How Much Does It Cost to Restring a Crossbow?

Key Takeaways

• A typical crossbow string replacement cost ranges from $20-$50 for the string itself.

• Replacement cables will add around $75 to the cost.

• The cost to get the string professionally installed can vary widely from $10 to $200, depending on the bow and the work being done.

In the past decade, many states have changed from only letting disabled hunters use crossbows to making them legal for anyone to use. Whether you agree with this or not, one thing is for certain: crossbows are here to stay. With the number of crossbows on the rise, so is the need to service them. 

One of the most common issues is needing to replace crossbow strings. This brings up the question, “How much does it cost to restring a crossbow?” There are many factors that go into the final price, so I’ll break it down into individual sections.

Replacement Crossbow String 

Start With the Cost of the String Itself

You may be able to get a Dacron crossbow string for an older teardrop or recurve-style crossbow in the $20-$40 range. 

The price of a string for newer bows with the latest and greatest bow string material will be higher, usually in the $30-$50 range. 

Do your research before purchasing the string to find a company that specializes in crossbow strings, as many stick to compounds. We often see customers having string issues only to find that the string was built like a compound and not correctly for a crossbow. 

To keep the cost to restring a crossbow to a minimum, choose a bow string company that has a good reputation and has been around for a while. There are many that pop up out of nowhere, sell strings for next to nothing, and are out of business by the time you need them again. 

Do You Need Cables?

The crossbow string replacement cost will be higher if you’re replacing cables at the same time (which we recommend). Many people don’t even realize that their crossbow has cables. All too often, we hear things like, “My crossbow doesn’t have cables. The string is all one piece.” 

I highly recommend factoring in new cables when determining the cost to restring a crossbow. When I’m replacing a string, it’s very rare that I don’t think the cables should be replaced, too. If the bow string has enough shots on it to need replacing, the cables should go with it. 

Likewise, if the broken crossbow string was caused by a dry fire or partial dry fire, the cables were under a large amount of force and should be replaced, as well. With that said, less than 25% of our customers opt to replace both the crossbow string and cables at the same time. 

Adding cables into the mix will raise the cost to restring a crossbow by another $75, give or take, and it’s worth every penny.

Installation Cost to Restring a Crossbow

Factor in the Cost of a Professional Installation

The price of installation can be all over the place. I’ve heard of shops charging as little as $10 (which I can’t understand) to as high as $200. The crossbow string replacement cost depends on the type of crossbow and the amount of work getting done.

While it may be easy to wonder why anyone would pay $200 when it can be done for $10, you have to understand what is being done during this service. Consider what you’re paying for when deciding if the cost to restring a crossbow is worth it.

• Is the $10 guy just slapping the string on, giving you a handshake, and wishing you a good day? 
• Is the $200 guy doing a full teardown, inspection, adding lube, and tuning the bow? 

I would venture to guess that most shops are somewhere between, and the price reflects that. 

A teardrop crossbow would be a very quick and simple change. It can often be done without a bow press or with minimal time in a press. 

A recurve-style crossbow string can be changed very easily with the use of a stringer and can even be done at home. Naturally, the cost to restring a crossbow will be lower than if you were restringing a complex hunting crossbow.

Changing the string on a normal 3-piece crossbow setup isn’t too bad, but if the cables aren’t being replaced at the same time, they should be adjusted for stretch, cam timing, and cam lean. Not doing so can lead to wear issues and decreased performance. 

Same thing with the newer 5-piece style crossbows. These crossbow string replacements generally cost more since they take additional time to do properly. A special crossbow press or adapters are generally needed to work on these, as well. 

Can I Change Crossbow Strings Myself?

This is another question that we get several times a week. You might be tempted to reduce the cost to restring a crossbow by handling it yourself. The short answer is yes, you can DIY, but once we start asking questions, the actual answer is probably no. 

The biggest factor in changing these yourself would be owning a bow press. If you do not own a crossbow-specific bow press, then I would not recommend trying to tackle the project. 

A bow press is used to take the tension off the crossbow so that the string and/or cables can be replaced. I’ve seen some makeshift DIY presses that got the job done, but they looked pretty scary. If something on the press fails, I wouldn't want my fingers in there when 150 pounds of tension let go. 

Aside from the press, if you decide to reduce the cost to restring a crossbow by doing it yourself, you would just need general knowledge on changing strings and making sure everything is set up and tuned properly. 

Order a Custom Crossbow String at 60X

Questions? Check our Crossbow String Q&A or get in touch. Regardless of the overall crossbow string replacement cost, you always get the most bang for your buck here at 60X Custom Strings. Order crossbow string and cables with 100% confidence.