Longarm Quilting Cost Calculator: Service Cost per Quilt and Years to Pay Off a Machine
Longarm services usually charge by the square inch. At $0.02 per square inch, a 90 x 95 inch queen costs $171 to quilt edge to edge. Quilting four queens a year, a $1,399 midarm pays for itself in about 2.2 years, but for two throws a year it takes 14 years.
Sending quilt tops to a longarm service is convenient, and it adds up. Enter your usual quilt size, how many you finish a year and your local price per square inch. The calculator shows what you spend now, and how many years it would take for a midarm or longarm to pay for itself. Sometimes the honest answer is never, and the calculator says so.
Your quilting
Your results
Service cost per quilt
$684 a year, $3,420 over 5 years
Years to break even on Juki TL-15
9 quilts at $156 saved each
| Machine | Break even |
|---|---|
| Midarm at a table, $1,399 | 2.2 years |
| Midarm, table or frame, $2,799 | 4.5 years |
| Longarm on a frame, $4,849 | 7.8 years |
| Sit-down longarm, $9,495 | 15.2 years |
At this volume, owning can pay off if you enjoy the quilting.
Sit-down and midarm machines for regular bed quilts
A few twin to queen quilts a year is the range where a big-throat machine at a table starts to make sense, as long as you have the space and enjoy the quilting.
Juki TL-15 Mid-Arm Quilting and Piecing Machine
$1,399.00A 9 x 6.75 in throat midarm with an automatic thread trimmer and knee lifter: the lowest-cost step past a domestic machine.
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Grace Little Rebel Sewing and Quilting Machine
$2,799.00A 13 x 8.5 in throat and built-in stitch regulation, usable at a table or on a frame later.
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Handi Quilter Amara ST 20 Stationary Longarm with Lift Table
$9,495.00A 20 in throat sit-down longarm with a height adjustable lift table for king-size quilts without a frame.
Check pricePrices change often, so confirm on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Low-volume quilting: the smallest sensible upgrade
At a couple of quilts a year, owning rarely beats paying a service on cost. If you want to quilt your own anyway, start small.
Juki TL-2010Q High-Speed Sewing and Quilting Machine
$1,199.00A 1,500 SPM straight-stitch machine that handles throws and lap quilts well at a domestic price.
Check price Juki TL-15 Mid-Arm Quilting and Piecing Machine
$1,399.00A midarm with a 9 x 6.75 in throat and a 23.25 x 13 in auxiliary table.
Check price Grace Little Rebel Sewing and Quilting Machine
$2,799.00Stitch regulation and a 13 in throat for when your quilts or your ambitions grow.
Check pricePrices change often, so confirm on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
High volume or king quilts: longarms on a frame
A dozen quilts a year, or several kings, is where a frame system pays back fastest, since edge to edge designs go quickly on a frame.
Grace Qnique 16X Longarm with Q-Zone Queen Frame
$4,849.00A 16 in throat longarm at 1,700 SPM with the Q-Zone Queen steel rail frame, a complete system.
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Handi Quilter Moxie 15 Longarm with 8 ft HQ Loft Frame
$5,495.00A 15 in throat, 1,800 SPM longarm with Cruise, Precision or Manual stitch regulation on an 8 ft HQ Loft frame.
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Handi Quilter Moxie XL Longarm with 8 ft Loft Frame
$8,495.00An 18 in throat for fewer advances per quilt, with three stitch regulation modes on an 8 ft Loft frame.
Check pricePrices change often, so confirm on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
How much does it cost to longarm a quilt?
Longarm quilting services price edge to edge quilting, a repeating design stitched across the whole quilt, by the square inch of the quilt top. Custom quilting, where designs are fitted to each block and border, costs more and is often quoted per quilt. Batting, thread color changes, binding and rush service are usually extra.
Rates vary widely by region, experience and design density, so this page does not publish an average. The table shows what a range of example rates means in dollars, so you can compare a price list you have been given. Multiply width by length, then by the rate.
| Quilt | Size (in) | Square inches | $0.015 / sq in | $0.02 / sq in | $0.025 / sq in | $0.03 / sq in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby | 40 x 40 | 1,600 | $24.00 | $32.00 | $40.00 | $48.00 |
| Lap | 45 x 60 | 2,700 | $40.50 | $54.00 | $67.50 | $81.00 |
| Throw | 50 x 65 | 3,250 | $48.75 | $65.00 | $81.25 | $97.50 |
| Twin | 68 x 90 | 6,120 | $91.80 | $122.40 | $153.00 | $183.60 |
| Full / Double | 83 x 90 | 7,470 | $112.05 | $149.40 | $186.75 | $224.10 |
| Queen | 90 x 95 | 8,550 | $128.25 | $171.00 | $213.75 | $256.50 |
| King | 106 x 95 | 10,070 | $151.05 | $201.40 | $251.75 | $302.10 |
How do you calculate when a longarm pays for itself?
The break-even math compares what you would pay a service with what owning actually saves. It is deliberately conservative, because a machine that "pays for itself" on paper and then sits unused is the most expensive kind.
- Service charge per quilt: square inches x rate, or the minimum charge if higher. 90 x 95 = 8,550 square inches x $0.02 = $171.
- Savings per quilt: the service charge plus any thread fee, minus your own thread, needles and machine wear. Batting is left out, because you buy it either way. $171 minus $15 = $156.
- Savings per year: $156 x 4 quilts = $624.
- Years to break even: machine price plus extras, divided by yearly savings. For the Juki TL-15 at $1,399: $1,399 / $624 = 2.2 years, or 9 quilts.
