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Price guide · San Jose
What a mobile dog wash costs in San Jose.
Bath prices only, no haircuts. Taken from the published price lists of 178 Bay Area groomers, surveyed September 2026.
Short answer: the median mobile bath for a small dog is $85, and it rises with size. A self-serve tub runs $15–20. And 42% of local groomers won't tell you their price until you call.
The numbers
Dog bath prices by size, mobile vs. salon.
| Dog size | Mobile median | Mobile range | Salon / shop median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (under 20 lbs) | $85n = 41 | $10–132 | $22n = 72 |
| Medium (20–60 lbs) | $100n = 21 | $60–135 | $70n = 27 |
| Large (60–90 lbs) | $130n = 19 | $55–165 | $85n = 26 |
| XL (90+ lbs) | $150n = 8 | $53–180 | $105n = 20 |
Advertised starting prices as of September 2026. “n” is how many businesses published a bath price for that size. The whole-market version, with full grooms and city-by-city medians, is our Bay Area grooming price survey.
The cheapest option
Self-serve tubs near San Jose.
The floor of the market is renting a tub and doing it yourself, usually $15–20 a visit. That price buys the station. The lifting, scrubbing, rinsing and drying are yours, and so is the drive with a wet dog.
- Pet Food Express$18 per wash
One token buys 25 minutes at the tub. Shampoo, conditioner, towels, apron and dryer included. Buy 3 washes, get 1 free.
- Petco self-serve dog washFrom $20
Select stores only. Shampoo, conditioner, towels and apron included; call the store to confirm it has a station.
Weighing the two? Self-serve vs. mobile, side by side.
What moves the price
Four things that set a bath price.
Size, first and last.
A bigger dog takes more water, more shampoo and far more drying time. That is why every price table here, ours included, is split by weight. Check where a groomer draws the lines: one shop's Large stops at 90 lbs, another's at 100.
What the bath includes.
Some bath prices cover the wash and a towel dry and nothing else. Others fold in the nail trim, ear cleaning and a full brush-out. Two quotes with the same number can buy very different visits.
Coat condition.
Matting and heavy shedding take extra time, and many shops charge for it as a separate line. A dog on a regular schedule is quicker to wash than one that has gone a whole season.
The van.
Mobile medians sit above salon medians in the survey. You are paying for one person's full attention and the van that drives to your curb, instead of a shared room and your two car trips.
Before you book anyone
How not to overpay for a bath.
- Ask what the price includes. Nail trim and ear cleaning are sold as separate add-ons at many shops. The survey median for a nail trim alone is $25.
- Ask about travel or fuel fees. Some mobile operators add one for outlying addresses.
- Don't pay for a haircut you don't need. Short-coated and double-coated dogs don't need cutting. For them, a groom is a bath plus scissors that go unused.
- Read “from” carefully. A starting price is often the smallest dog with the simplest coat. Ask what your dog will actually be charged.
Our price
Our wash next to the mobile median.
We only wash, so we only charge for a wash: bath, brush-out, towel and blow dry, nail trim and ear cleaning, all in the one flat price. We come in under the mobile median in 3 of 4 size bands.
| Our size | Our price | Survey band | Mobile median |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmallUnder 20 lbs | $75 | Small (under 20 lbs) | $85 |
| Medium20–60 lbs | $95 | Medium (20–60 lbs) | $100 |
| Large60–100 lbs | $115 | Large (60–90 lbs) | $130 |
| XL / Giant100+ lbs | $155 | XL (90+ lbs) | $150 |
Our weight bands and the survey's don't line up exactly at the top end, so read the last two rows as close, not identical. Full details on the pricing page, and what happens during the visit on the mobile dog bath page.
How we measured
Where these numbers come from.
In September 2026 we collected the price lists of 309 dog grooming businesses across the Bay Area: websites, booking widgets, Yelp menus and archived pages. 178 published at least one real price. 131 published none.
For each business we took the lowest advertised bath price at each size, then took the median across businesses. A size needed at least three businesses to get a number. Our own prices are left out of every statistic, so the tables describe the market, not us.
