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Hair Extensions Cost Calculator

How much do hair extensions cost once you add it all up? Estimate a sew-in, wig, tape-ins, clip-ins or microlinks: hair, install, upkeep and cost per week.

Hair sewn onto a braided base. Good human hair is often reused for a second install.

Prices start from our assumptions for a sew-in weave — replace them with your own quotes.

Hair
$
$

Enter 0 for a leave-out install.

How many times you can reuse it.

Salon and upkeep
$
$
wk

0 = none

$
$

Mousse, edge control, wig glue, shampoo…

wk
wk

Up to 52

How to use the Hair Extensions Cost Calculator

  1. Choose the extension type

    Pick a sew-in, quick weave, glueless or lace-front wig, tape-ins, clip-ins, microlinks or crochet. The fields fill with our starting assumptions for that type.

  2. Enter the hair cost

    Set how many bundles, packs or units you buy and the price of each, plus a closure or frontal if you use one. Add how many installs the hair will last.

  3. Add salon and upkeep prices

    Enter the install and removal price, how often you need maintenance and what it costs, and what you spend on products each month.

  4. Set how long you wear it

    Enter the weeks per install and how many weeks a year you wear this type of extension.

  5. Press “Calculate the cost”

    See the cost per year, per week of wear and the first-time cost, with a yearly breakdown chart. Download the PDF or copy the link.

How to use the Hair Extensions Cost Calculator (53 s)

How it works

The sticker price of hair extensions is only part of the cost. This hair extensions cost calculator spreads every expense over the time you actually wear the hair, so a $300 wig you wear for eight months can be compared fairly with a $200 sew-in you wear for eight weeks. 

cost per install = hair ÷ installs it lasts + install + maintenance + removal + products
cost per year    = cost per install × installs per year
cost per week    = cost per install ÷ weeks per install

What counts as an install

An install is one wear period, from putting the hair in to taking it out. For sew-ins, quick weaves and crochet that is the whole style. Tape-ins count each re-tape and move-up as a new install. Wigs and clip-ins don't need a salon each time, so an “install” is a styling period — about a month or two of wear.

Hair reuse

“Installs the hair lasts” spreads the hair cost. Human hair that is cared for can often be reused; synthetic hair and glued quick-weave tracks usually can't. The first-time cost still includes all of the hair, because you pay for it up front.

Maintenance

Maintenance visits happen every few weeks during an install — for example a microlinks move-up every 6 weeks of an 18-week wear means 2 visits, because the last interval ends with removal.

Limits

  • The starting prices are our assumptions to get you going, not survey data — replace them with your stylist's quotes.
  • Hair quality varies a lot; cheaper hair may not survive a second install.
  • Cost isn't the only factor: tension, weight and glue affect the health of your own hair and edges.

Our starting assumptions by extension type

Type Hair Install Wear Hair lasts Per week Per year
Sew-in weave 3 × $60 + $70 $200 8 wk 2 installs $48 $2,492
Quick weave 2 × $40 $120 4 wk 1 install $59 $3,086
Glueless wig 1 × $250 $60 8 wk 4 installs $23 $1,176
Lace-front wig (glued) 1 × $300 $150 3 wk 8 installs $76 $3,950
Tape-ins 1 × $250 $150 7 wk 3 installs $36 $1,853
Clip-ins 1 × $200 $0 4 wk 12 installs $5 $277
Microlinks / I-tips 2 × $150 $300 18 wk 1 install $56 $2,936
Crochet 6 × $8 $120 6 wk 1 install $35 $1,812

Editable starting assumptions, not quotes or survey data. Per year assumes you wear that type all 52 weeks, back to back.

Frequently asked questions

How much do hair extensions cost?
It depends on the type, the hair and your stylist. With our starting assumptions, a sew-in works out to about $2,492 a year if you wear one back to back, or $48 per week of wear — but those are editable assumptions, not quotes. Enter your own prices for a real number.

Are wigs cheaper than sew-ins?
Often per week, because a well-kept wig is reused for months and there is no braid-down to pay for each time. With our assumptions a glueless wig comes to about $23 per week versus $48 for a sew-in. The first-time cost can still be higher because you pay for the whole unit up front.

Can you reuse sew-in hair?
Good-quality human hair is often reused for a second install if it was washed, detangled and stored well. Synthetic and blended hair usually is not. Set “Installs the hair lasts” to match — reuse spreads the hair cost over more installs.

How often do tape-ins and microlinks need maintenance?
Many stylists schedule move-ups every 6 to 8 weeks as your own hair grows. For tape-ins the calculator counts each move-up as a new install; for microlinks it counts move-ups as maintenance visits. Use the interval your stylist gives you.

What costs do people forget to budget for?
Removal, maintenance visits, the closure or frontal, products like wig glue or mousse, and the fact that hair wears out. The yearly breakdown shows each of these separately.

Can extensions damage my hair?
They can if they pull. Tight braid-downs, heavy hair, glue at the hairline and keeping installs in too long put tension on the roots, which is linked to traction alopecia. Ask for a gentle install, give your hair breaks and see a dermatologist if your scalp is sore or your edges are thinning.

Sources

Last data update:

  1. Haskin A, Aguh C. All hairstyles are not created equal: what the dermatologist needs to know about black hairstyling practices and the risk of traction alopecia (TA). J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016;75(3):606-611. Risk of traction alopecia by hairstyle; tension, weight and duration matter.
  2. Billero V, Miteva M. Traction alopecia: the root of the problem. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018;11:149-159. Early traction alopecia is reversible; prolonged tension can cause permanent loss.

How we research and update pages: editorial policy. Spotted an error? Tell us.

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