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Auto detailing rates calculator
Brad’s Auto Spa in Denver lists a full detail on a sedan at $140 basic and $210 premium, and PGH Detailing in Pittsburgh lists $250–$300 (checked October 2026). The package moves the price more than the vehicle does: Brad’s charges $70 more for premium on a sedan, but only $20 more to do an SUV on the same package. Write what each package includes, and price pet hair and heavy stains after you see the car.
Price a mobile detail
Extras, travel and minimum
Enter a per-vehicle rate for the selected size and package. Describe exactly what the package includes; list extra restoration work separately.
Enter number of vehicles.
How much more should you charge for an SUV or minivan?
A step, not a new price, if the package is the same. Brad’s Auto Spa goes from $210 on a sedan to $255 on a minivan or large SUV for its premium detail, $45 more; PGH Detailing’s large-SUV price starts $50 above its sedan. You’re charging for a third row, more carpet and a taller roof to reach. A filthy compact can still take longer than a clean van, which is what the condition charge is for.
How do you charge for pet hair and stains?
As a separate line, priced after you see the car, because the range is huge: a few hairs on one seat against a shedding dog that rides in the cargo area every day. Ask for photos when they book, give a range, and confirm the number before you start. A package price that quietly absorbs heavy pet hair is how a basic detail turns into an afternoon you weren’t paid for.
Detailers split on how to charge it. Tiers (light, moderate, heavy) are easy to quote from photos and easy for customers to follow; billing by the time it takes is fairer on the worst cars but harder to promise up front. Either works if the tier or the hourly rate is written on the booking, so the customer isn’t surprised when you hand back the keys.
Should mobile detailers charge a travel fee?
Build normal travel into the package and charge a trip fee only outside a set service area. The drive, setup and pack-down are real costs on every car, and they don’t shrink on a cheaper package. Water and power count too: say if you carry your own or need the customer’s spigot and outlet, because running from your tank and generator costs you fuel and refills.
Where mobile pricing goes wrong is the single-car stop far from your other jobs. Group bookings by area and day, and give a multi-car price when two or more vehicles are at one address; the drive and setup are paid once, so the second car costs you only the work. That second-car price is the cheapest discount you can give.
Example: a premium detail on a midsize SUV
Four hours of your time at $26 an hour is $104. Add $32 in products and $25 for the drive and water, and the job costs you $161. At a 30% margin, $161 ÷ 0.70 = $230. That’s exactly Brad’s Auto Spa’s premium SUV price in Denver, and $40 under the bottom of PGH Detailing’s $270–$320 for a small SUV in Pittsburgh.
Frequently asked questions
Should I offer a maintenance plan?
Yes, once the car has had a full detail. A maintenance wash and interior wipe-down on a car you keep up is quick, so it can sit well below the full-detail price and still pay. Require the full detail first, set the interval in writing, and price a missed interval back at the full rate.
What do I say when a customer says the car wash is cheaper?
Name the difference: you come to them, you clean the interior by hand, and you reach the door jambs, vents and seat rails a tunnel never touches. Then offer a smaller package if price is the issue. Keep the full detail at its price; a customer who wants to spend less can buy less.
Do I charge more for a detail in winter?
Charge for condition, not the season. Road salt, sand and slush in the carpets take longer to extract, so a winter interior may land in your heavy-soil tier. Cold also limits what you can do outside: check the temperature range on your products before booking a coating or wax, and reschedule exterior work rather than doing it badly.