Short answer: in 2026, aluminium windows leave a Chinese factory at USD 60–250 per m² FOB depending on the system, and reach USD 180–500 per m² once you specify thermal break, Low-E glazing and branded hardware. A standard casement window sits at $90–130/m²; the same window with a polyamide thermal break moves to $140–190/m². The gap between those two numbers is not markup — it is seven identifiable cost lines, all of which are listed below. This page is the benchmark table. Use it to read a quote, not to replace one.
Aluminium window price per square meter: FOB China benchmarks by system (2026)
The table below gives FOB (Free On Board) reference ranges per square meter for the six systems that account for most export orders. “Standard” means non-thermal-break profiles with Chinese-brand hardware and 5 mm + 12A + 5 mm double glazing. “Thermal break” adds a PA66 GF25 polyamide strip. “High-end” adds German hardware (Siegenia, Roto), Low-E or laminated glass, and a premium finish.
| System | Standard (USD/m²) |
Thermal break (USD/m²) |
High-end (USD/m²) |
Typical MOQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed / picture window | 60–85 | 90–130 | 140–180 | 50 m² |
| Sliding window | 80–110 | 120–160 | 180–240 | 50 m² |
| Casement window | 90–130 | 140–190 | 200–280 | 50 m² |
| Hinged / entry door | 100–150 | 150–210 | 220–300 | 30 m² |
| Sliding door | 130–180 | 180–240 | 260–350 | 30 m² |
| Bi-fold / folding door | 180–250 | 250–340 | 360–500 | 20 m² |
Indicative FOB ranges compiled from published 2026 China supplier price lists. Excludes mould/tooling fees for custom profiles, inland haulage to port, and any third-party inspection.
What you are actually paying for: seven cost lines per m²
A window quote that arrives as one number per m² is a quote you cannot audit. Below is the same data broken into the seven components that make it up. Note that the three tiers add up to roughly the FOB ranges in the first table — that is the point. If a supplier’s single-line number sits far below the tier total, one of these seven lines has been quietly removed.
| Component | Standard (USD/m²) |
Thermal break (USD/m²) |
High-end (USD/m²) |
Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium profile | 25–35 | 40–55 | 60–85 | 30–35% |
| Thermal barrier (PA66 GF25) | — | 8–12 | 15–22 | 5–8% |
| Glass unit | 20–28 | 28–40 | 50–70 | 25–35% |
| Hardware | 8–15 | 15–25 | 30–50 | 10–17% |
| Gaskets & seals | 3–5 | 5–8 | 8–12 | 4–5% |
| Assembly labour | 12–18 | 18–25 | 25–35 | 12–17% |
| Export packaging | 5–8 | 6–10 | 8–15 | 5–7% |
| Build-up total | 73–109 | 120–175 | 196–289 | 100% |
Component cost build-up, USD per m². Ranges reflect published 2026 China factory data; profiles priced against LME aluminium, the reference for primary aluminium pricing (lme.com).
The three lines that move most
- Aluminium profile (30–35%). Driven by alloy, wall thickness and finish. China’s standard effective from 1 August 2026 bars the sale of window profiles under 1.8 mm wall thickness, and requires ≥2.0 mm above 30 stories. At roughly 10 kg of aluminium per m² of window, a 0.2 mm thickness reduction across a 500 m² order is about one tonne of aluminium — which is why sub-1.8 mm quotes look cheap and are not.
- Glass unit (25–35%). The largest single upgrade lever. Low-E coating adds $12–18/m², laminated safety glass adds $20–30/m², and triple glazing adds 50–60% to the glass line. See the glass upgrade cost curve for the full comparison.
- Hardware (10–17%). German systems (Siegenia, Roto, GU, Hoppe) cost 2–3× Chinese equivalents. On a casement window this is the difference between $8–15/m² and $30–50/m² — and it is the line most often quoted as “equivalent brand”.
Why thermal break adds 40–55%
The premium is not one thing. It is the PA66 GF25 strip itself ($8–22/m²), the additional machining to create a two-chamber profile, the crimping operation that bonds strip to aluminium at 30–40 MPa, and the higher assembly labour that follows ($18–25/m² versus $12–18). What you buy with it is a measurable thermal shift: 2.8–3.5 W/m²K without a break, 1.6–2.2 W/m²K with one, and 1.2–1.6 W/m²K at the top end with warm-edge spacers and Low-E.
Whether that premium pays back depends on your climate zone and energy tariff, not on the window. In heating-dominated zones the payback is typically single-digit years; in cooling-dominated zones the SHGC value matters more than the U-value. Certified performance figures are rated under NFRC procedures in the US and EN 14351-1 in Europe — always ask which one a quoted U-value was tested under, because the numbers are not interchangeable. We break the premium down line by line in thermal break vs non-thermal break: where the 40–55% goes.
China FOB versus what you pay locally
FOB prices are not comparable to a local quote, because a local quote includes installation, warranty labour and local margin. The fair comparison is landed cost — FOB plus freight, insurance, duty and delivery — against an installed local price.
| Market | Local supply (installed) | China import (landed) | Indicative saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $450–850 /m² | $180–280 /m² | 60–70% |
| Canada | CAD 550–950 /m² | CAD 220–340 /m² | 55–65% |
| Australia | AUD 600–1,000 /m² | AUD 240–360 /m² | 55–65% |
| United Kingdom | £400–750 /m² | £200–320 /m² | 50–60% |
| Germany | €500–900 /m² | €220–350 /m² | 55–65% |
Landed cost = FOB + sea freight + insurance + import duty + inland delivery. Installation labour is not included in either column. Currency figures are indicative 2026 market ranges.
