Running a profitable tanning salon today is about more than buying a “nice” bed. It’s about engineering revenue with the right mix of technology, session design, throughput, and add-on sales — and doing this within UK regulations and customer expectations. In this guide, we combine real salon usage patterns with clear ROI maths to help you choose the most profitable sunbeds in the UK for your space and audience.
Best Sunbeds Ltd has spent nearly two decades advising and equipping salons across the UK. We install, service and finance professional sunbeds from leading brands and — uniquely — we distribute Opal Fitness vertical units (with LED advertising screens), Fanatic (vertical & parts), and support retail and salon-grade cosmetics with Fame Tan and QL Tan. This article distils that experience into practical, numbers-driven advice you can act on immediately.
What Actually Drives Profitability?
Before comparing models, let’s define the levers that move your profit:
- Throughput per hour
Shorter sessions at steady demand increase the number of paying clients per hour and reduce queue friction. A typical UK session on modern equipment averages around 10 minutes (varies by skin type, regulation, and customer preference). - Session price and pricing unit
Many salons in the UK charge per minute (e.g., £0.70–£1.10/min depending on device segment). Presenting clear “per minute” value while offering simple session bundles supports both transparency and average order value (AOV). - Energy & maintenance
Efficient ballasts, smart ventilation, consistent lamp quality and preventative maintenance reduce your cost per session and downtime — a hidden but decisive ROI factor. - Customer experience & brand
Comfort, cooling, cleanliness, lighting design, soundtrack and “premium feel” sustain higher pricing and repeat visits. This is where lay-down premium units shine. - Space & layout
Better cabin design (ideal 3×3 m) and air management (e.g., 315 mm extract ducting) protect performance, comfort and lamp life — which quietly protects your margin. - Compliance and reputation
Responsible tanning, age restrictions and clear staff training are non-negotiable. They also build trust, which is a long-term driver of revenue.
Vertical vs Lay-Down vs Hybrid/Red-Light: How the Type Affects ROI
Vertical (Stand-Up)
- Strengths: high throughput, shorter sessions (often 6–10 minutes), easier ventilation, compact footprint.
- Business upside: pairs well with high-traffic locations and lunch-break users (“travellers”) who want fast, strong results.
- Best Sunbeds note: Opal Fitness Vertical (exclusive in the UK) is available with Vibra Floor and a large external LED screen. This screen can promote your offers — or host paid local adverts — creating incremental revenue that most sunbeds can’t.
Lay-Down (Horizontal)
- Strengths: the “spa-like” experience: strong cooling, ergonomic base, relaxation, mood lighting.
- Business upside: supports premium pricing and “treat” positioning; ideal when your local market values comfort and time on the bed.
- Market reality (2025 UK): salons still invest more heavily in lay-down beds (e.g., a common mix of 4 lay-down to 1–2 vertical).
- Expert tip: a dual-path strategy works best: a flagship lay-down for premium price points, plus at least one vertical unit to boost throughput and absorb peak demand.
Hybrid & Red-Light
- Strengths: combines tanning and skincare/wellness (collagen/red-light), broadening your audience.
- Business upside: opens the door to bundles (e.g., “glow + collagen”) and higher perceived value.
- Operational tip: keep messaging distinct so clients understand why these sessions are priced differently.
Session Design: Real-World Patterns
From UK salon logs (post-season) on mid-strength lamps (not the strict 0.3 mW/cm² norm but not “very hot” either), we see a spread from 5 to 20 minutes with a modal cluster around 8–12 minutes across typical premium brands (Ergoline, megaSun) and verticals (including Opal Fitness). For planning and ROI maths we will use a 10-minute “typical” session as the baseline; it reflects what most customers find effective, comfortable and repeatable.
ROI Calculations You Can Trust (and Adjust)
You asked for solid numbers. Below we run transparent ROI scenarios using your prices and costs. We present bands so you can match them to your salon’s hours and occupancy.
Assumptions We Use (and Why)
- Session length: 10 minutes (baseline; you can model 8–12).
- Operating days: 5 days per week (adjustable).
- Hours of operation per day: scenarios shown for 4 h, 6 h, 8 h (to match quiet vs busy sites).
- Occupancy: 20–40% in “conservative” bands (reflects realistic utilisation outside peak).
- Pricing: as provided by you.
- Device cost: ex-VAT for ROI logic (B2B).
- Energy & service: not baked into the headline payback (we discuss below how to factor them in).
