Frenchies Modern Nail Care vs Hammer & Nails

What the brand actually publishes

4 documented amounts, split into services, add-ons, plans and policy charges. Each keeps the exact label it was published under so you can match it against the menu you are shown at booking.

One location's price is not evidence of a national rate. Check with the location you intend to book.

National price context for these services

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

Compiled national figures for context only. No brand on this page has published these numbers, and none of them is a bookable rate.

What basic manicure costs in your metro tier

Location is generally the largest single variable. The national median for basic manicure is $33; the same appointment can land near $23 in a small market and $58 in a top-tier metro. That is a 2.5× spread on an identical service name.

Bands scale the $33 national median by published metro cost multipliers. Planning ranges, not quotes.

Why your quote differs from the menu

Ask about these when you book, not at checkout. Each is easier to decline before you arrive than halfway through a service.

• Length and shape+$5–$20

  Extending past the natural free edge is billed per length band.

• Nail art or French+$5–$45

  Charged per nail or as a set surcharge.

• Product system+$10–$45

  Regular polish, gel, dip and acrylic sit on different price tiers.

• Repair of a broken nail+$5–$15

  Priced per nail at most salons.

• Soak-off removal+$10–$25

  Removal of a previous set is its own line unless rebooking.

Related cost breakdowns: Acrylic Nails Cost, Chrome Nails Cost and Nail Art Cost.

The expensive errors, ranked

These are the ones that generate complaints. Each is prevented by one question in advance rather than at checkout.

1. 1Saying "gel" when you mean a gel manicure on natural nailscosts $15–$40

   Gel extensions and gel polish are different price tiers.

2. 2Not asking about removalcosts $10–$25

   Soaking off a previous set is charged unless you rebook the same service.

3. 3Choosing length without checking the bandcosts $5–$20

   Extension length is priced in bands at most salons.

4. 4Agreeing to art without a per-nail pricecosts $10–$45

   Art is billed per nail and adds up quickly.

If you want the policy detail behind these: How To Compare Salon Prices and How To Choose A Nail Salon.

Exactly what to ask when you book

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

1. "If this runs longer than booked, does the price change?"
2. "What is the exact price for basic manicure at my hair length and density?"
3. "Is removal of my existing product included, or is it a separate charge?"
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. "Is a shampoo, blow-dry or finish included in that price, or billed on a separate line?"
7. "If I join the membership today, is there an enrolment or annual fee on top?"

Then do one thing at checkout: ask for an itemised receipt. If a line appears that you were not told about, that is the moment to raise it — not after you have left.

What the bill looks like at checkout

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

An illustration built from the ranges on this page. Your tax rate and add-on choices will differ.

The rule of thumb: add roughly 60% to any menu price for basic manicure to get your realistic out-the-door number.

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

The real annual cost of keeping this up

The per-visit price hides the real decision. At every 3 weeks, this service costs about $673 a year including gratuity if you pay national median rates.

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

Before hunting a reduction, check the cadence. Going from 17 to 14 visits per year keeps around $135 in your pocket at the same quality of work.

Membership break-even: the only maths that matters

Ignore the marketing and do one division. If the plan costs more than your sensible monthly visit count × $33, it loses money. The table shows the crossover for common plan prices.

Uses a $33 market per-visit rate. Substitute the rate you were actually quoted.

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

What to tip, in actual dollars

Tip on the pre-tax service amount. If a reduction or promotion applied, the norm is to tip on the original value of the work, not the discounted price.

• If the salon owner performed the service, tipping is optional by norm - though rarely refused.
• Card tips may be pooled or delayed to the next pay run. Ask if you want it to reach one person directly.
• At a resort or hotel spa, check for an automatic service charge before adding a second gratuity on top.
• On a $33 service, the gap between an 18% and a 20% tip is $0.66. It matters less than whether you tip at all.

Worth comparing before you commit

Price alone rarely settles it. Compare scope first — what is actually included — before you look at the figure.

What people want to know before booking

Sources and how we checked them

4 sources were reviewed for this page. Official brand pages are used for brand claims only; nothing here extrapolates one location's menu into a national rate.

1. Official Polish Pass membership
2. Official membership terms
3. Official brand and services page
4. Annapolis founding memberships

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