Worked example: a 100 m² residential package in the US. Local supply and install lands near $65,000; the same specification imported from China lands near $23,000 including freight and duty. The saving is real, but it is not free — it is exchanged for a 8–12 week lead time, a container-sized minimum order, and the need to verify quality before the container ships rather than after. We cover the full landed-cost method in China import versus local supplier: the landed cost comparison.
Six variables that move your number
- System type. Fixed < sliding < casement < lift-and-slide < bi-fold, in ascending order of complexity and price.
- Profile specification. Alloy (6063-T5 is standard for window profiles), wall thickness (1.8 mm minimum), and chamber count.
- Glass build-up. 5+12A+5 is the baseline. Every upgrade is priced per m², not per window.
- Hardware brand. Chinese, or German (2–3×). Confirm the brand is named in the quote, not described as “German standard”.
- Finish. Standard powder coating is usually included; special RAL colours add 8–15% to the profile line, and Qualicoat-licensed or PVDF finishes add more. Coastal sites need the upgrade; inland sites often do not.
- Order quantity and consolidation. A full container spreads tooling and setup across more m². An LCL trial order of 20–30 units is possible but carries a higher per-unit freight cost.
How to use these benchmarks on a real quote
- Ask for the build-up, not the total. A supplier who can itemise seven lines is a supplier who knows their own cost. One who cannot is reselling.
- Fix the specification before you compare. Prices only mean something at a fixed wall thickness, alloy, glass build-up and hardware brand.
- Confirm the Incoterm. FOB, CIF and DDP shift freight, insurance and duty between you and the factory; the ICC Incoterms rules define where each risk transfers. A $95/m² CIF price is not cheaper than a $105/m² FOB price.
- Verify before shipment, not after. A pre-shipment inspection typically costs $500–1,500 — a rounding error against a container. See our factory audit checklist.
- Check the quality system. ISO 9001 certification does not guarantee a good window, but its absence makes consistent output across three containers unlikely.
Conclusion
The useful question is not “what does an aluminium window cost” but “what does this aluminium window cost, and which of the seven lines was cut to reach that number”. In 2026 the honest range is $60–250/m² FOB China for standard through high-end, with thermal break adding a consistent 40–55% and glass holding 25–35% of the total. Any quote far below the build-up for its stated specification is missing a component, and the component is almost always wall thickness, thermal strip material, or hardware brand.
Send us your schedule — system, quantities, glass specification, target U-value and destination port — and we will return a quote itemised on the same seven lines used above, so you can compare it against this table rather than against a single number.
Get an itemised quote on these seven lines
Send the system type, area in m², glass build-up and destination port. You get a line-by-line build-up you can audit — not a single figure per square meter.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an aluminium window cost per square meter from China in 2026?
- Between USD 60 and 250 per m² FOB, depending on system and specification. A standard non-thermal-break casement window is $90–130/m²; the same window with a PA66 thermal break is $140–190/m². Sliding and folding systems sit higher because of hardware complexity.
- Why is thermal break 40–55% more expensive than a standard window?
- Because four cost lines move at once: the PA66 GF25 polyamide strip ($8–22/m²), the additional machining to form a two-chamber profile, the crimping operation that bonds strip to aluminium at 30–40 MPa, and higher assembly labour. In exchange the U-value moves from 2.8–3.5 W/m²K to 1.6–2.2 W/m²K.
- What is the cheapest aluminium window I should accept?
- Judge by specification, not price. As of 1 August 2026, Chinese standards bar the sale of window profiles under 1.8 mm wall thickness, and require 2.0 mm or more above 30 stories. Below that, look for a PA66 GF25 thermal strip rather than PVC, and named hardware rather than “German standard”. A $70/m² “thermal break” window is below component cost.
- Does the FOB price include the glass?
- Usually yes — the glass unit is 25–35% of the total and is normally quoted with the window. But confirm the build-up: 5 mm + 12A + 5 mm clear is the baseline, and Low-E (+$12–18/m²), laminated (+$20–30/m²) and triple glazing (+50–60% on the glass line) are all priced as upgrades.
- What minimum order quantity applies to a first order?
- Window systems typically start at 50 m² and door systems at 30 m², with folding doors as low as 20 m². In practice one 20 ft container holds roughly 80–120 standard windows. LCL trial orders of 20–30 units are possible but carry a higher per-unit freight cost.
- How do I compare a China quote with a local quote fairly?
- Compare landed cost against installed cost. Add sea freight, insurance, import duty and inland delivery to the FOB price, then compare against the local installed figure. On a 100 m² US residential package, that is roughly $23,000 landed against $65,000 local — before accounting for the 8–12 week lead time and pre-shipment inspection.
- Do these prices include installation?
- No. FOB prices cover the manufactured window at the port of loading. Installation labour, scaffolding, sealing and local warranty call-outs are separate and vary widely by market — in major Chinese cities installation alone runs 100–150 CNY/m².
- How long are these 2026 prices valid?
- Aluminium is traded on the LME and moves with energy and primary metal markets; profile cost is the single largest line at 30–35%. Treat the ranges as valid for budgeting within a quarter, and re-confirm at drawing approval. Glass and hardware pricing is more stable.
Published 17 September 2026 · HIMOLON · Foshan, Guangdong, China. Pricing ranges are indicative market benchmarks compiled from published 2026 supplier data, intended for budgeting and quote review. Project pricing is issued against a signed specification.
