The six cost components
| Component | Purpose | What determines its cost |
|---|---|---|
| RFID tags | Identify each item, case, pallet or location | Chip, size, mounting surface, printing and volume |
| Handheld readers | Count, look up and confirm with the handheld | Model, read range and whether they mount on an existing handheld |
| Fixed readers and antennas | Validate the goods that pass through a dock or a door | Number of antennas, cables, brackets and mounting |
| RFID printers | Print and encode labels in the warehouse | Model, label width and print volume |
| Software | Register each EPC and compare what is read with what is expected | System and device licenses |
| Installation and testing | Mount antennas, adjust power and test with the product | Number of doorways, cabling and tuning hours |
What determines the price of a tag
- The product. A standard adhesive tag works on cardboard, plastic or fabric. Metal requires a tag designed for metal, and with liquids the antenna design and the position matter; both cost more than a standard tag.
- Size and printing. A tag that also carries printed text and a barcode is purchased in rolls for an RFID printer.
- Volume. The price per tag decreases with the purchase volume. The quote should use one year of consumption, not the first order.
- Who applies the tag. If the tag comes from the supplier, its cost is in the purchase price; if it is applied in the warehouse, the tagging time must be added.
This guide does not publish prices for tags or third-party equipment: they change with volume, the exchange rate and the distributor, and a generic figure is not useful for a budget. Your RFID equipment distributor quotes them with your actual volume.
The cost of the software in Chainlink
In Chainlink WMS, RFID is available in Professional and Enterprise, whose user licenses are listed on the pricing page. In addition:
- RFID portal: each fixed reader registered as a portal uses one RFID portal license, at US$45 per month in Professional and US$75 in Enterprise, plus VAT.
- Printer: each connected printer, RFID or not, uses one printer license, at US$25 per month, plus VAT.
- Handhelds with an RFID reader: no device license is required.
Chainlink does not sell tags, readers or printers. The equipment field-verified with Chainlink is listed on the hardware page.
How to estimate the cost before requesting quotes
- Define the use. Inventories with a handheld reader, dock validation with portals, or both. Each use requires different equipment.
- Count what will be tagged. Items, cases or pallets per year, separated by type of surface.
- Count the doorways. Each dock or door with a portal requires a fixed reader and its antennas.
- Count the people who will read. Each one needs a handheld reader or a handheld with a built-in reader.
- Decide where tagging takes place. At the source, with the supplier, or at receiving, with an RFID printer.
- Request an on-site test. With the actual product, in the actual locations, before purchasing all of the tags.
What to request in an integrator's quote
- The model of each proposed tag and the read test with your product.
- The read range measured at your facility, not the range on the data sheet.
- The number of antennas per portal and the mounting plan.
- Whether the tag price changes with volume, and how.
- Who adjusts the power and position of the antennas after installation.
- The compatibility of the equipment with your system: for Chainlink, the hardware list.
Why a test should come before tagging all of the stock
The actual read range depends on the tag, the product, the position and the environment: rack metal, liquids and other nearby tags. A test with a few tags, in a representative zone, shows which tag works and how many reads are lost, before the budget for the entire warehouse is committed.