How much does an The inlay sheet cost at 1K sheets? Stock 4x6 layout (24 inlays/sheet) + MIFARE Classic 1K + standard 73 x 44 mm antenna + standard QC: $12-18 per sheet at MOQ 1,000 sheets (= $0.50-0.75 per inlay). Volume brackets: MOQ 100 sheets = $20-32; MOQ 1,000 sheets = $12-18 (base); MOQ 10,000 sheets = $8-13; MOQ 50,000+ sheets = $6-10.
Chip tier up-charge? MIFARE Classic 1K (base): included. MIFARE Plus EV2: +$0.18-0.32 per inlay. DESFire EV3 2K: +$0.65-1.05. DESFire EV3 4K / 8K: +$0.95-1.85. NTAG213 / 215 / 216: -$0.05 to +$0.08. NTAG424 DNA: +$0.35-0.65. LF EM4200: -$0.10 to -$0.05 vs HF Classic baseline.
Layout customization? Stock layouts (2x5 to 6x8): no up-charge. Custom layout (non-standard inlay count or geometry): NRE $850-2,200 + $0.05-0.15 per inlay until volume amortizes.
Antenna tuning? Standard 14.3 ± 0.3MHz; HF: included. Custom resonance frequency (transit / specialty): NRE $1,200-3,500 (one-time RF design + tooling) + production unchanged.
Combi / dual-chip? Standard combi (LF + HF): +$0.45-0.95 per inlay. 3-chip combi: +$0.85-1.55. Dual-interface (HF + ISO 7816 contact): +$0.65-1.45 + customer-side contact module bonding step.
Pre-encoding? Sequential UID + CSV export: +$0.005-0.012 per inlay. AES key loading (DESFire / NTAG424 DNA): +$0.04-0.10 per inlay + NRE $450-1,200. Custom NDEF URL encoding: +$0.008-0.020.
How should I compare against cheaper generic inlay supply? Compare effective cost per usable card, not sheet price: a cheaper inlay that costs you lamination yield and press stoppages is usually more expensive once scrap and downtime are counted. Run both inlays through your own line on a sample batch and let your yield data decide.