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| The Cost of RFID Equipment |
- Can I buy a 5-cent RFID tag?
- EPCglobal's goal is to drive adoption of RFID technology to the point where massive numbers of tags are made each year and the cost for silicon-based tags that can store a unique serial number drops to 5 cents per tag. Costs have fallen steadily over the past few years and will decline further as adoption ramps up.
- How much does an RFID tag cost today?
- Most companies that sell RFID tags do not quote prices because pricing is based on volume, the amount of memory on the tag and the packaging of the tag (whether it’s encased in plastic or embedded in a label, for instance), whether the tag is active or passive and much more. Generally speaking, active tags are $25 and up. Active tags with special protective housing, extra-long battery life or sensors can run $100 or more. A passive 96-bit EPC inlay (chip and antenna mounted on a substrate) costs from 7 to 15 U.S. cents. If the tag is embedded in a thermal transfer label on which companies can print a bar code, the price rises to 15 cents and up. Low- and high-frequency tags tend to cost a little more.
- How much do RFID readers cost today?
- It depends on the type of reader. Active readers are typically purchased as part of a complete system, with tags and mapping software to determine the tags location. Most UHF readers cost from $500 to $2,000, depending on the features in the device. Companies may also have to buy each antenna separately, along with cables. Antennae are about $200 and up. The price of UHF readers has been falling as production ramps up with adoption. Low- and high-frequency readers range in price, depending on different factors. A low-frequency reader model (a circuit board that can be put into another device) can be under $100, while a fully functional standalone reader can be $750. High-frequency reader modules are typically $200 to $300. A standalone reader can be about $500.
- How much does a fully functional RFID system cost?
- The cost depends on the application, the size of the installation, the type of system and many other factors, so it is not possible to give a ballpark figure. In addition to tag and reader costs, companies might to purchase middleware to filter RFID data. They will likely need to hire a systems integrator and upgrade enterprise applications, such as warehouse management systems. They might also need to upgrade networks within facilities. And they will need to pay for the installation of the readers. Not only do the readers need to be mounted, they need electrical power and to be connected to a corporate network. All of these factors are different for each deployment, depending on the application, the environment and so on.
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