Mobile detailing is a different business than storefront. The pricing, the packaging, and the customer expectations all shift. Here's how to charge it right.
The convenience premium
Mobile customers pay for: not driving anywhere, not waiting in a lobby, the car being detailed at their home or office during work hours. That's worth a real premium — typically 15-25% over the same service tier at a storefront.
Don't apologize for this. The convenience is the product.
Package structure that works
Three tiers, simple choices:
Express mobile detail
- Time on-site: 90-120 minutes
- Service: exterior wash, interior vacuum + wipe-down, windows, tires
- Price: $129-$179 (sedan)
- Best for: weekly/biweekly maintenance customers
Full mobile detail
- Time on-site: 3-4 hours
- Service: foam wash, hand wash, clay bar, interior shampoo, leather conditioning, full interior detail
- Price: $279-$399 (sedan), $349-$499 (SUV)
- Best for: monthly customers, one-off "I want my car nice"
Premium mobile detail
- Time on-site: 5-7 hours
- Service: everything in full PLUS 1-stage paint correction, headlight restoration, engine bay
- Price: $549-$799 (sedan), $649-$899 (SUV)
- Best for: quarterly or semi-annual customers
What NOT to do on mobile pricing
- Don't try to compete with cheap drive-through wash places. You're not selling speed; you're selling convenience and quality.
- Don't price the express tier below $100. Below that, the time you spend driving + setup makes the math fail.
- Don't promise services your mobile setup can't deliver. Mobile is harder than storefront for paint correction (lighting + ergonomics). Be honest about what travels well.
Recurring is everything
Mobile detailing financial stability comes from recurring contracts:
- Weekly express: $99-$149/week
- Biweekly express: $119-$169 per visit
- Monthly full: $249-$329/mo
- Quarterly full: $299-$399 per visit (billed monthly as $100-$133/mo)
A mobile truck with 25 active recurring customers has a predictable $5,000-$10,000/mo revenue floor. Without recurring, you're starting from zero every month.
Geographic pricing zones
Mobile detailers waste capacity driving long distances. Solve this with zone-based pricing:
- Zone 1 (within 10 miles of home base): standard price
- Zone 2 (10-20 miles): +$20-$40 travel surcharge
- Zone 3 (20+ miles): +$50-$100 travel surcharge OR minimum 2-vehicle visits
Be explicit about zones at booking time. Don't surprise customers later.
Add-on pricing for mobile
- Pet hair removal: $50-$100 add-on
- Smoke odor treatment: $150-$300 add-on
- Headlight restoration: $99-$149 add-on (pure margin on mobile)
- Ceramic spray coating (entry-level boost product): $100-$200 add-on (high margin)
- Wheel deep clean with iron remover: $50-$100 add-on
Payment
Take payment at booking, not on-site. This eliminates the awkward "I don't have my wallet" moment when you're standing in someone's driveway.
- Deposit at booking (25-50%)
- Balance invoiced on completion, paid via a text-to-pay link
What about commercial / fleet?
Commercial fleet mobile contracts are a separate pricing model:
- Per-vehicle visit: typically $50-$120 depending on service tier and volume
- Monthly retainer: scaled to fleet size
- Minimum visit count per month: protects your scheduling overhead
Fleet contracts typically run 12-month terms with auto-renewal. Less margin per vehicle than retail mobile, but predictable revenue + bulk scheduling efficiency.
What we tell new mobile operators
"Charge 20% more than your storefront competitors. Run as a premium service, not a discount one. Aim for 60% recurring customers within 18 months. Don't chase one-off jobs across the metro — build a route."