byNadiaBlanco®
byNadiaBlanco®
Session Nail Artist · Rates Guide 2026
Most nail artists undercharge on set — not on the day rate, but on everything around it. Here's what to actually charge for a shoot, from someone who's invoiced the jobs.
The short answer
A session nail artist's day rate depends on the work — and on where you are in your career. Paid editorial ranges from unpaid or assisting up to £400+ per day. Fashion Week and commercial campaigns often pay £400–£800+ per day for established artists. But your day rate is only part of what you charge.
On top of it, a professional session invoice adds a kit fee, overtime for hours beyond a standard day, an assistant fee if you bring one, and travel and expenses at cost. Leaving those off is where nail artists quietly lose money on almost every job.
The single biggest factor in what you charge is the kind of production. The same eight hours of work is priced very differently across editorial, Fashion Week, commercial and advertising.
| Type of work | Typical day rate |
|---|---|
| Test shoot | Often unpaid early on — for portfolio |
| Editorial | Unpaid or assisting → £400+ per day |
| Fashion Week | Assisting → £800+ per day |
| Commercial / campaign | £400–£800+ per day |
| Advertising (with usage) | Day rate + a usage/buyout fee |
Where you are in your career changes these figures. Assistants and those starting out may work unpaid or at lower rates; established leads command the top of each range — and beyond. Everyone starts somewhere.
Advertising is the one to watch: the shoot fee is separate from the usage or buyout fee — the licence for where and how long the images run. A national campaign pays very differently to an editorial, even for identical work. Usage is where the real money in session work sits, and where inexperienced artists give away the most.
Pricing a shoot isn't one number — it's a stack of lines. Here's what a professional session nail invoice includes, each one a charge worth making:
Add those together across every day of the job and you have your shoot total. Miss two or three of them — as most artists do — and you've worked a full day for less than you think.
How much should I charge as a session nail artist?
Your day rate depends on the work and your level of experience. Editorial ranges from unpaid or assisting rates up to £400+ per day for an established artist. Fashion Week and commercial campaigns often pay £400–£800+ per day. On top of the day rate, charge a kit fee, overtime for hours beyond a standard day, and travel and expenses at cost. Test shoots to build a portfolio are sometimes unpaid early on. Everyone starts somewhere, and rates rise with experience and reputation.
How much should I charge for a shoot?
Start with your day rate and add everything the job costs you: kit fee, assistant fee if you bring one, overtime beyond a standard ten-hour day, and travel or expenses at cost. Half days, prep days and fittings are usually around 50% of the day rate.
What is a kit fee and should I charge one?
A kit fee covers bringing your professional nail kit to set — your products, tools and consumables. It's a standard, separate line and one of the most commonly forgotten charges. Charging it explicitly is normal and expected in professional session work.
How does overtime work on a shoot?
Overtime applies to hours beyond a standard day, commonly ten hours call-to-wrap. Those hours are charged at a higher hourly rate, and unsocial hours such as work past midnight at a higher multiplier again. It's a normal part of a session invoice and shouldn't be given away.
Should I charge for travel and expenses?
Yes. Taxis, trains, parking and congestion charges are normally passed to the client at cost, with no markup. Keep your receipts and add them as separate lines on your invoice.
Rate ranges are general guidance from real session work, not fixed figures — what you charge depends on the client, the production, the usage and your experience. Always confirm rates and usage terms before a job.