How much does a trade show booth cost?

Three costs add up. Floor space from the show: IMTS charges $29 to $37 per sq ft for 2026 orders, so $2,900 to $3,700 for a 10×10. The booth: $3,500 to $6,500 per show to rent a 10×10, $8,000 to $20,000 to build one, and $50,000 to $120,000 for a custom 20×20 island. Show services: drayage $1,000 to $10,000+, install and dismantle $2,000 to $20,000, and electrical and internet $500 to $5,000. Steadfast Displays puts a realistic first-show 10×10 budget at $8,000 to $15,000.

A custom 20×20 island typically costs $50,000 to $120,000 to build, and one 2026 guide puts it at $50,000 to $150,000 or more. Renting a 20×20 costs $16,000 to $40,000 per show. Tension fabric 20×20 kits start from $7,658.50. Floor space for 400 sq ft adds $11,600 to $14,800 at IMTS 2026 rates.

Renting a 10×10 trade show booth costs about $3,500 to $6,500 per show, all-in. Buying one costs $5,000 to $15,000 for a portable or modular booth and $8,000 to $20,000 for a custom build. Online pop up kits start from $830. The show charges for the floor space on top: $2,900 to $3,700 for 100 sq ft at IMTS 2026 rates.

A custom or semi-custom 10×20 booth costs $15,000 to $40,000 to build. Renting one costs $7,500 to $14,000 per show, all-in. Online 10×20 kits start from $1,400.95. Shipping a 10×20 across the country and back adds $3,000 to $8,000.

Most 30×30 trade show booths cost between $50,000 and $250,000. At $100 to $250 per sq ft, a custom 900 sq ft island comes to about $90,000 to $225,000. Large custom islands with conference rooms, hanging signs and LED walls can run $250,000 to $500,000.

Custom trade show booths typically cost $100 to $250 per square foot to build: $8,000 to $20,000 for a 10×10, $15,000 to $40,000 for a 10×20 and $50,000 to $120,000 for a 20×20 island. Double decks and large islands start around $100,000. Owning usually pays for itself in about 18 months if you exhibit three or more times a year.

Renting a trade show booth costs about $3,500 to $6,500 per show for a 10×10, $7,500 to $14,000 for a 10×20 and $16,000 to $40,000 for a 20×20 island, with install, dismantle and freight usually included. A rental typically costs one third to one half of buying the same booth: a $60,000 custom build might rent for $20,000 to $35,000.

Modular exhibits typically cost $75 to $225 per square foot: about $7,500 to $22,500 for a 10×10, $15,000 to $45,000 for a 10×20 and $30,000 to $90,000 for a 20×20. Another guide puts a portable or modular 10×10 at $5,000 to $15,000. Many are also rented: a 20×20 modular island rents for $18,648 plus $20,389 for graphics in one 2026 catalogue.

Portable trade show displays are the cheapest way to exhibit. Online booth kits start from about $530 to $830, a simple 10 ft backwall with a fabric graphic costs $500 to $1,500, and complete 10×10 kits on one large catalogue run from $930 to $25,000. Larger portable exhibits work out at $50 to $125 per square foot.

Many booth companies include design when they build: MODdisplays offers free 3D mock-ups and Exhibit Boss includes 3 free design hours and a 3D render with purchase. Where design is charged on its own, Classic Exhibits' published fee schedule lists $300 for an inline concept and $500 for a 20×20 or 20×30 island, each with two rounds of revisions, with larger islands quoted. The build is priced separately: custom work runs $100 to $250 per square foot.