Trampolines have been a long-time favorite of children all over the world since the first commercial trampolines for home use were sold to the public in 1975. Since that time, trampolines have become very common in homes everywhere. If you have yet to purchase a trampoline for your own home, it is likely that you’re wondering how much a trampoline costs.
You may be surprised to find that there are a variety of factors that determine how expensive a trampoline is. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for and this is true for trampolines as well. Today, we’ll be answering all of your questions about buying a trampoline including how much they cost.
What Determines How Much a Trampoline Costs?
How much a trampoline costs depends largely upon four main factors. Trampolines of higher quality will possess important features that trampolines of a cheaper make will lack. Here are the different factors that you should take into consideration when shopping for a trampoline:
- Size and Shape
- Safety Features
- Accessories
- In-ground vs. above ground
In order to determine why these factors affect the overall cost of a trampoline, we will need to explore each of them in-depth. This will help you to identify which trampoline is best for your home when compared with your available budget.
Size and Shape
As you could probably guess, a bigger trampoline means higher costs. Depending on the size and shape of your backyard trampoline, you can probably expect to pay anywhere between $300 and over $1500. Here are some guidelines that you can use to identify how much you can probably expect to pay for your new trampoline based on size and shape. While most trampolines are round or rectangular in shape, there are also some that come in square or oval shapes. Each of these sizes come in different size variations.
Round Trampolines
If you are considering a round trampoline, as most people do, you need to decide which size is best for you. Smaller round trampolines (usually around 8 and 8×10 feet) are the ideal choice for small children and limited space in the backyard. If you do have a significant amount of backyard space, however, and plan for your round trampoline to be used by multiple children at once, a larger trampoline (between 12 feet and 15 feet in diameter) is probably your best choice. Circular trampolines that span 12 feet to 15 feet typically cost between $300 and $400 on average. Remember that this cost doesn’t include any protective equipment, which will cost more. More on that later when we discuss trampoline safety features.
Rectangular and Square Trampolines
When it comes to rectangular and square trampolines, you should expect to pay more than you would in the case of a round trampoline. Not only do square and rectangular trampolines offer more space for children, they often come with certain safety features (like an enclosure) included.
While it is possible to find smaller rectangular and square shaped backyard trampolines that cost somewhere between $600 and $800, most are large in size. The larger the trampoline, the more you should expect to pay. In the case of large rectangular and square shaped trampolines purchased from a specialty manufacturer, you should expect to pay somewhere between $800 and $1200 on average.
Safety Features
Safety features are incredibly important when it comes to backyard trampolines as they are used predominantly by children, sometimes many children at once. While there are a number of safety precautions that should be taken before allowing children to jump on your trampoline, it is equally important that your trampoline is equipped with the necessary safety features.
Today, most trampolines come equipped with an enclosure so that your child won’t fall off while jumping. This is where things can be a bit more costly, unfortunately. Most 14 to 15 foot trampolines that come with an enclosure included cost between $450-$800. If you have already selected a less expensive trampoline and have chosen to purchase a safety enclosure separately, you will likely spend an extra $60 to $70.
Another safety feature that we highly recommend for your new trampoline is a safety pad to cover the outside springs. These typically run anywhere between $20 and $75 depending on the quality of the safety pad.
Accessories
Are you looking for a premium trampoline that comes equipped with all of the bells and whistles, you should expect to pay top dollar. For those who don’t have a strict budget to limit their choices, there are a number of accessories that you can add to your backyard trampoline.
Some of the most popular trampoline accessories are ladders, weather covers, and basketball hoops (something the kids are sure to enjoy). Ladders make it much easier for children to access the trampoline easily, making them a common accessory for most trampolines. Weather covers give you the peace of mind that you won’t have to constantly clean up your trampoline after a bad storm. Finally, a basketball hoop is a fun treat for the kids and will be sure to have them dunking and keeping active for hours on end.
While some premium trampolines from specialty manufacturers offer these types of accessories in the box, most do not. This means that you will have to purchase any accessories that don’t come with your trampoline separately. Accessories can vary widely in price and are something to keep in mind when shopping for a trampoline.
In-Ground Trampolines vs. Above Ground Trampolines
The final factor that you should consider when it comes to the cost of a trampoline is whether or not the trampoline is in-ground or above ground. In-ground trampolines are a popular choice for those who favor an outdoor-only trampoline that keep a low profile. If the look of your backyard is important to you and you don’t want a trampoline to disrupt the overall aesthetic of your lawn, an in-ground trampoline may be for you. Most trampolines are of the above ground variety and are much easier to set up.
In-ground trampolines are nearly always more expensive than above ground trampolines. In-ground trampolines usually require expert assistance for installation and this may cost you an extra $200 on top of the price of the trampoline itself. If you choose to install the in-ground trampoline yourself, it is likely that you’ll spend even more money. This is because the installation of an in-ground trampoline usually requires special tools. If you need to keep to a strict budget, it is highly recommended that you purchase an above ground trampoline.