A balloon price sheet clients actually understand has five parts: starting prices for your core setups, what each one includes, a short add-on list, delivery zones, and exactly how to book. Keep it to one phone screen per section, use "starting at" prices instead of per-balloon pricing, and make the next step obvious.
Below is a copy-ready template, a worked example with numbers, the math for setting "starting at" prices, and the mistakes that make price sheets generate more questions instead of fewer.
What should a balloon price sheet include?
Every price sheet should answer the questions you get in DMs before anyone has to ask them:
- Starting prices for your 3 to 6 most-booked setups
- What's included in each one (size, delivery, setup, teardown)
- Add-ons with flat prices (columns, marquee numbers, signs, extra length)
- Delivery and service area (zones or a radius, and what's extra)
- Minimum order for delivered installs
- How to book: retainer amount, when the balance is due, and where to inquire
That's it. Anything else (your origin story, a full color chart, every balloon size you stock) belongs somewhere else.
If you haven't set your base prices yet, do that first using how to price balloon decor. A price sheet is just your formula, pre-calculated and written down.
The balloon price sheet template (copy this layout)
Fill in the brackets. Keep each line short enough to read on a phone.
[Business name] · Balloon Decor Pricing [Year] Serving [city/area]
GRAB N GO (pickup) [X]-ft garland, ready to hang: from $[ ] Includes: [hanging kit / care card]
INSTALLS (delivered and set up) Garland, [X] to [Y] ft: from $[ ] Garland + backdrop: from $[ ] Organic arch: from $[ ] Includes: delivery within [X] miles, setup and teardown
ADD-ONS Pair of columns: $[ ] Marquee or foil numbers: $[ ] Custom sign: $[ ] Extra garland length: $[ ] per foot
DELIVERY Within [X] miles: included [X] to [Y] miles: $[ ] Beyond [Y] miles: quoted
GOOD TO KNOW Installs have a $[ ] minimum Rush orders (under [X] days): +$[ ] Outdoor installs: quoted separately
HOW TO BOOK [X]% retainer holds your date. Balance due [X] days before the event. Inquire at [link]
Worked example: a filled-in price sheet
Here's what it looks like with example numbers. These come from the pricing formula with a $35 hourly rate and 25% profit; your market and costs will change them.
| Item | Example price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Grab n go garland, 6 ft | from $115 | Ready to hang, care card |
| Installed garland, 10 to 12 ft | from $335 | Delivery within 15 miles, setup |
| Garland + backdrop | from $550 | Backdrop, garland, install |
| Organic arch, 16 to 20 ft | from $575 | Frame, install, teardown |
| Pair of columns (add-on) | $150 | With any install |
| Custom sign (add-on) | $45 | Your text, our design |
| Delivery, 15 to 30 miles | $54 | |
| Install minimum | $375 |
How to set a "starting at" price
Your "from" price should be the real price of the smallest common version of that setup, not a teaser you'll never deliver. Here's the installed garland:
- Smallest version you'd book: 10 feet
- Materials: $50
- Prep, build, install: 4.5 hours × $35 = $157.50
- Delivery within 15 miles: $40
- Overhead share: $15
- Subtotal: $262.50 × 1.25 profit = $328.13
Round up and the starting price is $335. Anything longer, denser or farther goes up from there, and nobody feels tricked when it does.
Don't round down to hit a "nicer" number like $299. If the math says $328, a $299 starting price means your most common job is your least profitable one.
Why is a price sheet better than quoting everything one by one?
Because it does your filtering for you. Someone who sees "installs from $335" and still messages is already comfortable with your range.
That's rare in this industry. In our November 2026 audit of 421 US balloon businesses, only 1% (4 of 421) showed any starting price or minimum in their bio. Everyone else is answering "how much?" one DM at a time, and quoting setups for people whose budget was never close. More on that in why only 1% of decorators show their prices.
A price sheet also gives you premade price quotes for the common stuff. When someone asks about a 12-foot garland, you don't do the math again at 10pm. You check the sheet and reply.
Should you use packages or a price list?
Both can work, and you may end up using both. A quick guide:
| Use a price list when | Use packages when |
|---|---|
| Clients mix and match pieces | Most clients want a complete look |
| Your setups vary a lot | You have 2 or 3 setups you sell over and over |
| You're still learning what sells | You want to steer clients toward a bigger option |
A simple hybrid: list your core setups with starting prices, then add a "most popular" bundle. If you want to build tiers, good, better, best package pricing has examples.
7 mistakes that make price sheets confusing
- Pricing per balloon. Clients can't picture 200 balloons. They can picture a 10-foot garland.
- No "what's included." "$335" means nothing until they know delivery and setup are in it.
- Too many options. Twelve garland sizes means twelve questions. Three to five price points is plenty.
- Hidden fees. If delivery beyond 15 miles costs more, say so on the sheet. Surprise fees in the quote feel like a bait and switch. See how to set a delivery fee.
- No booking step. End with the retainer amount and the link. Don't make them ask "how do I book?"
- Last year's prices. Put the year on it. Update it when your costs change.
- Tiny text in a busy design. A pretty sheet nobody can read on a phone doesn't help. Big numbers, short lines, lots of white space.
Where should you put your price sheet?
Put it everywhere a client might ask "how much?":
- On your booking page or website, right next to the inquiry form
- In an Instagram highlight titled "Pricing"
- As a pinned post on Instagram and Facebook
- In your saved replies for DMs, as an image or a link
- Short version in your bio: "Installs from $335 · Grab n go from $115"
Your bio line matters most because it's what people see first. The balloon decorator Instagram bio checklist shows how to fit starting prices and a booking link into a few lines.
How often should you update your price sheet?
Review it at least every few months, and any time:
- Your balloon or supply costs go up noticeably
- You add a new setup or retire one
- You're booked solid for weeks (a sign your prices can rise)
- You realize a setup keeps taking longer than you priced it for
Change the year or date on the sheet each time so old screenshots are easy to spot.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on a balloon decor price sheet?
Starting prices for your most-booked setups, what each includes, a short add-on list, delivery zones, your install minimum and how to book (retainer amount and balance due date). Keep it short enough to read on a phone.
Should I put exact prices or "starting at" prices?
Use "starting at" prices for setups that vary in size, and set each one at the real price of the smallest common version. Use flat prices for add-ons like columns, signs and marquee numbers.
Should balloon decorators post prices publicly?
Posting starting prices filters out inquiries that were never going to fit your range and saves you hours of quoting. In our November 2026 audit of 421 US balloon businesses, only 1% showed a starting price or minimum, so it also helps you stand out.
How do I make a balloon price list look professional?
Use one clean layout with big numbers, short lines and clear section headings. Put the year on it, include what each price covers, and finish with how to book and a link.