USN Nail Tips Guide: Shapes, Sizes and Which Pack to Buy
By Edmond Lin, M1 Nail & Beauty Supply, Markham, Ontario. Last updated 8 October 2026. Product details are taken from usnailzone.com, the U.S. distributor of USN, and from the labels on our stock.
USN (US Nail Manufacturer) nail tips come in seven shapes, in natural or clear, in 11 sizes numbered #0 to #10. They are sold four ways: a 50-tip bag of one size, 500 tips of one size, 5,000 tips of one size, or a divided box with every size. Buy a box to learn which sizes you use, then refill those sizes by the bag.
In this guide
The seven USN shapes at a glance
USN describes its tips as thin and flexible, made of ABS plastic, and says they bond in 2 seconds with nail glue. The shapes differ only in the side walls and the free edge.
| Shape | What it looks like | Colours and packs |
|---|---|---|
| Straight Square | Straight side walls and a square free edge |
Natural:50-tip bag, 500 tips, 5,000 tips, 540-tip box Clear:50-tip bag, 500 tips, 5,000 tips, 540-tip box |
| Stiletto | Side walls that taper to a point |
Natural:50-tip bag, 500 tips, 5,000 tips, 540-tip box Clear:50-tip bag, 500 tips, 5,000 tips, 540-tip box |
| Straight Coffin | Side walls that taper to a flat, squared-off end |
Natural:50-tip bag, 500 tips, 5,000 tips, 540-tip box Clear:50-tip bag, 500 tips, 5,000 tips, 540-tip box |
| Coffin | A tapered coffin shape with a flat end and an arched profile | Natural:50-tip bag, 500 tips, 5,000 tips, 540-tip box |
| Natural II | A classic natural-curve tip shape | Natural:50-tip bag, 500 tips, 5,000 tips |
| Round French | A round free edge in French white | White:575-tip box |
| Gel Tips | A long clear shape, sold under USN's "Gel Tips" label | Clear:540-tip box |
Natural or clear?
Natural tips are an opaque natural tone and hide the free edge of the nail underneath. Clear tips are transparent, which suits clear and encapsulated designs. Straight Square, Stiletto and Straight Coffin come in both; Coffin and Natural II are natural only, Round French is white and the Gel Tips box is clear.
Bag, bulk pack or box: what each costs per tip
The table uses M1 prices on 8 October 2026 in Canadian dollars. Prices change, so check the product page before ordering.
| Shape | 50-tip bag | 500 tips | 5,000 tips | Box |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Square, Natural | $0.85 (1.7¢ per tip) | $8.00 (1.6¢ per tip) | $58.00 (1.2¢ per tip) | $11.95 (2.2¢ per tip) |
| Straight Square, Clear | $0.95 (1.9¢ per tip) | $9.00 (1.8¢ per tip) | $65.00 (1.3¢ per tip) | $13.95 (2.6¢ per tip) |
| Stiletto, Natural | $0.80 (1.6¢ per tip) | $7.50 (1.5¢ per tip) | $53.00 (1.1¢ per tip) | $10.95 (2¢ per tip) |
| Stiletto, Clear | $0.95 (1.9¢ per tip) | $9.00 (1.8¢ per tip) | $65.00 (1.3¢ per tip) | $13.95 (2.6¢ per tip) |
| Straight Coffin, Natural | $0.85 (1.7¢ per tip) | $8.00 (1.6¢ per tip) | $58.00 (1.2¢ per tip) | $11.95 (2.2¢ per tip) |
| Straight Coffin, Clear | $0.95 (1.9¢ per tip) | $9.00 (1.8¢ per tip) | $65.00 (1.3¢ per tip) | $13.95 (2.6¢ per tip) |
| Coffin, Natural | $0.75 (1.5¢ per tip) | $7.00 (1.4¢ per tip) | $48.00 (1¢ per tip) | $10.95 (2¢ per tip) |
| Natural II | $0.70 (1.4¢ per tip) | $6.50 (1.3¢ per tip) | $45.00 (0.9¢ per tip) | - |
- 50-tip bag: one size per bag. The cheapest way to top up one size.
- 500 tips: 10 bags of 50 in one size. For the sizes a salon uses every day.
- 5,000 tips: 100 bags of 50 in one size. The lowest cost per tip, for high-volume salons and resellers.
- Box: all 11 sizes in a divided case. The highest cost per tip, but nothing is wasted while you learn which sizes your clients need.
How USN sizes run, and which sizes sell
Every shape has 11 sizes, #0 to #10. #0 is the widest tip and #10 the narrowest. A box does not hold equal numbers of each: the label reads "Extra 3,4,5,6". USN lists the count per size below, which adds up to 544 tips (the label on the case reads 540).
| Size | Tips in a box (USN) | Single-size packs sold at M1, 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| #0 | 32 | 299 |
| #1 | 48 | 323 |
| #2 | 48 | 458 |
| #3 | 64 | 422 |
| #4 | 80 | 606 |
| #5 | 80 | 751 |
| #6 | 64 | 687 |
| #7 | 32 | 541 |
| #8 | 32 | 455 |
| #9 | 32 | 452 |
| #10 | 32 | 413 |
Our own sales point the same way. Across the 5,407 single-size USN packs M1 sold in the 12 months to October 2026, sizes #5, #6, #4 and #7 were the four most bought, and #0 and #1 the least.
How to apply a USN tip
- Push back the cuticle, remove the shine from the nail plate with a fine file and remove the dust.
- Choose the tip whose width matches the nail from side wall to side wall. If you are between two sizes, take the larger one and file the sides down.
- Put a small amount of USN nail glue on the contact area of the tip, press it onto the free edge at an angle and rock it down so no air is trapped. Hold until it grips.
- Cut the tip to length with a tip cutter and shape the free edge.
- Blend the seam where the tip meets the natural nail if it shows, and remove the dust.
- Overlay the whole nail with acrylic or gel. The overlay gives the strength; the tip only gives the length and shape.
USN nail tip questions
Are USN tips full-cover tips?
The tips M1 stocks are glued on and then covered with acrylic or gel. Our photos show a contact area at the base of the natural-colour tips, the kind used for tip-and-overlay sets.
How many tips are in a USN box?
USN lists the natural-colour boxes (Straight Square, Stiletto, Straight Coffin and Coffin) at 544 tips, the clear boxes at 540 and the Round French box at 575. All hold 11 sizes with extra tips in sizes 3, 4, 5 and 6.
What is the difference between USN Coffin and Straight Coffin?
Both taper to a flat end. In our product photos the Coffin tip arches along its length, while the Straight Coffin tip runs flatter. Straight Coffin also comes in clear.
Which sizes should I buy first?
Start with a box so you have all 11. When you refill, sizes #4 to #7 are the ones salons buy most from us.
Where can I buy USN nail tips in Canada?
M1 Nail & Beauty Supply stocks USN in Markham, Ontario, for pickup in store, and ships across Canada. See every USN product we carry.
Every USN tip shape, pack size and USN nail glue that M1 stocks.
Shop USNTip descriptions, pack sizes and the per-size box count are from usnailzone.com (US Nail Zone, California, the U.S. distributor of USN), read in October 2026. The Coffin and Straight Coffin comparison and the size direction are based on our own stock. Prices and sales figures are M1's own.
