Real per-badge numbers by material and quantity, plus the fees that turn a cheap quote into an expensive one.
A custom name badge in 2026 runs from about $6.49 to $16.85 each depending on material and quantity. Printed plastic is $8.99 at low quantity and $6.49 at 1,001 or more. Metal-faced premium badges start at $12.49 and settle at $9.99 in volume. Executive solid metal is $15.85 down to $13.35. A magnetic backing adds $1.00 per badge on any of those.
| Quantity | Printed plastic | Premium metal faced | Executive solid metal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10 | $8.99 | $12.49 | $15.85 |
| 31 to 50 | $8.24 | $11.74 | $15.10 |
| 51 to 100 | $7.89 | $11.39 | $14.75 |
| 101 to 250 | $7.49 | $10.99 | $14.35 |
| 251 to 1,000 | $7.24 | $10.74 | $14.10 |
| 1,001 and up | $6.49 | $9.99 | $13.35 |
Catalog list prices per badge, pin backing. Add $1.00 for a magnet.
Where the volume break actually pays
The biggest single step on printed plastic is between the 251 to 1,000 band and 1,001 or more: $0.75 per badge. On a 40 person team that break is out of reach and chasing it wastes money on badges nobody will wear. The break worth pushing for is 101, which takes plastic from $8.24 to $7.49. If you are at 90 badges and hiring, order 101.
The fees that decide the real price
- Setup or plate fee: some suppliers charge per order, some per design change. Ours is not charged on ordinary orders.
- Artwork or vectorizing fee: charged when you send a low-resolution logo. Sending a vector file avoids it anywhere.
- Proof fee and revision fee: ask whether the second revision is free.
- Shipping: free over $200 here for US and Canada, which most orders above about 25 badges clear.
- Rush: worth paying only when the deadline sits inside the standard 5 to 8 business day production window.
Cost per year, which is the honest comparison
A $7.49 printed badge that lasts three years is $2.50 a year. A $4 badge that cracks and gets replaced twice a year is $8. Turnover changes that maths, which is why high-churn teams often do better with reusable window badges and printed inserts, and why leadership badges are worth the solid metal.