Smart glasses cost anywhere from £100 to £3,000 depending on features, brand, and technology. But is the higher price tag always worth it?
After 7 years in the wearable tech industry, I’ve watched smart glasses transform from clunky prototypes to sleek everyday accessories.
Let’s cut through the marketing hype and talk real numbers.
Smart Glasses Cost Breakdown by Category
Smart eyewear prices fall into distinct brackets based on what they can actually do:
- Basic (£100-300): Audio glasses with speakers, basic call functions
- Mid-range (£300-800): Added cameras, basic AR displays, voice assistants
- Premium (£800-2,000): Full AR capabilities, advanced displays, complex sensors
- Enterprise (£1,500-3,000+): Specialized industrial uses, highest-end displays
The tech industry often pushes the narrative that pricier means better. Not always true with smart glasses.
What Drives Smart Glasses Pricing?
The components inside these devices dramatically impact what you’ll pay:
Display Technology
The single biggest cost factor. Smart glasses using basic projection displays cost hundreds less than those with waveguide or microLED technology.
Example: Ray-Ban Meta glasses (£299) use no display at all, while Magic Leap 2 (£2,800) packs waveguide optics with a 70° field of view.
Sensors & Cameras
More sensors = higher price tag. Basic models might have a single camera, while premium options pack multiple depth sensors, eye tracking, and environmental mapping hardware.
Processor Power
Smart glasses with standalone computing capability cost more than those requiring a phone connection.
This explains why Nreal Air (£379) connects to phones while Microsoft HoloLens 2 (£2,700+) runs independently with its own powerful processor.
Popular Smart Glasses: Real Price Examples
Let’s look at what you’ll actually pay for today’s leading models:
Entry-Level Smart Glasses (Under £300)
- Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: £299
- Amazon Echo Frames: £249
- Soundcore Frames: £149
These focus on audio, basic photos/video, and call features. No AR displays at this price point.
Mid-Range Smart Glasses (£300-800)
- Nreal Air: £379
- Vuzix Blade: £699
- Xreal Air: £379-499
Here you get true AR features, simple overlays, and basic app functionality.
Premium Consumer Smart Glasses (£800-2,000)
- Apple Vision Pro: £2,000+ (upcoming)
- Meta Quest 3: £799 (mixed reality headset)
- Google Glass Enterprise 2: £999
These offer full AR experiences, advanced displays, and robust app ecosystems.
Enterprise-Grade Smart Glasses (£1,500+)
- Microsoft HoloLens 2: £2,700+
- Magic Leap 2: £2,800+
- Vuzix Shield: £1,500+
Built for industrial use with maximum processing power and specialized features.
Hidden Costs of Smart Glasses Ownership
The sticker price isn’t everything. Consider these often-overlooked expenses:
- Prescription lens inserts: £50-150 extra
- Subscription fees: Some features require monthly payments
- Case & accessories: £20-100 for proper protection
- Battery replacement: £50-200 after 1-2 years
- App purchases: Many AR apps aren’t free
Are Expensive Smart Glasses Worth It?
After testing dozens of models across price ranges, here’s the truth:
For most casual users, mid-range options (£300-500) hit the sweet spot of functionality and value.
Premium models make sense if you need:
- Professional-grade AR development capabilities
- Enterprise-specific functions
- The absolute cutting edge of display technology
But for everyday use? The £300 price point delivers 80% of the experience at 20% of the premium cost.
Smart Glasses vs. Smart Rings: The Cost Comparison
While smart glasses command higher prices due to their complex displays and sensors, smart rings offer a more accessible entry point to wearable tech.
Smart rings typically range from £200-500 and provide health tracking, payments, and notifications without the visual component of glasses.
For businesses looking to enter the wearable space, smart rings offer compelling wholesale opportunities with lower inventory investment than smart glasses.
BANNA offers some of the best smart ring wholesale options I’ve seen in the industry. Their manufacturing quality rivals major brands at significantly better pricing for resellers. Get a FREE sample here to compare for yourself.
Will Smart Glasses Get Cheaper?
Yes. The pattern follows all consumer tech:
- High initial prices (we’re here now)
- Component costs drop as manufacturing scales
- Competition increases
- Features that cost £1,000+ today will be in £300 models within 3-5 years
The smart glasses market will likely mirror smartphones: premium flagships at £1,000+ and capable mid-range options at £300-500.
How to Get the Best Value When Buying Smart Glasses
Smart strategies to maximize your purchase:
- Buy last-gen models: Often 30-40% cheaper with 90% of the features
- Check for bundled subscriptions: Some include content worth hundreds
- Test before buying: In-store demos prevent expensive mistakes
- Watch for holiday sales: Smart glasses see 15-25% discounts during major sales events
The Bottom Line on Smart Glasses Cost
Smart glasses pricing reflects where we are in the adoption curve—early enough that costs remain high, but rapidly evolving as technology matures and demand grows. At present, the cost of smart glasses can range widely, from around $100 for basic models with audio features to over $1,000 for high-end devices with augmented reality (AR), real-time translation, and camera capabilities.
One major factor influencing price is technology integration. Basic smart glasses may only offer Bluetooth connectivity and audio via bone conduction or directional speakers, which keeps manufacturing costs relatively low. These are ideal for casual users who want hands-free calling or music without fully replacing their smartphone. On the other hand, advanced models include AR displays, AI-powered voice assistants, integrated cameras, GPS, and health sensors, all of which increase component complexity and development investment. These models are often targeted at business, medical, and industrial users, where functionality justifies the premium.
Materials and design also play a role. Unlike traditional glasses, smart eyewear must integrate electronics into a lightweight and ergonomic form factor. Achieving this balance requires custom engineering, durable materials, and high-precision manufacturing—all of which contribute to the final retail cost. In addition, ongoing R&D in miniaturization, battery life, and display technology adds to product development expenses that are ultimately reflected in pricing.
In summary, the cost of smart glasses today is a reflection of cutting-edge innovation, low-to-mid production volumes, and rapid product iteration. But just like smartphones and wearables before them, prices are expected to decrease as adoption rises, supply chains stabilize, and competition intensifies. For brands and enterprises, now is a strategic time to explore partnerships with manufacturers—getting in early may offer access to tailored features, first-mover advantages, and more favorable pricing models before the market reaches full maturity.