A manicure in Singapore runs from about $13 for a 10-minute one-step gel service to $150 for a full gel mani-pedi combo, and the single biggest saving is the one almost every salon runs but rarely advertises: a first-trial rate for new customers. We compared 8 salons with prices published on their own websites: for Duchess, by Duke (first-timer one-step gel manicure $12.90, the cheapest gel on this list), Shimmer & Shine (9 heartland outlets, cheapest walk-in manicure at $15), Twenty Nails (first-trial mani-pedi combos from $48), Nails & Good Company (less-toxic gel, first trial from $35), Nail Palace (23 outlets, the biggest chain), N20 Nail Spa (7 mall outlets, whole price list raised in 2026), Princess's Cottage (4 outlets, three separate price menus, first-trial classic gel manicure $21.80 w/GST) and The Nail Social (20% off your first visit, plus a published kids' menu from $15). Outlets, opening hours, men's and children's rates, and what each is actually best for.
A manicure in Singapore runs from about $13 to $150, and the biggest lever on that spread is the first-trial rate almost every salon quietly runs for new customers.
> Quick view: cheapest first try is for Duchess, by Duke at $12.90, and that already includes a one-step gel colour. Cheapest rate needing no trial is Shimmer & Shine at $15. A full classic gel manicure starts at $21.80 w/GST on Princess's Cottage's first trial. The catch: gel removal is billed separately, $16 to $22 on top.
A one-outlet studio in Kinex that publishes its full price list openly, and runs the lowest first-timer rate on this list: One Step Express Manicure at $12.90 (usual $16) and One Step Express Pedicure at $18.90 (usual $22). Beyond the trial rates, Express manicure is $25 and Classic manicure $45; Express pedicure $30, Classic pedicure $55 and Classic Spa pedicure $65. Read the menu carefully, because every tier here is already a gel service: the price list marks "1 Gel Colour Included" on each one, and the service pages describe the One Step as a one-step gel polish applied without base or top coat, wearing 1 to 2 weeks, while the $25 Express and $45 Classic are conventional gel with base and top coat, wearing 2 to 3 and 4 to 6 weeks. That makes $12.90 the cheapest published gel manicure on this list, below the $29.90 first-trial gel elsewhere. What is priced separately is structure, not colour: full set extensions $40, full set overlay $20, gel removal $10, extensions removal $28, and nail art is $28 for a full set with designer styles adding about $3 per nail. CATCH: on both One Step tiers, cutting and shaping are $2 each on top, so $12.90 buys colour on nails that are already tidy. The studio is a genuine nail-art specialist rather than a quick colour bar, so it is worth booking ahead for anything detailed. NOTE: online booking is for plain solid colour only (glitter included), and a deposit is required. Full payment is collected for express services, 50% for classic and extensions, paid by PayNow or PayLah to 82023636 with a screenshot sent to @forduchessbyduke on Instagram. Anything with nail art, or three or more colours, has to be quoted by DM first.ADDRESS: 11 Tanjong Katong Road #02-15, Kinex, S437157, about 350m from Paya Lebar MRT. TEL: 6631 8464. HOURS: Tue to Sun 11am-8pm; Mondays by appointment only.BEST FOR: the cheapest legitimate first try, and detailed nail art.
First-timer: One Step Express Manicure $12.90 (U.P. $16), One Step Express Pedicure $18.90 (U.P. $22), both including a one-step gel colour; cutting and shaping $2 each on top. Express $25 and Classic $45 use gel with base and top coat. Gel full-set extensions $40, overlay $20, removal $10; full-set nail art $28. Kinex, Tue to Sun 11am-8pm. Online booking is plain colour only and needs a deposit (full payment for express, 50% for classic and extensions).
The most convenient pick if you live outside the city: nine outlets, almost all in heartland malls and neighbourhood centres. Rivervale Mall, Yew Tee Point, Compass One, Oasis Terraces, Northpoint City, Anchorvale Village, The Poiz Centre, Kovan Heartland Mall, and Tang Plaza in town, though that Orchard unit is now listed as U+ Eyebrow & Lash by Shimmer & Shine, a brows-and-lashes studio, so confirm it still takes nail bookings before you go. The first-timer menu is published in full: Express Gel Manicure $29.90, Classic Gel Manicure $49.90, Express Gel Pedicure $26.90, Classic Pedicure $29.90 and Gel Pedicure $69.90, all one-hour services. It is also one of the few chains that lists Inai (henna) nails as a standard service, Classic Inai Manicure $28 and Classic Inai Pedicure $38, which matters if you want colour without gel or polish. Booking is by WhatsApp (+65 8926 1835) or through Fresha. NOTE: those gel figures are first-timer-exclusive, but the salon also publishes its standard non-trial rates: Express Manicure $15, Classic Manicure $23 and Express Pedicure $17. That $15 express manicure is the cheapest non-trial entry price on this entire list, below Nail Palace at $16.35 and N20 at $19.62. Its standing gel rates are published too, on the salon's own individual service pages rather than the promotions page, so you can see what visit two costs: Express Gelish Manicure $35, Classic Gel Manicure $58, Express Gel Pedicure $40, Gel Pedicure $78 and Classic Pedicure $38. Read against those, the deepest first-trial cut is the Express Gel Pedicure at $26.90 against a usual $40; the shallowest is the Express Gel Manicure, $29.90 against $35. The same service pages list a Princess Manicure for kids at $12, the lowest fixed children's price on this list, and state a $5 surcharge per service for gentlemen. The pedicure page also prices callus work: Anti-Callus Removal $38, Sensitive Skin Callus Removal $68 and a Callus Treatment Pedicure $98.BEST FOR: heartland convenience, the cheapest plain express manicure, a $12 kids' manicure, and Inai/henna nails.
