Revenue opportunity
Booth rent would pay you more right now
At 30 clients a week you are past the break-even of about 16 clients. On your numbers, renting a chair keeps roughly $230 more per week than commission.
Finance tool
Commission vs Booth Rent Calculator
Enter your prices and client count. See what you actually keep under each structure and where the break-even sits.
20 secFreeNo signup
Live result
You keep $720 of $1,200 each week (60%)
Weekly gross
$1,20030 clients at $40
You keep (after commission)
$720$3,118 per month
Effective keep rate
60%40% goes to the house
House share per month
$2,078Scales with your revenue
Where the money goes
Your week, split
- You keep$72060%
- House share$48040%
Commission vs booth rent
Weekly take-home$720→$950+$230
Monthly take-home$3,118→$4,114+$996
Quiet week risk (15 clients)$360→$350+$10
Key insights
What the numbers are saying
Risk alert
Model the quiet month, not the good one
Booth rent is fixed. Before switching, check what rent does to your take-home in your slowest month of last year, not your average one.
Growth
Either way, your own client list is the asset
Whichever structure you are on, clients who book directly with you through your own link are relationships you keep if you ever move salons.
Recommended next action
Compare both structures on your real client count
The right structure depends on volume, not preference. This calculator shows the exact break-even for your numbers.
ZenSched takes no commission and no per-booking fee on either structure, so your online bookings never add a third cut.
What ZenSched automates
Turn the result into a calmer schedule
Whichever structure you choose, clients who book through your own link are yours to keep. ZenSched gives you that page with no commission and no per-booking fee.
Your own booking page
A link that belongs to you, not the salon you rent from.
No commission, ever
Flat plans only. Your revenue is yours.
Client list included
Every booking builds a customer list you can take anywhere.
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Continue learning
Practical guide
How to think about the two structures
Commission buys you safety, rent buys you ceiling
Commission scales down in quiet weeks, which protects you while you build a client base. Booth rent is fixed, which caps what the house can ever take once you are busy. The crossover point is pure arithmetic, and it is different for everyone.
Commission vs booth rent
| Commission | Booth rent |
|---|---|
| House takes a % of every service | You pay a fixed weekly rent |
| Quiet weeks cost you less | Quiet weeks still cost the full rent |
| House usually covers products and marketing | You cover your own everything |
| Ceiling on what you keep | Floor on what you risk |
Numbers worth knowing
40-60%
The typical commission range for employed stylists and barbers
$250+
What a weekly chair or booth rental commonly starts at in mid-size cities
4 weeks
How long to track your real client count before trusting any comparison
Before you switch to renting
- Run this calculator on your slowest month's client count, not your best.
- Add product, card fees, insurance and laundry to the rent number.
- Check your contract for who owns the client list if you leave.
- Make sure your clients can follow you: your own booking link goes where you go.
Making the switch cleanly
- 01
Get your own booking link first
Before you change structures, make sure clients book through a link that belongs to you. That way the relationship survives the move, and your reviews and contact list come with you.
- 02
Give yourself a buffer month
Have at least one month of rent set aside before switching. The first quiet week under a fixed cost feels very different from a quiet week on commission.
- 03
Tell clients the practical part
They need to know where you are and how to book, nothing more. A short message with your booking link handles it.
FAQ
Questions about this tool
What commission percentage is normal?+
For employed stylists and barbers, the house typically takes 40 to 60 percent, with 40 to 50 being most common. Above 60 percent it is worth running the booth-rent numbers seriously.
How do I find my break-even point?+
Divide the weekly booth rent by the commission rate. At 40 percent commission and $250 rent, break-even is $625 of weekly gross revenue. Earn more than that and renting wins.
Does the calculator include product costs?+
Booth renters pay their own product costs, so add a weekly estimate to the rent field to make the comparison honest.
Is my data stored?+
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent or saved.
Create your free booking page
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You keep $720 of $1,200 each week (60%)
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