A PCB prototype quote prices a small batch of bare boards, such as 10 pieces, built from your Gerber or ODB++ files to a stated layer count, size, thickness, copper weight, surface finish and lead time. To get one that is accurate the first time, send complete fabrication data and a short spec list; to compare two quotes, line them up on the same specification, quantity, test scope, lead time and delivery terms before looking at the price. Most of the gap between quotes comes from differences in those assumptions, not from the factories.
| Quote line | What it should state |
|---|---|
| Board | Layers, size, thickness, material and Tg, copper weight |
| Features | Smallest trace/space and hole, surface finish, mask and legend colors |
| Requirements | Acceptance class, impedance control, electrical test |
| Quantity | Pieces, or panels and boards per panel |
| Charges | Board price, engineering or tooling (NRE), test, expedite |
| Time and delivery | Lead time from file approval, shipping method, Incoterm |
| Validity | How long the price holds |
What Is Included in a PCB Prototype Quote?
The fabrication of the boards and the work to set them up, broken into a few lines. A complete bare-board quote covers:
- Board price: the cost of the boards themselves at your quantity.
- Engineering or tooling (NRE): CAM work, photo tools, drill programs and electrical test setup. Some suppliers show it separately, others spread it into the board price.
- Testing: flying-probe electrical test is normal for prototypes; impedance coupons and reports are extra items on many quotes.
- Lead time: working days from file approval, not from the order, with any expedite charge stated.
- Shipping and terms: courier or freight, and whether duties are included (DDP) or yours to pay.
Assembly is a separate quote with its own inputs (BOM, placement file, stencil, parts sourcing). If you need both, ask for them as separate lines so you can see what each costs. For the overall ordering steps, see our guide to ordering a PCB prototype.
What Do You Need to Send for an Accurate Prototype Quote?
Fabrication data and a spec list that leaves nothing for the supplier to assume. The core set:
| Item | Format or example |
|---|---|
| Copper layers, mask, legend, outline | Gerber X2 or ODB++ |
| Drill data | Excellon or included in ODB++, plated and non-plated separated |
| Stackup | Layer order, dielectric thickness, material |
| Fabrication drawing or notes | Thickness, tolerances, finish, class, special requirements |
| Netlist | IPC-D-356 for electrical test comparison |
| Quantity and lead time | e.g. 10 pieces, 5 working days |
A Gerber job file can carry the basic quote data with the layer files. Ucamco’s specification shows an example job file declaring a 160 × 50.8 mm board, 4 layers, 1.6 mm thick, ENIG finish and IPC Class 2 (Gerber job format specification, 2020.08). The same document notes that a property left out is undefined, so do not expect a missing value to default to what you wanted.
IPC also publishes an ordering checklist that walks through class, base material, impedance, tolerances, layer count, finish, test and delivery records item by item (IPC checklist at the printed board ordering level, 2019). It is a good check before you press send. Our list of PCB fabrication quote files covers each file in more detail.
What Drives the Price of a PCB Prototype?
Layer count, board area and quantity set most of the price; features beyond a supplier’s standard process set the rest. The usual cost drivers:
| Driver | Standard prototype | Costs more |
|---|---|---|
| Layers | 2–4 | 6 and up; each pair adds lamination and drilling |
| Board size | Small boards, several per panel | Large boards that use a panel each |
| Thickness | 1.6 mm | Very thin or thick boards |
| Copper weight | 1 oz | 2 oz and heavier |
| Trace/space and holes | Comfortable sizes | Very fine lines, laser microvias, blind and buried vias |
| Surface finish | HASL, ENIG | ENEPIG, hard gold, immersion silver |
| Material | Standard FR-4 | High-Tg, low-loss, Rogers, ceramic, metal core |
| Requirements | Class 2 | Class 3, controlled impedance, extra reports |
| Lead time | Standard | Expedited |
A quick way to judge a quote is to ask which line items moved it out of the standard column. If a 4-layer board comes back priced like a 6-layer, there is usually a feature on the drawing, such as a tight impedance tolerance or a special finish, that the supplier priced and you did not expect.
How Do You Compare Two PCB Quotes Fairly?