Important: Real cash-flow will also reflect finance/lease costs and OPEX (energy, lamps, servicing). We highlight these after the headline payback so you can layer them realistically.
Device 1: Ergoline Prestige Lightvision
- Capex (ex-VAT): £29,500
- Reference price: £9 per session (your input)
- Per-minute price context: £0.80–£1.10/min → £8–£11 at 10 minutes (the £9/session scenario is the mid-point reference)
ROI bands (payback months) under different opening hours & occupancy
| Hours/day | Occupancy | Sessions/day (10 min) | Weekly revenue (£9) | Payback (months) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 h | 20% | 4.8 | £216 | 23.5 |
| 4 h | 30% | 7.2 | £324 | 15.7 |
| 4 h | 40% | 9.6 | £432 | 11.8 |
| 6 h | 20% | 7.2 | £324 | 15.7 |
| 6 h | 30% | 10.8 | £486 | 10.4 |
| 6 h | 40% | 14.4 | £648 | 7.8 |
| 8 h | 20% | 9.6 | £432 | 11.8 |
| 8 h | 30% | 14.4 | £648 | 7.8 |
| 8 h | 40% | 19.2 | £864 | 5.9 |
Takeaway:
- To achieve your stated 10–12 months headline, realistic operating points include 4h/day at ~40% or 6h/day at ~30% utilisation.
- In stronger locations (6–8h/day, ≥40% occupancy), payback accelerates materially (6–8 months), even without counting add-on sales.
Device 2: Opal Fitness Vertical with Vibra Floor
- Capex (ex-VAT): £13,500
- Reference price: £8 per session (your input)
- Per-minute price context: £0.70–£1.00/min → £7–£10 at 10 minutes (the £8/session scenario is the mid-point reference)
ROI bands (payback months) under different opening hours & occupancy
| Hours/day | Occupancy | Sessions/day (10 min) | Weekly revenue (£8) | Payback (months) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 h | 20% | 4.8 | £192 | 14.4 |
| 4 h | 30% | 7.2 | £288 | 9.6 |
| 4 h | 40% | 9.6 | £384 | 7.2 |
| 6 h | 20% | 7.2 | £288 | 9.6 |
| 6 h | 30% | 10.8 | £432 | 6.4 |
| 6 h | 40% | 14.4 | £576 | 4.8 |
| 8 h | 20% | 9.6 | £384 | 7.2 |
| 8 h | 30% | 14.4 | £576 | 4.8 |
| 8 h | 40% | 19.2 | £768 | 3.6 |
Takeaway:
- Your 9–11 months headline matches conservative scenarios like 6h/day at ~20% or 4h/day at ~30% occupancy.
- In busy sites, Opal Fitness pays back fast — and that’s before counting Vibra Floor appeal and LED-screen upsell/ad revenue.
Layering OPEX & Finance (Make It Real)
- Energy: price per kWh × average draw per session. Efficient verticals often lower kWh/session vs some legacy lay-downs.
- Lamps & maintenance: plan lamp life by hours, not months. Replace full sets for even performance; partial replacements are an exception only when a single tube fails prematurely.
- Finance: e.g., a £12,000 unit over 36 months may cost ~£130–£160/week depending on rate and profile. Compare to the weekly revenue scenarios above; many salons are cash-flow positive in week one at modest occupancy if pricing and session time are well set.
- VAT: most salons reclaim VAT, so use ex-VAT for ROI logic. If not VAT-registered, re-run the maths at inc-VAT to be conservative.
Pro tip: Always run a sensitivity analysis: ±10% on session price, ±10% on occupancy, and ±2 minutes on session length. This single exercise prevents over- or under-buying.
“Which Beds Are Most Profitable?” — The Practical Answer
Short answer:
- Busy sites with limited rooms tend to extract more profit per square metre from verticals due to session speed and throughput.
- Premium destinations can charge higher session prices with lay-down flagships (e.g., Ergoline Prestige Lightvision) because the experience is visibly superior.
- The most profitable mix many UK owners settle on in 2025: a premium lay-down as the hero + at least one efficient vertical to lift total daily sessions and protect queue flow.
Strategic tip: For top-end results and skin finish, we often recommend two lay-down sessions and one vertical in a tanning plan — customers see the difference, you see the basket size rise.
