What an AED costs up front
Most organizations pay between about $1,400 and $2,400 for a new AED. At Total AEDs on October 13, 2026, public-access models ran from $1,411 to $2,399, and the LIFEPAK 1000, built for trained responders, cost $3,813.
The price usually includes the AED, one set of adult pads, a battery, the prescription most AEDs need, and the manufacturer’s warranty. Total AEDs says every AED it sells ships with new pads, a fresh battery and the prescription; most of its packages also add a carry case and a small rescue kit. Value packages that bundle an alarmed cabinet, a wall sign, child pads and an inspection tag cost a little more: ZOLL AED Plus value package $2,119, for example.
Manufacturers that sell direct publish similar prices. On October 13, 2026, Philips’s US AED shop, now run by Heartstream, listed the HeartStart OnSite from $1,687 to $1,914 depending on the case, and Avive’s store listed the Avive Connect at $1,899.99 with the first year of its REALConnect monitoring included.
Refurbished AEDs cost less. Total AEDs listed refurbished units from $545 for a Powerheart G3 to $1,495 for a ZOLL AED 3. Before you buy one, check how much life is left: who still supports the model, whether it is FDA approved under the current rules, and whether pads and batteries are still sold for it. Our AED model pages list which models are discontinued.
AED prices by model
Price differences between models come from features: fully automatic shocking, CPR feedback, connectivity, child modes and ruggedness. Here are the new-AED prices for the common models at Total AEDs.
| AED | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LIFEPAK CR2 | $1,411 | Semi-automatic, USB; fully automatic $1,651 |
| HeartSine samaritan PAD 350P | $1,411 | 360P $1,651; 450P $1,761 |
| Defibtech Lifeline | $1,523 | Fully automatic $1,645 |
| Philips HeartStart OnSite | $1,589 | With slim carry case |
| ZOLL AED Plus | $2,082 | Semi- or fully automatic, same price |
| Defibtech Lifeline VIEW | $2,086 | |
| Philips HeartStart FRx | $2,099 | Prescription required |
| Powerheart G5 | $2,157 | With CPR feedback pads |
| ZOLL AED 3 | $2,399 | Semi- or fully automatic |
| LIFEPAK 1000 | $3,813 | For trained responders; ECG display $4,670 |
Semi-automatic and fully automatic versions are often priced the same or close: the ZOLL AED Plus is the same price either way, while the LIFEPAK CR2 and Defibtech Lifeline cost a little more as fully automatic. Each model’s page in our AED models section covers its pads, battery, child option and maintenance.
Pads and batteries over an AED’s life
After the purchase, pads and batteries are the main cost of owning an AED. Spread over their shelf lives, they come to roughly $59 to $166 a year per AED for the models below, plus a new set of pads after every use.
Child pads add to this if you keep them: ZOLL’s Pedi-padz II cost $131 and last 2 years, Philips’s OnSite infant/child cartridge $139, and HeartSine’s Pediatric-Pak $279. Philips’s FRx uses a reusable child key instead ($139), and the ZOLL AED 3, LIFEPAK CR2 and Avive Connect use the same pads in a child mode, so there’s nothing extra to buy. Avive’s pad cartridge is $99.99 on its own store; the battery is built in and recharged, and Avive’s REALConnect subscription, $199 per device per year after the first, includes a free cartridge when the pads expire.
Two things raise the real cost. Pads are single-use, so every rescue means a new set. And parts bought early lose shelf life, because most dates count from manufacture, not from the day you install them. Our guides to AED pad expiration and AED battery replacement explain each model’s dates.
Cabinets, signs and rescue kits
A wall cabinet costs about $120 to $613, a sign $15 or less, and a rescue kit about $30. They’re one-time costs, but they decide whether people can find the AED fast.
- Cabinets: Total AEDs’ own wall cabinet was $119.99 without an alarm, $169.99 with one and $199.99 with an alarm and strobe. Brand-name alarmed cabinets ran $207 to $444, and a surface-mount cabinet with strobe and alarm for LIFEPAK AEDs $613. Philips’s shop listed its cabinets at $384 and $696.
- Open wall mounts: brackets and sleeves cost $64 to $113. They’re cheaper but leave the AED exposed.
- Signs: a flexible wall sign was $14.95 and a facility sticker $0.99. Or print our free AED sign.
- Rescue kits: a CPR/AED rescue kit with gloves, a razor, shears and a CPR mask was $29.99.
- Carry cases: from $75 for a soft case to $564 for a hard shell, if the AED travels.
The Red Cross’s 2025 guidelines say public AEDs should be in unlocked cabinets, so an alarm, not a lock, is the usual way to deter tampering. Our AED placement guide covers where cabinets go and how many you need.