First-timer exclusive: Express Gel Manicure $29.90, Classic Gel Manicure $49.90, Express Gel Pedicure $26.90, Classic Pedicure $29.90, Gel Pedicure $69.90, Classic Inai Manicure $28, Classic Inai Pedicure $38. Standard non-trial rates: Express Manicure $15, Classic Manicure $23, Express Pedicure $17, Classic Pedicure $38, Express Gelish Manicure $35, Classic Gel Manicure $58, Express Gel Pedicure $40, Gel Pedicure $78. Kids' Princess Manicure $12; men +$5 per service. 9 outlets. Book via WhatsApp or Fresha.
A single Toa Payoh salon about six minutes' walk from Toa Payoh MRT, and the one on this list with the deepest first-trial discounts, because it bundles hands and feet together rather than pricing a single service low. The published first-trial menu: Classic Manicure + Classic Pedicure + foot bath $48 (usual $66); Express Gelish Manicure + Express Gelish Pedicure $48 (usual $70); Classic Gelish Manicure + IBX nail strengthening $58 (usual $78); Classic Gelish Manicure + Classic Pedicure + foot bath $68 (usual $88); Classic Gelish Manicure + Classic Gelish Pedicure + foot bath $88 (usual $110). Going up: Signature Spa Classic Manicure + Pedicure $108 (usual $156) and Signature Spa Gelish Manicure + Pedicure $138 (usual $196), both using Japanese products with a hand-spa treatment. The classic pedicures finish with a Seche Vite fast-dry top coat at no extra charge, which is the sort of thing other salons bill as an add-on. TERMS: new customers, or anyone whose last visit was more than six months ago; cannot be combined with other vouchers or discounts; not valid during the Chinese New Year peak period. TEL: 6258 1861; WhatsApp 9270 8000.BEST FOR: doing hands and feet in one sitting at the biggest discount off usual price.
First-trial (new customers or last visit 6+ months ago): Classic Mani + Classic Pedi + foot bath $48 (U.P. $66), Express Gelish Mani + Pedi $48 (U.P. $70), Classic Gelish Mani + IBX $58 (U.P. $78), Gelish Mani + Classic Pedi + foot bath $68 (U.P. $88), Gelish Mani + Gelish Pedi + foot bath $88 (U.P. $110). Not valid with other vouchers or during CNY peak.
Two mall outlets, Tampines 1 and Plaza Singapura, with a first-trial menu that is unusually transparent about the usual price beside each offer. Nails: Express Gel Manicure $35 (usual $40) and Express Gel Pedicure $35 (usual $45), both 30 minutes; Classic Gel Manicure + Classic Pedicure $85 (usual $105) at 90 minutes; Classic Gel Manicure + Pedicure $125 (usual $145), its best-selling pairing; and Deluxe Gel Manicure + Pedicure $165 (usual $200), which adds a nourishing mud masque and an organic creme butter hand massage in your choice of cucumber, lavender, vitamin C or ocean breeze. The salon's pitch is less-toxic gel polish, worth knowing if you top up gel every few weeks and want to cut your exposure. It also runs lashes on first-trial rates: Lash Lift + Tint $65 (usual $80), classic single lashes $85 (usual $100), hybrid $105 (usual $120) and volume $125 (usual $140), so you can stack a nail and lash appointment in one mall trip, and it has since added nano eyebrow embroidery and bridal packages to the same menu.ADDRESSES: 10 Tampines Central 1 #05-K1 (Tampines 1) and 68 Orchard Road #04-38 (Plaza Singapura).BEST FOR: less-toxic gel, and pairing nails with lashes in one visit.
First trial: Express Gel Manicure $35 (U.P. $40), Express Gel Pedicure $35 (U.P. $45), Classic Gel Mani + Classic Pedi $85 (U.P. $105), Classic Gel Mani + Pedi $125 (U.P. $145), Deluxe Gel Mani + Pedi $165 (U.P. $200). Lashes from $65 (Lash Lift + Tint, U.P. $80). Tampines 1 & Plaza Singapura.
