How to Price Windshield Protection Film (ExoShield, ClearPlex, and More) at a Tint or PPF Shop (2026)

Shops that publish windshield protection film prices charge about $450–$650 per standard windshield and $850–$900 for oversize glass such as a Tesla Model X, Cybertruck, or full-size van, and owners on enthusiast forums report paying around $500 installed in 2026. ExoShield estimates 60–90 minutes of installation for its GT3+ film, while shops book anywhere from an hour to a half-day once prep and sensor cutouts are counted. Price it as a wear item, not a lifetime product: manufacturer warranties run from 1 year (XPEL) to 3 years (ExoShield GT3+), cover defects only, and treat wiper scratches as normal wear — so your replacement policy matters as much as the first sale.

The short version

• •A standard windshield sells for about $450–$650. One California shop lists ExoShield at $450 and ClearPlex at $650; an Orlando shop lists ClearPlex at $499. Oversize glass runs $850–$900.
• •It's a consumable, so the warranties are short. XPEL covers 1 year or 12,000 miles, ClearPlex 18 months or 18,000 miles, and ExoShield GT3+ 3 years — for manufacturing defects, not chips or wiper wear.
• •Legality is the biggest unknown. Clear film is still "material on the windshield" in some state codes. California and Florida don't list protection film among their windshield exceptions.
• •Insurance cuts both ways. Florida law waives the comprehensive deductible on windshield damage, which weakens the "save your deductible" pitch there; ExoShield sells an optional glass warranty of up to $1,000 at install.
• •Sell it beside PPF and tint, and write down the re-install price before the film wears out or the glass gets replaced.

What the film is — and what it isn't

Windshield protection film is a thin, clear film applied to the outside of the windshield to absorb rock strikes and pitting. The main products a tint or PPF shop will be offered:

• •ExoShield (Alchemy) — GT3+ is a "PET-based film with proprietary nanoceramic hardcoat," rated at 91.5% visible light transmission, and ExoShield claims six times the impact resistance of glass alone (ExoShield comparison). The line also includes ULTRA (an 8 mil PET film, also sold as a DIY kit) and SPRINT, a TPU film aimed at weekend drivers and low-mileage cars.
• •ClearPlex (Madico) — Madico sells ClearPlex Original and ClearPlex Contour, "a 4-mil, PET-based windshield protection film," and lists visible light transmission of 88–89% with UV rejection above 99% (Madico — ClearPlex).
• •XPEL Windshield Protection Film — announced in February 2024 for worldwide availability in Q3 2024, applied by XPEL dealers (XPEL — windshield film launch).

It isn't permanent or unbreakable. Madico says ClearPlex "should occasionally be removed and replaced," ExoShield's FAQ says to expect "up to 24-36 months" from its film (ExoShield FAQ), and one installer's page says it "cannot guarantee an unbroken windshield" (Blackout Window Tinting).

Bottom line: you are selling a few years of protection on a wear surface, plus the install and the warranty handling. Price and describe it accordingly.

What shops charge in 2026

Few shops publish windshield film prices, but the ones that do cluster tightly:

Prices from Blackout — windshield PPF 2026, Turbo Tint Orlando — ClearPlex, Lucid Owners forum thread, ExoShield — ULTRA DIY.

Shops tier by glass size and shape, not the sedan/SUV/truck classes they use for tint: a standard tier, a Tesla or panoramic tier, and an oversize tier. The $229 DIY kit is the number your customer may find online, so your price has to be explained by what the kit lacks — a clean install around sensor cutouts and someone to call when the film needs replacing.

Bottom line: $450–$650 per standard windshield is the published market, with $850–$900 for oversize glass. Set your tiers by windshield size and complexity.

Install time, film cost, and the bay-hour check

Install estimates vary more than prices do. ExoShield's comparison page puts GT3+ at "60-90 min installation," and its dealer page says it takes the same skills and tools as window tint, with more heat when shrinking (ExoShield — become a dealer). Madico says ClearPlex takes slightly longer than automotive window film because it's thicker, and that Contour cuts install time by up to 75%. On the shop side, Tint World says its film "can be installed within one hour" (Tint World), a Volvo dealer's detail department quotes "about 3 hours" on most cars (McKenna Kosmetics), and Blackout books 3–5 hours — a half-day — depending on glass size and the number of camera and sensor cutouts.

The manufacturers don't publish dealer film pricing. Take your cost per roll, divide by the windshields you actually get from it after waste, add supplies, and run the same check you'd run on a tint tier.