Increase Profit Without Raising Prices
You asked to include everything that helps — here’s the stack that works:
- Retail cosmetics:
Stock Fame Tan and QL Tan with clear good-better-best shelf logic (Accelerator → Bronzer → Tingle → Collagen Glow). Staff should prescribe, not just “offer”. A simple script (“What result do you want today?”) reliably lifts attach rate. - On-bed advertising (Opal Fitness LCD screen):
- Promote your bundles, memberships, skincare.
- Sell local ad slots (barber, café, gym) — even £20–£30/week/slot adds up and subsidises OPEX.
- Session design & memberships:
- Keep baseline at ~10 minutes on mid-to-strong lamps; offer Express and Deluxe packages.
- Membership tiers (e.g., Off-Peak, Anytime, VIP) stabilise revenue and encourage habit.
- Vibra Floor value:
- Communicate it as a “toning add-on” and micro-circulation boost; clients perceive extra value beyond tanning time.
- Cabin & airflow done right:
- Cooler cabins = happier clients = more frequent visits. Our standard builds (3×3 m, proper intake at floor level and 315 mm ducting) protect comfort and lamp life.
- Maintenance SLAs:
- Downtime kills ROI. Best Sunbeds’ four certified technicians and in-house parts stock reduce time-to-fix versus distributors who outsource everything.
New vs Used: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
A cheaper used bed can look tempting, but pay attention to:
- Energy draw per session (older ballasts, fans)
- Time-to-service and parts availability
- Warranty and lamp hours tracking
- Perception: a tired shell undermines premium pricing
A used unit saving £2,000 upfront can quietly cost £500–£700/year extra in electricity and maintenance — erasing the “deal” faster than you think. If your brand is premium, avoid false economies; if you’re filling a secondary room, a vetted used unit from a serious distributor can still make sense — but only with verified hours and condition.
Financing & Leasing in the UK
We collaborate with Portman Group Finance, Kennet Equipment Leasing and First Business Finance to tailor plans for new and growing salons. The core idea:
- Spread capex over time
- Start generating cash day one
- Remain upgrade-capable as your utilisation rises
Pair a vertical (fast payback under modest occupancy) with a flagship lay-down (price leadership) and map repayments against the ROI tables above — you’ll see why the vertical often “pays for” the lay-down’s prestige.
Responsible Tanning & Compliance (Briefly)
- UK law prohibits under-18s from using sunbeds. Train staff for age checks and clear consent.
- Follow safe-use guidelines and skin-type assessment.
- Keep equipment calibrated and ventilated; log lamp hours and service.
Responsible operations are good ethics — and good business.
Key Takeaways
- Don’t buy features — buy outcomes. Throughput × price × experience = profit.
- Mix the portfolio. A premium lay-down sets price level; an efficient vertical drives daily sessions.
- Design sessions around ~10 minutes for a comfortable, repeatable rhythm.
- Use cosmetics, memberships and LED advertising to lift revenue without raising session price.
- Plan maintenance like your profit depends on it — because it does.
FAQ (for customers and staff)
The most profitable bed is the one that matches your location and traffic. Many salons maximise profit per square metre with verticals (fast sessions, high throughput) while using a premium lay-down to justify higher price points.
Using £8/session and conservative utilisation (e.g., 6h/day, ~20% occupancy), payback sits ~9–10 months. In busier sites it accelerates to 4–7 months.
Not always — but new models are typically more energy-efficient, more reliable, and easier to market at premium prices, which often shortens payback vs older units.
It’s a major component of OPEX. Efficient ballasts and proper airflow reduce kWh/session and keep cabins comfortable — both support frequency and margin.
Around 10 minutes is a proven, comfortable baseline on mid-to-strong equipment in the UK. Offer Express/Deluxe variants for different skin types and demand peaks.
Leasing spreads cost and can be cash-flow positive from week one if utilisation is healthy. We arrange plans with UK brokers and map them to your ROI model.
Cosmetics attach rate (Fame Tan, QL Tan), LED screen promos, memberships, and Vibra Floor positioning are effective levers.
Accreditation & Industry Recognition
Best Sunbeds Ltd is a proud member of the Sunbed Association (TSA) the UK’s official trade body for responsible tanning.
Our membership underlines our commitment to industry standards, safety, and professional ethics, making us a proven partner in the tanning business.
When you work with Best Sunbeds, you’re choosing a supplier trusted by both salon owners and the UK’s leading professional network.
Final Call to Action
Want a tailored ROI plan for your postcode, room sizes and target audience?
Speak to Best Sunbeds Ltd — the UK’s trusted supplier of commercial sunbeds, verticals, lamps and premium tanning cosmetics.
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