With 23 outlets, Nail Palace is the chain you can almost always get to, including units inside Tampines, Bishan and Tanjong Pagar MRT stations, and mall outlets at AMK Hub, NEX, Causeway Point, Northpoint City, Jurong Point, Lot One, Bukit Panjang Plaza, Parkway Parade, Wisma Atria, Bugis+, Chinatown Point, White Sands, Century Square, East Point, Sun Plaza, Yew Tee Point, City Square Mall, Grantral Mall Clementi, The Midtown Hougang and International Plaza. Prices are published in full and the site dates them, stating they are correct as of 9 September 2026, with every figure unchanged from its January 2026 list: Express Manicure $16.35, Classic Manicure $30.55, Gel Express Manicure $68.70, Gel Classic Manicure $82.85; Express Pedicure $21.80, Classic Pedicure $43.60, Deluxe Pedicure $74.15, Signature Deluxe Pedicure $95.95, Gel Express Pedicure $85.05, Gel Classic Pedicure $106.85, Deluxe Gel Classic Pedicure $137.35 and Signature Deluxe Gel Pedicure $159.14; gel soak-off $16.35 for hands and $21.80 for feet. It also runs foot-care treatments most nail bars do not: a DrFoot expert foot bath at $10.90, hand paraffin $41.45, half foot paraffin $59.95, and its Sole Renewal and corn treatments, plus waxing from $32.70 (underarm) and eyelash extensions from $109. HOURS: most heartland outlets run 10am-9.30pm; MRT and CBD units keep shorter weekend hours. NOTE: gel pricing here sits well above the trial-rate salons above, so this is the pick for reach and foot care rather than for the cheapest gel.MEN PAY MORE: a footnote under the price list states that an additional $5.45 is charged on each manicure and each pedicure service for men, so the $16.35 express manicure is $21.80 for a male client. It is in the small print, not on the price list itself.BEST FOR: getting a slot near home or the office, and proper foot treatments.
23 outlets islandwide. Published price list (site states correct as of 9 Sep 2026, GST-inclusive): Express Manicure $16.35, Classic Manicure $30.55, Gel Express Manicure $68.70, Gel Classic Manicure $82.85; Express Pedicure $21.80, Classic Pedicure $43.60, Gel Classic Pedicure $106.85. DrFoot foot bath $10.90; waxing from $32.70, lashes from $109. A footnote adds $5.45 to each manicure and each pedicure for men.
Seven outlets in solid mall locations: Westgate, Sengkang Grand Mall, Tampines Mall, Tiong Bahru Plaza, VivoCity, Plaza Singapura and Takashimaya. It is one of the few salons that prints both the GST-inclusive and pre-GST figure, so there is no surprise at payment. Manicures: Express $19.62 w/GST ($18), Classic $52.32 ($48), Express Gelish $63.22 ($58), Classic Gelish $95.92 ($88). Pedicures: Express $30.52 ($28), Classic $63.22 ($58), Express Gelish $74.12 ($68), Classic Gelish $117.72 ($108). Gel polish soak-off is $21.80 ($20) either way.IMPORTANT: this is a repriced menu. When we last checked, the express manicure was $16.35 and the classic $30.52; the classic manicure has since risen by more than 70%, and every gel tier has moved up a step, so figures quoted on review blogs are almost certainly stale. It still publishes a children's menu, which is rare, but that is no longer the bargain it was: Children Manicure is $19.62 and Children Pedicure $30.52 for under-10s, exactly the same as the adult express rates, while Children Gelish Manicure $52.32 and Children Gelish Pedicure $63.22 apply to under-13s. It prints men's rates openly too: Gentlemen Manicure $57.77 and Gentlemen Pedicure $68.67 w/GST, which is the classic-tier price plus a stated $5.45 w/GST surcharge per service. NOTE: the Takashimaya outlet trades as Nailography at premium pricing that this list does not cover.BEST FOR: knowing the exact final price before you sit down, and men who want the rate published rather than quoted on the spot.
7 mall outlets. GST-inclusive price list (repriced in 2026): Express Manicure $19.62, Classic Manicure $52.32, Express Gelish Manicure $63.22, Classic Gelish Manicure $95.92; Express Pedicure $30.52, Classic Pedicure $63.22, Express Gelish Pedicure $74.12, Classic Gelish Pedicure $117.72. Soak Off $21.80. Children Manicure $19.62 / Pedicure $30.52 (under 10). Gentlemen Manicure $57.77, Gentlemen Pedicure $68.67 (+$5.45 surcharge per service).
A four-outlet salon covering the east, north-east and town: Tampines Mart (11 Tampines Street 32 #02-05), The Seletar Mall (33 Sengkang West Avenue #04-21), 111 Somerset (111 Somerset Road #02-37) and Pasir Ris Mall (7 Pasir Ris Central #02-43). Read the right menu, because it publishes three of them. At Tampines Mart, an express manicure is $16 with normal polish ($17.44 w/GST) or $50 with gel ($54.50), and a classic manicure is $23 ($25.07) or $62 with gel ($67.58), the gel tier including one return soak-off; pedicures run $18/$50 express and $35/$80 classic. The Seletar Mall and 111 Somerset use a build-your-own V2.0 menu instead: you pick a nail service ($10 cut and shape, or $20 with cuticle care), optionally add skin care or a treatment, then pick a finish, buff to shine $3, nail polish lacquer $8 or gel polish $40, with shaping gel $2 per nail and a mild acidic base gel $10. That $40 gel figure is the finish only, so the cheapest complete gel manicure there is still $50 before GST. Pasir Ris Mall trades as Foot + Nail Care by Princess's Cottage and prices in packaged lines: cut and shape $12, with lacquer $18, with gel polish $50, with cuticle care and buff $23, with cuticle care and lacquer $28, with cuticle care and gel $60. Two rules apply everywhere: kids below 10 get 50% off, and men pay $5 more per service.FIRST TRIAL: its promotions page carries new-customer trial prices under both the Princess's Cottage V2.0 and Foot + Nail Care brands, Classic Gel Manicure $20 ($21.80 w/GST) and Classic Gel Pedicure $50 ($54.50), the Foot + Nail Care version being a waterless e-filing gel pedicure (WhatsApp 9270 1500). That $21.80 is a classic tier, and it is the cheapest conventional gel manicure on a first-trial rate anywhere on this list. The page shows no separate Tampines Mart poster, so confirm the trial there before you book.PACKAGES: a Nail Lover Membership costs $250 ($272.50 w/GST) for a year of member prices ($20 classic gel manicure, $30 trending nail art, $60 extensions per visit), plus $150 in cash vouchers (6 x $25, one per visit) and 50% off one visit in your birthday month. There is also $1,000 for $1,000 in free credits ($1,090 w/GST), which works out to 50% off every service, shareable, with a 3-year expiry and usable at both brands; a $300 trial package ($327) that adds $50 in credits; and, at Foot + Nail Care only, 5 manicure-and-pedicure sessions for $300 ($327, about $65.40 a visit; new customers, one-year expiry, not shareable, hands and feet done on the same day).BEST FOR: the north-east and east, and the cheapest first-trial classic gel manicure on this list. NOTE: check the branch you are booking. Without a trial the gel floor is the same everywhere, but nothing above it is.
