How Much Does Smart Glass Cost in 2025?
This project can cost anywhere from $25 to $200, so take a look at what could affect this price and get a quote from a pro.
Smart glass costs an average of $100 per square foot, ranging from $50 to $150 per square foot.
Your costs will vary based on the type of smart glass you choose and the total square footage you need.
Installing smart glass in your home enhances your privacy, boosts energy efficiency, and blocks harmful UV rays.
Additional cost factors include the size of your windows, application type, and whether you choose smart glass or smart window film.
Hiring a professional installer ensures proper setup and helps you maximize the benefits of smart glass technology.
This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.
Smart glass costs an average of $100 per square foot, ranging from $50 to $150 per square foot, depending on the type you choose and the size of your windows. This innovative technology lets you instantly change the look of your windows—you can make them opaque for privacy or add tinting to reduce energy consumption. When planning for this project, it's important to budget accordingly and consider hiring a professional to ensure proper installation and maximize the benefits.
Smart Glass Cost per Square Foot
Most homeowners spend between $50 and $150 per square foot to install smart glass, with an average price of $100 per square foot. On the low end, you might pay as little as $25 per square foot, while high-end installations can cost up to $200 per square foot. Installing multiple windows at once can often lower the price per square foot.
Smart Glass Pricing by Type
Smart glass prices depend on the total square footage and the type of glass you choose. Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC) glass provides privacy and frosting but is more expensive. Suspended particle devices (SPD) glass provides only tinting. Electrochromic glass features gradual tinting to a set level.
PDLC
PDLC glass tends to be the most expensive option at approximately $85 to $130 per square foot. It offers you privacy at the touch of a button, making it ideal for your indoor and outdoor applications. This technology is the only type that turns completely opaque, meaning you can use it for bathrooms, showers, private offices, and more. You can also turn it into a TV projector.
PDLC has liquid and solid crystals, similar to what you'd get in an LCD television or monitor. It has a lot of names, including electric privacy glass, LCD glass, and electric frosted glass. The crystals are inactive when turned off, which makes the glass appear frosted or dark. Once you turn it on, the window is completely clear or dimmable.
SPD
SPD glass is the middle-of-the-road cost option, with pricing a little lower than PDLC at around $50 to $150 per square foot. It allows you to select the level of tinting from minimal shading to total darkness, although it can't provide complete privacy. Its heat-blocking features make it a great choice for your exterior windows. You can also use it for any interior room that needs additional darkness in the daytime, like a home theater or child's bedroom.
SPD suspends particles in a liquid. When you turn on the device, it brings those particles in line and allows you to control the level of tinting. Like PDLC, these windows are dimmable. Use our window buying guide to help determine the best choice for your home needs.
Electrochromic
Electrochromic glass prices are the least costly option at about $50 to $100 per square foot, allowing you to change the tinting over the course of a few minutes. It uses ions to force particles inside or outside your window, making the material clear or tinted. These particles stay in position until you use the control to move them again.
Electrochromic glass is similar to photochromic or thermochromic tinting, but it's important to understand the difference. Photochromic and thermochromic products tint based on light or heat. They don't require energy to change, but you can't control them. Electrochromic options use energy comparable to a single LED light bulb and make it easy to change whenever you want.
Smart Window Film
Smart window film is a type of film you can attach to your existing glass windows. Smart window film tends to be slightly more affordable than smart glass windows, at an average cost of $30 to $45 per square foot. This film is opaque when powered off and clear when powered on.
Switchable Glass vs. Smart Window Film
Switchable glass—which can refer to PDLC, SPD, or electrochromic products—costs around $25 to $150 per square foot and includes all materials and installation. You can apply smart film to your existing windows, and it’s less expensive at around $30 to $45 per square foot.
Smart Glass Costs by Application
The cost of smart glass can vary depending on the size of the area it’s installed. Larger windows will be more expensive to install smart glass in, while smaller windows will be more affordable. Smart glass is generally more expensive than ordinary glass. For example, the cost to install a glass shower door is about $940, while the cost to install a smart glass shower door is about $1,800.
| Window Size | Average Cost per Window |
|---|---|
| 24 x 36 | $150 – $900 |
| 24 x 40 | $215 – $1,275 |
| 32 x 48 | $275 – $1,650 |
| 32 x 62 | $360 – $2,135 |
| 48 x 60 | $500 – $3,000 |
| 60 x 36 | $375 – $2,250 |
Benefits of Smart Glass
Installing smart glass in your home offers several benefits beyond just aesthetics:
Privacy: Enjoy privacy whenever you want while still letting natural light fill your space with smart glass windows.
Energy Savings: Reduce your energy bills by keeping your home cooler in the summer—smart glass absorbs light and heat, helping you save on cooling costs.
Enhanced security: Smart glass windows are stronger than traditional windows since they better withstand regular cleaning and humidity.
Blocks UV rays: Smart glass blocks harmful UV rays, so they're better for your skin and other light-sensitive objects in your home, like artwork or upholstery.
Versatile: Some types of smart glass can even be used as a projector screen, allowing you to project movies or other media on them.
Alternative window treatment: Smart glass can be an alternative to electric blinds or curtains, although they're typically more expensive. The cost to install smart blinds or curtains is only $500 per window on average.
How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Smart glass uses a film that allows you to control visibility, ranging from a perfectly clear view to total darkness or privacy. You can buy the products when you replace your windows or ask a pro to retrofit them to the existing ones. There are various smart glass windows to choose from, depending on your budget and project needs.
Smart glass can last between 20 and 30 years, or about 100,000 hours when powered on. Smart window film typically has a shorter lifespan of around 10 years. The actual lifespan depends on how often you use the smart features. Once it reaches the end of its life span, you can replace it with regular glass, which costs about $280 on average.
Yes, smart glass works at night, but its functionality depends on the type you have. Some types, like smart tint, are controlled by outdoor light and become transparent after dark. Others, like PDLC smart glass, allow you to adjust them to stay opaque or transparent at any time, giving you privacy whenever you need it.
