What’s the Cheapest Inground Pool Cost?

If spending more time with loved ones (or by yourself) outdoors is climbing on your “should-have” list, and you have the space for an inground pool, you may have started an online search. Being a conscientious consumer, you could have landed here searching for the cheapest inground pool or even the “cheapest inground pool near me.” While no inground pool is “cheap,” this post gives an honest comparison of costs for vinyl liner, gunite, and fiberglass pools. We know an inground pool is a significant investment, so we hope this post will help you make an informed decision about inground pool costs.

Vinyl Liner Inground Pool Costs

Vinyl liner pools are generally the cheapest inground pool type with regard to upfront costs; however, their costs can increase significantly based on several factors. A ballpark figure on the average price of an inground vinyl liner pool is around $25,000 to $65000. Some constraints with vinyl you’ll want to be aware of:

Unique freeform shapes can add to your upfront price, as well as vinyl replacement costs, as manufacturing a custom liner adds time and materials.
High-end features such as bench seating or wraparound steps can add to your cost and may lead to further maintenance needs due to vinyl’s tendency to attract algae and become slippery.
The lifetime ownership, including the annual maintenance cost will offset some initial cost savings.
As previously mentioned, vinyl liner pools can attract algae, so you must clean them more often to keep them at bay. Expect to spend (or pay someone to spend) around four to eight hours per week on vinyl liner pool maintenance.
You could estimate maintenance expenses around $11,000 to $17,000 over ten years, excluding liner replacement costs.
Vinyl liners usually need to be replaced about every seven years (or fewer if the pool hasn’t been properly maintained), costing about $3,000- $7,500 on average.

Gunite Inground Pool Costs

Gunite pools typically cost the most to install, and their prices are the most varied across the country, depending on your location. In some regions, they are the high-volume choice of installers, and installation costs can be competitive. You tend to see more gunite installations in sunbelt states that are not subject to the freeze/thaw cycle. The national average price of a gunite pool is between $50,000 and $120,000. Here are some of the cost factors for gunite:

Freeforms generally cost more than basic shapes, and depending on how complicated the design is, the complexity may add more cost to the bottom line.
Each build is custom. Gunite costs more as you add features and options.
The porosity of gunite attracts algae and mineral deposits. It requires significant time and money to keep it clean. Expect to spend (or pay someone to spend) around four to eight hours per week on gunite pool maintenance.
Gunite pools usually require an acid wash to remove algae and mold every three to five years, and due to multiple acid washes, they often require replastering about every ten years.
Based on the average costs of regular pool maintenance tasks and requirements (such as acid washing, general cleaning, replastering, electrical/chemical usage, etc.), concrete pool owners can expect to pay $27,000 to $40,000 over 10 years for maintenance.

Fiberglass Inground Pool Costs

Fiberglass pools will usually fall in the middle between vinyl and gunite on the initial installation cost. However, lifetime ownership and annual maintenance costs tend to be lower than vinyl and gunite. HomeGuide’s 2024 inground pool cost guide reports that the average fiberglass pool price is between $30,000 and $85,000. However, many pool builders in our network report that their customers choose packages closer to $70,000 and $135,000. Some considerations of fiberglass pools relative to cost include:

Regardless of shape, the pricing is relatively consistent at around $1,800 per linear foot, except for beach entry fiberglass pool designs which tend to cost about 15 percent more.
Built-in features such as wraparound steps and benches, tanning ledges, and swim-outs do not cost extra, but they must already be part of the design, as fiberglass pools are built from pre-existing molds.
Easy access is essential to keeping costs down because they are delivered in one piece and not built on-site.
They are resistant to algae and require the lowest maintenance compared to the other inground pool types, needing only about an hour or two per week, and their ten-year cost for maintenance is around $5,000-$15,000.

Factors Affecting Any Inground Pool Cost

Some factors drive up costs, no matter what pool type you choose.

What’s the cheapest inground pool shape? Pool size affects the price of fiberglass pools rather than shape. However, for gunite and vinyl liner pools, the more complex the shape, the higher the cost.
What’s the cheapest pool size? Generally speaking, small inground pool costs tend to be less than larger ones for installation and maintenance.
Site conditions factor into pricing. Clay, sand, rock, and groundwater can all pose problems when installing any pool. Average excavation costs range from $2.50 to $15.00 per cubic yard for easier soil conditions, but more challenging conditions can cost $50 to over $200 per cubic yard.
Insurance companies and states or local agencies may require pool fencing. Fencing costs average around $15 to $25 per linear foot.
Pool cover prices vary. An automatic pool cover costs $8,000 to $20,000 installed and $1,000 to $3,600 for a manual cover.
Extra features add to the price. Additional features such as heaters, bubblers, deck jets, cascades, LED lighting, slides, and diving boards will also add to the cost.

Cheapest Fiberglass Pool Designs

At the end of the day, we are a fiberglass inground pool manufacturer and that is what we know best. So if you decide to look at lifetime costs, want to stay on the cheaper side, and want to check out some less expensive small fiberglass pool designs, one of the following may be the pool for your lifestyle:

Aspen. The smallest available size is 12’ x 25’ with a depth of 5’1”. The Aspen features a wide tanning ledge, full-length steps, and an extended bench. And it has a wide-open swim area and courtesy ledge throughout the deep end.

Goliath. Like Aspen, this pool comes in multiple sizes, the smallest being 12’ x 25’ with a depth of 5’4”. The Goliath offers a surplus of swim space, along with dual-corner entry steps, and shallow and deep end benches.

Sea Turtle. This pool comes in one size: 9.5’ x 19.5’. Sea Turtle is a flat-bottom pool with a depth of 4’6”, which is ideal for socializing and water activities. Walk-in steps and long benches make it family and pet-friendly, and it’s perfect for entertaining guests.

Pearl. Measuring 15’ x 25’ with a 3’9” depth, the Pearl is a shell-shaped pool that is unique. It’s great for socializing and sunning, with room for two ledge loungers and wrap-around benches.

More Tools for Inground Pool Estimating

If you’re looking for ways to get ballpark prices for pool installation, there are inground pool cost estimator tools out there. Get an estimate on your dream fiberglass pool project with our Pool Cost Calculator. If you are not sure which design is right for you, try our Pool Selector Tool to help you narrow it down. Finally, your best tool for the most accurate estimate and advice is a pool builder. Get connected to a pool builder near you and become one step closer to some of the best memories of your life.