4 outlets: Tampines Mart, The Seletar Mall, 111 Somerset, Pasir Ris Mall (trading as Foot + Nail Care). New-customer trial: Classic Gel Manicure $20 ($21.80 w/GST), Classic Gel Pedicure $50 ($54.50). Nail Lover Membership $250 ($272.50 w/GST): $20 classic gel manicure per visit for a year. $1,000 buys $1,000 in free credits ($1,090 w/GST, 3-year expiry). Three separate price menus; without a trial, cheapest complete gel manicure $50 ($54.50 w/GST) at all three; Tampines Mart express manicure $16 ($17.44) with normal polish, classic $23 ($25.07) or $62 gel. Seletar/Somerset build-your-own: nail service $10 or $20, plus finish (buff $3, lacquer $8, gel polish $40); shaping gel $2/nail. Kids below 10 get 50% off; men pay $5 more per service.
A boutique Chinatown salon that describes itself as a socially conscious nail salon and carries fairtrade retail alongside its services, the one on this list you would pick on values as much as price. New customers get 20% off their first visit, though it is not automatic: you enter your email on the salon's site and it sends you a promo code. Published rates: Quickie manicure $18 and Quickie pedicure $18 (gel $53 each); Signature manicure $35, pedicure $45, combo $75, and Gel Signature $70 / $80 / $145; Polished + Zen, which adds a heated eye mask, aromatherapy balm and a guided meditation video, $45 / $55 / $85; Luxe, with sea salt exfoliation, an organic clay masque, coconut oil massage and callus work if needed, $70 / $90 / $150; and a Gentleman's Signature at $40 / $50 / $85. It also publishes a Little Miss children's menu, which few salons here do: Quickie manicure or pedicure $15 for ages 3 to 6, and Signature manicure $24 or pedicure $32 for ages 7 to 12. Only Shimmer & Shine's $12 kids' manicure is a lower fixed children's price on this list. Gel polish soak-off is $20, or $2 per nail. If you would rather not share tools, a personal kit with a new file, buffer and toe separator is $6. NOTE: combo prices are excluded during festive block-out dates, and the dates printed on the site are still the 2024/2025 ones, so confirm the current block-out when you book.ADDRESS: 333 Kreta Ayer Road #02-15, S080333.CALL OR WHATSAPP: 8874 4010.BEST FOR: a calmer boutique experience, children's manicures, gentlemen's manicures, and supporting a social-enterprise salon.
20% off your first visit (enter your email on the salon's site to get the promo code). Quickie mani/pedi $18 each (gel $53); Signature $35 / $45 / $75 combo (Gel Signature $70 / $80 / $145); Polished + Zen $45 / $55 / $85; Luxe $70 / $90 / $150; Gentleman's Signature $40 / $50 / $85. Little Miss kids' menu: Quickie $15 (ages 3-6), Signature mani $24 / pedi $32 (ages 7-12). 333 Kreta Ayer Road #02-15.
| Salon | Outlets | Cheapest published entry price |
|---|---|---|
| for Duchess, by Duke | 1 (Kinex) | $12.90 first-timer one-step gel manicure |
| Shimmer & Shine | 9 | $15 express manicure (no trial needed); kids $12 |
| Twenty Nails | 1 (Toa Payoh) | $48 first-trial mani + pedi combo |
| Nails & Good Company | 2 (malls) | $35 first-trial express gel manicure |
| Nail Palace | 23 | $16.35 express manicure |
| N20 Nail Spa | 7 | $19.62 express manicure (w/GST, repriced 2026) |
| Princess's Cottage | 4 | $17.44 express manicure (w/GST); first-trial classic gel $21.80 |
| The Nail Social | 1 (Chinatown) | $18 Quickie manicure; kids from $15; 20% off 1st visit |
Entry-level express manicure (shape, buff, colour, no cuticle work): $13-20. Classic manicure with cuticle care: $23-52. Gel manicure: $12.90-96, with the floor a one-step gel at for Duchess, by Duke and the rest of the low end almost always a first-trial rate; conventional gel with base and top coat starts at $21.80 on Princess's Cottage's first trial, or $25 without one. Gel mani-pedi combo: $85-150. Gel removal, if you are arriving with old gel on: $16-22 on top.
