Your acrylics look great for about two weeks. Then a pale strip of natural nail shows up at the base, and you start pricing your next appointment. The price of a nail fill-in decides whether acrylics fit your budget, because you pay for fills far more often than you pay for a full set.
To get real numbers, we checked the posted menus of 12 US salons that sell acrylic fills, in cities such as Houston, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, Miami and Nashville. Below you will find their prices, the extra fees that sneak onto the bill, and what a full year of acrylics costs.
Quick answer: An acrylic fill costs about $55 at a typical US salon. Across 12 salon menus checked in October 2026, fills ran $40 to $80, while a new full set had a median of $65. Plan on a fill every 2 to 3 weeks, plus a 15% to 20% tip. Builder gel fills usually cost $55 to $90.
☰ Jump to a section11 sections
- What Is a Nail Fill-In?
- Cost of Acrylic Nail Fill: Price Table
- How Often You Need a Fill
- Fill vs a New Full Set: When a New Set Makes Sense
- The Yearly Cost of Keeping Acrylics
- Extra Fees That Raise the Bill
- Can You Fill Dip, Gel or Gel-X?
- Tipping on a Fill
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Budget Before Your Next Fill
- Sources
What Is a Nail Fill-In?
A fill-in is a maintenance visit for nail enhancements you already wear. Your natural nail keeps growing under the acrylic, so the acrylic slowly moves up and away from your cuticle. That leaves a gap of bare nail at the base.
During a fill, your nail tech files down the old acrylic, thins out the raised edge, and adds fresh product into the gap. Then they reshape the tips and apply color. You keep the same extensions and pay less than you would for a brand new set.
Fingernails grow about 3.5 mm a month, according to the Wikipedia entry on nail anatomy. That works out to roughly 0.8 mm a week, so the gap is easy to see by week 2.
Cost of Acrylic Nail Fill: Price Table
These are the posted menu prices as of October 2026. A “+” means the salon lists the price as a starting point, and longer nails or detailed designs cost more.
| Salon | City | Acrylic full set | Acrylic fill | Menu notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purity Nail Bar | Boston (Brighton), MA | $50+ | $40+ | Lowest fill in the group |
| Coco Nail Spa | Houston, TX | $50+ | $45+ | Fill with shellac color $55+ |
| Lux Nail Spa | Houston, TX | $51+ | $46+ | Gel powder fill $51+ |
| Kim Studio Nails | Seattle, WA | $60 | $50 | $55 if you also cut down and reshape |
| Creative Nail Spa | West Des Moines, IA | $55+ | $50+ | Fill with gel polish $55+ |
| Bellacures Preston Center | Dallas, TX | $65 | $55 | Flat price |
| 312 Nails Spa | Chicago, IL | $65 | $55 | Cash price; card is $56.93 |
| The City Nail Bar & Lash | Denver, CO | $65 | $55 | Called a “rebase” on the menu |
| Angel Nail Salon | Miami (Kendall), FL | $70 | $55 | $65 for long or XL nails |
| Capital Nailbar | Nashville, TN | $67 | $62 | Fill with gel polish $67 |
| Nail Box Miami | Miami, FL | $75+ | $65+ | Gel polish included; fills on their own work only |
| Poppy Nails | Los Angeles, CA | $100 (short) | $80 | Fill uses builder gel or acrygel |
| All 12 salons | Median $65 | Median $55 (range $40 to $80) |
At the same salon, the price of a nail fill-in usually sits $5 to $15 below a full set. That small gap adds up, because fills make up most of your visits.
Builder Gel and Gel-X Fill Prices
Builder gel (a thick gel that adds strength, sometimes called BIAB or a structured manicure) also gets filled, or “rebalanced.” Some salons also list fills for Gel-X, a soft gel extension system.
| Salon | Builder gel set | Builder gel fill | Gel-X set | Gel-X fill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purity Nail Bar, Boston | $65+ | $55+ | $87 (medium) | Not listed |
| 312 Nails Spa, Chicago | $75 | $65 | $80 | $65 |
| Capital Nailbar, Nashville | $77 | $67 | $77 | $67 |
| Nail Box Miami | $65+ (structured manicure) | $65+ (hard gel refill) | $75+ | Not listed |
| Bellacures Beverly Hills | $100 | $90 | $105 | Not offered (removal plus new set $126) |
| Kim Studio Nails, Seattle | Not listed | Not listed | $65 | $55 |
| Lux Nail Spa, Houston | $61+ | Not listed | $66+ | $60+ |
| The City Nail Bar & Lash, Denver | $65 | Not listed | $70 | $55 (rebase) |
| Angel Nail Salon, Miami | $45 | Not listed | $65 | $50 |
Builder gel fills ran $55 to $90 in this group, so they usually cost a little more than an acrylic fill at the same salon. If you are weighing gel against acrylic overall, our gel nails cost guide and the Gel-X vs acrylic cost comparison break down full set prices.
