Installing window shades costs $350 – $950 on average, with a national average of $540 for six vinyl shades, including installation.3 Fixr (updated January 2025) reports a low end of $90 to install one premade vinyl shade that needs no trimming, and a high end of $3,500 for six custom fabric shades including removal and disposal of the existing window coverings.3 Angi (2026 data, from 3,219 verified projects) and corporate sibling HomeAdvisor (2025 data) cover blinds and shades together on their joint pages, publishing identical headline figures: a $758 national average, with most homeowners paying $211 – $1,343 for eight windows.1,2 Matching figures between the sibling sites alone don’t establish independent corroboration; Fixr’s figures are separately published, and the pages state no shared sourcing. Prices below are national averages*.
*National averages, not local quotes. Your price depends on shade type, size, material, and installation requirements. To browse styles and current prices, see Home Depot’s Window Shades category.
A note on safety. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that children have strangled to death on the cords of window blinds, shades, draperies, and other window coverings, and that this can happen in mere moments, even with an adult nearby. CPSC says the safest option when young children are present is to go cordless – cordless window coverings are the only option that eliminates the strangulation hazard.4
$540
national average (Fixr, scoped)
$350–$950
average range (Fixr)
$758
average, 3,219 projects (Angi/HomeAdvisor)
$211–$1,343
most homeowners, 8 windows (Angi/HomeAdvisor)
What the sources say
| Source | Headline figures | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fixr (updated Jan 2025) | $540 average; average range $350 – $950; low $90; high $3,500 | Average scoped to six vinyl shades including installation (36″ x 48″ comparison size); high end is six custom fabric shades with removal and disposal; separately published, pages state no shared sourcing |
| Angi (2026 data, updated Sep 2026) | $758 average (3,219 verified projects); most homeowners $211 – $1,343 for eight windows | Joint blinds-and-shades page; corporate sibling of HomeAdvisor; headline figures identical to HomeAdvisor’s |
| HomeAdvisor (2025 data, updated Jun 2026) | $758 average; normal range $211 – $1,343 | Joint blinds-and-shades page; sibling-published figures identical to Angi’s; matching figures alone don’t establish independent corroboration |
The sibling pair prices materials at $40 – $120 per window and labor at $15 – $50 per window, or $140 – $400 total (sibling-published figures). Removal and disposal of old treatments adds $10 – $30 per window if not included; Fixr separately reports $60 – $200 for removal and disposal, depending on the number of windows.1,2,3
Cost by shade type
The sibling pair and Fixr price shade types on different bases – the sibling figures are all-in per window while Fixr’s are materials only for a 48″ x 44″ shade unless a row is marked installed – so the columns are not directly comparable and each keeps its publisher’s label:1,2,3
| Shade type | Angi/HomeAdvisor (all-in, per window) | Fixr (materials only unless marked) |
|---|---|---|
| Roller | $25 – $350 | $60 – $75 |
| Solar | $45 – $350 | $55 – $90 |
| Cellular | $65 – $380 | $35 – $270 |
| Roman | $65 – $400 | $100 – $150 |
| Tie-up | – | $30 – $60 |
| Pleated | – | $55 – $75 |
| Panel track | – | $90 – $200 |
| Sheer | – | $100 – $150 |
| Cordless | $30 – $330 | – |
| Motorized/electric | $400 – $600 | $200 – $400 (installed) |
| Smart | $300 – $550 | $300 – $400 (installed) |
| Outdoor | $90 – $300 | $400 – $5,000 |
| Waterproof | $45 – $100 | $120 – $140 (installed) |
The Angi/HomeAdvisor column is sibling-published; the Fixr column is separately published. The motorized, smart, outdoor, and waterproof rows price different scopes at each source and are not directly comparable.