Every figure below is taken from the salon's own published menu and re-checked on 12 October 2026. Where a salon prints a GST-inclusive figure, that is the one shown, because it is what you actually pay.
| Salon | Express manicure | Classic manicure | Express pedicure | Classic pedicure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shimmer & Shine | $15 | $23 | $17 | $29.90 first-trial (U.P. $38) |
| for Duchess, by Duke | $16 One Step / $25 Express | $45 | $22 One Step / $30 Express | $55 |
| Nail Palace | $16.35 | $30.55 | $21.80 | $43.60 |
| Princess's Cottage (Tampines Mart) | $17.44 | $25.07 | $19.62 | $38.15 |
| The Nail Social | $18 (Quickie) | $35 (Signature) | $18 (Quickie) | $45 (Signature) |
| N20 Nail Spa | $19.62 | $52.32 | $30.52 | $63.22 |
One caveat on that table: for Duchess, by Duke does not run a non-gel menu at all. Its One Step, Express and Classic tiers all include gel colour, so its figures appear in both tables. Every other salon above is quoting normal polish.
| Salon | Cheapest published gel manicure | Classic/full gel manicure |
|---|---|---|
| for Duchess, by Duke | $12.90 first-timer one-step gel (U.P. $16) | $25 Express / $45 Classic, base + top coat |
| Princess's Cottage | $21.80 first-trial classic gel (new customers); $54.50 express + gel without a trial | $67.58 (classic + gel, Tampines Mart) |
| Shimmer & Shine | $29.90 first-trial express (U.P. $35) | $49.90 first-trial classic (U.P. $58) |
| Nails & Good Company | $35 first-trial (U.P. $40) | $85 first-trial mani + pedi (U.P. $105) |
| The Nail Social | $53 (Quickie gel) | $70 (Gel Signature) |
| N20 Nail Spa | $63.22 express gelish | $95.92 classic gelish |
| Nail Palace | $68.70 gel express | $82.85 gel classic |
Two salons here do not publish a plain per-service manicure price at all: Twenty Nails and Nails & Good Company both price by bundle.
The pattern worth reading off these two tables: the cheapest plain manicure is Shimmer & Shine's $15 express, with for Duchess, by Duke and Nail Palace a whisker behind at $16 and $16.35; but the cheapest gel manicure is for Duchess, by Duke's one-step at $12.90 first-timer and $16 after, and every other gel floor on the list is a first-trial rate, the lowest of them Princess's Cottage's $21.80 classic gel manicure. The chains with the widest reach are the most expensive place to get gel done. If gel is what you want, one trip to Kinex, or a trial rate, is worth planning around.
We re-read all 8 salons' own price lists on 12 October 2026, and every figure on this page held. for Duchess, by Duke still lists the $12.90 first-timer One Step manicure, Shimmer & Shine's $15 express and $29.90 first-trial gel are unchanged, and Nail Palace's GST-inclusive list is still dated 9 September 2026 across 23 outlets. N20's repriced menu ($19.62 express, $63.22 express gelish), Twenty Nails' $48 combos, Nails & Good Company's $35 first trial, Princess's Cottage's trial posters and The Nail Social's menu are all the same. No salon has closed.
We re-checked all 8 salons again on 27 September 2026, against each salon's own price list. Every price on this page is unchanged: for Duchess, by Duke's $12.90 One Step, Shimmer & Shine's $15 express, Nail Palace's list (still dated 9 September 2026), N20's repriced menu, Twenty Nails' and Nails & Good Company's first-trial bundles, Princess's Cottage's trial posters and The Nail Social's menu and 20%-off first visit. The one change is at Shimmer & Shine: its location page now lists the Tang Plaza unit as U+ Eyebrow & Lash by Shimmer & Shine, billed as a brows-and-lashes studio, so for nails in town, confirm by WhatsApp before you go. Its eight heartland outlets are unchanged.
We re-checked all 8 salons on 15 September 2026. None has closed and no listed price has gone up, but two findings changed who is cheapest.
Princess's Cottage runs a first-trial gel manicure we had missed. Its promotions page carries new-customer posters for a Classic Gel Manicure at $20 ($21.80 with GST) and a Classic Gel Pedicure at $50 ($54.50). That is the cheapest conventional gel manicure on a trial rate anywhere on this list, ahead of Shimmer & Shine's $29.90. The same page sells a $250 Nail Lover Membership and $1,000 of credits for $1,000.
Shimmer & Shine, not The Nail Social, has the lowest fixed kids' price. Its manicure service page lists a Princess Manicure for kids at $12, below The Nail Social's $15, and states a $5 surcharge per service for men. Its pedicure page also prices callus removal from $38.
Two of the price lists on this page moved, and both moved against the reader.
N20 Nail Spa has repriced its entire menu. The express manicure went from $16.35 to $19.62, and the classic manicure from $30.52 to $52.32, a rise of more than 70%. Every gel tier stepped up with it: express gelish $52.32 to $63.22, classic gelish $74.12 to $95.92, classic gelish pedicure $95.92 to $117.72. Its gentlemen's rates moved the most, from $35.97 and $46.87 to $57.77 and $68.67, because the men's price is now benchmarked to the classic tier rather than the express one. If you are working off a figure you read anywhere else for N20, assume it is out of date.
