How much does a cosplay commission cost? What makers publish
Most cosplay makers don't publish a price list, because no two commissions are the same. A few do publish rates, and they show how the maths works. Here's what we found on makers' own pages, then what moves a quote up or down.
What makers publish
These are taken from the makers' own commission pages when we checked. They're one maker's rates each, not a market average. Use them to understand the structure of a quote, not to predict yours.
| Maker | What they publish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marquise Cubey (costume maker) | $27 USD per hour of work; shipping included in quotes | Their worked example: a 40-hour costume with a $200 materials budget comes to around $1,350 USD |
| Marquise Cubey | Costume design only: $300 USD (three thumbnail sketches plus a final render) | Patterns on their own quoted from $400 to $800 USD or more |
| Cosplay Dream Team | "Custom Cosplay Commission" listed at $90 USD | Actual cost depends on the project; message first for an estimate. 65% upfront, 35% before shipping. Shipping $40–100 for larger costumes |
| Mugiwara Cosplay (fursuits) | Heads only from €2,400; partials from €3,200; full suits from €4,800 | Labour only. Excludes materials, VAT and shipping |
Two things stand out. First, labour is most of the price. Marquise Cubey's example is about four-fifths labour. Second, what's excluded matters as much as the headline number. One maker includes shipping. Another excludes materials, VAT and shipping. Compare like with like.
What drives the price
Hours. Almost every maker prices on time, whether they show an hourly rate or not. Anything that adds hours adds cost: patterning from scratch, lots of separate pieces, hand embroidery, sculpting, fine paint work.
Materials. Fabric, foam, filament, resin, wigs, LEDs, hardware. Specialist fabrics and electronics push this up fast.
Patterning and design. If no pattern exists for your character, someone has to draft one. As the table shows, that can be priced as its own job.
Finish level. Con-ready (looks right from a few metres) costs less than photo-ready, which costs less than screen-accurate with weathering and decals.
Fit. A costume made to your measurements takes fittings or extra checks. Armor and fitted bodices are less forgiving than loose robes.
Deadline. A short deadline means the maker reshuffles their queue. Expect rush pricing or fewer makers willing to bid.
Where the maker is. Labour rates differ by country. A maker abroad may quote less, but add shipping, import duties and taxes before you compare.
Costs on top of the quote
- Deposit. Common, and often non-refundable once materials are bought. Marquise Cubey asks for roughly a fifth to a half upfront depending on size. Cosplay Dream Team asks for 65%.
- Shipping. Bulky costumes and armor cost more to ship. Check if it's included.
- Import duties and taxes. For cross-border orders these are usually the buyer's to pay on delivery.
- Changes. Changing the design after work starts usually costs extra. Get the scope right in the brief.
- Platform fees. Some marketplaces add a buyer fee at checkout. The Spool List doesn't. You pay the maker's quoted price.
How to get a real number
Published rates only get you so far. The fastest way to a real price for your costume is to write a clear brief and get several quotes on it. List the pieces, attach front, side and back references, give your measurements and deadline, and name a budget range. On The Spool List, makers bid on your post, and your payment is protected until you confirm delivery.
How to brief a cosplay maker (with a template)
Most bad commissions go wrong in the first message. The maker guesses at what you meant, you assumed they'd know, and six weeks later you're arguing over a pauldron. A good brief is boring, specific and takes ten minutes.
What a maker needs to quote
- Character and exact version. "Garrus" is not a brief. "Garrus, Mass Effect 3, default armor, blue variant" is.
- References. Front, back, side. Detail shots of anything intricate. Screenshots from the source beat fan art.
- The list of pieces. Write it out. Helmet, chest, back, both pauldrons, both gauntlets. Makers price per piece.
- Measurements for anything wearable. Height, chest, waist, hips, head circumference, shoulder width, inseam, shoe size. Measure over the underlayer you'll actually wear.
- Date in hand and the con it's for. Makers plan around con calendars.
- Finish level. Con-ready (clean from arm's length), photo (clean at 30 cm), or screen-accurate (weathering, decals, hardware).
- Budget range. A real number. "Whatever it costs" gets fewer bids, not better ones.
- Shipping country and whether local pickup is possible.
The template
Paste this into your post and fill it in:
Character:
Source / version:
Pieces wanted:
References: (3+ images attached)
Wearable? Y/N — measurements:
Need by: (date, con)
Finish: con-ready / photo / screen-accurate
Budget (USD): $
Ship to:
Notes:
What happens next
On The Spool List, makers reply with a bid and a timeline. Compare their profiles and reviews, pick one, and pay. The payment is protected until you confirm delivery, and on long builds the maker can post milestone updates with photos along the way.
Con season deadlines: when to commission for the next big con
Makers' queues tend to fill months ahead of the big cons. If you post in the month before a con, you're competing with everyone who did the same thing.
Work backwards
- Shipping: allow for it, and allow more for international orders. Large armor ships slow.
- Build time: ask the maker. A single prop is quicker than armor pieces, and a full armor set or full build takes longest.
- Queue: a good maker often has work booked ahead of yours. Ask when they could start.
- Fitting and fixes: leave time in case anything needs adjusting.
Add those up from your con date and post before that. The bigger the build, the earlier you need to post.
Rush is real, and it costs
If your date is shorter than the maker's usual turnaround, it's a rush. Rush work usually costs more, and some makers won't take it at all. The estimator on the home page adds a rush multiplier so you can see the effect before you post.
What to do now
Post early with a realistic date, and give the maker a "done-by" that's two weeks before the con. That buffer is what turns a stressful commission into a boring one.
FAQ
Why won't most makers give a price without details? Because hours drive the cost and they can't estimate hours without references, a piece list and your measurements.
Is a cheaper quote from abroad a better deal? Sometimes. Add shipping, duties and the time in transit before deciding.
Is the deposit refundable? It depends on the maker. Many treat it as non-refundable once materials are bought. Ask before you pay.
Can I lower the cost? Yes. Supply some pieces yourself, choose a con-ready finish instead of screen-accurate, or give the maker a longer deadline.
Post your cosplay commission free on The Spool List and get real quotes for your build.