How Much Do Pontoon Boats Cost (With 61 Examples)


If you love being out on the water as much as we do, you probably have dreams of owning your own boat one day. A pontoon boat can be a fantastic way to get out onto the water with friends and family and they’re a great vessel for people looking to invest in their first boat. Many retailers, however, don’t actively advertise the prices of their pontoon boats out of a fear that buyers could ultimately drive down prices. Unfortunately, this leaves many of us would be pontoon-owners to scratch our heads and wonder, “How much do pontoon boats cost?”

The average cost of a new pontoon boat is about $41,000 (the median cost is $35600). Base prices vary between $19,000 and $100,000+, with the most popular boats falling in the $20,000-$40,000 range.

how muh do pontoon boats cost

Example Prices for Pontoon Boats

Here is a summary of pontoon prices from 4 major brands (prices are rounded to the nearest $100, but are subject to change depending on lots of reasons):

By the way, as an Amazon Associate, I earn when buying qualified products through links on my site.

Length (ft)BrandModelBase Price
18Lowe BoatsUltra 160 Cruise$19,700
19Lowe BoatsUltra 180 Cruise$23,000
21Lowe BoatsUltra 200 Cruise$25,100
22Lowe BoatsSS21DL$28,800
22Lowe BoatsSF 212$29,200
24Lowe BoatsSF 232$33,000
26Lowe BoatsSS 250CL$35,400
22Lowe BoatsSS21CL$35,600
26Lowe BoatsSS 250DL$35,800
24Lowe BoatsSS23CL$42,800
24Lowe BoatsSS23DL$43,100
23Lowe BoatsRetreat 230 WT$58,800
27Lowe BoatsRetreat 270 WT$62,300
25Lowe BoatsRetreat 250 WT$63,400
16Sun Tracker BoatsBass Buggy 16 XL Select$18,600
18Sun Tracker BoatsBass Buggy 18 DLX$22,000
18Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 18 DLX$24,800
20Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 20 DLX$26,900
20Sun Tracker BoatsFishin’ Barge 20 DLX$28,400
22Sun Tracker BoatsFishin’ Barge 22 DLX$35,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 DLX$37,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsSportFish 22 DLX$37,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 RF DLX$38,000
24Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 24 DLX$41,000
24Sun Tracker BoatsFishin’ Barge 24 DLX$41,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsFishin’ Barge 22 XP3$44,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsSportfish 22 XP3$47,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 XP3$48,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 RF XP3$48,000
16SuncatcherSelect  16C$28,700
18SuncatcherSelect 18C$32,500
20SuncatcherSelect 20RC$32,800
24SuncatcherSelect 24RC$32,900
22SuncatcherSelect 22RC$41,400
22SuncatcherSelect 322RC$46,600
22SuncatcherFusion 22C$47,100
22SuncatcherFusion 22RC$48,600
24SuncatcherSelect 324RC$50,400
24SuncatcherFusion 24RC$51,200
22SuncatcherFusion 322C$54,000
22SuncatcherFusion 322RC$55,500
24SuncatcherFusion 324RC$58,100
26SuncatcherElite 326C$75,100
14Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$27,300
16Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$29,000
16Tahoe PontoonsSTX Cruise$29,375
18Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$29,900
18Tahoe PontoonsSTX Cruise$30,075
20Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$31,000
18Tahoe PontoonsSLT Quad Lounge$31,100
21Tahoe PontoonsGT Cruise$32,500
20Tahoe PontoonsSLT Quad Lounge$32,600
22Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$32,854
22Tahoe PontoonsSLT Quad Lounge$33,900
23Tahoe PontoonsGT Cruise$34,100
25Tahoe PontoonsGT Cruise$35,500
21Tahoe PontoonsCascade Cruise$54,300
23Tahoe PontoonsCascade Cruise$55,900
25Tahoe PontoonsCascade Cruise$57,900
25Tahoe PontoonsCascade Platinum Elite Windshield$96,000
27Tahoe PontoonsCascade Platinum Elite Windshield$98,000

Math:

  • Average price of a pontoon boat: $40,966
  • Median price of a pontoon boat: $35,600

Before you dip into your life’s savings for that new pontoon boat, however, there are some things you ought to know. To help you become a more informed future pontoon boat owner, we’ll give you some insight into the different pontoon boat brands, the pros and cons of new and used pontoon boats, their average cost for different boat lengths, and the change in their value over time. We’ll also discuss the costs of owning and maintaining a pontoon boat and whether or not you should consider a tritoon instead. Here we go!

