Electric Beach Tanning vs Sun Tan City

What the brand actually publishes

13 documented amounts, split into services, add-ons, plans and policy charges. Each keeps the precise label it was published under so you can match it against the menu you are shown when you book.

A single location's menu proves nothing about the chain. Verify locally before booking.

National price context for these services

Use this as a sanity check. If your quote lands outside this range, ask what is included before writing it off — scope differences explain most outliers.

These bands describe the national market, not this page's subject. Use them to judge whether a quote is reasonable, not as a price you can book.

What uv bed - level 1 costs in your metro tier

Location is typically the largest single variable. The national median for uv bed - level 1 is $11; the same appointment can land near $8 in a small market and $19 in a top-tier metro. That is a 2.5× spread on an identical service name.

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.

The variables that move the number

Ranking these matters. Nearly everyone compare the headline price of two salons and overlook the next few lines below it that really determine the bill.

• Enrolment or annual fee+$15–$60

  Charged in addition to the monthly rate at many chains.

• Lotion purchase+$25–$90

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

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

  Minimum terms and freeze policies change the true cost.

• Membership tier+$15–$70

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

• Bed level+$8–$40

  Level 1 through level 5 is the primary price ladder.

Related cost breakdowns: Airbrush Tan Cost, Spray Tan Cost and Automated Spray Tan Cost.

Membership break-even: the only maths that matters

A membership is worthwhile above one number: monthly fee ÷ per-visit price. Below that visit count you are subsidising the salon. At a $11 per-visit rate, here is where each plan level breaks even.

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

Use the quoted rate rather than the market one and calculate your own break-even.

What to tip, in actual dollars

Percentages are awkward to compute at the counter. Below they are converted into actual dollars at the low, middle and high end of the market range.

• Do not tip on membership dues, booth rent, deposits, annual fees, gift-card loads or cancellation charges — no service was performed.
• Cash reaches the provider fastest and is still preferred in most independent salons.
• On a $11 service, the difference between an 18% and a 20% tip is $0.22. It matters less than whether you tip at all.
• Assistants who shampoo or rinse are often tipped on a separate line, typically a few dollars.

What people get wrong here

All five are common, avoidable and quantified. None of them require haggling — just one question asked at the right time.

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

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

2. 2Buying lotion at the counter without checking the pricecosts $25–$90

   The single largest surprise on a first visit.

3. 3Assuming the membership covers every bedcosts $10–$40

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

4. 4Not asking about the enrolment or annual feecosts $15–$60

   Charged in addition to the monthly rate at most chains.

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

Exactly what to ask when you book

Ask these at booking rather than on arrival. Once you are gowned and in the chair, declining an add-on becomes socially much harder — which is precisely why they are offered there.

1. "Is removal of my existing product included, or is it a separate charge?"
2. "Can you email or text me the quote before my appointment?"
3. "What add-ons do you normally recommend for this service, and what does each cost?"
4. "Are taxes added at checkout, and do you have a card-payment surcharge?"
5. "Is there a first-visit offer or a package rate I should know about?"
6. "What is your cancellation window, and what is the charge if I miss it?"
7. "Is a shampoo, blow-dry or finish included in that price, or billed on a separate line?"

Finally: get the quote on paper. A text or email costs the salon nothing and removes any argument at checkout.

Menu price versus final bill

This is the gap that surprises people. Starting from a $50 base, here is where the money goes by the time the card is out.

Worked at a $50 base with one add-on. Swap in your own quote and the proportions hold.

The rule of thumb: add around 61% to any menu price for uv bed - level 1 to get your sensible out-the-door number.

Swap in your own base price and calculate your own total.

The real annual cost of keeping this up

A single $11 appointment is easy to justify. Maintained twice weekly in season, uv bed - level 1 becomes a $528 annual commitment at the national median — and that is the number worth deciding on.

Gratuity is included at 20% because it is not optional in practice. Deduct it if you track tips apart from service spend.

Dropping one visit annually saves approximately $13. Dropping the cadence by a quarter saves about $132. Compare that against what you would save by moving to a less expensive provider before you switch.

Worth comparing before you commit

The number alone seldom determines it. Start with what is included — what is actually included — and only then the price.

Common questions, answered with numbers

Sources and how we checked them

Brand-specific amounts on this page come from the pages below. A source covering one location is not used as evidence of a national price, and market ranges are labelled on a separate line.

1. Official Iowa prices and memberships
2. Official service overview
3. Official VIP membership terms
4. Official shared VIP membership

Spotted something out of date? Send a correction and we will re-check the source.