The same four queens a year take 4.5 years to pay off the Grace Little Rebel at $2,799, 7.8 years for the Grace 16X + Q-Zone Queen at $4,849, and 15.2 years for the Handi Quilter Amara ST 20 at $9,495.
Is buying a longarm worth it for a hobby quilter?
Here is the honest answer the numbers give. If you quilt two small quilts a year, owning is not cheaper. Two 50 x 65 inch throws cost $130 a year to send out at $0.02 per square inch. After supplies, even the least expensive machine here takes 14 years to pay back, and the $9,495 sit-down longarm takes over 50 years. That is before resale value, service visits and the space the machine takes.
The picture flips with volume. Twelve queens a year cost about $2,052 in quilting fees, and a $4,849 frame system pays back in 2.6 years. The table runs five realistic scenarios against all four machines.
| Scenario | Service per year | Midarm at a table ($1,399) | Midarm, table or frame ($2,799) | Longarm on a frame ($4,849) | Sit-down longarm ($9,495) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 throws a year | $130 | 14 years | 28 years | 48.5 years | over 50 years |
| 4 queens a year | $684 | 2.2 years | 4.5 years | 7.8 years | 15.2 years |
| 6 kings a year | $1,208 | 1.3 years | 2.5 years | 4.3 years | 8.5 years |
| 12 queens a year | $2,052 | 0.7 years | 1.5 years | 2.6 years | 5.1 years |
| 30 queens a year (side business) | $5,130 | 0.3 years | 0.6 years | 1 years | 2 years |
What the break-even math leaves out
Owning has costs this calculator cannot see: the learning curve and practice quilts, the room a frame needs, occasional service, and your time. It also has value it cannot count: quilting on your own schedule, finishing tops the week they are pieced, and resale, since quality machines hold some value. If the joy of quilting your own tops matters to you, that is a perfectly good reason to buy.
What should you ask a longarm quilter before sending a quilt?
A short conversation up front avoids surprise charges. Ask whether the price is per square inch or per quilt, whether there is a minimum charge, and what counts as edge to edge versus custom. Ask whether thread and batting are included or billed separately, and whether you can supply your own batting. Most services also want the backing and batting cut larger than the top, often 4 to 6 inches per side, with the top pressed and loose threads trimmed.
Enter the answers in the calculator above so the comparison reflects your real price list. The quilt backing calculator and batting size calculator handle the overage your quilter asks for.
Which longarm or midarm matches your quilts?
The four machines in the calculator step up in throat space and price. Throat space, the distance from the needle to the machine body, decides how much of the quilt you can stitch before you move or advance it. Specs below are from each product listing.
| Product | Price | Throat space | Max speed | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juki TL-15 | $1,399.00 | 9 x 6.75 in | 1,500 SPM | Price |
| Grace Little Rebel | $2,799.00 | 13 x 8.5 in | 1,600 SPM | Price |
| Grace 16X + Q-Zone Queen | $4,849.00 | 16 in | 1,700 SPM | Price |
| Handi Quilter Amara ST 20 | $9,495.00 | 20 in | 2,500 SPM | Price |
- Midarm at a table suits throws, lap quilts and occasional twins, and fits in a regular sewing room.
- Sit-down longarm suits custom and free motion quilting on bed quilts, with the quilt moving across a large table. It takes less floor space than a frame.
- Frame longarm suits edge to edge quilting on queens and kings, and high volume. It needs a room long enough for the frame plus space to walk around it.
For a closer look, compare sit-down vs frame longarms and midarm vs longarm, or read the full guide to longarm quilting costs. The throat space calculator shows how much room your quilt size really needs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to have a quilt longarmed?
Most longarm services charge by the square inch of the quilt top, with separate fees for batting, thread and custom work. At an example rate of $0.02 per square inch for an edge to edge design, a 50 x 65 inch throw costs $65 and a 90 x 95 inch queen $171. Rates vary widely by region and design, so ask local quilters for their price list.
Is buying a longarm worth it?
It depends almost entirely on how many quilts you finish and how big they are. At $0.02 per square inch, four queens a year cost $684 in quilting fees, and a $1,399 midarm breaks even in about 2.2 years. Two throws a year cost $130, so the same machine takes 14 years. Buy a longarm because you want to quilt, not only to save money.
How many quilts does it take to pay off a longarm?
Divide the machine price by what you save per quilt, which is the service charge minus your own thread, needles and wear. At $0.02 per square inch with about $15 of supplies per quilt, each queen saves $156. A $1,399 midarm needs 9 queens to break even, and a $9,495 sit-down longarm needs 61.
Can I start a longarm quilting business to pay for the machine?
Many longarm owners quilt for others to offset the cost. At 30 queen quilts a year and $0.02 per square inch, service revenue before supplies is about $5,130, which would pay off a $4,849 frame system in 1 years. Treat that as a best case: finding steady customers, pricing custom work and your time are the hard parts, and local tax and business rules apply.
What is the difference between a midarm, a sit-down longarm and a frame longarm?
A midarm has more throat space than a domestic machine but less than a longarm, and usually sits on a table where you move the quilt. A sit-down longarm has a big throat, often 16 to 20 inches, and stays still while you move the quilt across a large table. A frame longarm rides on rails over a quilt stretched on rollers, so you move the machine instead.
How we research: we compare manufacturer specifications, owner manuals, published standards and recurring themes in verified owner reviews. We do not test products in person, and this is researched guidance, not professional advice. Follow your machine manual and pattern, and take care with rotary cutters, hot irons and needles. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.