Princess's Cottage does not have a $40 gel manicure. The $40 is the gel-polish *finish* on the build-your-own menu used at The Seletar Mall and 111 Somerset, and you still have to buy a nail service underneath it, $10 for cut and shape or $20 with cuticle care. Without a trial, the cheapest complete gel manicure is $50 before GST, $54.50 with it, and that number holds across all three of its price menus. It is a fair mid-range price. It is just not $40.
Nail Palace, by contrast, has not moved: its list is unchanged, and the site has since re-dated it to 9 September 2026.
Two things on this page were wrong, and both are now corrected.
for Duchess, by Duke is a gel salon, not a cheap plain-polish one. Its price list marks "1 Gel Colour Included" against every tier, and its manicure and pedicure pages describe the $12.90 One Step as a one-step gel polish meant to be applied without base or top coat. Its first-timer rate is therefore the cheapest published gel manicure here, not the cheapest plain one, and the gel floor across this whole list is $12.90 rather than $29.90.
Shimmer & Shine does publish its usual gel prices. They sit on its individual service pages rather than on the promotions page, which is why they are easy to miss: Express Gelish Manicure $35, Classic Gel Manicure $58, Express Gel Pedicure $40, Gel Pedicure $78, Classic Pedicure $38. Its first-trial gel offers can now be read against a usual price, and the tables above carry both.
Between them these 8 salons cover most of the island. Sorted by where you actually live:
If proximity is the only thing you care about, Nail Palace wins on reach alone: 23 outlets, three of them inside MRT stations, so you never leave the gantry.
Most salons will seat a child on the adult menu and quote you on the day. Four here print the rate in advance, and the gap between them is wide.
Everywhere else, a simple colour change means an adult express manicure at roughly $15-20. And call ahead: age policies are mostly unpublished, and a few salons will not seat very young children for pedicures at all.
Most Singapore salons will take male clients without making a thing of it, but only five on this list actually publish what a man pays rather than quoting it at the chair, which is the difference between knowing the price and finding out afterwards.
Princess's Cottage adds a flat $5 per service for men at all four outlets, printed at the top of every one of its price menus.
Shimmer & Shine states the same $5 per service surcharge for gentlemen on its manicure and pedicure service pages.
That surcharge is the thing to watch: it is easy to miss when comparing published price lists, so treat the menu figure as a women's rate unless stated otherwise and ask before you sit down. If you want hard-skin and callus work specifically, Nail Palace is still the one to book, with a DrFoot expert foot bath at $10.90 and proper foot treatments most nail bars do not run. Two others here print a price for it: Shimmer & Shine charges $38 for Anti-Callus Removal, $68 for Sensitive Skin Callus Removal and $98 for a Callus Treatment Pedicure, and Princess's Cottage lists Intense Callus Removal and Sensitive Skin Callus Removal at $50 each, or $54.50 with GST.
Match the service to the state of your nails, not to the price. An express manicure does not include cuticle work. If that is what you actually need, paying $16 for express and then being told you need the classic anyway is the expensive route.
Ask what visit two costs. A first-trial rate is only a bargain if the standing price is reasonable. The salons here that publish "U.P." beside the offer, Nails & Good Company, Twenty Nails and for Duchess, by Duke, make that easy, and Shimmer & Shine's standing rates can be read off its individual service pages. Where it is not published, ask before you book.
Check whether removal is included. It usually is not. If you are walking in with three-week-old gel, add $16-22 to whatever the menu says.
Check the branch, not just the brand. Princess's Cottage runs three different price menus across four outlets, and N20's Takashimaya unit trades under a different name at premium rates. Same logo, different bill.
Watch the festive calendar. Trial promotions are commonly suspended around Chinese New Year, and combo pricing can be blocked out. If you are booking in December or the weeks before CNY, confirm the price for your actual date.
Roughly $13 to $150, depending on the tier of salon, the kind of gel and whether you are on a first-trial rate. The floor is for Duchess, by Duke's One Step, a one-step gel polish applied without base or top coat: $12.90 for first-timers, $16 after, wearing 1 to 2 weeks. For conventional gel with base and top coat, the cheapest published entry points are Princess's Cottage's new-customer Classic Gel Manicure at $21.80 with GST, for Duchess, by Duke's Express Manicure at $25, Shimmer & Shine's first-timer Express Gel Manicure at $29.90 (usual $35) and Nails & Good Company's first-trial Express Gel Manicure at $35 (usual $40). Mid-range sits around $53 to $70: The Nail Social's Quickie gel is $53, Princess's Cottage's cheapest complete gel manicure without a trial is $54.50 with GST, and N20 charges $63.22 (w/GST) for an Express Gelish Manicure. At the higher end, Nail Palace lists $68.70 for a Gel Express Manicure and $82.85 for a Gel Classic, The Nail Social's Gel Signature is $70 (about $56 with its 20%-off first visit), and N20's Classic Gelish is $95.92. A gel mani-pedi combo typically lands between $85 and $150. Add gel removal on top if you are coming in with old gel: Nail Palace charges $16.35 for hands and $21.80 for feet, N20 $21.80 either way, and The Nail Social $20.
