Studios and artists settle up in three common ways: a percentage of turnover (often 50/50 up to 70/30 in the artist's favour), a fixed monthly chair rental, or a day rate. Percentages are fairer when your bookings fluctuate, because the studio shares the risk. A fixed rent pays off once you are consistently booked and bring your own clients. What matters more than the number is the written agreement behind it.
- Percentages share the risk, a fixed rent rewards a full calendar. Both are common, neither is inherently fairer.
- Run your model once through a weak month and once through a strong one before you sign anything.
- Supplies, deposits, settlement rhythm and notice period belong in writing, because that is exactly what people argue about.
- Who owns the client data is the most expensive question when someone leaves. Settle it on day one.
- Every session needs a receipt, otherwise the monthly settlement becomes a reconstruction from memory.
Contents
Few topics cause more friction in a studio than settling up. Not because the models are complicated, but because they are usually only agreed verbally. As long as everything runs smoothly, nobody notices. The moment a booking falls through, a deposit disappears or someone leaves, the basis is missing.
The three models in practice
Three variants have become standard in the industry. What separates them is mainly who carries the risk of an empty calendar.
- Percentage split: the artist keeps a share of the turnover of every session and the studio takes the rest. Splits between 50/50 and 70/30 in the artist's favour are common. In a weak month the studio earns less too.
- Fixed chair rental: the artist pays a fixed monthly amount for the space and keeps all turnover. The studio gets predictable income, and the artist carries the booking risk alone.
- Day rate: you pay only for the days you actually work. That suits part-time work, a soft start and guest spots, often combined with a flat fee for supplies.
Mixed arrangements are common too. A reduced chair rental plus a small percentage is one, and so is starting on percentages and moving to a fixed rent once the calendar holds up. Those transitions are often the fairest solution, because they move the risk to whoever can carry it. The only condition is that the switching point is agreed from the start.
What does the studio give you for its share?
A percentage without a service behind it is hard to defend. Before you talk numbers, write down what the share actually includes. That list is what later separates a fair deal from an expensive one.
- Workspace, bed, power, cleaning, disposal of needles and waste
- Reception, phone, answering enquiries and handling scheduling
- Consumables fully, partly or not at all, which has to be stated explicitly
- Marketing, the studio Instagram account, footfall and walk-ins
- Software, booking system, card terminal and business insurance
Convert those points into money once. If the studio provides 400 worth of supplies a month, staffs reception and hands out walk-ins, a 40 percent share means something very different from a bare space with no service attached. Only that conversion makes two offers comparable.
Which model suits whom?
| Model | Upside | Downside | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | No fixed cost risk, studio has an interest in your bookings | Expensive when fully booked, needs open books | Starting out, building up, fluctuating months |
| Chair rental | Everything above the rent is yours, easy to plan | Rent runs during holidays and quiet months too | Established artists with their own clients |
| Day rate | Pay only when you work, very flexible | Most expensive per day, space often not guaranteed | Part-time work, guest spots, trial periods |
Worked example on 8'000 CHF or euros of turnover
Take a month with 8'000 CHF or euros of turnover and compare the three models. The numbers are examples rather than market rates, but the proportions hold.
| Model | To the studio | Stays with the artist | Supplies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60/40 percentage | 3'200 | 4'800 | usually studio |
| Chair rental 1'200 per month | 1'200 | 6'800 | artist pays |
| Day rate 90 on 16 days | 1'440 | 6'560 | artist pays |
At first glance the chair rental wins easily. Now run the same month at 3'000 of turnover: percentages leave you 1'800, chair rental leaves 1'800 minus supplies. One month of illness or an injured hand flips the picture instantly. How to set prices so that both models work is covered in the article on pricing and hourly rates.
What has to be in writing?
The agreement does not need to be a legal treatise. One page, signed by both sides, is enough in most cases and prevents the most common conflicts.
1. Model and number: percentage, monthly rent or day rate, gross or net. 2. Supplies: who provides inks, needles, grips, wrap and cleaning? What does the artist pay for? 3. Deposits: who takes them, which account do they go to, what happens on a cancellation? 4. Settlement rhythm: per session, weekly or monthly, payment terms in days. 5. Receipts: every session gets one, both sides look at the same numbers. 6. Working times: fixed days, access to the studio, how holidays and absences are handled. 7. Walk-ins: how are they distributed, does a different share apply to them? 8. Client data: who owns contacts and bookings, what happens to them if someone leaves? 9. Social media: who posts which photos, how are credits and tags handled? 10. Notice period: mutual, in weeks or months, plus a rule for projects in progress. 11. Insurance: who is covered for what, artist liability and business liability. 12. Changes: in writing only, dated and signed by both sides.
Settling up day to day and the usual flashpoints
The best agreement is useless if nobody writes anything down. The routine that works in practice is simple: every session is recorded at checkout, with price, payment method and the deposit already settled. At month end the total is a fact before anyone starts calculating. More on that in the bookkeeping basics.
Both sides need access to the same figures, not to two separate lists. A shared look at turnover and shares takes a few minutes and replaces every argument about who remembers wrongly. A well kept client record also shows immediately which appointments are still open.
- Cash without a receipt: the single most common flashpoint. If cash is not recorded on the spot, month end becomes one memory against another.
- Deposits held by the studio: if deposits land on the studio account, they have to stay visible in the settlement. Sort that out together with your deposit rules.
- Guest spots: guest artists often work on different terms, such as 30/70 or a day rate plus supplies. Put that in writing before they travel, not after.
- Touch-ups: free touch-up appointments use time without turnover. Agree in advance whether rent or a share applies to them.
- Holidays and illness: with a chair rental the amount keeps running unless you agree otherwise. One free month per year is a common compromise.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage does a tattoo studio take from an artist?
Splits between 50/50 and 70/30 in the artist's favour are common in the industry. How high the studio share is depends on what it provides: supplies, reception, marketing and walk-in traffic justify a larger cut than a bare workspace does. There are no fixed market rates, so every arrangement is negotiated individually.
Is chair rental better than a percentage split?
A percentage is safer while your bookings fluctuate, because the studio gains and loses alongside you. A fixed chair rental pays off once you are consistently booked and bring your own clients. Run both models through a weak month and a strong one before deciding, and include supplies you would have to buy yourself.
Who keeps the deposit, the studio or the artist?
That is purely a matter of agreement and has to be settled in writing beforehand. Deposits often run through whichever account accepts the booking and are offset against the balance when the session is closed. What matters is that they stay visible in the monthly settlement and are clearly allocated when a client cancels.
Who owns client data in a tattoo studio?
This is the most expensive open question when an artist leaves, which is why it belongs in the agreement. The common arrangement is that each artist keeps their own clients while the studio holds contacts from walk-ins and the studio enquiry inbox. Under data protection law, any transfer of contacts needs a proper basis.
How much does a day rate in a tattoo studio cost?
Day rates are agreed individually and vary widely with city, location and equipment. Per working day they are almost always more expensive than a monthly rent, but you only pay for days you actually work. Clarify in advance whether supplies and cleaning are included or billed on top.
Do studio and artist need a written contract?
Verbal arrangements are often legally valid but practically risky for both sides. One page covering the model, supplies, deposits, settlement rhythm, notice period and client data prevents most conflicts. For longer collaborations, have the agreement reviewed by a professional before both parties sign it.
By the Taddoo team, built by artists and booking managers for artists. Published September 9, 2026, last updated September 9, 2026.
