Electric Beach Tanning vs Planet Beach

Documented price lines, service by service

These 7 lines come from published sources and are grouped by what they actually are. Folding fees into a service list is how misleading "average" figures are produced, so they are separated here.

One location's price is not evidence of a national rate. Confirm at the location you book.

What the same service costs across the U.S. market

A quote well above these bands is not automatically bad value - it usually means a different scope, a senior provider, or an costly metro. This table tells you which question to ask.

Market ranges are planning estimates compiled from published U.S. pricing data. They are not quotes and are not attributable to any brand named on this page.

Where you live changes the price more than anything else

Rent and wages flow straight into the menu. Applying published metro cost bands to the $11 national median for uv bed - level 1 gives the following planning ranges.

Derived by applying regional cost-of-doing-business multipliers to the $11 national median. Treat as a sanity check on a quote you have been given.

Six things that decide what you pay

Ask about these at booking, not at checkout. Every one of them is easier to decline on the phone than halfway through a service.

• Bed level+$8–$40

  Level 1 through level 5 is the primary price ladder.

• Enrolment or annual fee+$15–$60

  Charged on top of the monthly rate at many chains.

• Membership tier+$15–$70

  Each tier unlocks a different set of beds and spray inclusions.

• Contract term and freeze ruleschanges the contract, not the price

  Minimum terms and freeze policies change the true cost.

• Lotion purchase+$25–$90

  The largest and least-expected line on a first visit.

Related cost breakdowns: Annual Tanning Cost, Stand Up Tanning Cost and Tanning Lotion Cost.

Gratuity, converted from percentages into money

Two rules do most of the work: tip on the service before tax, and tip the person who performed it.

• If the salon owner performed the service, tipping is optional by convention - though seldom refused.
• Cash reaches the provider fastest and is still preferred in most independent shops.
• An automatic service charge ought to be disclosed when you book. Spot one on the bill, ask whether it goes to the provider before adding more.
• Card tips may be pooled or delayed to the next pay run. Ask if you want it to reach one person directly.

The costly errors, ranked

These are the errors that show up repeatedly in pricing complaints. Every one is avoided by asking once in advance rather than at checkout.

1. 1Joining before checking the freeze policycosts $60–$300

   A plan you cannot pause bills through the off-season.

2. 2Not asking about the enrolment or annual feecosts $15–$60

   Charged in addition to the monthly rate at most chains.

3. 3Buying lotion at the counter without checking the pricecosts $25–$90

   The single largest surprise on a first visit.

4. 4Assuming the membership covers every bedcosts $10–$40

   Higher-level beds are generally an upgrade on top of the plan.

If you want the policy detail behind these: How To Compare Salon Prices and Prepare For UV Tanning.

Seven questions that prevent a surprise bill

Read these out. It takes under two minutes and they are the gap between a quote and a surprise. The final question matters most — a written quote settles any dispute at checkout.

1. "Is removal of my existing product included, or is it a separate charge?"
2. "What add-ons do you normally recommend for this service, and what does each cost?"
3. "Which provider tier is that quote for, and what does the next tier up cost?"
4. "Is there a first-visit offer or a package rate I should know about?"
5. "What is your cancellation window, and what is the charge if I miss it?"
6. "What is the precise price for uv bed - level 1 at my hair length and density?"
7. "Are taxes added at checkout, and do you have a card-payment surcharge?"

At checkout: check the itemised total against the quote before paying. Corrections are straightforward at the desk and nearly impossible afterwards.

What the bill looks like at checkout

Every line below is normal and expected. None of it is a scam — but almost none of it appears on the menu board either.

Illustrative. The 6.7% tax figure varies by state - several states do not tax personal services at all.

Takeaway: budget $33 when the board says $18. The difference is $15.

You can do this with your own quote rather than doing this by hand.

What uv bed - level 1 costs you over annually

Most budgets break at the cadence, not the price. UV bed - level 1 maintained twice weekly in season works out to roughly $528 annually once gratuity is included.

Cadence comes down to typical maintenance intervals. Your own interval is the largest variable.

The cheapest lever is nearly always stretching the cadence, not finding a cheaper provider. Moving from 40 visits a year to 30 saves about $132 annually — typically more than switching salons would.

Is the monthly plan worthwhile?

The honest test is your sensible visit count, not your intended one. Most of us overestimate by 30–50%. Take the number below and check it against how you behaved last quarter.

Break-even = monthly fee / per-visit price. At $11 a visit the maths is simple enough to do at the counter.

Before signing, run your own break-even.

Worth comparing before you commit

Price is not generally the deciding factor. Line up the inclusions first — what is actually included — and only then the price.

Common questions, answered with numbers

Sources and how we checked them

Listed so you can check the figures yourself. If a source has changed since we recorded it, the correction form below is the fastest way to flag it.

1. Official Iowa prices and memberships
2. Official service overview
3. Official membership page
4. Official U.S. brand website

Pricing shifts. Quoted a different figure, tell us and we will re-verify.