• FDA-approved via PMA
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  • Editorial · Updated July 2026
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Key takeaways
  • •Price is not the real cost: pads and battery replacements over the unit’s life add up, so compare total cost of ownership, not the sticker.
  • •Recertified lowers the upfront cost: a recertified AED can cost well below new. See refurbished and recertified options.
  • •Match the model to your setting first: not sure which model fits? Find your perfect AED.
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AED Cost Calculator
  • Free Tool · 2, 5 & 10 Year View · No Email

True 5-year AED ownership cost.

Sticker price is only 50 to 65 percent of the total. Pads, battery, cabinet, and inspection add 40 to 80 percent over 5 years (labeled estimate across published deployments). Model the real number for any FDA-approved AED in under 30 seconds.
  • Updated · July 2026
$1,295
Lowest device list

HeartSine 350P · 2026 list

40-80%

Added beyond device

5-yr consumables · labeled estimate

5 yr

Longest pad shelf life

ZOLL CPR-D-padz · mfr IFU

$0

Cost to use in a rescue

Good Samaritan · all 50 states

AED Cost Calculator
Adjust the fields — costs update instantly

Pick an AED model, time period, and cabinet — the result calculates instantly.

Browse AED Models → How Many Do You Need?
  • Quick answer · The 30-second rule

A $1,400 AED is not a $1,400 program. Over 5 years, pads, battery, cabinet, and inspection routinely add 40 to 80 percent on top of sticker. The real budget for most facilities runs $1,800 to $4,500 per AED over 5 years (labeled estimate).

  • Lowest 5-year total → HeartSine 350P: ~$1,415 to $1,800 (one Pad-Pak swap; sourced calculation)
  • Best long-term active program → ZOLL AED Plus with 5-year CPR-D-padz (near-zero consumables)
  • Best pediatric value → Philips FRx: ~$2,400 over 5 years
  • Premium fleet → LIFEPAK CR2: ~$3,100 to $4,500 over 5 years
  • Brand-by-brand · real 5-year totals

Which AED costs least to own over 5 years?

Device price alone does not tell the story; pad and battery cycles do. Totals below are sourced calculations from 2026 list prices plus manufacturer replacement cycles.[1][7]
ModelConsumables cycle5-yr total (est.)Verdict
HeartSine 350P4-yr Pad-Pak ($120), one swap in 5 yrs~$1,415 - $1,800Lowest 5-yr total
Philips OnSite2-yr pads ($50), 4-yr battery ($100)~$1,900 - $2,400Untrained offices
ZOLL AED Plus5-yr CPR-D-padz ($130), 5-yr battery~$2,300 - $2,700Best long-term value
Powerheart G52-yr pads ($80-$200), 4-yr battery~$2,400 - $3,100Daily self-test
Philips FRx2-yr SMART Pads II ($60), 4-yr battery~$2,400 - $3,000Best pediatric
LIFEPAK CR24-yr electrodes ($150+), premium device~$3,100 - $4,500Premium / clinical
Full reviews on each brand page. For high-use programs where pads may deploy in a rescue, the 5-year ZOLL pads lose their edge; the calculator models both cases.
Got your number? · Find your AED · FDA PMA

You have the 5-year cost. Now find the AED that fits it.

The cheapest sticker is rarely the cheapest to own. Match your setting to an FDA-approved (PMA) model, and a properly documented refurbished unit can cut the entry price without cutting safety.

FDA PMA approvedTotal-cost view2026 pricingRefurbished options
  • Cost breakdown · 8 line items

Why sticker price is only half the real number.

Every AED program has eight cost components; six recur, two do not. The device is just the first.

01 · One-time

AED device

$1,295 to $2,450 at 2026 list: HeartSine 350P to LIFEPAK CR2.[1]

02 · Every 2-5 yrs

Electrode pads

$25 to $150 per set, replaced on shelf-life expiry and immediately after any rescue use. See pads explained.

03 · Every 2-5 yrs

Battery

$90 to $350. The HeartSine Pad-Pak combines battery and pads in one 4-year cartridge, often the lowest consumables path. See batteries explained.

04 · One-time

Cabinet

$50 to $500: wall mount, alarmed indoor, or heated outdoor for exposed IP56 deployments.

05 · Annual

Inspection

$0 to $150 per year: DIY monthly visual plus annual functional check, or a paid service contract for fleets.

06 · Every 2 yrs

CPR + AED training

$25 to $75 per person for designated responders, through CPR1.

07 · Annual

Medical direction

$0 to $500 per year where states require physician oversight. Check your state on the law tracker before procurement.