Frequently asked
Mobile wash price questions.
Comparing full grooms instead? See mobile dog grooming prices compared.
Across the 178 Bay Area groomers that publish prices, the median mobile bath for a small dog is $85, and it climbs with size from there. Ours is $75–155 by size, nail trim and ear cleaning included.
No. A wash is the bath, dry and brush-out. Mobile grooming adds a haircut and scissor work, which costs more at every size. If you are comparing full grooms and the national mobile brands, our mobile grooming prices guide covers those.
The salon and shop column includes self-serve tubs, which run around $15–20 and buy you the tub, not the work. A staffed salon bath sits higher, and you still drive a dirty dog there and a damp dog home.
131 of the 309 businesses we checked publish no price at all. A quote call lets a shop price each dog one at a time. We think a business that knows what it charges can write it down, so ours is on the pricing page.
No. The published price is the whole price anywhere in our service area. The only thing that changes it is your dog's size.
First wash $10 off.
$75–155 by size, published. Nail trim and ear cleaning included, no travel fee.
or text us at (408) 599-8317
Owner-operated · Local service
Hi, I’m Ace.
I run Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash myself — I’m the one who shows up at your door. Every visit is one dog at a time in the van at your curb: warm water, a full brush-out and a proper dry, with no salon drive and no cage waiting. Big dogs, heavy shedders and nervous seniors are the reason this service exists.
Owner-OperatedLarge-Dog FriendlyDe-SheddingSenior & Anxious Dogs
Book with AceWhat our customers say
Trusted by Bay Area dog parents
★★★★★
SUCH a great - and easy! - experience! Asa was immediately responsive (I love when businesses actually answer their phone!), worked Moose in within 24 hours, was communicative throughout, bought unscented products specifically for us, did a great job with my 12 year old doodle … all in all: amazing service!
★★★★★
Ace at Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash was absolutely wonderful with my senior dog. He was so gentle and patient with him, which meant everything to me given his age — I could tell he genuinely cared about his comfort throughout the whole process. Beyond the excellent care, Ace was warm, loving, and clearly an animal lover at heart, while also being completely professional from start to finish. It's rare to find someone who balances that kind of tenderness with real expertise, and my dog came out looking and smelling great without a hint of stress. Highly recommend Ace and Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash.
★★★★☆
Ace was great with my 3 small dogs. They got washed and towel dried, their ears checked, their nails trimmed. One star off because he trimmed one nail too far and it bled for a long time, plus distressed my already anxious dog. Important to know that this service isn't van-based (yet). Ace brings a portable wash station to set up outside. He brings his own water and supplies. He doesn't do any hair cuts, just basic wash and towel dry. I'll call him again in the future!
★★★★★
Ace did a great job with our little old chihuahua mix. Our appointment was for the evening and he came prepared with warm water, and made our sure our dog was comfortable the entire time. Don't let the lack of reviews on yelp scare you away, his prices are good, and he takes time to ensure that good work is done.
★★★★★
He did such an amazing job with my dog! He came out looking so nice, clean, and well-groomed, but what stood out to me most was how happy and comfortable he seemed afterward. You can really tell he was treated with care throughout the entire process. I'm extremely pleased with how everything turned out and would definitely recommend him!
★★★★★
Ace at Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash was absolutely wonderful with my senior dog. He was so gentle and patient with him, which meant everything to me given his age -- I could tell he genuinely cared about his comfort throughout the whole process. Beyond the excellent care, Ace was warm, loving, and clearly an animal lover at heart, while also being completely professional from start to finish. It's rare to find someone who balances that kind of tenderness with real expertise, and my dog came out looking and smelling great without a hint of stress. Highly recommend Ace and Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash. Price is great!
★★★★★
We booked Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash for our 90-lb German Shepherd, Koda, who hates the groomer. Ace parked the van right in our driveway in Willow Glen, walked her up the ramp himself — no lifting, no cage, no other dogs — and I watched the whole wash from my doorstep. Bath, nails, ears, and she came back inside dry and calm. Flat $95 exactly as the website said, no surprise charges. We've already booked next month. 😊❤️
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