Cost guide
How Much Does Product Development Cost?
Typical 2026 costs and timelines by product complexity
LA NPDT develops physical products in fixed-price stages. Stage 1, Review/Analysis + Plan, is a fixed $800. A whole program typically costs $11,300 to $36,800 for a basic one-part product, $28,300 to $66,800 for a simple product, $49,300 to $111,800 for a moderate product, and $86,800 to $175,800 for a complex product. Ranges cover labor only.
A typical program takes 3 to 6 months for a basic product, 5 to 9 months for a simple product, 7 to 12 months for a moderate product, and 9 to 15+ months for a complex product. That excludes tooling, certification, pilot runs and your review time between stages. Custom circuit boards can add 3 to 7 weeks.
- First commitment: $800 (Stage 1)
- Fixed quote per stage
- Typical, not a quote
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Typical labor by stage, B Simple
Stage 1, Review/Analysis + Plan: fixed $800, paid up front.
| 1 Review/Analysis + Plan | $800 |
| 2 Concept Design | $5,000 to $10,000 |
| 3 Benchtop Proof of Concept | $2,500 to $10,000 |
| 5 Technical Design & Engineering | $5,000 to $10,000 |
| 6 Alpha Prototyping & Testing | $6,000 to $12,000 |
| 7 Beta Prototype | $4,000 to $12,000 |
| 9 Manufacturing Planning & DFM | $5,000 to $12,000 |
| Total | $28,300 to $66,800 |
Typical timeline for a full program: 5 to 9 months. Timelines exclude tooling, certification, pilot runs and client review time between stages. Custom circuit boards can add 3 to 7 weeks.
Not included: materials and parts (billed at cost), production tooling, certification and lab fees, patent and attorney fees (stages 4 and 8), marketing materials (stage 10), licensing or venturing (stage 11), app or cloud software. Ranges are typical, not a quote; your price may come in below or above.
Whole-program cost and timeline by product complexity
Short answer
LA NPDT develops physical products in fixed-price stages. Stage 1, Review/Analysis + Plan, is a fixed $800. A whole program typically costs $11,300 to $36,800 for a basic one-part product, $28,300 to $66,800 for a simple product, $49,300 to $111,800 for a moderate product, and $86,800 to $175,800 for a complex product. Ranges cover labor only.
Whole program = stages 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9, labor only
| Product complexity | Definition | Whole program | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Basic | One part, no moving parts, no electronics | $11,300 to $36,800 | 3 to 6 months |
| B Simple | One mechanism or simple electronics | $28,300 to $66,800 | 5 to 9 months |
| C Moderate | Several mechanisms, medium electronics and firmware | $49,300 to $111,800 | 7 to 12 months |
| D Complex | Multi-subsystem, firmware, hydraulics, app or custom tech | $86,800 to $175,800 | 9 to 15+ months |
A Basic
- Definition
- One part, no moving parts, no electronics
- Whole program
- $11,300 to $36,800
- Typical timeline
- 3 to 6 months
B Simple
- Definition
- One mechanism or simple electronics
- Whole program
- $28,300 to $66,800
- Typical timeline
- 5 to 9 months
C Moderate
- Definition
- Several mechanisms, medium electronics and firmware
- Whole program
- $49,300 to $111,800
- Typical timeline
- 7 to 12 months
D Complex
- Definition
- Multi-subsystem, firmware, hydraulics, app or custom tech
- Whole program
- $86,800 to $175,800
- Typical timeline
- 9 to 15+ months
Labor only, including equipment and machine time. Materials, tooling, certification, patent fees and app or cloud software are extra. Ranges are typical, not a quote; your price may come in below or above. Large automated systems and regulated medical devices often run above Class D. Timelines exclude tooling, certification, pilot runs and client review time between stages. Custom circuit boards can add 3 to 7 weeks.
