A metal detector costs between $99 and $9,999 in 2026, and a first-time adult buyer should plan on $250 to $400. Kids' detectors start at $99, good hobby machines run $250 to $800, flagship coin and relic detectors run $1,000 to $2,000, and dedicated gold detectors run from $309 to $9,999.
Every price on this page is our own listed price at Serious Detecting, checked October 7, 2026. Prices move with sales and stock.
How Much Does a Metal Detector Cost?
The price depends on what the detector is built to do. A backyard machine for a ten year old and a pulse induction gold detector are different tools, and the gap between them is about $9,900. This table shows the five types most people shop and what each one costs today.
| Type | Price range | What you get | Examples at our prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kids | $99 to $150 | Light, short and simple. Finds coins a few inches down. | Minelab GO-FIND 11 $99, Minelab GO-FIND 22 $149, Nokta Midi Hoard $149 |
| Beginner | $150 to $350 | Target ID screen, preset modes and, from about $230, full waterproofing. | Fisher F22 $229, Nokta FindX Pro $229.99, Garrett ACE 300 $269.99, Minelab X-Terra Pro $289, Nokta Simplex Ultra $299, Nokta Score $329, Minelab Vanquish 460 $349 |
| Mid-range | $350 to $800 | Multi-frequency, wireless audio, better depth and cleaner separation in trash. | Garrett ACE Apex $384.99, Minelab Vanquish 560 $399, Garrett AT Pro $459.99, XP ICON $569, Garrett Vortex VX9 $599.99, Minelab Equinox 700 $749, XP Deus II WS6 Master $799 |
| Advanced and flagship | $800 to $2,000 | The fastest target recovery, the most adjustment and extra coils in the box. | Minelab Equinox 900 $999, Nokta Legend 2 $999, XP Deus II with remote $1,399, Minelab Manticore $1,499, Minelab CTX 3030 $1,999 |
| Gold | $309 to $9,999 | High-frequency VLF at the low end, pulse induction and ZVT at the top. | Fisher Gold Bug $309, Nokta Gold Kruzer $549, Garrett Goldmaster 24K $679.99, Fisher Gold Bug 2 $699, Minelab Gold Monster 1000 $899, Garrett Axiom Lite $2,299.99, Minelab GPX 6000 $6,999, Minelab GPZ 8000 $9,999 |
Two patterns hold across every brand. Below about $150 you are buying a kids' detector. Above about $2,000 you are mostly buying gold machines and deep-seeking specialty gear. Almost everything a coin, relic or beach hunter needs sits between those two numbers.
What You Get at Each Price
Kids' Metal Detectors: $99 to $150
Kids' metal detectors are sized for small arms. They are light, they shorten to fit a child, and they have one or two buttons. The Minelab GO-FIND 11 is $99 and the Nokta Midi Hoard is $149. They find coins and toys a few inches down in a yard or at the beach, which is what a child wants from a first hunt.
What they lack is depth and target ID an adult can rely on. An adult who buys one to save money usually replaces it within a season.
Beginner Metal Detectors: $150 to $350
This is where most people should start. Beginner detectors give you a screen with target ID numbers, a handful of preset modes and enough depth for coins and jewelry in parks, yards and fields. The Garrett ACE 300 is $269.99. Several are fully waterproof: the Nokta FindX Pro at $229.99, the Minelab X-Terra Pro at $289 and the Nokta Simplex Ultra at $299.
The Nokta Simplex Ultra is $299, the middle of the beginner tier.
The top of this tier now includes multi-frequency machines, which used to cost twice as much. The Nokta Score is $329 and the Minelab Vanquish 460 is $349. If you plan to hunt wet salt sand, that feature is worth the extra $40 to $60 over a single-frequency detector.
What you give up at this price is speed in heavy trash, fine control over settings and wireless headphones in the box.
Mid-Range Metal Detectors: $350 to $800
Spend more than $350 and multi-frequency becomes standard. Wireless audio and fully submersible bodies are common. The Garrett ACE Apex is $384.99, the Garrett AT Pro is $459.99, the XP ICON is $569 and the Minelab Equinox 700 is $749. These detectors separate a coin from the nail beside it better than a beginner machine, and they stay stable in mineralized ground and on wet sand.
The Minelab Equinox 700 is $749, near the top of the mid-range tier.
For someone who hunts most weekends, this tier is the best value in the hobby. Many detectorists never need to move past it.
Advanced and Flagship Detectors: $800 to $2,000
Advanced detectors are each brand's best coin, relic and beach machines. The Minelab Equinox 900 and Nokta Legend 2 are $999 and both ship with two coils. The XP Deus II with remote is $1,399 and the Minelab Manticore is $1,499. The Minelab CTX 3030 tops the tier at $1,999.
