Cost guide

How much does atrade show booth cost?

Booth budgets are quoted line by line, but they cluster in predictable bands by footprint. Here are the ranges most projects land in, what sits inside them, and the show-service fees that are billed separately.

In short

A trade show booth typically costs $5,000–$15,000 for a 10×10 or 10×20 inline, $15,000–$50,000 for a 20×20 to 20×40 island, and $50,000–$200,000+ for large or double-deck exhibits. Those figures cover design, fabrication, graphics and installation. Show services — drayage, electrical, rigging and venue labor — are billed separately by the organizer.

What drives the price

Four things move a booth budget more than anything else: footprint, how much of the structure is custom-built versus modular or rented, the level of technology (LED walls, interactive demos, lighting), and whether the booth is designed to be reused across several shows.

A 20×20 island with a hanging sign, two demo stations and a storage closet sits in a very different band from a 20×20 with a double-deck meeting room and a full LED wall — even though the floor space is identical.

What is usually included in a booth quote

Our quotes cover design and 3D visualization, engineering and shop drawings, fabrication, graphic production, integrated lighting, standard furniture and flooring, freight to the show, installation and dismantle, and storage between shows where agreed.

What is billed separately by the show

Exhibitors are often surprised by show services, which are ordered through the organizer or venue rather than the booth builder: drayage (material handling), electrical service and connections, rigging for hanging signs, venue or union labor charges, internet, cleaning and booth staffing.

These can add a meaningful percentage on top of the booth itself, so we plan for them with you from the first brief instead of discovering them in show week.

Typical booth cost by size

FootprintTypeTypical investmentUsually includes
10×10 ft (100 sq ft)Inline$5,000 – $15,000Back wall, counter, graphics, install
10×20 ft (200 sq ft)Inline$5,000 – $15,000Feature wall, 2 demo points, storage
20×20 ft (400 sq ft)Island$15,000 – $50,000Open on 4 sides, hanging sign, demos
20×30 ft (600 sq ft)Island$15,000 – $50,000Demo zone, meeting nook, LED wall
20×40 ft (800 sq ft)Island$15,000 – $50,000Showcase, enclosed meeting room, lounge
30×30 ft and upIsland / double-deck$50,000 – $200,000+Custom architecture, second level, VIP space

Design, fabrication, graphics, freight and installation. Show services are extra — see below.

Booth cost vs show-service cost

CostWho you payWhen it is set
Design & 3D conceptsBooth builderAt the brief
Fabrication & graphicsBooth builderAfter design approval
Freight & storageBooth builderBefore advance-warehouse deadline
Installation & dismantleBooth builderShow week
Drayage (material handling)Show organizerPriced per 100 lb, ordered early
Electrical & riggingVenue / organizerDiscount deadline before show
Venue or union laborVenue / organizerBy city and venue rules

How it works

Brief to boothin four moves

One project lead from first call to final crate. No hand-offs between a design agency, a fabricator and an I&D crew.

  1. Week 001

    Brief

    A 30-minute call about goals, footprint, budget and show rules. We read the exhibitor manual so you don’t have to.

  2. Days 5–702

    Concept & 3D

    Photoreal renders of your booth on the actual floor plan, with a line-item estimate. Revise until it’s right.

  3. Weeks 3–1003

    Engineer & Build

    Shop drawings, fabrication, graphics and AV. Critical parts are pre-assembled in our workshop before anything ships.

  4. Show week04

    Install & Support

    Our crew installs, a project lead stays on-site through opening, and we dismantle, repack and store after close.

Questions

Good toknow

A 10×10 inline booth typically costs $5,000 to $15,000 including design, graphics, fabrication and installation. The range depends on how much of the structure is custom-built versus modular, and on lighting and AV.