There’s such a range to Tarot pricing out there, so this is one for the professional readers here who set their prices and the querents who order readings online or in person.
I typically charge $40 for a 20-minute reading, which I find fair for the energy exchange involved, but I’ve seen a range of pricing, from donation-based readings to $500 sessions.
In ancient Rome, diviners called haruspices, who read animal entrails, were actually government employees with fixed salaries, making divination one of the first regulated spiritual services. It makes me wonder how we’ve moved from that standardized approach to today’s wild west of pricing. Some readers I know base their prices on years of experience, while others factor in the emotional labor and energy cleansing they need to do between clients.
I once saw someone charging $75 for a single card pull and honestly thought it was outrageous until I sat in on one of their readings - they spent 45 minutes on that one card, pulling in numerology, astrology, and channeled messages. The tricky part is that, unlike getting your hair done or hiring a plumber, there’s no industry standard for what constitutes a “professional” reader.
I personally wouldn’t pay more than $100 for an hour-long reading unless the reader came highly recommended or had some unique specialty. What really matters to me is whether I feel the reader is genuinely connected to their craft and not just trying to make a quick buck off people’s vulnerabilities.
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I charge $5 per card and let people pick how many they want. Pretty straightforward. I like that they can decide if they just need one card or want a bigger reading. Sometimes someone only wants a quick answer, sometimes they want more detail.
Works better than forcing everyone into the same type of reading.
Started doing readings at the farmer’s market for donations.
People would trade sandwiches or whatever they had. These days, I’m outside the brewery district with a folding table and lights. I get free drinks all night and earn around $180-$220 in tips if I stay 4-5 hours.
Carrying everything home sucks, but it pays well enough. Tips are random, though. I’ve done 30-minute spreads for $5 and gotten $50 for a three-card pull that took five minutes. Really just depends on who sits down and what they’re going through.
Event pricing should be kept separate from your regular pricing for reading.
I’ve seen people do well with $5 quick pulls at markets and fairs. For three-card spreads at events, somewhere around $13 works. Regular readings are easier to price by time. $25 for 15 minutes is a good starting point, so $50 for 30 minutes, $100 for an hour.
If someone wants that deep 90-minute session, $150 is reasonable. Maybe include a ritual or something to make it worthwhile. Your location affects what you can charge, but virtual readings open things up. Someone in a small town might not pay NYC prices in person, but online they might if they like your style.
Holy crap, $315 for 30 minutes? That’s more expensive than my therapist. And my lawyer. I’ve been getting readings for years and usually pay $80-100 for 45 minutes online. Seems like a decent rate that respects the reader’s time without breaking the bank.
For $315 they better be channeling the actual spirits, not just the cards.
I started including a follow-up reading in my packages and it’s been working really well. Better for me and for them.
I just sell packages instead of individual readings. Either an initial spread with one follow-up within two weeks, or three sessions for bigger decisions. It makes more sense than charging full price when we’re basically continuing the same conversation.
I’ve been reading professionally for years. I keep noticing we’ve gotten really good at undercharging while the skill itself gets overlooked.
I’ve worked every kind of venue, and that part lands. The per-minute model never fit me. A single-card pull takes five to ten minutes. My Celtic Cross runs about fifteen to twenty.
Past that, folks usually want therapy, not tarot. When I started, $10 for a full spread felt right for working-class venues. It covered table fees and served the neighborhood. Looking back, it trained me to stay cheap. Now, some fairs want $1,200 just for a booth, which I skip.
Clients still push back above $20. If you sit four hours for one reading, that’s $5 an hour. Meanwhile, therapists charge $160-300. We do soul work too, and sometimes one session goes just as deep.
Feels like we’ve been serving two bosses: people with framed degrees who get the credibility, and platforms selling $0.99/min readings that turn it into a coin chase. Here’s where I’m at: $20 for a focused single question. $55 for a full Celtic Cross.
At street fairs I drop prices as community service. Guided meditations are $200/hour because the work is deeper. Not saying this is the answer for everyone. It’s just the only way the math and the work line up for me lately.
one of those things where you get what you pay for.
Those sites that try and get you hooked for $0.99 before they gouge you for more before you ever speak to a reader. Tried that route, spoke to a lot of their annoyed clients and when I heard what they went through with those sites… I get it.
Only change I’ve made to my own reading for years was cancellations. Got burned by no-shows for a while, so I changed my cancellation policy. I ask for a small deposit and keep the cancellation window short. If they don’t show, they owe half.
Your $40 for 20 minutes is pretty standard. Around here, most experienced readers charge $100-250 for a full session. I’ve been to a bunch of different readers over the years and the price usually reflects their experience level.
Someone who’s been reading for decades is going to charge more than someone just starting out.
Hey since you mentioned ancient Rome, funny thing about Delphi, they had a basic entry, but you could pay extra for fancy offerings. Kind of works for tarot too, basic readings for everyone, premium stuff for those who want it.
If you want to help folks who can’t afford full price, maybe do a Ko-fi thing where members fund a couple discounted spots each month. Keeps things balanced.