THE COMPARISON
Spray Tan 
Tanning Bed
Same glow. Very different price to your skin.
A straight look at safety, results, cost, and how each one actually turns out — so you can choose with your eyes open.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Which is better, a spray tan 
For color without the health cost, a spray tan wins. It delivers a natural, custom glow with no UV exposure, while a tanning bed produces color by damaging the skin with UV radiation — a known cause of premature aging and skin cancer risk.
The Bronze Lily's organic, UV-free spray tans start at $45. Open 7 AM–11 PM seven days a week, rated 4.9 from 318 reviews.
SAFETY
The part that 
This is where the comparison ends for most people. A tanning bed creates color by bombarding your skin with UV radiation — the same mechanism behind premature aging, sun spots, and elevated skin-cancer risk. A spray tan adds color topically with organic DHA and no UV at all, so there's no radiation exposure and no cumulative skin damage.
If your goal is color, there's simply no version of a tanning bed that's as kind to your skin as a spray tan. That's not marketing; it's the reason dermatologists steer people away from beds. Spray tanning is safe tanning.
RESULTS, COST & UPKEEP
How they 
On results, a bed gives a gradual, uneven color you can't control even with continuous rotating in the bed or around in the stand up systems; a hand-airbrushed spray tan is custom-mixed to your undertone and even from day one, think instant results, no multiple sessions — plus you can go as subtle or as deep as you want. On cost, a single organic spray tan is $45 with no membership required, and it won't cost you a dermatology visit later.
The trade-off is upkeep: a spray tan gradually fades over about a week to ten days and needs refreshing, while a bed's damage accumulates the other direction. For a glow you control, on demand, without the risk, spray tanning is the clear pick.
WHEN YOU'RE READY
Get the glow, 
Book an organic, UV-free spray tan from $45 —
Natural color with none of the risk.
Want every formula and price? See all our spray tan options →
COMMON QUESTIONS
Spray tan vs. tanning bed — 
Is a spray tan safer than a tanning bed?
Yes. A spray tan uses no UV radiation, so it avoids the premature aging and skin-cancer risk associated with tanning beds. Color is added topically instead of by damaging the skin.
Which looks more natural?
A hand-airbrushed spray tan, because it's custom-mixed to your undertone and even from day one. Tanning beds produce a gradual, uneven color you can't control.
How much does a spray tan cost compared to a tanning bed?
A single organic spray tan at The Bronze Lily is $45, with no membership required. Beds are often sold on packages or memberships and carry long-term skin costs a spray tan doesn't.
How long does a spray tan last?
Roughly a week to ten days with good after-care, then it fades gradually and evenly. You simply refresh it when you want the color back.