Express is shaping, buffing and colour, usually in about 30 minutes, with little or no cuticle work. Classic adds cuticle care, a soak or scrub, and a hand massage or lotion finish, and typically takes 45 to 60 minutes. The price gap is real, and at some salons it is now enormous: at Nail Palace an Express Manicure is $16.35 against $30.55 for the Classic, while at N20 it is $19.62 against $52.32 after its 2026 repricing, which is nearly triple. The same split runs through the gel menus, and the gap widens: N20 charges $63.22 for an Express Gelish Manicure against $95.92 for the Classic Gelish, Nail Palace $68.70 against $82.85, and Shimmer & Shine's first-trial rates are $29.90 express against $49.90 classic. Note what you are actually buying. Express gel is the same gel product and lasts the same two to three weeks; the extra buys cuticle prep and massage, not longer wear. So if your cuticles are tidy and you only want the colour to last, express gel is the better value. If your nails have been neglected, the prep in the classic tier is the part that makes the finish look clean at the edges, and an express service will not fix them. There is a third tier worth knowing about, below both: a one-step gel, applied without base or top coat, which for Duchess, by Duke sells at $12.90 first-timer and $16 after. It is the cheapest way to get gel colour on your nails, and it wears one to two weeks rather than two to three.
Nail Palace publishes its full menu, all figures are GST-inclusive, and the site dates them, stating the prices are correct as of 9 September 2026, unchanged from its January list. Manicures: Express Manicure $16.35, Classic Manicure $30.55, Gel Express Manicure $68.70, Gel Classic Manicure $82.85. Pedicures: Express Pedicure $21.80, Classic Pedicure $43.60, Deluxe Pedicure $74.15, Signature Deluxe Pedicure $95.95, Gel Express Pedicure $85.05, Gel Classic Pedicure $106.85, Deluxe Gel Classic Pedicure $137.35 and Signature Deluxe Gel Pedicure $159.14. Gel soak-off is charged separately at $16.35 for hands and $21.80 for feet, so budget for it if you are arriving with old gel. Foot care runs alongside the nail menu: the DrFoot expert foot bath is $10.90, hand paraffin $41.45, half foot paraffin $59.95, plus Sole Renewal and corn treatments. Waxing starts at $32.70 for underarms and eyelash extensions at $109. Two things the headline prices do not tell you: a footnote adds $5.45 to each manicure and each pedicure for men, and Nail Palace does not publish a first-trial rate the way the smaller salons here do, so there is no new-customer discount to ask for. Its gel pricing is among the highest on this list. The reason to book it is the 23-outlet reach, three of them inside MRT stations, and the foot treatments most nail bars do not offer.
For a plain express manicure with no trial rate needed, Shimmer & Shine at $15 across its nine heartland outlets, followed by for Duchess, by Duke at $16 for its One Step Express and Nail Palace at $16.35. If you are willing to use a first-timer rate, for Duchess, by Duke is the outright cheapest at $12.90 for a One Step Express Manicure and $18.90 for the pedicure, both at its single Kinex studio near Paya Lebar MRT. For gel, the floor is for Duchess, by Duke again: its One Step tiers include a one-step gel colour, so $12.90 first-timer and $16 after both beat Shimmer & Shine's first-timer Express Gel Manicure at $29.90. For a full classic gel manicure with cuticle care, Princess's Cottage's new-customer rate of $20 ($21.80 with GST) is the lowest on this list. One salon that used to sit near the bottom of this ranking no longer does: N20 Nail Spa repriced its whole menu in 2026, and its express manicure is now $19.62 rather than the $16.35 that older write-ups still quote.
Yes, and four salons on this list publish a children's rate rather than quoting on the day. Shimmer & Shine lists a Princess Manicure for kids at $12, the lowest fixed children's price here. The Nail Social runs a Little Miss menu: a Quickie manicure or pedicure is $15 for ages 3 to 6, and a Signature manicure $24 or pedicure $32 for ages 7 to 12. Princess's Cottage gives 50% off for kids below 10 on whatever service you pick, which at its Tampines Mart outlet makes an express manicure about $8.72 with GST. N20 Nail Spa lists Children Manicure $19.62 and Children Pedicure $30.52 for under-10s, and Children Gelish Manicure $52.32 and Children Gelish Pedicure $63.22 for under-13s, but after its 2026 repricing those first two figures are identical to its adult express rates, so the children's menu is no longer a discount. Everywhere else will generally take a child on the standard adult menu, which for a simple colour change means an express manicure at roughly $15 to $20. Two practical notes. Gel on young nails is worth thinking twice about, because the removal matters more than the application and a child is far more likely to pick or peel it off, which is what actually thins the nail plate; a plain polish that can be wiped off at home avoids the problem entirely. And call ahead, because age policies are not published by most salons here and a few will not seat very young children for pedicures at all.
Yes, and salons do enforce it. Twenty Nails states its first-trial rates apply to new customers or anyone whose last visit was more than six months ago, and that they cannot be combined with other vouchers or discounts. Shimmer & Shine labels its menu a first-timer-exclusive promo, but its standing prices can be read off its individual service pages: the first-trial Express Gel Pedicure at $26.90, for example, is against a usual $40. Nails & Good Company and for Duchess, by Duke both publish first-trial prices against a usual price, which is the pattern to look for, because a trial rate with no stated usual price tells you nothing about what your second visit will cost. The Nail Social's 20% off works differently again: it is not applied automatically at the chair, you have to enter your email on the salon's site and it sends you a promo code. Princess's Cottage marks its $21.80 classic gel manicure trial as new customers only, and the same promotions page sells a $250 membership and $1,000 credit packages. Before you sign up for a package on the back of a trial rate, ask for the repeat price in writing.
