How Much Does It Cost to Tint Car Windows in 2021?

If you want to know how much does it cost to tint windows, then this article is ideal for you. The window tinting prices would vary upon the various brands of tints available in the market. So we are in 2021 now, and the prices may have ups and downs depending on the technological advancements as well. You might possibly have a hard time accounting for the total cost of tint price, cost of labor, and other concerns such as finding legal restrictions.

The best option for you to avoid all the trouble is to find a talented professional who could handle the business with care and give you the best quality outcome. It would be better than spending both money and time trying to do it all by yourself. If you are still wondering how much you would have to invest averagely on window tint prices, follow this guide and get your doubts clarified.

How Much Does Window Tinting Cost

The price of window tinting by professionals would vary depending on certain factors. But still, they are not unbearably expensive. The average range of price would be from $100 to $400 for the whole car. It is always better to leave out the cheap ones because they definitely would look cheap and let down the appearance of your car. Let’s find some details on what these considerations are.

• The type of tint is the most prominent that would determine the window tint price. It is because different films are made of different materials. If you need to find more details about the types, refer to our articles on Types of Window Tint and window tint percentages.
• The number of windows that you need to tint also affects the cost.
• The sizes of the car windows are also important in deciding the window tint prices.
• The technology that you are looking forward to using is also a major factor in this.
• The warranty of the tint film you are expecting to use might also change the window tint prices. Some tints might have longer warranty periods for high cost while there would also be shorter warranty periods on tint films for a low cost.
• The location of the place you live would also determine the window tinting prices.
• The laws enforced might have specifications on the VLT levels of darkness allowed on vehicle windows. Therefore, there would be variations in the prices depending on this factor also.
• The economy of the country, existing market values, and the cost of labor would also affect the cost in indirect ways.

Window Tinting Prices by Type of Film

The cost would fluctuate significantly depending on the fact that you would choose an affordable dyed window tint or whether you would go for a carbon or ceramic window tint of high quality. This is because of the type of material used in film manufacturing. Some of these ingredients are rare and also expensive due to the costly nature of production. Using such materials on the tint films obviously increases the price of the film.

Dyed Window Tint Cost

This is the least expensive form of window tint that is easily available. No remarkable advanced technology is used here. A dyed film is attached to the window using a chemical adhesive layer in between. This does not provide any impressive protection from the sunrays and would eventually fade away with time and turn to a purplish color. 

The average cost of getting a dyed window tint is as follows. 

• If you need to tint three windows, the price would be within $70 to $100.
• For five windows, it would range from $150 to $200
• For seven windows, the cost would vary from $180 to $250

Metalized Window Tint Cost

This is slightly expensive than the dyed tint films because metallic particles are used to create the tint film. They are so minute and nearly invisible. Usually, Titanium is used for this. They would be resistant to any shattering and also lasts longer. The approximate cost of this metalized window tint is shown below, depending on the number of windows you need to tint.

• Three windows cost around $175
• Five windows cost around $225
• Seven windows would cost around $250

Carbon Window Tint Cost

This may be quite expensive than the previous type of window tint because it contains nanoparticles of carbon. There are new, improved varieties of increased layers and higher concentrations. Depending on these, the costs may vary. This is more impressive due to its high durability and also has a beautiful black shade. These are efficient in blocking harmful radiation and keeping the interior cool.

The average price of this type of carbon-based window is as follows.

• For three windows, the prices would be from $100 to $130
• For five windows, the cost would vary between $150 to $200
• If you need to tint seven windows, the cost might be from $200 to $250

Multi-Layered Carbon Window Tint Cost

This offers three times the ordinary benefits of the normal carbon tint. It blocks more radiation and reduces heat. Enjoy these benefits including reduced air conditioning at the following prices.

• Three windows would cost $199 to $249
• Five windows would cost from $249 to $299
• For seven windows, the cost would vary from $299 to $349

Ceramic Window Tint Cost

This might be the most expensive type of car window tint film. It can also be recommended as the most effective type, as it blocks off over 99% of harmful radiation and hence highly reliable. These are produced with nano particles of ceramic using very advanced and sophisticated technologies. The costs may vary around the prices indicated below.

• Three windows: $399
• Five windows: $449
• Seven windows: $499

You can also compare the technologies of the most affordable type of window tint versus the most expensive type, through our article Regular vs Ceramic Window Tint.

IR Protection Ceramic Window Tint Cost

These provide added protection from harmful UV and IR radiation and other advances for premium cars. The prices are as follows:

• Three windows: $500
• Five windows: $600
• Seven windows: $675

3M Crystalline Window Tint Cost

This is an option for anyone who does not need to make their car windows look dark while needing protection from radiation at the same time. This is a good option for states where using darker tints on car windows is legally banned. The prices are around the values indicated below.

• Three windows: $500
• Five windows: $560
• Seven windows: $640

Privacy Glass Cost

This is another option for anyone interested in making your windows darker, rather than the protection from radiation. These are similar to a darker shade of the ordinary auto glass and add a stylish appearance. The average cost would be around $100 per square foot while the lowest cost is $25 and the highest is $150 per square foot. You can learn more about this from the article on Privacy Glass.

Cost of Ordering Online

Numerous websites offer their service to deliver the required product to your doorstep with a simple click. Nevertheless, you need to make sure about what you choose. Since the product cannot be seen physically, you might not know the exact nature or condition. So, always go for a reputed selling company or a highly rated delivery service, even if it means adding few more dollars to your expenses. Go through the reviews and feedbacks before you make a choice.

If you are expecting to minimize the expenditure, you can order the product online and try it out yourself. This would reduce the cost of labor. So go ahead, buy the film and do the application yourself by following DIY methods. Read more on this and learn new tips from the article How to Tint Car Windows. 

If you would wonder about the duration it might take you to do this task, you might be interested more about this on How Long Does it Take to Tint Windows.

What Level of Technology Does Car Window Tints Have?

The level of technology offered for the price you pay would highly depend on the brands of window tints. The most famous brands in this field have got renowned names based on the quality of their work and the large customer base built up around it. The positive feedback and the reviews would help you in deciding on what to choose. 

In general, the best option for comparing the technology is to identify the types available. For this, refer to our article Types of Window Tint. Before you get started, if you need to remove the film of tint that you already have on your windows, then we can help you do it yourself! For more details, refer to our article on How to Remove Window Tint.

If you need more details about the legal considerations and if you are interested in finding out more about the available shades of window tints, you are welcome to refer to our article Car Window Tinting Shades Chart.

After you get the new shade of your favorite type of window tint, don’t forget to get the valuable tips and hacks on caring for your car windows. Read our article on Window Tinting Aftercare.