Art and Color Add-Ons
| Add-on | Typical posted price |
|---|---|
| Gel polish instead of regular polish on a fill | About $5 more (Capital Nailbar, Creative Nail Spa) |
| French tips | $10 to $25, median $10 |
| Nail art, priced per nail | $3 to $10 per nail, median $5 |
A French fill with art on two accent nails can easily add $20 to $30 to a $55 fill.
How Often You Need a Fill
Most people book a fill every 2 to 3 weeks. The American Academy of Dermatology says artificial nails need touch-ups every 2 to 3 weeks to fill in the gaps that show up as your nails grow.
Your timing depends on:
- Nail growth. If your nails grow fast, the gap shows sooner and 2 weeks may be your limit. Slow growers can often stretch to 3 weeks.
- Color choice. A sheer nude or pink-and-white set hides regrowth better than a dark red, so you may wait longer before it bothers you.
- Your hands at work. Typing, cleaning and lifting boxes put stress on long nails, and stressed nails lift sooner.
- Length. As your natural nail grows, the weight of a long tip shifts forward. That makes long sets more likely to snap if you wait too long.
The same AAD page also warns that frequent touch-ups can damage your natural nails, partly because the nail surface is filed rough before acrylic goes on. If your nails feel thin or sore, give them a break between sets.
Fill vs a New Full Set: When a New Set Makes Sense
A fill is the cheaper choice most of the time. A new set is the better deal in these cases:
- Several nails are lifting or broken. At Bellacures in Dallas, a fill is $55 and each nail fix is $5. Fix three nails and you pay $70, which is more than the $65 full set.
- You waited 4 weeks or longer. The gap can pass 3 mm, and the old acrylic has more time to lift and catch on things.
- You want a big change in length or shape. Switching a short square set into long coffin nails often needs new tips. Read our coffin nails guide to see how much length that shape needs.
- You are switching salons. Some salons only fill their own work. Nail Box Miami says this right on its menu.
Keep in mind that a new set over old acrylic usually means paying for removal too. Bellacures Dallas charges $25 for acrylic removal, so a fresh start there costs $90 compared with a $55 fill.
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The Yearly Cost of Keeping Acrylics
Here is the math for one year of acrylics. It assumes one full set, then fills every 2 or 3 weeks for 52 weeks, using the low, median and high prices above.
| Price level | Fill every 2 weeks (1 set + 25 fills) | Fill every 3 weeks (1 set + 16 fills) |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest ($50 set, $40 fills) | $1,050 | $690 |
| Median ($65 set, $55 fills) | $1,440 | $945 |
| Highest ($100 set, $80 fills) | $2,100 | $1,380 |
| Median with a 20% tip | $1,728 | $1,134 |
At median prices, booking fills every 3 weeks instead of every 2 saves you $495 a year. That is about $120 a month versus about $79 a month, before tips.
Extra Fees That Raise the Bill
The price of a nail fill-in on the menu is only the starting number. These charges push it higher:
| Extra | What salons posted |
|---|---|
| Broken or lifted nail repair | $5 per nail (Bellacures Dallas, Angel Nail Salon), $8+ (312 Nails Spa), $10 per tip (Kim Studio Nails) |
| Shape change | $5 at Purity Nail Bar; $5 for almond, coffin or stiletto at Capital Nailbar |
| Extra length | +$6 and up (Purity Nail Bar); long fills $10 more at Angel Nail Salon |
| Cut down and reshape | $5 (Bellacures Dallas cut down; Kim Studio Nails fill goes $50 to $55) |
| Acrylic removal | $15 to $32: $15 without a service at Coco Nail Spa and Lux Nail Spa, $25 at Bellacures Dallas, Capital Nailbar and Kim Studio Nails, $32 at Bellacures Beverly Hills |
| Paying by card | About 3.5% more at 312 Nails Spa, which posts separate cash and card prices |
Before you sit down, ask whether the quoted fill price includes polish, shaping and any repairs. If you want a new shape, our nail shapes guide helps you pick one before the appointment.