I’m going to first start out with some average costs per length of the boat to give you an idea of how the size of the deck impacts price.

How Big Of An Engine Do I Need With My Pontoon Boat?

This is a simple question with a surprisingly complex answer. For passable power, you can get by with a 90 HP motor for boats 22 feet and shorter, while 115 and 150 HP engines are preferred for boats 22 feet up to 25 feet.

I did a lot of research on this topic and I put all the data from 60+ pontoon boat owners and found the top speeds compared with boat length and engine HP. Make sure and check our article out if you want to learn more.

How Does Pontoon Boat Length Affect Price?

I was fascinated to see the price differences in pontoon boats based on different factors.

Pontoon Boat length is actually not the most strong indicator of the pontoon boat price. Truly, the accessories and engine power make a much bigger price difference.

As a way to see some real-life price examples, I’ve broken down deck length and cost for you,.

How Much Does A 16 Foot Pontoon Boat Cost?

The average cost of a 16-foot Pontoon Boat is $26,419, with the least expensive brand (SunTracker) at around $18,600, while Suncatcher and Tahoe Pontoons are tied at around $29,000.

Lowe Boats - Ultra 160 Cruise

How Much Does A 18 Foot Pontoon Boat Cost?

The average cost of an 18-foot Pontoon Boat is $27,154, with the least expensive brand (Lowe Boats) at around $19,700, while the most expensive brands, Suncatcher and Tahoe Pontoons, are tied at around $30,000.

How Much Does A 20 Foot Pontoon Boat Cost?

The average cost of a 20-foot Pontoon Boat is $30,340, with the least expensive brand (SunTracker) at around $27,000, while Suncatcher and Tahoe Pontoons are tied at around $32,000.

Lowe Boats - Ultra 200 Cruise

How Much Does A 22 Foot Pontoon Boat Cost?

The average cost of a 22-foot Pontoon Boat is $41,450, with the least expensive brand (Lowe Boats) at around $30,000, while the most expensive brands, SunTracker and Suncatcher, are in the $48,000-$53,000 range.

Boat Buyers Guide: Lowe SF212 Walk Through

How Much Does A 24 Foot Pontoon Boat Cost?

The average cost of a 24-foot Pontoon Boat is $43,722, with the least expensive brands and models (SunCatcher and Lowes) are tied at around $33,000, while the most expensive brand, Suncatcher, is in the $51,000-$58,000 range.

2020 SunCatcher Fusion 324 RC Pontoon Boat Review

How Much Does A 25 Foot Pontoon Boat Cost?

The average cost of a 25-foot Pontoon Boat is $50,560, with the least and most expensive brand being Tahoe Pontoons, from $35,500 to $96,000.

If you would like to make more comparisons with boat length and price, see the table at the beginning of this article.

How Much Does Engine Price Factor Into a Pontoon Boat Cost?

Engines are some of the most expensive components for a pontoon boat. You can easily spend $5000-$20,000+ for an engine depending on how much power you want.

I took the engine sizes that seemed the standard for the size of the pontoon boat and put them in this table for you:

