How Much Does Laser Engraving Cost in the UK? A Price Guide
Find out how much laser engraving and laser cutting cost in the UK, from engraved slate and glass gifts to acrylic signs and small business batches.
As a rough guide, a small laser engraved gift in the UK, such as a personalised slate coaster or wooden keyring, often costs £5 to £15. Larger engraved pieces like chopping boards, glass or slate signs usually sit around £15 to £50, and custom cut acrylic or plywood signs can run from £20 to £80 or more. So how much does laser engraving cost for your job? It depends mainly on the material, the size and detail of the design, any design time, and how many you need. Makers set their own prices, so quotes for the same item can vary.
What drives the cost of laser engraving and cutting
Laser engraving prices in the UK are usually built from the same few ingredients. Once you know them, quotes are much easier to compare.
Material
The blank item is often a big part of the price. Plywood, MDF and slate are fairly inexpensive. Hardwoods such as oak or walnut, good quality acrylic, glass and anodised metal cost more. If you supply your own item (a bottle, a tankard, a jewellery box), the maker only charges for the engraving, though some will want to check the material first, since not every surface engraves cleanly on every machine.
Size and engraving area
Engraving works by the laser passing back and forth across the area to be marked, so a large filled-in design takes far longer than a short line of text. A name on a coaster might take a few minutes. A full photo engraved across a chopping board can take much longer, and the price reflects that machine time.
Detail and type of artwork
Simple text and clean line art are the quickest jobs. Photos, fine shading and very small lettering need more careful setup and test pieces. Some materials also suit detail better than others: slate and anodised aluminium show crisp contrast, while a busy wood grain can make fine detail harder to read.
Laser cutting time
For laser cutting cost, the main factors are the total length of the cut lines and the thickness of the material. Thicker plywood or acrylic needs slower passes, and intricate shapes with lots of small cut-outs take longer than a simple outline. Many makers work out cutting jobs on machine time, then add material and handling.
Design time
If you already have print-ready artwork (usually a vector file such as SVG, DXF or AI), there is little design work to pay for. If you send a rough sketch, a handwritten note or a low-resolution photo, the maker needs to redraw or prepare it. As a rough guide, design work is often charged at £15 to £40 an hour, or as a fixed fee per job.
Set-up and minimum charges
Every job needs setting up: preparing the file, placing the item in the machine, focusing the laser and running a test. For a single small item this set-up time can be a large share of the price, which is why many makers have a minimum order charge, often somewhere around £10 to £25.
Quantity
Batches bring the price per item down because the set-up is shared. Ten engraved coasters with the same design often cost noticeably less per piece than one. For small business orders such as branded coasters, tags, packaging inserts or wooden signs, ask for prices at a few different quantities.
Finishing
Some pieces need extra work after the laser: sanding off scorch marks, oiling or sealing wood, painting in engraved letters, peeling protective film from acrylic, or adding fixings, stands and hanging cord. A gift box or wrapping adds a little more.
Postage
Small flat items often go by Royal Mail for a few pounds. Glass, large signs and heavy slate need careful packing and may cost more to send. Collecting from a local maker can save this cost entirely.
Laser engraving prices UK: rough ranges
| Type of job | Example | Rough price |
|---|---|---|
| Small engraved gift | Slate or wood coaster, keyring, bookmark | £5 to £15 each |
| Medium engraved item | Chopping board, glass, photo frame, slate plaque | £15 to £50 |
| Cut acrylic or plywood sign | Name sign, house sign, wedding sign | £20 to £80+ |
| Small business batch | 25 to 100 branded coasters or tags | Often a few pounds each, less at higher quantities |
| Design or artwork prep | Per job | Often £15 to £40 an hour, or a fixed fee |
These are guides, not quotes. Large pieces, premium materials, photo engraving and detailed finishing sit above these ranges.
How to keep the price down
- Send ready-made artwork. A clean vector file or high-resolution image cuts design time.
- Keep the design simple. Text and line art engrave faster than large filled areas or photos.
- Pick a sensible material. Plywood, slate and standard acrylic keep costs lower than hardwoods or specialist finishes.
- Order together. Combine gifts or business items into one batch to share the set-up charge.
- Give plenty of notice. A relaxed deadline helps the maker fit your job in. Rush orders, especially before Christmas or Mother's Day, often cost more.
If your design includes a logo, brand, sports team or film character, makers need permission to reproduce it, so ask for an original design or use your own artwork.
How to get an accurate quote
The quickest way to get a price you can rely on is to give makers the full picture in one go. When you post a request on Hire a Maker, include:
- What you want made, in your own words, and what it is for.
- The material you have in mind, or ask for suggestions.
- Rough size, in centimetres or millimetres.
- Your artwork, sketch or wording. You can add up to 4 photos or sketches.
- How many you need, and whether the design changes per item (for example, a different name on each).
- Your budget and "needed by" date, if you have them.
- Delivery, whether you are happy to have it posted or want local makers only.
Makers who do laser cutting and engraving and cover your area (or post UK-wide) get an email alert and can reply through on-site messages with ideas, prices and timings. Price, payment and delivery are agreed directly between you and the maker. Our guide on how to brief a maker has more tips on writing a clear request.
When replies come in, check that each one quotes the same material and size, and whether design, finishing and postage are included. Photos of a maker's previous work are a good guide to their quality.
Questions people ask
How much does laser engraving cost per item?
For small personalised items such as coasters or keyrings, roughly £5 to £15 each is common. Larger or more detailed pieces cost more, and batches usually bring the price per item down.
Is laser cutting priced by the minute?
Many makers base laser cutting cost on machine time, then add material, set-up and finishing. Most will give you a total price for the job rather than a per-minute rate.
Can a maker engrave something I already own?
Often, yes. Wood, slate, glass, leather and many metals engrave well, while some plastics and coatings do not. Describe the item, and ideally share a photo, so the maker can check it suits their machine.
Why is a photo engraving more expensive than text?
A photo covers a larger area with fine shading, so it takes longer to prepare and engrave, and usually needs test runs on a spare piece first.
Ready for real prices? Post a free request and makers can reply with ideas, prices and timings, or browse makers by craft and location and message them directly. For more on how the process works, read our guide to what laser cutting is.