How Much Does PCB Design Cost?
Most PCB design pricing pages avoid numbers. This one does not. Below are the ranges we quote, what moves a project between them, and how our fixed-price model compares to hourly.
Typical price ranges
These figures cover engineering work — schematic capture and/or layout — and exclude fabrication and assembly, which you pay to the factory directly. Every engagement is quoted at a fixed price after a short technical review, so the number you agree is the number you pay.
| Project type | Engineering cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 2-layer board, layout only | $1,800–$3,200 | 5–8 business days |
| 2-layer, schematic + layout | $3,500–$6,000 | 1.5–2.5 weeks |
| 4-layer, mixed-signal or power | $4,500–$9,000 | 2–3 weeks |
| 4-layer, schematic + layout | $8,000–$15,000 | 3–5 weeks |
| 6+ layer, high-speed or RF | From $18,000 | 3–5 weeks |
| Standalone DFM / Gerber review | $600–$1,200 | 1–3 business days |
| Altium ↔ KiCad migration | $900–$2,400 | 2–5 business days |
These are US engineering rates from a Wyoming-registered firm, invoiced in USD under a US contract. You will find lower numbers on freelance marketplaces. What they generally do not include is a documented schematic review, a DFM check against your fabricator's capability sheet, fabrication documentation, or anyone answering the factory's engineering queries once the design leaves your hands.
If your project sits outside these patterns — a rescue of a failed design, a board with an unusual certification requirement, or a large multi-board system — send the details and we will scope it properly rather than quote from a template.
What actually drives the price
Layer count
The strongest single driver. Each additional layer pair adds routing complexity, stackup and impedance work, and verification time. Moving from 2 to 4 layers typically adds 40–70% to engineering cost — and frequently saves more than that in avoided respins.
Component count and density
A board with 40 parts and a board with 400 parts are different projects. Density matters more than raw count: a design that fits comfortably routes in a fraction of the time of one fighting for space.
Signal complexity
Controlled impedance, differential pairs, DDR length matching, and RF front ends each add specific engineering work. A 4-layer board with an LTE module costs meaningfully more than a 4-layer board with only I²C peripherals.
Library work required
Parts already in standard libraries cost nothing extra. Every custom symbol and IPC-7351 footprint built from a manufacturer drawing adds time — significant on designs with many unusual connectors or modules.
Schematic quality on arrival
A clean, reviewed schematic goes straight to layout. One with unconnected nets, missing decoupling, or unverified footprints needs a correction pass first, and we quote that separately so you can see what it costs.
Turnaround
Standard scheduling is included. Expedited delivery, where we reprioritise other work, carries a premium agreed in advance.
Hourly rates
The fixed prices above are built from these rates. We publish them so you can sanity-check a quote against the scope it covers rather than compare headline numbers between firms that include different things.
| Work type | Rate (USD) |
|---|---|
| PCB layout, schematic capture, library work | $125 / hour |
| High-speed, RF, DDR, and signal integrity work | $150 / hour |
| DFM review, design audit, and consultation | $125 / hour |
| Expedited scheduling | +25% on the applicable rate |
Most clients still take the fixed price. Hourly makes sense when the scope genuinely cannot be defined up front — early architecture exploration, or an open-ended debugging engagement on hardware that already exists.
Fixed price versus hourly
We quote fixed prices with defined deliverables and an agreed revision scope. For a client buying design services, this transfers estimation risk to us — which is where it belongs, because we are the ones who can estimate the work.
| Fixed price (our default) | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| Budget certainty | Known before work starts | Unknown until finished |
| Scope changes | Re-quoted explicitly | Absorbed silently into the invoice |
| Risk of overrun | Carried by us | Carried by you |
| Best suited to | Defined deliverables | Open-ended R&D |
Where a project is genuinely exploratory and the scope cannot be defined, we will say so and propose an hourly arrangement with an agreed cap rather than pretend a fixed price is possible.
Payment terms
| Project value | Terms |
|---|---|
| Under $5,000 | Paid in full at kickoff |
| $5,000 and above | 50% on commencement, 50% on delivery of the release package |
Against the ranges above, that means a 2-layer layout is settled upfront, while 4-layer and multilayer projects are split across the engagement. Whichever applies to your project is stated on the quote, so you agree the terms before committing to anything.
Costs beyond design
Engineering is one line in your budget. For a realistic total, plan for these as well:
- Bare board fabrication — often under $50 for five 2-layer prototypes at JLCPCB or PCBWay, rising with layer count, controlled impedance, and exotic finishes
- Assembly — setup plus per-part loading fees; using an assembler's preferred component library keeps this down substantially
- Components — the BOM cost at prototype quantity, which is typically far above your volume price
- Stencil, if you are hand-assembling
- Shipping and customs, which on small prototype orders can rival the board cost
- Certification testing, if you need CE, FCC, or UL — budget for this early, because it influences design decisions
Common questions
How much does a simple 2-layer PCB design cost?
Layout from an existing reviewed schematic runs $1,800–$3,200. Schematic capture and layout together for a simple 2-layer board typically runs $3,500–$6,000, depending on component count and how much custom library work is needed.
How much does a 4-layer PCB design cost?
A 4-layer layout with mixed-signal or power regulation typically runs $4,500–$9,000. Including schematic capture, expect $8,000–$15,000. High-speed interfaces or an RF front end push a project toward the upper end or into individual quoting.
What is your hourly rate for PCB design?
PCB layout, schematic capture, and library work are billed at $125 per hour. High-speed, RF, DDR, and signal integrity work is $150 per hour. Expedited scheduling adds 25% to the applicable rate. Most projects are delivered as a fixed price built from these rates rather than billed hourly.
Do you charge for a quote?
No. Send a schematic, block diagram, or written description and you receive a fixed-price quote with defined deliverables, usually within one business day. The technical review that produces the quote is free.
How are revisions handled?
Revision scope is defined on each quote and agreed before work starts, so you know what is covered. Changes that alter the agreed scope are quoted separately rather than absorbed silently into the invoice.
Why is PCB design cheaper from some freelancers?
Two reasons. Offshore marketplace rates reflect a different cost base, and lower quotes usually cover a narrower deliverable — layout without a documented schematic review, no DFM check against your fabricator's capability sheet, no fabrication documentation, and no one answering engineering queries after the design ships. A single respin typically costs more than the difference, once you count the board spin, the assembly, and the weeks lost. Compare the deliverable list, not the headline number.
Do you require payment upfront?
It depends on the project value. Projects under $5,000 are paid in full at kickoff. Projects of $5,000 and above are split 50% on commencement and 50% on delivery of the release package. In practice that means a 2-layer layout is paid upfront, while most 4-layer and multilayer projects are split. Payment terms are stated on the quote before you commit.
Send us your design.
Schematic, block diagram, or a description of what you need built — you get a fixed-price quote with defined deliverables, usually within one business day.
Request a quoteLast reviewed 2026-08-03 by Niloy Mondal, IPC CID+ certified PCB designer.