Cost by shade size (Fixr, materials only)
Fixr prices common shade sizes as follows (materials only):3
| Shade size | Cost (materials only) |
|---|---|
| 24″ x 36″ | $65 – $90 |
| 32″ x 36″ | $70 – $95 |
| 36″ x 48″ | $80 – $110 |
| 44″ x 40″ | $90 – $120 |
| 48″ x 44″ | $105 – $130 |
| 52″ x 48″ | $115 – $140 |
| 60″ x 44″ | $125 – $150 |
| 62″ x 44″ | $140 – $165 |
| 72″ x 48″ | $150 – $175 |
Cost by material (Fixr, materials only)
Fixr prices shade materials for a 44″ x 48″ window, excluding labor:3
| Material | Cost (materials only) |
|---|---|
| Vinyl | $25 – $90 |
| PVC | $25 – $30 |
| Plastic | $30 – $60 |
| Metal | $60 – $70 |
| Aluminum | $60 – $70 |
| Faux wood | $60 – $90 |
| Wood | $60 – $130 |
| Fabric | $110 – $200 |
Wood shades break down further by species: pine $60 – $100, bamboo $80 – $150, teak $85 – $125, mahogany $85 – $130, and cedar $95 – $130 (materials only).3
The sibling pair separately prices blinds-and-shades materials per window: vinyl $26 – $300, plastic $35 – $150, aluminum $40 – $180, bamboo $45 – $200, faux wood $45 – $250, fabric $65 – $250, wood $45 – $350, leather $90 – $350, and synthetic $40 – $140 (sibling-published, different basis from Fixr’s table).1,2
Cost by window type (Fixr, materials only)
Odd-sized and specialty windows often need custom shades. Fixr prices shades by window type:3
| Window type | Cost (materials only) |
|---|---|
| Transom | $50 – $75 |
| Egress | $60 – $90 |
| Block | $85 – $150 |
| Storm | $90 – $175 |
| Sliding | $90 – $175 |
| Awning | $90 – $175 |
| Casement | $90 – $200 |
| Single-hung | $90 – $200 |
| Double-hung | $90 – $200 |
| Garden | $100 – $200 |
| Stained glass | $100 – $300 |
| Arched | $100 – $300 |
| Picture | $200 – $300 |
| Skylight | $200 – $300 |
| Bay | $200 – $300 |
| Bow | $200 – $300 |
Cost by brand (Fixr, materials only)
Fixr prices major shade brands for a 48″ x 44″ window, materials only:3
| Brand | Cost (materials only) |
|---|---|
| Achim | $35 – $85 |
| Blinds To Go | $65 – $125 |
| Graber | $80 – $125 |
| Bali | $85 – $125 |
| Levolor | $90 – $125 |
| Crown | $100 – $500 |
| Budget Blinds | $200 – $500 |
| Somfy | $250 – $300 |
| Hunter Douglas | $275 – $325 |
| Dropshade | $300 – $400 |
Cost by room (Fixr, installed)
Fixr prices shades installed by room:3
| Room | Cost (installed) |
|---|---|
| Bathroom | $80 – $100 |
| Garage | $80 – $100 |
| Kitchen | $100 – $150 |
| Basement | $100 – $150 |
| Bedroom | $100 – $200 |
| Living room | $100 – $200 |
| Patio | $100 – $400 |
For whole-home projects assuming two 48″ x 44″ shades per bedroom, Fixr reports: one bedroom $300 – $350, two bedrooms $600 – $650, three bedrooms $750 – $800, four bedrooms $800 – $1,000, and five bedrooms $1,100 – $1,500, installed.3
Labor and installation costs
Fixr reports installation by a shade company at $50 – $75 per shade, or a contractor’s hourly rate of $35 – $100; the sibling pair report labor at $15 – $50 per window (differently scoped figures, each kept with its publisher’s label).1,2,3
Mounting a 36″ x 48″ Roman shade runs $45 – $75 for an outside mount and $50 – $100 for an inside mount, excluding the shade itself (Fixr). A corded 48″ x 44″ shade costs $125 – $210 installed, versus $145 – $315 for a cordless version (Fixr).3
Related work Fixr prices: window repairs average $150 – $600, window frame repairs $170 – $600, and window trim repair $80 – $200.3
Privacy and motorized options (Fixr)
Privacy-oriented options, installed: sheer shades $150 – $190, day-to-night cellular shades $125 – $200, solar shades $95 – $200, blackout shades $130 – $200, and double roller shades $90 – $200.3
Motorization: adding a motor costs $30 – $80 per window; motorized shades run $200 – $400 installed; automated shades $400 – $1,000 with installation; smart Wi-Fi shades average $300 – $400 with installation.3
Replacement and custom vs. ready-made
Replacing shades – including the new shades, removal and disposal of the old ones, and installation – runs $150 – $290 per window (Fixr). Ready-made shades cost $60 – $200 (materials only), versus $100 – $400 for custom-made.3
Shades vs. curtains vs. blinds
Fixr compares the three window covering options with labor included:3
| Window covering | Cost (labor included) |
|---|---|
| Curtains | $50 – $500 |
| Shades | $350 – $950 |
| Blinds | $400 – $1,000 |
For blinds specifically, see our window blinds installation cost guide.
Related projects
See our guides to window blinds installation, window replacement, window repair, window tinting, and window screen replacement for those projects.
Frequently asked questions
How much do window shades cost?
Fixr reports $350 – $950 on average, with a $540 national average scoped to six vinyl shades including installation.3
How much do shades cost per window?
Fixr reports around $90 to install one premade shade; Angi and HomeAdvisor report $55 – $170 per window all-in for blinds-and-shades projects (materials $40 – $120 plus labor $15 – $50).1,2,3
How much do motorized shades cost?
Fixr reports $200 – $400 installed, plus $30 – $80 per motor; the sibling pair report $400 – $600 all-in per window. The sources price different scopes.1,2,3
How much do custom shades cost?
Fixr reports $100 – $400 for custom-made shades (materials only), versus $60 – $200 for ready-made.3
Related guides
Window Blinds Installation Cost
Window Replacement Cost
Window Repair Cost
Window Tinting Cost
Window Screen Replacement Cost
All cost guides
Sources
1. Angi — Blinds Installation Cost (2026 data)
2. HomeAdvisor — Blind Installation Cost (2025 data)
3. Fixr — Window Shades Cost (updated Jan 2025)
4. CPSC — Window Covering Cords