# How Much to Charge for a Pottery Studio Membership

Cluster: For Studio Owners
URL: https://claybook.studio/blog/pottery-studio-membership-pricing/

# How Much to Charge for a Pottery Studio Membership

There is no single right price for a studio membership. Rent, local demand and what you include all change the answer. What does not change is the method: start from your costs, decide what members get and test the price against real use.

## Start with your monthly costs

Add up everything the studio costs each month:

* Rent and utilities
* Insurance
* Kiln power and maintenance
* Clay, glaze and supplies you provide
* Wheels, tools and equipment replacement
* Your time and any staff
* A cushion for repairs and slow months

Divide by the number of members you can realistically support. That is the floor. The price is the floor plus a margin that keeps the studio healthy.

## Choose your tiers

Most studios offer a mix.

* **Full-access monthly.** Open studio during all hours, a shelf and basic glazes.
* **Off-peak.** Weekdays or daytime only, at a lower price. This fills quiet hours.
* **Part-time.** A set number of visits per month.
* **Drop-in or punch card.** A fixed number of sessions, good for people who cannot commit.
* **Class graduate.** A discounted first membership for students finishing a course.

Keep the list short. Three or four options are easier to explain than seven.

## Decide what is included

The choices that matter most:

* **Clay.** Included, sold by the bag or bought on your own account.
* **Firing.** Included up to a limit, or charged separately. See [how to charge firing fees](/blog/how-to-charge-firing-fees-pottery-studio/).
* **Glaze.** Studio glazes included or extra.
* **Storage.** A shelf or locker, and what happens when it is overfull.
* **Guest access and events.**

Be clear in writing. Most pricing disputes are really disagreements about what is included.

## Pricing worksheet

Fill this in with your numbers.

| Item | Per month |
| --- | --- |
| Rent and utilities | |
| Insurance | |
| Kiln power and upkeep | |
| Supplies you provide | |
| Equipment replacement | |
| Time and staff | |
| Cushion | |
| **Total monthly cost** | |
| Members you can support | |
| **Cost per member (floor)** | |
| Margin | |
| **Full-access price** | |

Then set the other tiers as fractions of the full-access price, based on how many hours or visits each includes.

## Test and adjust

* Ask three or four members what they would pay and what they value.
* Look at how often members actually come in. Heavy users on a low price cost you more.
* Review the price every six to twelve months.
* Grandfather existing members when you raise prices, and say so clearly.

## Want this in your studio?

Claybook handles this for your studio: monthly, off-peak and drop-in plans, plus class packs, with renewals and visit counts handled for you.

Tell us how you run things today and we will tailor it to your studio. See [everything we offer studios](/studios/features/).