Some do, and it is the most common unpleasant surprise in this category. Twenty Nails states plainly that its first-trial promotion is not valid during the Chinese New Year peak season. The Nail Social excludes its combo prices, gift cards and packages during festive block-out dates, though the dates printed on its site are still the 2024/2025 ones, so ask for the current window rather than reading them off the page. Neither is unusual, because the weeks before Chinese New Year are the busiest of the year for nail salons and many either lift prices, drop discounts, or both. If you are booking in the run-up to a festive period, ask specifically whether a surcharge applies and whether your promotion still stands, rather than assuming the published price holds.
Gel typically holds two to three weeks before the regrowth at the cuticle becomes obvious, longer if your nails grow slowly and you are not doing much with your hands. Do not peel it off. Peeling takes the top layers of the nail plate with it and leaves nails thin and bendy, which is the single most common cause of the damage people blame on gel itself. Go back for a proper soak-off, which most salons price separately: Nail Palace charges $16.35 for hands and $21.80 for feet, N20 $21.80 either way, and The Nail Social $20 or $2 per nail. Two salons build the removal in rather than billing it later: Princess's Cottage includes one return soak-off with its classic gel manicure at Tampines Mart, and The Nail Social includes a free return soak-off with its non-toxic gel polish add-on. If your nails already feel weak, Twenty Nails bundles IBX nail strengthening with a gel manicure at $58 on its first-trial menu, and Nails & Good Company markets a less-toxic gel system if you top up frequently.
Yes, and you do not need to look for a men's-only place. Five salons on this list publish what a man pays rather than quoting it at the chair. The Nail Social runs a Gentleman's Signature tier at $40 for a manicure, $50 for a pedicure and $85 for the combo, with its 20%-off-first-visit code applying on top, which is about $68 for a first combo. Nail Palace prints no separate men's menu but states in a footnote that men pay an extra $5.45 on each manicure and each pedicure, making its express manicure $21.80 and its express pedicure $27.25 rather than the $16.35 and $21.80 on the shelf. Princess's Cottage adds a flat $5 per service for men at all four outlets, and Shimmer & Shine states the same $5 per-service surcharge on its service pages. N20 Nail Spa lists Gentlemen Manicure $57.77 and Gentlemen Pedicure $68.67 w/GST; its stated surcharge is also $5.45 per service, but it is applied to the classic tier rather than the express one, which is why its men's rate is roughly three times Nail Palace's. That surcharge is the thing to watch, because it is easy to miss when comparing published price lists, so treat the menu figure as a women's rate unless stated otherwise and ask before you sit down. Everywhere else will take male clients on the standard menu. For callus and hard-skin work specifically, Nail Palace is still the pick, with a DrFoot expert foot bath at $10.90 and proper foot treatments most nail bars do not offer.
A plain express pedicure (shape, buff and colour) costs $17 to $31 at the salons we checked: Shimmer & Shine $17, The Nail Social's Quickie $18, Princess's Cottage (Tampines Mart) $19.62 w/GST, Nail Palace $21.80 and N20 $30.52. A classic pedicure with cuticle care and foot work runs $29.90 to $63.22: the floor is Shimmer & Shine's first-trial $29.90 (usual $38), then Princess's Cottage $38.15, Nail Palace $43.60, The Nail Social's Signature $45, for Duchess, by Duke $55 (gel colour included) and N20 $63.22. Gel pedicures start at $18.90 for for Duchess, by Duke's first-timer One Step and $26.90 for Shimmer & Shine's first-trial Express Gel Pedicure, and reach $106.85 for Nail Palace's Gel Classic Pedicure and $117.72 for N20's Classic Gelish. If you want hands and feet done together, Twenty Nails' first-trial Classic Manicure + Classic Pedicure + foot bath at $48 is cheaper than most salons' classic pedicure alone.
Nail Palace is the easiest to reach on the train, with units inside the Tampines, Bishan and Tanjong Pagar MRT stations themselves, so you do not leave the station at all. Of the single-outlet studios, for Duchess, by Duke sits in Kinex about 350m from Paya Lebar MRT, and Twenty Nails is roughly a six-minute walk from Toa Payoh MRT. N20 Nail Spa's seven outlets are all in MRT-linked malls: VivoCity (HarbourFront), Plaza Singapura (Dhoby Ghaut), Takashimaya (Orchard), Tampines Mall, Tiong Bahru Plaza, Westgate (Jurong East) and Sengkang Grand Mall. Princess's Cottage has 111 Somerset directly above Somerset MRT. Shimmer & Shine covers the north and north-east: Compass One (Sengkang), Northpoint City (Yishun), Yew Tee Point, Kovan Heartland Mall and Tang Plaza at Orchard (now listed as a brows-and-lashes studio, so confirm nails first). The Nail Social is the one that needs a short walk, with 333 Kreta Ayer Road about seven minutes from Chinatown MRT.
