Can You Finance a Tattoo? How Tattoo Payment Plans Work

Large Tattoos Don't Require Large Upfront Payments

A $6,000 sleeve sounds intimidating. But what if it was $500/month for 12 months? Suddenly that dream sleeve becomes accessible to almost anyone with steady income.

Tattoo financing has become mainstream, and at 46 Tattoo, we accept Shop Pay Installments to help clients get quality work without financial strain.

How Shop Pay Installments Works

Shop Pay is Shopify's built-in financing option. Here's the basic structure:

Pay in 4 (Interest-Free)

• Split your payment into 4 equal parts
• First payment at checkout, then every 2 weeks
• No interest or fees when you pay on time
• Best for smaller sessions ($200-$1,000)

Monthly Payments (Extended)

• Split larger amounts over 3, 6, or 12+ months
• Low APR (varies by creditworthiness)
• Predictable monthly payments
• Best for larger projects ($1,000-$5,000+ per session)

Real Examples

Here's what financing looks like for common projects:

Half Sleeve ($4,500 total, 3 sessions)

• Pay $1,500/session with Shop Pay in 4
• That's $375 every 2 weeks per session
• Sessions are 3-4 weeks apart anyway
• Payments naturally align with tattoo schedule

Full Sleeve ($9,000 total, 6 sessions)

• $1,500/session, financed individually
• Or finance larger chunks over 6-12 months
• Monthly payment: ~$750-$1,500/month depending on structure

Back Piece ($12,000 total, 8 sessions)

• $1,500/session average
• Finance each session with Pay in 4
• Spread 8+ months of sessions naturally
• Total monthly outlay stays manageable

Who Should Use Financing?

Financing makes sense if you:

• Want quality work from experienced artists
• Have steady income but not large savings
• Prefer predictable monthly payments over lump sums
• Don't want to delay your project for years while saving

It doesn't make sense if you're already stretched financially. Tattoos are a want, not a need—don't create financial stress for one.

Why This Matters for Quality

Before financing was common, people who couldn't pay upfront had two choices:

1. Wait years while slowly saving
2. Go cheap to fit budget constraints

Both options are suboptimal. Waiting delays something meaningful to you. Going cheap means living with inferior work forever (or paying for coverups later).

Financing creates a third option: get quality work now, pay over time.

The Value Perspective

Consider what we routinely finance:

• Phones ($1,200+ over 24 months)
• Furniture (pay-later options everywhere)
• Cars (obviously)
• Education (student loans)

A tattoo that lasts 50+ years is a more permanent investment than most of those. Financing it makes logical sense.

• $6,000 sleeve / 12 months = $500/month
• $6,000 sleeve / 50 years = $10/month lifetime cost

How to Use Financing at 46 Tattoo

1. Book your consultation (free, no commitment)
2. Get your quote for the full project or session
3. Pay with Shop Pay at checkout
4. Select your payment plan (4 payments or monthly)
5. Get tattooed while payments process in background

It's straightforward. No separate application, no waiting for approval—Shop Pay handles it at checkout.