Enter your board size, layer count, components and quantity to get an itemized PCB assembly cost per unit — fabrication, parts, assembly, test and setup, calculated in real time. Built by the engineers at PCBSync.
Estimate for budgeting only. Real pricing depends on your BOM, Gerbers and supplier. Verify with a formal quote before ordering.
Printed circuit board assembly cost is the sum of distinct, measurable inputs. Understanding the weight of each one is the fastest way to bring a quote down without touching quality.
The unpopulated PCB itself. Driven by board area, layer count, copper weight, material and surface finish. More layers mean more lamination and drilling steps.
Usually the largest and most volatile share. Both total quantity and the number of unique part numbers matter — each line item carries sourcing and handling overhead.
Pick-and-place and soldering time. SMT placements run a few cents each by machine; through-hole and hand soldering cost considerably more per joint.
AOI, X-ray, flying-probe, in-circuit and functional test. Coverage scales with complexity — a BGA-heavy board needs more inspection than simple discretes.
One-time stencil, programming, fixtures and first-article inspection. Fixed per design, so it dominates small runs and shrinks to near-zero at volume.
Larger batches amortize fixed costs across more units, lowering price per board. Rush orders add a 30–160% premium for jumping the production queue.
Our estimator mirrors how a contract manufacturer actually quotes a job: build up each cost line bottom-up, apply volume discounts and a turnaround multiplier, then divide by quantity.
Five inputs, one price. Here is what drives each layer of the stack.
Size, layers and finish set the fabrication baseline.
Component count, unique lines and average part price.
Quantity and turnaround flex the per-unit price.
See exactly where every dollar of the estimate goes.
The same 4-layer, 100 × 60 mm board with 120 SMT components, quoted across different volumes. Fixed setup is spread thinner as the order grows — classic economies of scale.
| Order quantity | Fabrication | Components | Assembly + test | Setup / unit | Cost / unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (prototype) | $3.20 | $14.40 | $5.60 | $18.00 | $41.20 |
| 100 | $1.80 | $14.40 | $4.10 | $1.80 | $22.10 |
| 500 | $1.20 | $13.10 | $3.40 | $0.36 | $18.06 |
| 1,000 | $0.95 | $12.20 | $3.05 | $0.18 | $16.38 |
| 5,000 | $0.78 | $10.90 | $2.70 | $0.04 | $14.42 |
Illustrative figures. Plug your own board into the calculator above for a live estimate.
Most savings are designed in long before a quote is requested. These levers cut cost without compromising reliability.
Dropping from 6 to 4 layers can cut fabrication sharply. Route carefully before adding copper.
Simple shapes panelize efficiently, reducing material waste and cost per unit.
Consolidate to fewer part numbers — every unique line adds sourcing and handling overhead.
Specialty laminates and high-TG materials cost more. Use them only where the design demands.
Machine placement is far cheaper per joint than manual through-hole insertion.
Readily available parts avoid MOQ penalties, long lead times and broker premiums.
Standard turnaround is the base price; 24-hour rush can multiply assembly cost several times over.
Larger runs amortize setup and tooling across more boards, lowering the per-unit price.
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