, weekly, monthly?
6. What is the rule for touch-ups and free work?

Putting the answers in writing prevents disagreements later. If you are drawing up a written contract, have a lawyer look at it.

From the studio owner's side

As an owner, you set the rate based on your fixed costs, how busy the artist keeps the chair and how many clients the studio brings in. In studios where each artist has a different rate, tracking turnover and share per artist is essential; otherwise it gets blurry at month end who produced what. For the general bookkeeping setup, read our guide to tattoo studio bookkeeping.

Stop doing the math by hand

If you do several jobs a day, working out the percentage for each and adding it all up at month end takes time, and one wrong number drags out the settlement. In Tattoo Artist Books you set the studio split to 0%, 30%, 40%, 50% or 60%, and your share shows up automatically on every job sheet. The monthly bookkeeping screen lists turnover, studio share, expenses and net earnings separately, so you and the studio look at the same numbers when you settle up.

Weighing a rate change

When a new studio makes you an offer, or you are renegotiating with your current one, run your real turnover from the last three months through both rates using the tables above. Add supplies, travel and any extra clients the studio would bring. Deciding on the percentage alone can hide important items.

Records that make settling easy

Split disputes usually come from missing records. If artist and studio calculate the same month's turnover differently, the cause is usually a payment logged on one side and missing on the other. To avoid that, each job needs:

1. Date and client name
2. The total price of the job
3. The payment taken that day and how it was paid
4. The studio rate applied
5. The studio share and your share

On settlement day both sides look at the same list, and if something does not match, you can find the line right away. If you settle weekly, a short summary at the end of each week also makes month end easier.

These records are the main proof of what you earn. When you work with your accountant at year end, a tidy list speeds things up.

If you are thinking about opening your own studio, look at the 0% line realistically: add rent, utilities and equipment, and talk it through with an accountant.

Wrapping up

A tattoo commission split starts as simple multiplication, but if deposits, supplies, discounts and multi-session work are not agreed, month end can turn into an argument. Agree on what the rate is based on, who pays for supplies and how often you settle, and log every payment. If you want to review your prices with this math in mind, continue with how to price tattoos.