Stop doing payroll math by hand every Friday. Enter each job, its price, and the commission rate — the calculator instantly totals what every worker earned, including tips and discounts.
| Worker | Service | Price $ | Discount $ | Comm % | Tips $ | Pay |
|---|
| Worker | Jobs | Tips | Gross pay | Est. take-home |
|---|
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This calculator estimates commission pay and take-home only. It is not payroll software and does not calculate or file real taxes. Actual W-2 withholding (federal, state, and FICA), overtime, and 1099 rules must be handled by a licensed payroll provider or accountant.
A fuller schedule makes payroll easier than any spreadsheet can. The quickest win is the calls nobody answers — missed-call text-back picks them up automatically while you are busy earning.
See how it works →How to pay detailing techs fairly without erasing your own margin. The payroll and commission questions shop owners search for.
Both are common. Hourly is simple and predictable; commission (a percentage of the job or a per-car rate) rewards speed and upselling. Many shops use a hybrid — a base hourly wage plus commission or tips. What matters is that total pay per job still leaves the shop a profit, which this calculator shows for each tech.
Detailer commission commonly runs roughly 20–40% of the service price, depending on whether the shop or the tech supplies products and equipment — higher percentages usually mean the tech covers more of their own costs. Always check the payout against your margin so commission doesn't wipe out profit on discounted jobs.
Decide up front whether commission is figured on the price before or after discounts — paying commission on the full price of a promo can erase your margin. Tips normally pass through to the tech on top. This calculator lets you enter discounts and tips per job so both the tech's take-home and the shop's share are clear.
Yes — commission and hourly pay are both wages, subject to payroll taxes, and non-exempt employees are generally owed overtime past 40 hours/week under federal law (state rules vary). The take-home figures here are estimates for planning; use a payroll provider or accountant for actual withholding and compliance.
