Updated October 21, 2026
Where tattoo customers in Ghent actually look
Customers for tattoo work in Ghent come through several routes, and they rarely all arrive at once. Word of mouth is common - someone you tattooed tells a friend, that friend comes to you, then tells someone else. This builds slowly but tends to be reliable because the person arrives already trusting your work.
Online search is another source. People in Ghent search for tattoo artists online, and they look for someone local. A profile on Websta shows up in search when someone nearby looks for tattoo services by location and trade. Instagram and personal websites also draw search traffic, though these require separate work to maintain.
Walk-in customers exist in Ghent, but less than you might think if you do not have a visible studio. If you work from home or a shared space, walk-ins are unlikely. Social media and a professional profile become more important instead.
Workplace connections and local networks matter too. People you know, people at gyms or music venues, people through friends - these generate a steady trickle of work, especially when you are starting out.
Setting a price for your first customers in Ghent
Pricing is difficult because you have to guess. You do not know yet how long your work takes, how many customers will actually book, or whether your prices are realistic for Ghent.
Start by looking at what other tattoo artists in Ghent charge. Visit their profiles or studios, ask friends who have tattoos, look at online portfolios. This gives you a range. In a city like Ghent, prices vary widely depending on the artist's experience, style and studio location, so you will see a spread rather than one right answer.
Your first price should be something you can do the work for without losing money or burning out. Factor in the time it takes you to tattoo, time spent on consultation and design, aftercare advice, and any materials. Do not undercut yourself so much that you are working for nothing. You can raise prices later.
Talk about money clearly from the start. Agree on the price before you begin. If a customer asks for a discount, you decide whether to give one - there is no rule. The key is that both of you know what you are agreeing to.
What to sort out about tax and payments in Belgium
When you take money for work as an independent person in Belgium, you need to be registered as a self-employed person. This is a legal requirement. You will pay social contributions and income tax. The exact amounts depend on how much you earn and your situation.
Start by contacting the nearest office of the INASTI (Institut national d'assurances sociales pour travailleurs indépendants) or NSIZO (Nationale Sociale Verzekeringsinstelling voor Zelfstandigen) - they handle social security for self-employed people in Belgium. They will tell you what you need to do to register, what you owe, and when.
You will also need to register with the tax authority and keep records of your income. For exact details on what records to keep and how they want them, contact the Belgian tax office or a local accountant.
Payments to your own bank account work through Stripe, which Websta uses. Stripe handles card payments and deposits money to your bank account after a small transaction fee. You handle the rest - tax, social contributions - yourself or with an accountant.
Your first ten customers usually look like this
Your first customers are rarely strangers who found you through perfect online search. They are more often people you know or people connected to people you know. A friend mentions you are tattooing now, someone asks for a quote, you do the work, they know someone else.
Many first customers are people willing to take a chance on an artist who is newer or less known. They may be looking for lower prices, or they may simply know you personally and trust you. Some are people trying a tattoo artist for the first time and want someone they can talk to easily.
The first ten months are when you learn the most - how long work actually takes, what kinds of requests you get, what problems come up (infection concerns, design changes, customers who disappear). You will probably have gaps between customers. This is normal.
Early on, you might say yes to work you would later turn down. A small, simple design. A style that is not your preference. A price that is too low. This happens to most people starting out. It usually ends, though it takes time and effort to build work you actually want to do.
What often goes wrong in the first months
Inconsistent income is the biggest shock. You might have three customers in one month and none for six weeks. This is not a sign of failure - it is how starting out works. Planning for variable income helps. Many people keep another job or income source for this reason.
Communication problems happen. A customer imagines something different from what you understood. Design changes happen mid-session. Someone does not like the price after you have already done the work. Writing things down - the design, the price, the date, what was agreed - prevents many of these situations.
Underpricing is common. New artists often charge too little because they are uncertain or want to seem affordable. Then they run out of time, energy or money. Pricing yourself fairly from the start, even if you are nervous, matters more than trying to compete on price.
Booking is chaotic if you do not have a system. Phone calls and messages scattered across different apps make it hard to know who is coming when. A professional profile with online booking removes this problem - customers book a time, you have it in one place, payments go straight to your bank account.
How a Websta profile helps
A Websta profile is a page that shows your services, prices and photos in one place. It has a contact form and online booking. When someone in Ghent searches for tattoo artists by location and trade, your profile appears in the results if you have one.
The profile is a link you can send to anyone - customers who ask about your work, people you meet, anyone who might want to book. They see your prices and services, they can book a time that works, and they pay by card. The money goes to your own bank account through Stripe.
You set the prices yourself. You control what services you list, what photos you show, and what times are available for booking. There is no middleman taking a cut of your income before it reaches your bank account.
For a tattoo artist starting out in Ghent, this removes several barriers. You do not need a website or complex booking system. You do not need to manage payments separately. People nearby can find you through search. It is a simple, professional way to take bookings and payments while you build your reputation through word of mouth and your own network.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a studio or can I work from home as a tattoo artist in Ghent?
- This depends on Belgian regulations for tattoo work, which you should check with the local health authority (Dienst voor Regelgeving in Ghent) or your municipality. Some areas require specific hygiene standards and may restrict home-based tattooing. Others have different rules. Check before you start to avoid problems.
- How much can I earn as a tattoo artist in Ghent?
- This depends entirely on how many customers you get, what you charge, and how much time you work. We cannot promise an amount or a timeline. Some people build a full income, others keep it as side work alongside another job. It takes effort and time to build a customer base.
- What do I do if a customer wants a design I do not feel confident tattooing?
- You can say no. You do not have to take every job. It is better to turn down work that you are unsure about than to do poor work. As you get more customers, you can be more selective and focus on the styles and designs you actually want to do.
- How do payments work on Websta?
- Customers pay by card when they book or after the service. Stripe processes the payment and deposits the money to your own bank account. You then handle tax and social contributions yourself, as required by Belgian law for self-employed people.
- Can I use Websta part-time while I have another job?
- Yes. Many people use Websta to earn income alongside another job. You control your own schedule and prices, so you can take as much or as little work as you want.
About the numbers
Counts in this guide were read from the Websta catalogue when the text was written and are refreshed above from the live catalogue. Part of the catalogue was built from the public business register and is marked as such on each profile.