Updated October 2026 · 7 minute read
Most detailers set their first prices by looking at what the shop down the road charges. That works until a muddy third-row SUV takes five hours and pays the same as a clean sedan. This guide gives you the 2026 market rates for every common package, then shows you how to turn your own time and costs into prices that pay you properly for every vehicle.
- A full detail (inside and out) usually costs $150 to $500+ in 2026.
- By vehicle: about $150–$175 for a small car, $175–$250 for a sedan or mid-size SUV and $225–$400 for a large SUV or truck.
- Interior-only details run $50–$350; exterior-only $100–$350.
- Price every job from hours × your target rate per hour, then add a size and condition charge.
Car detailing prices in 2026
These ranges come from Housecall Pro’s 2026 detailing price guide, which combines published price lists and its own analysis of mobile detailing businesses. Use them to check that your prices are in the right neighbourhood, not as a price list to copy. Your city, your speed and whether you are mobile or shop-based all move the number.
Price by service
| Service | Typical price | What is usually included |
|---|---|---|
| Interior detail | $50–$350 | Vacuum, wipe-down, glass, seats, mats, door jambs |
| Exterior detail | $100–$350 | Hand wash, decontamination, wheels, tyres, wax or sealant |
| Full detail | $150–$500+ | Interior and exterior together |
Source: Housecall Pro 2026 car detailing price guide.
Price by package tier
| Package | Typical price | Typical scope |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $50–$100 | Exterior wash and a quick vacuum |
| Standard | $100–$200 | Interior clean, wash and wax |
| Premium | $200–$400+ | Full detail plus protection add-ons |
Three tiers is the sweet spot. It gives price-sensitive customers a way in, and most people pick the middle option when they see a cheaper and a more expensive one beside it.
Full detail price by vehicle size
| Vehicle | Full detail price |
|---|---|
| Small car (coupe, hatchback) | $150–$175 |
| Sedan or mid-size SUV | $175–$250 |
| Large SUV or pickup truck | $225–$400 |
| Extra-large SUV or van | $500–$650+ |
Source: Housecall Pro 2026 car detailing price guide.
Size matters because the interior is where the hours go. A third row of seats, a cargo area full of sand or a work truck with stained cloth seats can double the time of a compact car.
Mobile detailing prices
Mobile detailers bring the water, power and products to the customer, so they usually charge more than a fixed shop. In a 2026 analysis of 89 mobile detailing businesses in New York, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles, Housecall Pro found these average package prices:
| Mobile package | Average price |
|---|---|
| Basic | About $158 |
| Standard | About $278 |
| Premium | About $443 |
Those are big-city averages. In smaller towns, mobile prices are often closer to the shop ranges above. Either way, a mobile business should build travel into the price with a service area (free inside it), a travel fee beyond it, and a minimum job price so a quick wash across town still pays for the drive.
Only doing interiors? See our interior car detailing price list for basic, full and deep interior prices by vehicle size, plus pet hair and odor add-ons.
Add-on prices
Add-ons are where a lot of detailing profit comes from, because the setup and travel are already paid for by the main job.
| Add-on | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Headlight restoration | $50–$150 |
| Ozone odour removal | $70–$150 |
| Clay bar treatment | $100–$150 |
| Paint correction, one step | $300–$600 |
| Paint correction, two step | $600–$1,200 |
| Paint correction, three step | $1,200–$2,500+ |
| Ceramic coating | $900–$2,500 |
Source: Housecall Pro 2026 car detailing price guide.
Pet hair, heavy stains, sand and smoke are better handled as condition charges than as fixed add-ons. Quote a range up front (“pet hair removal from $40, depending on how much there is”) and confirm the final price once you see the car.
How to work out your own price
A price that works for your business comes from four numbers:
- Hours on the job. Time yourself on a few cars of each size and package. Write down the real time, including setup and pack-up.
- Labour cost per hour. What you pay a detailer, or what you want to pay yourself. The median US detailer wage is about $17 an hour (BLS figure quoted by Housecall Pro); experienced detailers earn more.
