Quick answer: a complete longboard can cost roughly $50 to $500, but most new riders should expect to spend about $120 to $250 for a dependable complete plus essential protection. Budget completes exist below $100; discipline-specific and premium setups commonly cost $250 to $500 or more.
Price check: August 2026. Prices and availability change. The examples below link to manufacturer stores and are included to document the market, not because every model is appropriate for every rider.
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Longboard price ranges at a glance
| Budget | What it usually buys | Best for | Main compromise |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50–$100 | Entry-level complete | Occasional cruising on smooth ground | Generic components and limited tuning |
| $100–$180 | Better entry complete or compact cruiser | Beginners who expect to ride regularly | May still need bushings or wheels matched to the rider |
| $180–$300 | Quality complete from a specialist brand | Regular cruising, carving, freeride or dancing | Higher initial cost |
| $300–$500+ | Premium or discipline-specific complete | Distance, downhill, advanced freestyle or optimized commuting | Specialized features may be unnecessary for beginners |
These ranges are visible in current manufacturer catalogs. Retrospec lists several completes around $50–$90, DB Longboards lists many sale completes around $150–$220, Arbor lists completes around $120–$260, and specialist completes from Pantheon and Loaded commonly extend from roughly $170 into the $400s. See the current catalogs from Retrospec, DB Longboards, Arbor, Pantheon and Loaded.
How much should a beginner spend?
For most beginners, the useful target is $120–$250 for the board. This is generally enough to find a complete with a properly constructed deck, serviceable trucks, urethane wheels and replaceable standard components. Add money for a certified helmet and any pads appropriate to how and where you ride.
Spending less can work for gentle, occasional cruising, but inspect the board carefully. Spending more makes sense when the setup solves a real requirement: an exceptionally low platform for distance pushing, a stiff and stable downhill deck, large wheels for rough pavement, or a dancing deck with functional kicktails.
Complete longboard or custom setup?
Complete: usually the best first purchase
A complete arrives assembled with a deck, trucks, wheels, bearings, grip tape and hardware. A well-matched complete reduces compatibility mistakes and usually costs less than purchasing every part separately. It is the sensible starting point if you do not yet know your preferred wheelbase, truck geometry, bushing resistance or wheel characteristics.
Custom: useful when you know what needs to change
A custom setup lets you select every component. It can be worthwhile for experienced riders, unusual rider weight, a specific discipline or local pavement that demands a particular wheel. It also costs more and makes it easier to combine parts that technically fit but do not work well together.
Before building from parts, read How to Choose a Longboard and our guides to trucks and wheels.
Where the money goes
Deck
Construction, mold complexity, materials and production scale affect deck cost. Maple decks are common and durable. Bamboo or composite constructions may change flex and weight, but those materials are not automatically superior. Shape, wheelbase, concave and mounting style should match the intended use.
Trucks and bushings
Trucks strongly affect steering, stability and component compatibility. Precision trucks can be expensive, but most beginners do not need them. Correct width, geometry and bushings appropriate to rider weight matter more than prestige.
Wheels
Wheel diameter, urethane formula, hardness, width and lip shape influence roll speed, grip, comfort and clearance. Large premium wheels can account for a significant part of a distance or commuting setup. They are worthwhile only when the deck and trucks provide sufficient clearance.
Bearings
Do not pay extra simply because a bearing has a higher ABEC number. ABEC describes manufacturing tolerances under standardized conditions; it does not directly measure how fast a longboard will roll outdoors. Seals, lubrication, cleanliness, load, wheel quality and installation all matter. A reputable, serviceable skate bearing is normally enough.
Costs beginners often forget
- Helmet: choose a certified model that fits securely; replace it after a significant impact.
- Pads and slide gloves: the appropriate protection depends on speed and discipline.
- Skate tool: useful for checking axle nuts, kingpins and mounting hardware.
- Replacement bushings: a relatively inexpensive change that can improve control when stock bushings do not suit the rider.
- Shipping, taxes and import charges: these can materially change the total price of a specialist board.
How to judge a cheap longboard
A low price is not automatically a problem, but inspect the complete before riding. Check that the deck has no cracks or separation, mounting hardware is secure, axle nuts allow the wheels to spin without side-to-side play, and bushings are not split or severely deformed. Confirm that replacement wheels, bearings and bushings use standard sizes.
Avoid boards that provide no meaningful component specifications, make unrealistic speed claims or rely only on an ABEC number as evidence of quality. For a first board, predictable steering and safe assembly are more valuable than decorative claims.
Is a used longboard worth it?
A used quality complete can offer better value than a new low-cost board. Inspect the deck around truck mounts and wheel wells, check for water damage or delamination, look for bent axles, and spin each wheel while listening for rough bearings. Worn wheels and bushings are replaceable; structural deck damage and bent trucks are more serious.
Practical buying rule
Choose the least expensive setup that safely matches your intended riding, not the cheapest board available and not the most expensive board you can afford. A beginner cruiser and a downhill setup solve different problems. If you want concrete starter options, compare our independently researched best longboards for beginners.
About this guide
This guide was researched using current manufacturer catalogs and Juan Campuzano’s longboarding experience since 2010. The price examples were not all personally tested; they are market references. Product suitability is evaluated separately from price.