*Example, assuming a $450 sale, $100 of film and supplies, and 1.5 hours of bay time:* ($450 − $100) ÷ 1.5 = about $233 per bay-hour. If the same job takes 3 hours because of a steep, sensor-heavy windshield, it drops to about $117 per bay-hour. Replace every number with your own invoice cost and timed installs before you publish a price.

Bottom line: time your first ten installs by windshield type. The oversize and sensor-heavy tiers are where an underpriced job hides.

The warranties you're actually selling

The film warranty belongs to the manufacturer, but you'll be the one the customer calls. The terms are short and differ on who pays for labor:

Warranty terms from ExoShield — warranty, ExoShield — limited product warranty (2023), Madico — ClearPlex warranty, XPEL — windshield film warranty.

On ClearPlex and XPEL, a defect claim means you supply the labor, so price a warranty reserve into every install. Paperwork decides claims: Madico requires the original receipt, the completed warranty form, and the film roll serial number, and ExoShield asks that installs be registered on its site. And fleet work needs a check first — Madico lists commercial, fleet, and rental vehicles as a prohibited use, and XPEL excludes commercial applications. The PPF aftercare and warranty claims guide covers how to keep claim records that survive.

Bottom line: read the warranty before you pick the film. The one that pays your labor on a defect is worth more to the shop than the longest term on the box.

Write the replacement policy before the first sale

Every windshield film eventually comes off. Decide in advance what that costs:

1. 1.Wear replacement. Wipers are the main enemy — both Madico and XPEL call wiper scratches normal wear. Owner threads report ClearPlex wearing through in about 17 months, and in one case about three months, under wiper and washer use (Rivian Forums thread, 2024). Publish a returning-customer re-install price that includes removal — ExoShield's FAQ describes softening the old film with a heat gun or steamer — not just new film.
2. 2.Windshield replacement. The film leaves with the glass. Offer a set price to re-film the new windshield once it's installed and any camera recalibration is done.
3. 3.Defect claims. Explain the manufacturer's process at pickup. Madico, for example, reviews claims within 45 days of receiving complete documentation.
4. 4.Chipped glass at check-in. Madico doesn't recommend installing ClearPlex over chips, bullseyes, or deep scratches and says the glass should be repaired first. Photograph and note existing chips so the film isn't blamed for them later.

Bottom line: a written re-install price turns a worn-out film into a repeat visit instead of a complaint.

Legality: clear doesn't automatically mean legal

Windshield rules are written around the AS-1 line — the marking on the glass that sets the boundary of the driver's forward view. State codes typically allow windshield tint only in a strip at the top, down to the AS-1 line or a set number of inches; Wraptor's free tint law lookup lists each state's windshield allowance, and the tint laws by state guide explains how to walk customers through them.

Clear protection film sits in a gray zone because some codes ban any material on the windshield, not just tint. ExoShield's own FAQ says "most regulations prohibit any films to be on the windshield that reduce a drivers visibility," notes its 91.5% transmission, and adds that this "is not legal advice." Two examples of how statutes are written:

• •California. Vehicle Code 26708(a)(1) bars driving with "any object or material" applied to the windshield. Subdivision (c) allows transparent material only on the topmost portion of the windshield, and subdivision (e) allows clear, colorless film on the windshield only at 88% or higher light transmission, with the glazing still meeting federal standard FMVSS 205 (including 70% light transmittance and AS-14 abrasion resistance) and the driver carrying a dermatologist's certificate for a medical condition (California Vehicle Code 26708).
• •Florida. Statute 316.2952(2) bars any "sign, sunscreening material, product, or covering" on the windshield except listed items, including a transparent strip at the top that stays out of the AS-1 area (Florida Statutes 316.2952).

Neither list names exterior protection film, so you can't tell customers it's "legal everywhere." Check your state's statute, ask the film maker for its written position for your state, note the film and its light transmission on the invoice, and let the customer decide with the facts in front of them. Laws change; this isn't legal advice.

Bottom line: know your state's windshield rule before you put the film on your menu, and put what you told the customer in writing.

