Direct answer
Expect $5–$72 at Image Sun Tanning Centers vs Tan Your Hide. The full documented set runs $5–$72 because it also covers add-ons, policy charges and package pricing. The median across all 6 documented amounts is $42.
The menu price is seldom the checkout price. Tax and gratuity alone typically add 24% in addition to uv bed - level 1, before any add-on is accepted at the chair.
- Working range
- $5–$72
- U.S. market midpoint
- $11 per session
- Basis
- 6 price points documented from official sources
- Last reviewed
- August 2026
Before you read on
- $5–$72 is the working range for Image Sun Tanning Centers vs Tan Your Hide, from 6 documented amounts.
- The full documented set spans $5–$72 once fees and add-ons are counted.
- The U.S. national median for uv bed - level 1 is $11 per session.
- Add about 24% to any menu price for sales tax and gratuity.
- Maintained twice weekly in season, the annual cost is approximately $528.
- The largest single variable is bed level — level 1 through level 5 is the primary price ladder.
Published prices from official sources
Everything below was published by a source listed at the foot of this page. Grouping matters: 3 of these 6 lines are actual services and the rest are add-ons, plans or policy charges that should never be averaged together.
| Line | Published | Midpoint | Spread | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze fee | $5 | $5 | — | Image Sun Tanning Centers |
| Natural spray tan | $42 | $42 | — | Tan Your Hide |
| Services starting price | $72 | $72 | — | Tan Your Hide |
| Line | Published | Midpoint | Spread | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIP membership starting price | $24.95 | $24.95 | — | Image Sun Tanning Centers |
| UV-free inclusive membership starting price | $52.95 | $52.95 | — | Image Sun Tanning Centers |
| Spray-tan membership | $64 | $64 | — | Tan Your Hide |
Franchisees price within a corporate range rather than to a fixed card. Treat these as documented examples.
Market ranges: what everyone else charges
Context, not a price list. The point of these numbers is to tell you whether the quote in front of you is routine for the U.S. in 2026.
| Service | Market low | National median | Market high | Unit | What drives it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV bed - level 1 | $6 | $11 | $18 | per session | Base-level bed, longest exposure time. |
| UV bed - level 2 | $10 | $16 | $26 | per session | Faster bronzing bed. |
| UV bed - level 3 | $15 | $23 | $36 | per session | High-pressure or hybrid equipment. |
| UV bed - level 4/5 | $22 | $34 | $55 | per session | Top-tier beds and stand-ups. |
| Spray tan (booth) | $25 | $45 | $75 | per session | Booth is less expensive; hand airbrush costs more. |
| Unlimited tanning membership | $20 | $45 | $110 | per month | Tier decides bed access and spray inclusions. |
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.
What uv bed - level 1 costs in your metro tier
Before deciding a quote is high, check it against your own market rather than the national number. A $16 quote is costly in a tier-4 market and unremarkable in tier 1.
| Market tier | Planning range | Multiplier | Example markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 - highest-cost metros | $15–$19 | 1.35–1.75× | Manhattan, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Washington DC, Miami Beach |
| Tier 2 - large metros | $12–$15 | 1.10–1.32× | Chicago, Los Angeles suburbs, Denver, Austin, Atlanta, San Diego, Portland |
| Tier 3 - mid-size metros | $10–$12 | 0.94–1.10× | Columbus, Kansas City, Charlotte, Nashville, Phoenix, Indianapolis |
| Tier 4 - small metro and rural | $8–$10 | 0.70–0.93× | Smaller cities, county seats and rural markets |
Your own market may sit between tiers. The point is the 2.5x spread, not the precise figure in any one row.
What actually changes your price
Ask about these at booking, not at checkout. All of them are easier to decline over the phone than halfway through a service.
- 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.
- Enrolment or annual fee+$15–$60
Charged in addition to the monthly rate at many chains.
- 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: Airbrush Tan Cost, Spray Tan Cost and Automated Spray Tan Cost.