- Supplies per job. Chemicals, pads, towels and water. Track the real cost per job for a month; it is usually a small share of the price, but it adds up across a season.
- Target rate per hour. What each hour on a car has to bring in to cover labour, supplies, insurance, equipment, marketing, fuel and profit.
Profit = price − labour − supplies − travel cost
Worked example
A mid-size SUV in average condition, full detail. It takes you 3.5 hours including setup. You pay a detailer $22 an hour and want every hour on a car to bring in $65.
- Price: 3.5 × $65 = $227.50, so quote $228 (inside the $175–$250 market range)
- Labour: 3.5 × $22 = $77
- Supplies: $15
- Profit before overhead: $228 − $77 − $15 = $136
Now say the same SUV has heavy dog hair and takes 4.5 hours. At the same target rate the price is about $293. Rather than eat that extra hour, add a $65 pet hair charge. The customer sees a clear reason for the higher price and you keep your hourly rate.
Price any car in under a minute
Pick the vehicle size, package, condition and add-ons. The free calculator shows the price, time on the job, your costs and profit per hour, and whether the job beats your target rate.
Maintenance plans: the steady income
A car that is detailed every month is much faster to clean than one that has gone a year. That is why most successful detailers sell maintenance plans: the first visit is a full detail at full price, then a lighter maintenance detail every two to six weeks at a lower price.
| Plan | How it is usually priced | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Every 2 weeks | Lowest per-visit price | Car never gets bad, visits are short |
| Every 4 weeks | Small discount on a maintenance detail | Most popular for daily drivers |
| Every 6 to 8 weeks | Little or no discount | Close to a full detail each time |
| One-time | Full price | Usually the dirtiest cars |
Housecall Pro suggests keeping discounts to about 10% to 15%. Bigger discounts train customers to wait for deals, and they shrink the margin on the jobs that keep your calendar full.
Six pricing mistakes detailers make
- One price for every vehicle. A compact and a minivan are not the same job. Price by size.
- Free pet hair and stain removal. These can add an hour or more. Charge for them.
- No minimum for mobile jobs. Driving 30 minutes for a $60 wash loses money once fuel and time are counted.
- Ignoring supplies. Ceramic products, polishing pads and microfibre add up fast. Track the cost per job.
- Discounting the first visit. The first visit is the slowest. Discount the maintenance visits instead.
- Never raising prices. Review prices every year as fuel, products and wages go up.
Run your detailing business from one spreadsheet
The Mobile Detailing Business Manager has this quote calculator built in, plus clients, vehicles, jobs, maintenance plans, add-ons, detailer pay and profit per job. Excel and Google Sheets. Also part of the Home Service Bundle.
Questions
How much should I charge for a full car detail?
In 2026 a full interior and exterior detail usually costs $150 to $500 or more. A sedan or mid-size SUV is typically $175 to $250 and a large SUV or truck $225 to $400. Set your own price from your hours on the job multiplied by your target rate per hour.
How much does an interior-only detail cost?
Interior details usually run $50 to $350, depending on vehicle size and condition. Heavy pet hair, stains and smoke odour are normally charged on top.
Do mobile detailers charge more?
Usually, yes. Mobile detailers cover travel, water and power, so their packages tend to cost more than a shop. In large US cities, average mobile package prices in 2026 were about $158 basic, $278 standard and $443 premium.
How much is ceramic coating?
Professional ceramic coating typically costs $900 to $2,500, and paint correction before coating can add $300 to $2,500 or more depending on how much correction the paint needs.
What hourly rate should a detailer aim for?
Work out what each hour must cover: your labour, supplies, insurance, equipment, travel and profit. Divide those costs by the hours you can realistically bill each month to find your minimum, then add profit. The free calculator shows the rate each quote earns.
Related guides
Sources
- Housecall Pro: 2026 car detailing price guide, updated August 2026
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, cited by Housecall Pro
Tahir Abbas
Founder of Softotech Solutions. Tahir builds Excel and Google Sheets tools for small service businesses, including the free calculators on this site. Price ranges in this guide come from the sources listed above and are checked when the guide is updated.