Insurance and the glass-claim pitch

The pitch is usually replacement cost: XPEL's launch release cites Kelley Blue Book's average windshield replacement cost of $1,000, and Blackout lists camera and sensor recalibration at $300–$800 in its 2026 breakdown. Know how insurance works where you are first:

• •Some states waive the glass deductible. Florida law says the deductible on comprehensive coverage "shall not be applicable to damage to the windshield" (Florida Statutes 627.7288). For a Florida customer with comprehensive, a new windshield may cost nothing out of pocket, so the honest pitch there is keeping factory glass and avoiding the downtime and recalibration — not saving a deductible.
• •The film itself is usually on the customer. Blackout tells customers windshield film is an aftermarket accessory not covered by comprehensive or glass coverage. Tell customers to confirm with their agent rather than promising either way.
• •ExoShield's optional Glass Protection Warranty pays up to $1,000 toward windshield repair or replacement for up to 2 years, with no deductible, and can only be added when the film is installed; claims go through the installer (ExoShield — Glass Protection Warranty). If you carry ExoShield, offer it at the counter; it can't be added later.

Bottom line: match the pitch to the customer's state and policy. Overselling insurance savings is how a good add-on becomes a refund request.

Bundle it with PPF and tint

Madico pitches ClearPlex Contour as "a natural upsell" that "works alongside window tint and PPF" — a customer protecting the paint already understands rock chips. Ways to package it:

• •Offer it on every full-front PPF quote as an optional line, priced from your standard and oversize tiers. The PPF pricing guide covers the package math it rides on.
• •Discount the bundle, not the film. LA Wrap & Tint School suggests 10–15% off when customers add complementary services (LA Wrap & Tint School). Put the discount on its own line so your standalone price stays intact — the same approach as the tint pricing guide.
• •Check film compatibility before stacking. Madico lists ClearPlex NC on a windshield that already has interior windshield tint as a prohibited use, and windshield tint has its own legal limits.

Bottom line: the windshield is the cheapest line on a front-end protection quote and the easiest yes. Make sure it's always offered.

Put it on the quote the same way every time

In Wraptor's PPF software, windshield film fits as an optional add-on the customer ticks before approving a PPF or tint quote, and the job keeps that vehicle's warranty record and check-in inspection photos together. Book a demo or start a free trial to set it up with your own tiers.

FAQ

How much does windshield protection film cost? Shops that publish prices charge about $450–$650 for a standard windshield and $850–$900 for oversize glass such as a Tesla Model X, Cybertruck, or full-size van. Owners on enthusiast forums report paying around $500 installed in 2026. ExoShield also sells a DIY kit for select Jeep and Bronco models at $229 with tools.

How long does windshield protection film last? ExoShield says to expect up to 24–36 months from its film, and wiper use is the main wear factor. Manufacturer warranties are short: 1 year or 12,000 miles for XPEL, 18 months or 18,000 miles for ClearPlex, and 3 years for ExoShield GT3+, all covering defects rather than chips or wiper scratches.

How long does it take to install windshield protection film? ExoShield estimates 60–90 minutes for its GT3+ film. Shops book anywhere from about an hour to a half-day of 3–5 hours, depending on windshield size, curvature, and the number of camera and sensor cutouts.

Is windshield protection film legal? It depends on the state, and some codes ban any material on the windshield, not just tint. Beyond a strip at the top, California's Vehicle Code 26708 allows clear film on the windshield only with a dermatologist's certificate, and Florida's statute 316.2952 doesn't list protection film among its windshield exceptions. Check your state's current statute and the film maker's written position before selling it.

Does insurance cover windshield protection film? Treat the film as the customer's own cost; at least one installer tells customers it isn't covered by comprehensive or glass coverage, so they should confirm with their agent. Florida waives the comprehensive deductible on windshield damage itself. ExoShield sells an optional glass warranty of up to $1,000 for up to 2 years, available only at install.

Who pays for labor when windshield film fails under warranty? It depends on the brand. ClearPlex's warranty covers replacement film only, XPEL covers parts while the installer provides labor, and ExoShield says it compensates installers for labor on product replacements. Price a warranty reserve into every install and keep the roll serial number and receipt for claims.

Sources: ExoShield — warranty · ExoShield — limited product warranty (2023) · ExoShield — Glass Protection Warranty · ExoShield — FAQ · ExoShield — product comparison · ExoShield — ULTRA DIY · ExoShield — dealer program · Madico — ClearPlex · Madico — ClearPlex warranty 10/26 · XPEL — windshield film warranty · XPEL — windshield film launch · Blackout Window Tinting — windshield PPF 2026 · Blackout Window Tinting — windshield protection · Turbo Tint Orlando — ClearPlex · Tint World — windshield film · McKenna Kosmetics — windshield protection · Lucid Owners — owner reports · Rivian Forums — ClearPlex wear · California Vehicle Code 26708 · Florida Statutes 316.2952 · Florida Statutes 627.7288 · LA Wrap & Tint School — pricing tint services.