The sensible total, worked through
Work it forwards once and you will never be caught out again. A $35 service does not cost $35.
| Line | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base service | $35 | The line you see on the menu |
| One typical add-on | $8 | Accepted at the chair without a stated price |
| Subtotal | $43 | Before tax and gratuity |
| Sales tax at 6.8% | $2.92 | Varies by state and city; services are taxable in some states only |
| Gratuity at 22% | $9.46 | Calculated on the service, not on tax |
| Realistic total | $55.38 | 58% above the menu price |
An illustration built from the ranges on this page. Your tax rate and add-on choices will differ.
Plan for the total, not the base. The $20 gap between the two is the part people forget when comparing two salons.
You can run the numbers for your own service rather than doing this by hand.
Twelve months of uv bed - level 1, priced out
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.
| Provider level | Per visit | Visits/yr | Service spend | Gratuity | Annual total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget provider | $6 | 40 | $240 | $48 | $288 |
| National median | $11 | 40 | $440 | $88 | $528 |
| Premium provider | $18 | 40 | $720 | $144 | $864 |
Cadence comes down to typical maintenance intervals. Your own interval is the largest variable.
Before hunting a less expensive provider, look at the interval. One fewer visit a year is about $13 kept; two fewer is $26. Neither costs you any quality.
Membership break-even: the only maths that matters
Ignore the marketing and do one division. If the plan costs more than your realistic monthly visit count × $11, it loses money. The table shows the crossover for common plan prices.
| Monthly plan | Per-visit rate | Break-even | Annual visits needed | Annual cost | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15 / month | $11 | 1.4 visits | 16 visits | $180 | Worthwhile above 1.4/month |
| $24 / month | $11 | 2.2 visits | 26 visits | $288 | Worthwhile above 2.2/month |
| $35 / month | $11 | 3.2 visits | 38 visits | $420 | Worth it above 3.2/month |
Excludes enrolment and annual fees. Add those before comparing plans over twelve months.
Use the quoted rate rather than the market one and check the maths on your quoted rate.
Gratuity, converted from percentages into money
Tip on the pre-tax service amount. If a discount or promotion applied, the convention is to tip on the original value of the work, not the discounted price.
| Gratuity rate | On $6 | On $11 | On $18 | When it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15% | $0.90 | $1.65 | $2.70 | Standard for a satisfactory service |
| 18% | $1.08 | $1.98 | $3.24 | Common default in mid-size and large metros |
| 20% | $1.20 | $2.20 | $3.60 | Typical for a stylist you intend to rebook with |
| 25% | $1.50 | $2.75 | $4.50 | Reserved for complex colour, long appointments or a rescue job |
- Card tips may be pooled or delayed to the next pay run. Ask if you want it to reach one person directly.
- A tip is for the work performed, not for the price you were charged. Do not penalise a provider for a menu they did not set.
- At a resort or hotel spa, check for an automatic service charge before adding a second gratuity on top.
- Cash reaches the provider fastest and is still preferred in most independent studios.
What people get wrong here
Ordered by how regularly they happen rather than how much they cost. All of them are solved at the booking stage.
- 1Buying lotion at the counter without checking the pricecosts $25–$90
The single largest surprise on a first visit.
- 2Not asking about the enrolment or annual feecosts $15–$60
Charged in addition to the monthly rate at most chains.
- 3Joining before checking the freeze policycosts $60–$300
A plan you cannot pause bills through the off-season.
- 4Assuming the membership covers every bedcosts $10–$40
Higher-level beds are usually 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 it is the difference between a quote and a surprise. Save the last one for emphasis — a written quote settles any dispute at checkout.
- "Is there a first-visit offer or a package rate I should know about?"
- "What is your cancellation window, and what is the charge if I miss it?"
- "If I join the membership today, is there an enrolment or annual fee on top?"
- "What is the precise price for uv bed - level 1 at my hair length and density?"
- "Can you email or text me the quote before my appointment?"
- "What add-ons do you normally recommend for this service, and what does each cost?"
- "If this runs longer than booked, does the price change?"
And when you pay: read the itemised receipt line by line. Unexpected charges are nearly always fixable at the desk and almost never fixable later.