BrandModelBase PriceHorsepower
Lowe BoatsUltra 160 Cruise$19,70025
Lowe BoatsUltra 180 Cruise$23,00040
Lowe BoatsUltra 200 Cruise$25,10060
Lowe BoatsSS21DL$28,800115
Lowe BoatsSF 212$29,20040
Lowe BoatsSF 232$33,000115
Lowe BoatsSS 250CL$35,400150
Lowe BoatsSS21CL$35,60060
Lowe BoatsSS 250DL$35,800115
Lowe BoatsSS23CL$42,800115
Lowe BoatsSS23DL$43,100115
Lowe BoatsRetreat 230 WT$58,80025
Lowe BoatsRetreat 270 WT$62,300200
Lowe BoatsRetreat 250 WT$63,40025
Sun Tracker BoatsBass Buggy 16 XL Select$18,60050
Sun Tracker BoatsBass Buggy 18 DLX$22,00060
Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 18 DLX$24,80060
Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 20 DLX$26,90060
Sun Tracker BoatsFishin’ Barge 20 DLX$28,40090
Sun Tracker BoatsFishin’ Barge 22 DLX$35,000115
Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 DLX$37,000115
Sun Tracker BoatsSportFish 22 DLX$37,000115
Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 RF DLX$38,000115
Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 24 DLX$41,000150
Sun Tracker BoatsFishin’ Barge 24 DLX$41,000150
Sun Tracker BoatsFishin’ Barge 22 XP3$44,000150
Sun Tracker BoatsSportfish 22 XP3$47,000150
Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 XP3$48,000150
Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 RF XP3$48,000150
SuncatcherSelect  16C$28,70050
SuncatcherSelect 18C$32,50050
SuncatcherSelect 20RC$32,80050
SuncatcherSelect 24RC$32,900115
SuncatcherSelect 22RC$41,40090
SuncatcherSelect 322RC$46,60090
SuncatcherFusion 22C$47,10090
SuncatcherFusion 22RC$48,60060
SuncatcherSelect 324RC$50,400115
SuncatcherFusion 24RC$51,200115
SuncatcherFusion 322C$54,00090
SuncatcherFusion 322RC$55,50090
SuncatcherFusion 324RC$58,100115
SuncatcherElite 326C$75,100150
Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$27,30060
Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$29,00060
Tahoe PontoonsSTX Cruise$29,37540
Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$29,90060
Tahoe PontoonsSTX Cruise$30,07540
Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$31,00060
Tahoe PontoonsSLT Quad Lounge$31,10060
Tahoe PontoonsGT Cruise$32,50060
Tahoe PontoonsSLT Quad Lounge$32,60060
Tahoe PontoonsSport Cruise$32,85460
Tahoe PontoonsSLT Quad Lounge$33,90060
Tahoe PontoonsGT Cruise$34,10060
Tahoe PontoonsGT Cruise$35,50060
Tahoe PontoonsCascade Cruise$54,30060
Tahoe PontoonsCascade Cruise$55,90060
Tahoe PontoonsCascade Cruise$57,90060
Tahoe PontoonsCascade Platinum Elite Windshield$96,000150
Tahoe PontoonsCascade Platinum Elite Windshield$98,000150
Pontoon boat prices with their engine power

Should I Buy a New or Used Pontoon Boat

Many budget-conscious boaters question whether or not they should consider buying a used pontoon boat instead of a new one to save some money. This might seem like a no-brainer at the outset for some of us, but buying a used pontoon boat requires as much, if not more, consideration than buying a new one.

New pontoon boats are great because they come with the peace of mind that you’re not paying some of your hard-earned money for a boat that’s been improperly stored or cared for. Even if a boat has been expertly cared for, wear and tear do take its toll on a boat, so there are often higher maintenance costs on an older vessel. Plus, new pontoon boats usually come with a warranty against repairs in the first year or so of ownership, but you likely won’t be able to benefit from this warranty if you’re not the first owner.

Finally, if you buy a new pontoon boat, you can fully customize it to fit your needs. While you can likely find a used boat that has most of what you want and add on some other accessories, there’s nothing better than knowing that your stylish, new pontoon boat was made specifically to maximize your enjoyment out on the water.

That being said, for some of us, buying a new pontoon boat isn’t reasonable financially. Luckily, there are a lot of fantastic advantages to buying a used pontoon boat, which is great news for those of us who love being out on the water. First and foremost, the lower price of a used pontoon boat means you can potentially get a nicer model with more accessories for the same price as a less swanky new boat.

Used pontoon boats also have the added benefit of being time-tested against the elements. So long as they’ve been properly cared for and maintained throughout their years of service, a used pontoon boat has proven itself to be a worthy vessel, which is a for boosting your confidence in a large investment.

Average Cost of a Used Pontoon Boat

Used pontoon boats, much like new pontoon boats, vary widely in cost. An older, no-frills boat that can accommodate only a handful of passengers can be purchased for as low as $10,000- 15,000 if you find the right seller. You could certainly find a boat under that price range, but it’d likely need a significant amount of work and money to get it into shape for the water, so you might be better off investing a bit more at the outset.

Do Pontoon Boats Hold Their Value

The reason you can find a used pontoon boat at a considerably lower price than you could find a used model for is that, like cars, pontoon boats depreciate in value. While a used higher-end pontoon boat will almost always be worth more than a lesser quality boat of the same age and degree of wear and tear, all pontoon boats will decrease in value from about 25-35% after the first year or so of use.

This is one of the reasons why it’s worth considering a used version of a past season’s model as an economical alternative to a new boat. With a one or two-year-old used pontoon boat, you can experience significant costs savings while still getting a high-quality, minimally-used boat.