08 · One-time or annual

EMS registration

$0 to $50. Required in some states, voluntary but recommended in the rest; your state’s rule is on the tracker.
  • The math that trips most buyers
A $1,400 AED needing $300 in pads and battery every 2 years runs about $2,150 over 5 years before cabinet and inspection. A $1,295 AED with one 4-year $120 Pad-Pak often costs less over 5 years than a cheaper-looking device with hungrier consumables (sourced calculation, cycle math shown in the calculator).
  • Strategy

How do you cut AED budget without cutting readiness?

StrategySavingHow
Long-life consumables$100 - $400 / 5 yrsHeartSine 4-yr Pad-Pak or ZOLL 5-yr CPR-D-padz vs 2-yr standard pads
Bundle pricing10 - 20% offAuthorized distributors bundle 2+ unit orders (labeled estimate across published offers)
Self-managed inspections$75 - $150 / yr / AEDMonthly visual + annual functional check DIY vs service contract
AED grantsUp to 100% of deviceFederal and state school/nonprofit programs; availability varies by year
HSA / FSA funds20 - 37% tax savingsPersonal purchases qualify per IRS Pub 502[4]
Section 179 expensingFull device cost, year 1Business equipment expensing per IRS Pub 946[5]
Fleet expiry trackingAvoids premium rush ordersProgram management automates pad/battery expiry across sites
Budget locked · now pick the model

Cost is step three. Model and placement are steps one and two.

If you have not picked the model or sized the deployment yet, do those first.

Step 1

Find Your Perfect AED

60-second quiz, 4 questions, one personalized pick plus an alternate from FDA-approved models.

Run the 60-second quiz →

Step 2

AED Quantity Calculator

Building type, square footage, floors: a planning estimate aligned to the AHA 3-minute target.

Run the Quantity Calculator →

Deep dive

Buyer's Guide

Brands, features, budgeting, compliance, and maintenance in one long-form guide.

Open the Buyer's Guide →
Match the Right AED First →
Browse All 6 AED Brands
  • Common questions

Frequently asked questions.

$1,295 to $2,450 for the device at 2026 US list.[1] Over 5 years, consumables and cabinet typically add 40 to 80 percent, landing most programs at $1,800 to $4,500 per AED (labeled estimate).

Yes. The Philips OnSite carries FDA over-the-counter labeling for home purchase, and personal purchases qualify for HSA/FSA funds per IRS Pub 502.[4] See the home AED guide.

They are FDA Class III devices approved through Premarket Approval, the most demanding regulatory pathway: clinical evidence, manufacturing controls, post-market surveillance.[3] Add rhythm-analysis hardware, daily self-testing, and decade-long support obligations, and the price reflects a regulated life-safety instrument.

Device ($1,295 to $2,450) plus an alarmed or outdoor cabinet ($50 to $500), signage, and consumable cycles: roughly $1,800 to $4,500 per unit over 5 years (labeled estimate).

$25 to $150 per set on 2 to 5 year shelf lives, plus immediate replacement after any rescue use. Cycle details in pads explained.

$90 to $350 on 2 to 5 year cycles; the HeartSine Pad-Pak merges battery and pads into one 4-year cartridge. See batteries explained.

The HeartSine 350P: ~$1,415 to $1,800 over 5 years. For active programs, the ZOLL AED Plus with 5-year pads reaches near-zero consumables if never deployed.

Yes: federal plus state school/nonprofit programs can cover up to the full device cost; availability changes yearly. Pair grant research with your state’s rules on the law tracker.

Not necessarily: modern units self-test daily, and a monthly visual plus annual functional check can be self-managed at $0. Contracts earn their keep on multi-site fleets.

$50 to $500: wall mounts at the low end, alarmed indoor mid-range, heated outdoor at the top.

Businesses typically expense the full device in year one under Section 179 (IRS Pub 946)[5]; personal purchases qualify for HSA/FSA (IRS Pub 502).[4] Confirm with your tax professional.

Enough that every collapse point sits inside the AHA 3-minute target, proven with a timed walking drill.[6] Get a planning estimate from the Quantity Calculator.

  • Methodology and sources

Every price traces to a primary source.

Pricing is 2026 US list from authorized distributor reference points; replacement cycles come from manufacturer documentation. The calculator applies ceil(period ÷ shelf life) − 1 replacements per consumable.
  1. AED Leader: current US retail pricing reference, 2026.
  2. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.151: workplace medical readiness context for AED programs.
  3. FDA Premarket Approval (PMA) database: Class III approval status for every model referenced.
  4. IRS Publication 502: HSA/FSA-eligible medical expenses, including AEDs.
  5. IRS Publication 946: Section 179 equipment expensing.
  6. American Heart Association: AED placement guidance and the 3-minute collapse-to-shock target.
  7. Manufacturer IFU documentation (Philips, ZOLL, Stryker/HeartSine, Cardiac Science, Defibtech): pad and battery shelf-life cycles used in all calculations.
Updated · July 2026MethodologyMedical Advisory BoardAbout AED Best Brands
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