Window Tinting Price Guide

If you check the internet, you'll quickly discover that most shops charge a minimum of $99 and up to $1220 for a whole vehicle depending on the grade of film you choose and the type of vehicle you own. One word of warning though about the ninety-nine-dollar tint jobs: you get what you pay for. In addition to shops, you can also buy pre-cut tint kits online. Pre-cut kit prices vary widely as well but you can get a complete kit from most sites for under $75.  

Does Professionally Installed Tint Cost More?

Having your window tint installed by a shop will certainly cost you more. Naturally, you're paying for a service so you can expect to pay more for the expertise and the time of the person installing your tint. Generally, you can expect to pay between $25 to $50 per window, but this usually includes the cost of basic 1-Ply tint which is typically the lowest grade film you can buy. 2 Ply, entry-level Dyed Films may cost you $90 per window, but the quality is a major step up from 1-Ply Film. An upgrade from a 2-Ply Dyed film is a 3-Ply Metal Film which you can expect to pay $100 per window. A 3-Ply Ceramic Film is considered a major upgrade from the entry-level films mentioned above and you can expect to pay $115 per window for an entry-level ceramic film. The highest quality films are IR Infrared Ceramic Films which cost $140 per window. Currently, there are Ultra-Premium IR+ Infrared Ceramic Films for which you can expect to pay $190 per window. In general, you can usually get a discounted rate if you have all of your windows tinted at once so be sure to keep that in mind when considering having your windows tinted. Most quality shops even offer full windshield installations which are the crown jewel when having a complete vehicle tinted. 

Keep one very important factor in mind when understanding tint prices. The quality of the installation means more than the film itself and can really affect the prices you are quoted. Even the best films on the market will look and perform poorly if they are installed imperfectly. Most of the time consumers don't even notice a poor installation until it's too late. Always beware of cheap prices. That's one-way mediocre shops that install poorly lure in their clients. Reputable, expert and the best installers know their worth and will charge based on what it takes to perform the very best installation possible whereas the shops that offer cheap prices will make their prices low and then perform their installations within the parameters of their cheap prices. Window film installations require time and a high level of expertise that many shops aren't capable of providing. When you see a cheap price for window tinting keep in mind that the only way that shop can get you in the door is by their cheap prices. That's the only way they can compete with quality installers. Cheap work isn't good and good work isn't cheap. Especially when you have to pay to have your tint removed and replaced by a quality installer.

Other Factors to Consider When Tinting 

Other factors to consider are the types of tint to be used. For example, will you be going for the cheapest Dyed Window Tint or are you going to insist on Metallized Tint? Or are you interested in the best-performing films on the market like Ceramic, IR Infrared Ceramic or Ultra Premium IR+ Infrared Ceramic Tint? Expect to pay up to double for Ceramic Films, but these are the highest-performing films available that turn your vehicle into a rolling oasis. Ceramic Tint is very expensive and is best to be installed by a professional installer in an enclosed shop while Dyed and Metallic tint may be worth a shot if you are looking to save with a DIY Kit.

Pros of Do-It-Yourself Window Tinting

If your budget is your primary concern, but you still need the privacy and heat rejection of pre-cut auto tint then buying a tint kit online is the way to go. There are literally dozens of sites you can find who will sell you pre-cut, partial or complete kits for pennies on the dollar when compared to professional tinted car window film installation. Other common ways to order window tint online are by filling out text boxes with your vehicle's information although you'd better hope that whoever is cutting your tint is as good a reader as they are a tinter! 

Cons of DIY Tints

The biggest downside about buying your own pre-cut kits online is that it is no easy task to work with. Installing window tint well takes time and patience, things which may seem to be in short supply these days. Another con to DIY kits is that you really need to be sure of the legality of window tint in your state. When you buy from a shop you're buying their knowledge too. When you do it yourself you need to be sure to check your local laws. 

Pros of Professional Window Tinting 

When you have your car's windows tinted professionally you can expect that the job will be done better than you could have done it or, at the very least, it will be done while you're doing something else. In addition, most shops will warranty their work and tint so if you experience any problems you usually have some recourse. Probably the best reason to get your windows tinted by a local shop is for legal issues. A local shop will know your local jurisdiction's laws regarding the VLT (darkness) of the window tint so you can either ask them to go as dark as is legal or they can tell you your options upfront face to face. 

Cons of Local Window Tint Installation

Of course, price is always going to be the number one con of having your windows tinted locally. When it comes to any service you want to be sure to check their reviews online and by word of mouth. Does your local shop use only the cheapest tint? How many years have they been in business? Finally, local window tinters may not offer every type of film on the market. Don't expect your local mom-and-pop tint shop to carry every brand of Dyed, Metal, Ceramic, IR Ceramic or Ultra Premium IR+ Infrared Film out there. It's simply not possible for them to do so and most shops usually buy from one brand or distributor so if you have your heart set on a specific type of film, online DIY tint is the way to go.

The Final Analysis

When it comes down to it, the question of DIY versus professionally installed pr-ecut tint is a function of budget and time. If you have the time but not the budget then a complete vehicle tint that costs less than $75 total is the way to go and can be had from a number of sellers online. If, however, money is no object and you're short on time then it only makes sense to choose a local shop to have your windows tinted. Just make sure the shop you pick is reputable, visit thier showroom and spend some time getting to know who will be working on your second largest investent.