Put them on the same basis, line by line, before comparing totals. Check that both quotes are for:
| Check | Why quotes differ |
|---|---|
| Same file revision | One supplier quoted an older Gerber set |
| Same spec | One read 1 oz copper, the other 2 oz from an old note |
| Same quantity and unit | Boards versus panels; with or without X-outs |
| Same test scope | Electrical test included in one, extra in the other |
| Same acceptance class | Class 2 versus Class 3 |
| Same lead time basis | Days from order versus days from file approval |
| Same delivery terms | Delivered duty paid versus duties extra |
| Same validity | One price holds 30 days, the other 7 |
Then compare the total landed cost for the boards you need on the date you need them. For US buyers importing from Asia, duties can be a large share of that total; our PCB quote validity article explains why a quote can also expire when material or exchange rates move.
A quote that leaves several of these lines blank is not cheaper, only less complete. Ask the supplier to fill them in rather than guessing.
Why Is the Production Quote Different From the Prototype Quote?
Because the fixed costs spread over more boards and the process changes. At prototype quantity, engineering, setup and minimum panel charges dominate the unit price; at production quantity, the board material and processing dominate.
Expect these changes when you move from prototype to production pricing:
- NRE: charged once, or not again, if the files do not change; charged again after a revision that changes tooling.
- Panelization: the supplier fits more boards per production panel, which lowers the unit cost.
- Test: flying-probe test on prototypes may become a fixture test at volume, with a one-time fixture charge.
- Material: planned purchases replace stock material, which can change price and lead time.
- Reports: first-article or per-lot reports may be added.
Request the production quote once the design is stable, with the prototype results noted, so the supplier prices the board you will actually build. Our article on when to switch from prototype to production orders covers the timing, and revision control for repeat orders keeps the quote and the order on the same files.
Which Quote Details Cause Delays or Extra Charges?
Ambiguous data, more often than difficult boards. The most common causes of an engineering hold after you order:
- Drawing notes that contradict the Gerber data, such as a thickness or finish different from the stackup.
- Missing or unclear outline and cutouts.
- Drill files without plated and non-plated holes separated.
- Impedance requirements without trace geometry or reference layers.
- Features below the quoted capability, found only in CAM.
- No netlist, so the electrical test cannot be checked against your design.
Each of these turns into a question from the supplier’s CAM team, and the lead time usually starts only when it is answered. Sending a complete package with the quote request is the fastest route to boards.
How Can We Help?
QueenEMS quotes bare-board prototypes within 2 hours of receiving your files, with no minimum order quantity, and new customers get their 2–4 layer FR-4 prototypes free. Our reference lead times for standard builds, before shipping, are:
| Layers | Standard (under 1 m²) | Expedited |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 5 days | 15 hours |
| 4 | 5 days | 24 hours |
| 6–8 | 6 days | 36 hours |
| 10 and up | 10 days | 60–72 hours |
Actual lead time is confirmed on each quote. Send your Gerber or ODB++ files, stackup, quantity and target date through our rapid PCB prototyping page.
Conclusion
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| First quote request | Send Gerber/ODB++, drill, stackup, notes, netlist, quantity, date |
| Price higher than expected | Find the line that left the standard column |
| Comparing suppliers | Same revision, spec, quantity, test, lead time and terms |
| Moving to production | Requote on the stable design, with NRE and panel stated |
A complete file package gets an accurate quote quickly, and a line-by-line comparison shows what you are really paying for. Contact us with your files, quantity and delivery date.
FAQ
What is a PCB prototype? A small first batch of a board, built to test the design before production. For bare boards, that usually means a few pieces up to a few dozen.
How expensive is PCB manufacturing? It depends mainly on layer count, board size and quantity; a simple 2-layer prototype costs far less than a 10-layer board with fine features. Fixed engineering and setup charges make the per-board price highest at prototype quantities.
Where can I order custom PCBs? From a PCB fabricator that accepts Gerber or ODB++ files online or by email. Choose one that quotes your specification line by line and states its lead time and terms.
Should prototype tooling be charged again for production? Usually not, if the files have not changed. A revision that changes the drill, outline or layers normally needs new tooling.
Is the cheapest PCB quote the best? Only if it covers the same specification, test scope, lead time and delivery terms as the others. Compare complete quotes, not unit prices.
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