Your home
Your estimate
One system heats and cools. Check local utility rebates — many pay $500–$3,000 for qualifying heat pumps.
How much does a heat pump cost in 2026?
A ducted heat pump costs $8,000 to $18,000 installed in mid-2026 — standard systems at $8,000–$13,000, cold-climate models that hold full heating output near 5°F at $11,000–$18,000, and dual-fuel setups (heat pump plus gas furnace backup) at $10,000–$17,000. That’s 25–40% more than a comparable AC — but a heat pump replaces both your AC and your heating, so the honest comparison is against a furnace-plus-AC combo ($11,000–$19,000), where heat pumps frequently win on price and almost always on operating cost versus electric, oil, or propane heat.
Heat pump cost by home size (installed)
| Home size | Size | Standard | Cold-climate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,200 sq ft | 2 ton | $7,200 – $10,800 | $9,500 – $14,200 |
| 1,800 sq ft | 3 ton | $8,300 – $12,500 | $11,000 – $16,500 |
| 2,400 sq ft | 4 ton | $9,500 – $14,300 | $12,600 – $18,900 |
| 3,000 sq ft | 5 ton | $10,700 – $16,000 | $14,100 – $21,200 |
A note on incentives in 2026
The landscape shifted: the federal 25C tax credit (up to $2,000 for qualifying heat pumps) ended for installations after December 31, 2025, so quotes in 2026 no longer carry that line. What remains is a patchwork worth checking before you sign: state programs (several states run rebates through federal home-energy funds), utility rebates ($500–$3,000 is common for cold-climate models), and manufacturer promotions in shoulder seasons. Ask each bidding contractor to list applicable rebates in writing — good HVAC companies file the paperwork for you, and it’s a useful quality filter.
When a heat pump wins — and when it doesn’t
Clear win: you currently heat with electric resistance, oil, or propane (savings of 30–60% on heating are typical), your AC and furnace are both due, or you’re in a mild-to-moderate climate. Case-by-case: cold climates with cheap natural gas — modern cold-climate units genuinely work at -5°F, but cheap gas narrows the operating savings; a dual-fuel system that runs gas only below ~25°F is often the best-of-both answer there. The must-do: insist on a Manual J load calculation and, in cold states, ask specifically for the unit’s rated capacity at 5°F — not its nameplate tonnage — because that number decides whether your house is warm in January.
Frequently asked questions
Is a heat pump cheaper than a furnace and AC?
Do heat pumps work in cold climates?
How long do heat pumps last?
Is there still a federal tax credit for heat pumps?
Your zones
Your estimate
Includes outdoor condenser, indoor head(s), line sets, electrical circuit, and mounting.
How much does a mini-split cost in 2026?
A ductless mini-split costs $3,500 to $6,500 installed for a single zone in mid-2026, and $8,000 to $16,000 for multi-zone systems conditioning three to five rooms. Cold-climate models that heat efficiently to -5°F add about 20%. Mini-splits own three niches nothing else serves as well: additions and garages without ductwork, homes with no ducts at all (older houses, boiler heat), and room-by-room control for uneven homes — and per unit of energy they’re the most efficient heating/cooling equipment sold.
Mini-split cost by zones
| System | Covers | Installed (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Single zone (9–12k BTU) | 1 room, 350–550 sq ft | $3,500 – $6,500 |
| Dual zone | 2 rooms, up to 1,000 sq ft | $6,500 – $10,000 |
| 3 zones | ~1,500 sq ft | $8,500 – $13,000 |
| 4 zones | ~2,000 sq ft | $10,500 – $15,500 |
| 5 zones (whole home) | ~2,500 sq ft | $12,500 – $18,500 |
Mini-split vs central: the honest framing
For a whole ducted house, a central heat pump usually beats five mini-split heads on price and looks. Mini-splits win when ducts don’t exist (installing ductwork costs $8,000–$15,000 by itself), when you’re conditioning part of a home (one 12k head in a garage gym beats extending ducts every time), or when zoning matters more than aesthetics. The visible wall unit is the real tradeoff — ceiling cassettes hide it for ~25% more. On DIY: pre-charged DIY-rated kits ($1,800–$3,500 per zone) are legitimate for handy owners and legal in most places since no refrigerant handling is needed — but a botched line-set connection has no cheap fix, and pro installation preserves the full compressor warranty.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a mini-split for one room?
What size mini-split do I need?
Do mini-splits heat in winter?
Are mini-splits expensive to run?
Four free calculators for the systems that heat and cool your home — sized to your square footage and climate, with 2026 installed prices for all 50 states.
About these HVAC calculators
HVAC is the trade where getting oversold is easiest — equipment tiers, tonnage, and efficiency ratings give a salesperson plenty of levers. These calculators size systems from your square footage and climate the way a first-pass estimate should, then show the price range good contractors actually bid. Two rules apply to every quote regardless of what you buy: insist on a Manual J load calculation before anyone names a tonnage, and get three bids with equipment model numbers listed — HVAC quotes on identical specs routinely vary 30%+. Prices reflect the industry’s 2025–2026 refrigerant transition; methodology here.