The Minelab Manticore is $1,499.
The extra money buys faster recovery between targets, more adjustment and better performance on the hardest sites: iron-infested relic ground, black sand beaches and deep old coins. It does not buy finds on its own. A detectorist who knows a $500 machine well will out-hunt a beginner carrying a $1,500 one.
Gold Detectors: $309 to $9,999
Gold detectors cover the widest price range of any type because they use three different technologies. High-frequency VLF machines for small, shallow gold cost $309 to $899: the Fisher Gold Bug is $309, the Nokta Gold Kruzer is $549, the Garrett Goldmaster 24K is $679.99, the Fisher Gold Bug 2 is $699 and the Minelab Gold Monster 1000 is $899.
The Garrett Goldmaster 24K is $679.99, in the high-frequency VLF range.
Pulse induction detectors for mineralized ground start with the AlgoForce E1500 Plus at $1,650. The Garrett Axiom Lite is $2,299.99 and the Minelab GPX 6000 is $6,999. At the very top, the Minelab GPZ 8000 is $9,999. These prices make sense only if you prospect in ground that defeats a VLF, so buy for the ground you will hunt and not for the biggest number.
What Does a Complete Starter Kit Cost?
The detector is not the whole bill. You need a pinpointer to find the target in the hole, a digging tool and a pouch for finds and trash. Budget $150 to $230 for those three on top of the detector.
The Nokta AccuPOINT pinpointer is $149. Good pinpointers cost $80 to $150.
| Item | Starter build | Price | Step-up build | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detector | Minelab X-Terra Pro | $289 | Minelab Equinox 700 | $749 |
| Pinpointer | Garrett Pro-Pointer AT | $109.99 | Minelab Pro-Find 40 | $149 |
| Digger and finds pouch | Garrett Edge Digger with sheath and camo finds pouch | $48.68 | Garrett 3-piece kit: All Terrain Dig Pouch, Edge Digger and finds box | $76.63 |
| Total | $447.67 | $974.63 |
A pinpointer is the one accessory you should not skip. It turns a five minute search of a dirt pile into ten seconds. The Minelab Pro-Find 15 is $79.99, the Garrett Pro-Pointer AT is $109.99 and the Minelab Pro-Find 40 is $149.
Wireless headphones are optional and add $100 to $180. Check what comes in the box first, because many mid-range detectors already include a pair.
How Much Should You Spend on Your First Metal Detector?
Spend $250 to $400. That buys a real target ID screen, waterproofing and a detector you will still be happy with in three years. Our best cheap metal detectors guide ranks the picks in that range.
The Garrett ACE Apex is $384.99 and adds multi-frequency to a first detector.
- Under $150: buy this only for a child. Adult beginners who start here often quit, because the detector cannot tell them what is in the ground.
- $250 to $400: the right budget for most first detectors. You get accurate target ID and a waterproof body.
- $400 to $800: worth it from day one if you already know you will hunt beaches or go out every week.
- Over $1,000: wait. Learn on a simpler machine and you will know which flagship suits you.
Why Does One Metal Detector Cost More Than Another?
- Technology: single-frequency VLF costs least, multi-frequency costs more, and pulse induction and ZVT gold machines cost the most.
- Waterproofing: a body you can submerge costs more to build than one with only a waterproof coil.
- What is in the box: a second coil, wireless headphones or a remote can add several hundred dollars. The XP Deus II is $799 with the WS6 Master headphone controller and $1,399 with the remote.
- Weight and build: carbon fiber shafts and lighter electronics cost more and matter after four hours of swinging.
How to Pay Less for a Metal Detector
Buy open box. Our open-box detectors are priced about 10% under new. The open-box Garrett ACE 300 is $242.96 against $269.99 new, and the open-box Minelab Equinox 900 is $899.10 against $999. Open-box units carry the same manufacturer warranty as new stock.
Add up bundles before you buy one. A bundle saves you choosing accessories, but it is not always cheaper. The Minelab X-Terra Pro with a Pro-Find 20 pinpointer is $388, which is exactly the $289 detector plus the $99 pinpointer. Check the parts against the bundle price and pick whichever is lower.
Be careful with private used sales. Detectors get dropped, soaked and stored with batteries left inside. If you buy used from a stranger, test it on real targets first. A dealer's open-box unit with a warranty is the safer way to save.
What to Budget in 2026
For a first detector and the gear to use it, budget about $450. For a detector you will not outgrow, budget $750 to $1,000 plus accessories. For gold, start at $309 to $899 unless your ground is hot enough to need pulse induction. When you are ready to choose a model, our best metal detectors guide compares the top picks in every tier.
