Most press-on nail buyers wear size S or M, choose extra short or short nails, and pick the almond shape. That is what we found after looking at every handmade set ordered from Joyee Nails over the past 12 months — 25,666 sets in all. One in five customers skipped the standard sizes entirely and had their set made to their own nail measurements.
We make every set by hand after it is ordered, in the size, shape and length the customer chooses, so our order data shows what people actually wear rather than what a factory decided to stock. Here is what it says, and what it means if you are choosing your first set.
What size press-on nails do most people wear?
Size S is the most common press-on nail size, followed closely by M. Among customers who picked a standard size, two out of three chose S or M.
| Size | Share of standard-size orders |
|---|---|
| XS | 19.6% |
| S | 35.5% |
| M | 31.4% |
| L | 13.5% |
If you are between two sizes, choose the larger one: a set that is slightly wide can be filed down to fit, but a set that is too narrow cannot be made bigger. Our press-on nail size guide shows how to measure each nail in millimetres and read the size chart.
How many people need custom-sized press-on nails?
19.5% of sets were custom sized — roughly one in five. These customers entered their ten nail widths at checkout and we made the set to those exact measurements, at no extra cost.
Custom sizing is most common on the shortest nails: 23.3% of extra short sets were custom sized, compared with 18.0% of short, 15.1% of medium and 7.5% of long sets. On a short nail there is less tip to file down, so an exact width matters more.
What is the most popular press-on nail length?
Short nails win by a wide margin. 77.7% of sets were extra short or short, and only 1% were long.
| Length | Share of sets |
|---|---|
| Extra short | 41.3% |
| Short | 36.4% |
| Medium | 21.3% |
| Long | 1.0% |
Short press-ons look natural, make typing and everyday tasks easy, and tend to stay on longer because there is less tip to catch or lever off the nail. Browse extra short and short press-on nails.
What is the most popular press-on nail shape?
Almond is the most popular shape, chosen for 63.5% of sets. Oval is a distant second.
| Shape | Share of sets |
|---|---|
| Almond | 63.5% |
| Oval | 15.3% |
| Coffin | 8.2% |
| Stiletto | 5.8% |
| Square | 3.9% |
| Squoval | 3.4% |
One caveat: most of our designs are photographed in almond, so it is also the shape customers see first. Even so, almond suits almost every hand — the tapered tip lengthens the fingers and flatters both wide and narrow nail beds. If you are unsure, compare oval vs almond nails.
The most popular combinations
The three most ordered combinations were all almond:
- Extra short almond — 25.4% of sets
- Short almond — 24.5%
- Medium almond — 13.6%
They were followed by extra short oval (9.0%), short oval (5.1%) and medium stiletto (3.8%).
What this means if you are buying your first set
- Not sure about length? Start with short. It is what most people wear every day, and it is the easiest length to apply and keep on.
- Not sure about shape? Almond is the safest choice for most hands; oval is the most natural-looking.
- Between sizes, or nails that are unusually wide or narrow? Choose the larger size, or enter your own measurements for a custom fit — one in five of our customers do.
- Want a backup? First-time customers can add Joyee Care+: if the first set doesn't fit, we remake it in the correct size, free.
How we got these numbers
We counted every handmade press-on nail set ordered on joyeenails.com in the 12 months to October 23, 2026 that had a size and a shape selected: 25,666 sets. Accessories, gift cards, all-size sets and single-nail replacements are not included. Each set is counted once per unit ordered. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. We will update this report every year.
Joyee Nails makes hand-painted press-on nails to order in 6 shapes, 4 lengths and custom sizes, and has served more than 45,000 customers.