See typical price per stage
Typical labor per stage by product complexity (equipment and machine time included)
| Stage | A Basic | B Simple | C Moderate | D Complex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Review/Analysis + Plan | $800 | $800 | $800 | $800 |
| 2 Concept Design | $2,000 to $6,000 | $5,000 to $10,000 | $9,500 to $15,000 | $15,000 to $25,000 |
| 3 Benchtop Proof of Concept | $1,000 to $5,000 | $2,500 to $10,000 | $5,000 to $15,000 | $20,000 to $35,000 |
| 5 Technical Design & Engineering | $2,000 to $6,000 | $5,000 to $10,000 | $12,000 to $25,000 | $15,000 to $35,000 |
| 6 Alpha Prototyping & Testing | $2,000 to $6,000 | $6,000 to $12,000 | $8,000 to $22,000 | $15,000 to $30,000 |
| 7 Beta Prototype | $1,000 to $6,000 | $4,000 to $12,000 | $6,000 to $22,000 | $10,000 to $30,000 |
| 9 Manufacturing Planning & DFM | $2,500 to $7,000 | $5,000 to $12,000 | $8,000 to $12,000 | $11,000 to $20,000 |
| Whole program | $11,300 to $36,800 | $28,300 to $66,800 | $49,300 to $111,800 | $86,800 to $175,800 |
| Typical timeline | 3 to 6 months | 5 to 9 months | 7 to 12 months | 9 to 15+ months |
1 Review/Analysis + Plan
- A Basic
- $800
- B Simple
- $800
- C Moderate
- $800
- D Complex
- $800
2 Concept Design
- A Basic
- $2,000 to $6,000
- B Simple
- $5,000 to $10,000
- C Moderate
- $9,500 to $15,000
- D Complex
- $15,000 to $25,000
3 Benchtop Proof of Concept
- A Basic
- $1,000 to $5,000
- B Simple
- $2,500 to $10,000
- C Moderate
- $5,000 to $15,000
- D Complex
- $20,000 to $35,000
5 Technical Design & Engineering
- A Basic
- $2,000 to $6,000
- B Simple
- $5,000 to $10,000
- C Moderate
- $12,000 to $25,000
- D Complex
- $15,000 to $35,000
6 Alpha Prototyping & Testing
- A Basic
- $2,000 to $6,000
- B Simple
- $6,000 to $12,000
- C Moderate
- $8,000 to $22,000
- D Complex
- $15,000 to $30,000
7 Beta Prototype
- A Basic
- $1,000 to $6,000
- B Simple
- $4,000 to $12,000
- C Moderate
- $6,000 to $22,000
- D Complex
- $10,000 to $30,000
9 Manufacturing Planning & DFM
- A Basic
- $2,500 to $7,000
- B Simple
- $5,000 to $12,000
- C Moderate
- $8,000 to $12,000
- D Complex
- $11,000 to $20,000
Whole program
- A Basic
- $11,300 to $36,800
- B Simple
- $28,300 to $66,800
- C Moderate
- $49,300 to $111,800
- D Complex
- $86,800 to $175,800
Typical timeline
- A Basic
- 3 to 6 months
- B Simple
- 5 to 9 months
- C Moderate
- 7 to 12 months
- D Complex
- 9 to 15+ months
Stage 1: Review/Analysis + Plan, fixed $800
Stage 1
Review/Analysis + Plan
Fixed $800, paid up front. Not credited toward later stages.
A technical feasibility analysis, the key risks, and a staged plan with the recommended next step. Results within 10 business days of receiving your files and intake form.
Simple product with clear CAD, sketches or a spec? Skip to a fixed stage 2 quote within 48 hours of your call.
How pricing works
Stage 1 is a fixed $800, paid up front, with results within 10 business days of receiving your files and intake form. It is optional: simple products with clear CAD, sketches or a spec can start at stage 2, and our team sends a fixed quote within 48 hours of your call. Every later stage gets its own fixed quote before it starts, billed 50% to start and 50% on delivery. Ranges are typical, not a quote; your price may come in below or above.
What is not included
- Materials and parts (billed at cost)
- Production tooling
- Certification and lab fees
- Patent and attorney fees (stages 4 and 8)
- Marketing materials (stage 10)
- Licensing or venturing (stage 11)
- App or cloud software
Products above Class D
Regulated medical devices, connected products with app and cloud backends, and large automated or industrial systems often run above Class D, because certification, regulatory documentation and software sit outside these ranges. Our team quotes them stage by stage after Stage 1.
- Product design costDesign and engineering through production-ready CAD.
- Prototype cost calculatorWhat it costs to build the first working unit.
- The product development processEvery stage explained, in order, with what you get from each.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does product development cost?
LA NPDT develops physical products in fixed-price stages. Stage 1, Review/Analysis + Plan, is a fixed $800. A whole program typically costs $11,300 to $36,800 for a basic one-part product, $28,300 to $66,800 for a simple product, $49,300 to $111,800 for a moderate product, and $86,800 to $175,800 for a complex product. Ranges cover labor only.
How long does product development take?
A typical program takes 3 to 6 months for a basic product, 5 to 9 months for a simple product, 7 to 12 months for a moderate product, and 9 to 15+ months for a complex product. That excludes tooling, certification, pilot runs and your review time between stages. Custom circuit boards can add 3 to 7 weeks.
How does pricing work?
Stage 1 is a fixed $800, paid up front, with results within 10 business days of receiving your files and intake form. It is optional: simple products with clear CAD, sketches or a spec can start at stage 2, and our team sends a fixed quote within 48 hours of your call. Every later stage gets its own fixed quote before it starts, billed 50% to start and 50% on delivery. Ranges are typical, not a quote; your price may come in below or above.
Is the $800 Stage 1 fee credited toward later stages?
No. Stage 1 is a standalone, fixed-price deliverable: a technical feasibility analysis, the key risks, and a staged plan with the recommended next step. It is not credited toward later stages, and the plan is yours to use with any team.
What is not included?
Not included: materials and parts (billed at cost), production tooling, certification and lab fees, patent and attorney fees (stages 4 and 8), marketing materials (stage 10), licensing or venturing (stage 11), app or cloud software.
What about products above Class D?
Regulated medical devices, connected products with app and cloud backends, and large automated or industrial systems often run above Class D, because certification, regulatory documentation and software sit outside these ranges. Our team quotes them stage by stage after Stage 1.
Where to go next
- Product design costDesign and engineering through production-ready CAD.
- Prototype cost calculatorWhat it costs to build the first working unit.
- Concept design costWhat the sketching and direction-setting stage costs on its own.
- The product development processEvery stage explained, in order, with what you get from each.