Worth comparing before you commit
Before deciding, it is worth seeing where this sits against the nearest alternatives on both price and what you get for it.
What people want to know before booking
What is the real price of Image Sun Tanning Centers vs Tan Your Hide?
$5–$72 covers the core services documented on this page. Counting every published line - fees and packages included - the full span is $5 to $72, with a midpoint of $42.
Is there a price for freeze fee?
Freeze fee: $5 as published. Image Sun Tanning Centers. Compare that against the $11 U.S. median for uv bed - level 1 before deciding whether it is competitive.
VIP membership starting price: what is the published amount?
VIP membership starting price: $24.95 as published. Image Sun Tanning Centers. Compare that against the $11 U.S. median for uv bed - level 1 before deciding whether it is competitive.
Natural spray tan: what is the published amount?
$42. Tan Your Hide. Expect approximately $53 once tax and gratuity are added, where gratuity applies.
What does uv-free inclusive membership starting price cost?
$52.95. Image Sun Tanning Centers. Expect approximately $67 once tax and gratuity are added, where gratuity applies.
What is the real out-the-door cost of Image Sun Tanning Centers vs Tan Your Hide?
Add around 26%. On a $38 service that is about $48 once sales tax and a 20% gratuity are counted - before any add-on accepted during the appointment.
What does keeping this up cost annually?
At twice weekly in season - about 40 visits a year - the annual figure is approximately $528 including gratuity at the $11 national median. Dropping to 30 visits saves around $132.
What explains the price difference between locations?
Rent, wages and local demand set the menu. Scaling the $11 national median by published metro multipliers gives about $8 in a small market and up to $19 in a top-tier metro - before provider tier is considered.
What extra fees come with a membership?
Frequently. Enrolment and annual fees of $15–$60 are charged separately from the monthly rate at many chains. Ask for the twelve-month total, not the monthly figure.
What happens if I stop tanning for a few months?
Freeze rules vary and are the single most important clause if you tan seasonally. A plan you cannot pause bills through the off-season regardless of use.
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 separately.
Spotted something out of date? Send a correction and we will re-check the source.
People also ask
Frequently asked questions
What is the real price of Image Sun Tanning Centers vs Tan Your Hide?
$5–$72 covers the core services documented on this page. Counting every published line - fees and packages included - the full span is $5 to $72, with a midpoint of $42.
Is there a price for freeze fee?
Freeze fee: $5 as published. Image Sun Tanning Centers. Compare that against the $11 U.S. median for uv bed - level 1 before deciding whether it is competitive.
VIP membership starting price: what is the published amount?
VIP membership starting price: $24.95 as published. Image Sun Tanning Centers. Compare that against the $11 U.S. median for uv bed - level 1 before deciding whether it is competitive.
Natural spray tan: what is the published amount?
$42. Tan Your Hide. Expect approximately $53 once tax and gratuity are added, where gratuity applies.
What does uv-free inclusive membership starting price cost?
$52.95. Image Sun Tanning Centers. Expect roughly $67 once tax and gratuity are added, where gratuity applies.
What is the real out-the-door cost of Image Sun Tanning Centers vs Tan Your Hide?
Add roughly 26%. On a $38 service that is about $48 once sales tax and a 20% gratuity are counted - before any add-on accepted during the appointment.
What does keeping this up cost annually?
At twice weekly in season - about 40 visits annually - the annual figure is roughly $528 including gratuity at the $11 national median. Dropping to 30 visits saves around $132.
What explains the price difference between locations?
Rent, wages and local demand set the menu. Scaling the $11 national median by published metro multipliers gives about $8 in a small market and up to $19 in a top-tier metro - before provider tier is considered.
What extra fees come with a membership?
Often. Enrolment and annual fees of $15–$60 are charged separately from the monthly rate at many chains. Ask for the twelve-month total, not the monthly figure.
What happens if I stop tanning for a few months?
Freeze rules vary and are the single most important clause if you tan seasonally. A plan you cannot pause bills through the off-season regardless of use.
Last reviewed . Prices change without notice — report a correction.