Cost to Maintain a Pontoon Boat

One of the longest-running jokes in the maritime industry is that “BOAT” stands for “bill out another thousand.” We’re here to tell you that this is not a joke. Although you might think that the purchasing of a boat will be the only real financial investment you’ll have, experienced mariners will tell you that you’d better set aside some funds for when things go awry or even just for regular maintenance fees.

Beyond the purchase price of your boat, you’ll probably have to pay state sales tax (which can be upwards of 6-10% of the total cost) and fees for registering your boat with the Coast Guard or other authorities. You’ll also want to get yourself some insurance to protect your investment and yourself, in the event of an unfortunate incident. Insurance varies with a number of factors but is usually somewhere in the $20-$50/month range.

Once you own your boat and it’s all licensed, registered, and insured, you’ll still have plenty of expenses to cover over the lifetime of your boat.

There are some one-time fees to cover the costs of things you’ll need just to get started:

  • Boat trailer: $2,000 – $5,000
  • Essential safety equipment: $1,000 – $1,500
  • Training courses (for those new to boating): $250-$300

Here are a few other annual fees you might expect:

  • Mooring fees: $3,000 – $15,000
  • Fuel: $2.50+ per gallon
  • Repairs/Maintenance: $1000+
  • Cleaning fees: $450

What Brands of Pontoon Boats are The Best

This is, of course, a matter of serious contention, as everyone has a different opinion on the matter. Thus, instead of giving you a black and white answer about what pontoon brand is the best, we’ll give you a list of some of the top manufacturers out there. These brands include:

  • Bennington
  • Manitou
  • Bentley
  • Premier
  • Sweetwater
  • Avalon
  • Suncatcher/G3
  • Sun Tracker
  • Tahoe
  • Lowe
  • Lund

Should I Buy a Tritoon Instead

Effectively, a tritoon is a triple-hull pontoon. Since pontoon boats normally have just two aluminum tubes in their hull, while tritoons have three, tritoons have a number of significant advantages, when compared to a pontoon. This makes them an attractive option to consider when shopping around for a new boat.

The third aluminum tube of a tritoon sits between the two tubes of a pontoon. This helps distribute the weight of the boat more evenly across the water, which adds stability and structure to the vessel. Thus, tritoons can manage more horsepower than your standard pontoon and are also better constructed for rougher seas.

While it might seem like a no-brainer to go out and buy a tritoon instead of a pontoon, it’s important to remember that this extra tube and stability comes at an extra cost. Thus, before you set your sights on a tritoon, you should first identify whether or not it’d actually be worth the extra money.

If all you want is to have a nice lunch or afternoon of fishing out on your boat in calm water, then you will probably do just fine with a pontoon, saving yourself some serious cash money along the way. On the other hand, if you want to go water skiing or just cruise along at your maximum speed, then a tritoon will better serve you in the long run.

Tritoon vs Pontoon Boats

How Much Does a Tritoon Cost?

The average price for a tritoon with the models I compared above is $60,347.

The range of prices for a tritoon goes from around $45,000 to over $100,000.

Tritoons have a smoother ride, and they are usually associated with bigger pontoon boats and more powerful engines. Once you’re in this territory, though, the prices jump up a lot.

Length (ft)BrandModelBase Price
23Lowe BoatsRetreat 230 WT$58,800
27Lowe BoatsRetreat 270 WT$62,300
25Lowe BoatsRetreat 250 WT$63,400
22Sun Tracker BoatsFishin’ Barge 22 XP3$44,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsSportfish 22 XP3$47,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 XP3$48,000
22Sun Tracker BoatsParty Barge 22 RF XP3$48,000
22SuncatcherSelect 322RC$46,600
24SuncatcherSelect 324RC$50,400
22SuncatcherFusion 322C$54,000
22SuncatcherFusion 322RC$55,500
24SuncatcherFusion 324RC$58,100
26SuncatcherElite 326C$75,100
25Tahoe PontoonsCascade Platinum Elite Windshield$96,000
27Tahoe PontoonsCascade Platinum Elite Windshield$98,000
All these pontoon boats are tritoons, meaning they have 3 pontoons (called logs)

Conclusion

The fact of the matter is that the final cost of a pontoon boat depends as much on the brand and model of the boat as it does on the accessories and additional features you customize it with. Moreover, pontoon boats designed for different purposes, whether that be fishing, cruising, skiing, or what have you, will have different features and different final costs.

Peter

Peter is a software developer who loves to take every opportunity to go outside that he can get. Peter grew up going on long backpacking excursions with his family every Summer and now enjoys staying at the beautiful Texas State Parks and swimming in the amazing Texas Rivers.

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