Can You Fill Dip, Gel or Gel-X?
Only some nail systems get filled. Here is how each one is handled:
| Nail type | Filled? | What usually happens instead |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic | Yes | Standard fill every 2 to 3 weeks |
| Builder gel / hard gel | Yes | Fill or “rebalance” at most salons that sell it |
| Gel-X and soft gel extensions | At some salons | Fill or “rebase” at 6 salons above; others remove and apply a new set |
| Dip powder | No | Soaked off and redone |
| Gel polish manicure | No | Soaked off and redone |
Dip powder is not filled. Salons take it off and dip your nails again. Kim Studio Nails lists “Dipping Take Off New Set” at $55, and Capital Nailbar’s $62 dip price includes taking off the old dip. If you want to do the removal yourself, follow our guide on how to remove dip nails.
Gel polish is a thin color coat, so there is nothing to fill. You soak it off and get a new gel manicure. For the difference between gel, regular and other polish types, see our guide to types of nail polish.
Gel-X works differently than acrylic. Several salons file the grown-out area and add new gel at the base, and they charge $50 to $67 for it. Others, such as Bellacures Beverly Hills, list no Gel-X fill at all and charge $126 for removal plus a new set.
Tipping on a Fill
Tip on a fill the same way you tip on a full set. The Emily Post Institute tipping guide lists 15% to 20% for a manicurist.
| Fill price | 15% tip | 20% tip |
|---|---|---|
| $40 | $6 | $8 |
| $55 | $8.25 | $11 |
| $65 | $9.75 | $13 |
| $80 | $12 | $16 |
Base your tip on the full bill, including repairs and art.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is an acrylic fill at a nail salon?
Across 12 US salon menus checked in October 2026, an acrylic fill cost $40 to $80. The median was $55.
Is a fill cheaper than a new set?
Yes, at every salon we checked. The median fill was $55 and the median full set was $65. A new set can cost more than you expect if you also pay $25 or more for removal.
Can I go 4 weeks without a fill?
You can, but the AAD says artificial nails need touch-ups every 2 to 3 weeks. By week 4 your nail has grown about 3 mm under the acrylic, so lifting and breaks get more likely.
Can I get a fill at a different salon?
Often yes, but some salons only fill acrylics they applied. Call first, and expect a higher price or a new set if the old acrylic is lifting badly.
Does a fill include polish?
It depends on the salon. Capital Nailbar charges $62 with regular polish and $67 with gel polish, while Nail Box Miami includes gel polish in its $65 fill.
Is a builder gel fill more expensive than an acrylic fill?
Usually a little. Builder gel fills ran $55 to $90 in our data, compared with a $55 median for acrylic. At 312 Nails Spa, the builder fill is $65 and the acrylic fill is $55.
What to Budget Before Your Next Fill
Plan on a price of a nail fill-in near $55, $8 to $11 for the tip, and a few dollars more for any broken nail or shape change. That puts a typical visit near $65 to $70.
The biggest money decision is your schedule. Fills every 3 weeks instead of every 2 save close to $500 a year at median prices. Check your salon’s own menu before you book, since prices on these pages change.
Sources
- Artificial nails: Dermatologists’ tips for reducing nail damage (American Academy of Dermatology)
- Nail (anatomy) (Wikipedia)
- General Tipping Guide (Emily Post Institute)
- Nails Enhancement menu (Purity Nail Bar, Boston)
- Services (Coco Nail Spa, Houston)
- Services (Lux Nail Spa, Houston)
- Services (Kim Studio Nails, Seattle)
- Services (Creative Nail Spa, West Des Moines)
- Bellacures Dallas Preston Center menu
- Bellacures Beverly Hills menu
- Price List (312 Nails Spa, Chicago)
- Services (The City Nail Bar & Lash, Denver)
- Services (Angel Nail Salon, Miami)
- Services (Capital Nailbar, Nashville)
- Services (Nail Box Miami)
- Pricing (Poppy Nails, Los Angeles)