CPR and AED training costs
An online CPR and AED course costs $19.50 to $37, but most workplaces need a course with a hands-on skills check, which training centers price themselves. Cards last 2 years.
On October 13, 2026, the American Heart Association’s store listed Heartsaver CPR AED Online at $19.50. That’s only the online part of the course: to get a card, the learner also completes a hands-on session with an AHA Training Center, and the AHA says each training center sets its own fees. The American Red Cross listed its Adult CPR/AED Online course at $37, but notes that the online-only course doesn’t meet OSHA’s requirements for workplace certification; it points those learners to in-person or blended classes, whose prices vary by location.
Budget for renewals too. Both organizations’ cards last 2 years, so a team of trained responders turns over about half its cards every year. Our guide to CPR and AED certification covers how long each card lasts, and AED Log tracks every responder’s card so renewals are planned, not rushed.
Medical direction and program software
Two costs recur every year: medical direction, which some states require, and the system you use to keep every AED inspected and in date. AED Log’s Medical Direction is $65 per AED per year, and its plans start at $114 a year for 1 AED.
The AED law data in AED Log lists nine states that require physician medical direction for an AED program. Where it’s required, a physician writes the AED prescription, provides written protocols and reviews each use. AED Log’s Medical Direction add-on covers that for $65 per AED per year. See the AED laws by state for what yours requires.
Program software replaces the spreadsheet and the calendar reminders. AED Log charges one flat price per tier rather than per device: $114 a year for 1 AED, $660 for 6 to 10 AEDs and $4,320 for 81 to 100, with unlimited users and locations. The full table is on the pricing page.
The yearly cost of an AED program
For one ZOLL AED Plus in an alarmed cabinet, the first year comes to about $2,476 with medical direction, and each later year to about $243, before training.
| When | What | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ZOLL AED Plus (Total AEDs) | $2,082 |
| Year 1 | Wall cabinet with alarm (Total AEDs) | $169.99 |
| Year 1 | AED wall sign (Total AEDs) | $14.95 |
| Year 1 | CPR/AED rescue kit (Total AEDs) | $29.99 |
| Year 1 | AED Log, 1 AED (annual plan) | $114 |
| Year 1 | Medical Direction, if your state requires it | $65 |
| Year 1 | Total | $2,476 |
| Each later year | Pads and batteries, set aside each year | $64 |
| Each later year | AED Log, 1 AED (annual plan) | $114 |
| Each later year | Medical Direction, if your state requires it | $65 |
| Each later year | Total | $243 |
The yearly pad and battery figure is a reserve, not a bill: ZOLL’s CPR-D-padz and battery cells both last 5 years, so in practice you pay for both in year five. Leave medical direction out if your state doesn’t require it and you don’t want it. Training depends on how many people you train and who teaches them.
Costs scale differently with more AEDs. Pads, batteries and medical direction scale with each unit, while AED Log’s price covers every AED in a tier: $660 a year for up to 10 AEDs, for example.
How to keep AED costs down
The biggest savings come from choosing a model with affordable, long-lasting pads and batteries, buying parts on time rather than early, and never letting an expired part force a rush order.
- Compare five-year costs, not sticker prices. A cheaper AED with short-lived pads can cost more to own than a pricier one with 5-year pads.
- Don’t buy spares too early. Most shelf lives run from manufacture, so a spare set bought years ahead loses life on the shelf.
- Track every date. An expired pad set found on inspection means the AED is out of service until a rush order arrives.
- Standardize on one model across sites, so pads and batteries are interchangeable and easier to stock.
- Look for funding. Grants from health systems, community foundations and state programs help schools, churches and nonprofits; see our AED grants guide.
- Check the model’s future. A discontinued AED may lose its parts supply; our AED model pages say which are still supported.
AED Log’s expiration forecast report lists every pad, battery, certification and document expiring over the next months, grouped by month, so it doubles as a replacement budget.
AED cost FAQ
How much does an AED cost?
Most new public-access AEDs cost about $1,400 to $2,400, and professional models more. Budget too for a cabinet, a sign, CPR training and replacement pads and batteries every few years.
How much do AED pads and batteries cost?
Adult pads cost about $60 to $250 a set and batteries about $85 to $700, depending on the model. Spread over their shelf lives, that is often $50 to $200 a year per AED.
What is the cheapest AED to own?
It depends on pads and batteries as much as the purchase price. Compare each model’s five-year cost: price plus the pads and batteries you’ll replace in that time, and any subscription.
Is a refurbished AED worth it?
It can be, if the model is still supported, approved by the FDA under current rules, and pads and batteries are still sold for it. Check the warranty and how many years of parts are left before you buy.
How much does AED medical direction cost?
AED Log’s Medical Direction is $65 per AED per year. The AED law data in AED Log lists nine states that require physician medical direction; elsewhere it’s optional.