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Trying to understand what you have to pay or charge for commissions? This guide goes over how much does a custom cosplay cost as a breakdown and even has a cosplay commission calculator to help you get an idea.
Cosplay Commission Cost Breakdown
The equation I use personally to calculate the cost of a cosplay commission is the following:
(Hours to Make * 20) + Cost of materials + Shipping costs = Commission & Shipping price
This makes my hourly rate for working on the costume $20 per hour. You can adjust that to fit your hourly rate.
Here is a more in-depth breakdown on the cost of cosplay commissions:
- Materials & Supplies – This cost can be anywhere from $50 – $300+ depending on what all is needed for the costume and the quality of the supplies. Things like foam, fabric, wigs, filament, paints and more will be apart of this cost.
- Labor & Time – This by far is the biggest percentage of the cost for a cosplay commission. It can range from $100-$1000+ depending on hours to make it and how complex the costume is. These are typically calculated as an hourly rate.
- Detailed Add-ons – Things like complexity, custom styled wigs, rush orders and other factors can increase the cost of a costume around $300+.
What Affects the Price of a Custom Cosplay
A few things will impact the overall cost of a cosplay commission:
- Complexity of a build – The more difficult the build, the longer it can take for someone to make it. It can also require more complex techniques/materials that then also drive up the cost.
- The techniques used – Using multiple techniques requires buying many different tools and supplies or using techniques that require expensive materials can all drive up your cost.
- The size of the build – The bigger the build, the more time it can take. Thus driving up the cost from that hourly rate.
- Full costume vs Parts and props – A full costume will always cost more than if you just commissioned a single prop or one part of a costume. Full costumes require more materials and time than a simple prop or single jacket or shoes.
- Types of materials – If you want something that requires sculpting and leathers, your material cost will take quite a jump. The more expensive materials your build requires, the more money the build will cost.
