Mobile detailing involves travel costs, water supply, premium products, and equipment wear. Price your packages to cover all expenses plus your expertise.
Optimize your pricing strategy with AI-powered insights
Enter your shop name for a personalized PDF report with your business name.
How many items do you expect to sell each month?
💡 Why needed? Fixed costs (Rent/Labor) must be split by each item. Lower sales = Higher cost per item. We need this to calculate your min break-even price.
Percentage of items that are wasted or unsold.
✅ Price is above break-even $18.35. You are making profit!
How much will you charge for one item?
Net Profit
$3325
per month
Margin
26.6%
profit margin
Break-Even
312
units/month
✓ Margin Detected: Your 26.6% profit margin is healthy for the cafe industry. You need to sell 312 units to break even, currently projecting 500 units.
Required Volume Growth ≥17% to break even
Current Expectation: 30% ✅
Mobile detailing sells convenience, so you can price 10–20% above a fixed-location shop — but you also eat travel, water, power and product on every job. Typical packages run $75–150 for a sedan basic and $150–300+ for SUVs or premium ceramic work. Drive time between jobs is the silent profit killer; price per job with a service radius rather than pretending travel is free.
Unpaid travel between jobs can eat 20–30% of the day. Build it into the price or set a tight service radius and a travel fee beyond it.
A three-row SUV takes far longer than a sedan. Price by vehicle size or you'll lose money on the big, dirty ones.
Jobs without on-site hookups need your own tank and generator — fuel and wear that must be in the price.
Paint correction and ceramic coating are hours of skilled labor and pricey product, not a cheap add-on. Charge for the time and materials.
Once your pricing works, these are the tools small operators use to take payments, keep books, and market.
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A basic sedan detail typically runs $75–150 and a full SUV or premium service $150–300+. As a mobile service you can price 10–20% above a fixed shop for the convenience. Use the calculator above to factor in product, fuel and your time.
Estimate your average drive time and fuel per job and add it to your base price, or set a service radius with a travel surcharge beyond it. Three to five jobs a day is realistic once travel is counted.
Yes. Larger vehicles take more time, product and water. Tiered pricing by sedan, SUV and truck keeps big jobs profitable instead of underwater.
Product cost per job is usually $5–15 for a standard detail, more for ceramic or correction work. It's small per job but adds up — keep it in your margin math.
Ceramic is priced on labor hours plus material — often several hundred dollars — because prep and correction can take most of a day. Don't bundle it cheaply into a wash package.
Many small business owners use the "3x material cost" rule or simply match competitor prices. The problem? This ignores your unique cost structure. Your rent might be higher, your waste rate different, or your labor costs vary by location. This calculator reveals your true break-even point and ensures sustainable pricing.
Download a clean, shareable PDF of your pricing breakdown — cost structure, break-even point, and profit scenarios — completely free, with no sign-up. Useful for partners, lenders, or your own records.