What installers charge
The clearest figures we found come from Pro Dunk. In its answers database it says installation is bought directly from the installer, who quotes by phone or after a visit for complex jobs, and that the average price is usually around $500 to $600. Its THOR product pages show an average of $700 next to the "Find installer" button. In some areas Pro Dunk sells installation directly at checkout.
Goalrilla sends you to its dealers, who often run their own install programs, or to Assembly Help, a national network of independent contractors; it does not publish a price. Goalsetter offers a "find an installer" link on its product pages.
What pushes the quote up: rock or roots in the hole, cutting through an existing slab, a 72-inch glass board that needs three people, and winter pours that need curing blankets.
The hoop itself
On November 12, 2026, the in-ground hoops we compare cost:
- Under $1,000: Silverback NXT 60 $769.95 (polycarbonate), Goaliath Prodigy $799.95, Spalding U-Turn $899.99 (acrylic), Goaliath Ignite $999.95.
- $1,000 to $2,100: Silverback SB60 $1,099.95, Goalrilla GS54C $1,749.95, Lifetime Mammoth 72 $1,749.99 (out of stock), Goalrilla GS60C $2,049.95.
- $2,300 and up: THOR Gold $2,399 (sale), GS72C $2,399.95, All-American $2,599.99, THOR Platinum $2,699 (sale), FT72 $2,949.95, MVP $2,999.99.
Shipping is free on Pro Dunk; check the cart for the others.
Goaliath Ignite 60
The lowest all-in budget for 60-inch glass: $999.95 with board and pole pads in the box, and an anchor kit you can take with you.
8.4/10Good · $999.95 at goalrilla.com, checked Nov 12, 2026
Concrete and materials
The footing is the cheapest part and the one not to skimp on. Goalrilla recommends 12 to 13 bags of mix; Pro Dunk 15 to 20 bags of 80 lb concrete for a THOR Gold and 20 to 25 for a Platinum. Bag prices vary by region, so price your local store; also count a post-hole digger or auger rental if you dig yourself. Our concrete guide lists the figures by model.
Pro Dunk includes the rebar with its pier kit; Goalrilla-family hoops include the anchor kit (9 inch on Goalrilla, 7 inch on the Silverback SB60 and Goaliath Ignite).
Pads and accessories
Pads protect players from the pole and the board edge. They are included with the Pro Dunk THOR models (pole, gusset and backboard pads), the Silverback SB60 and the Goaliath Ignite. On Goalrilla's GS and FT models they are extra: on November 12, 2026, Goalrilla listed its square pole pad at $170.96 on sale ($189.95 regular) and its universal backboard padding at $259.95 regular. That is roughly $400 to add to a Goalrilla budget if you want both.
Three realistic budgets
Using the prices above and Pro Dunk's installer range:
- Starter glass, DIY: Goaliath Ignite $999.95 with pads, plus concrete and a rented auger. Your weekend is the labor.
- Mid-range, installed: Goalrilla GS60C $2,049.95, plus about $400 of pads, plus a $500 to $700 install: around $2,950 to $3,150 before concrete.
- Premium, installed: Pro Dunk THOR Gold $2,399 on sale with pads included, plus about $700 of installation: around $3,100.
Notice how close the last two land. Pads in the box matter more than they look on a product page.
Costs people forget
- Pads. Included with Pro Dunk THOR, Silverback SB60 and Goaliath Ignite; about $400 for both on a Goalrilla (sale prices, November 12, 2026).
- Auger or tool rental if you dig yourself, and a second trip for concrete if you run short.
- Cutting an existing slab when the pole has to go through concrete; Pro Dunk notes it is common to cut or jackhammer through and pour a proper footer.
- Winter extras: curing blankets, which Goalrilla prices around $50 to $60.
- Upgrades: Pro Dunk's Lightning Adjust drill drive is $249 and its Rust Armor version $129, both optional.
Where you can save without regret
Buy in the right season. Pro Dunk was running a Black Friday sale until November 27, 2026 ($2,399 on the THOR Gold against $2,900 listed). Sales come and go, so check the date next to every price on our pages.
Pick a hoop with pads included if you would buy them anyway. And size the hoop to the driveway: a 60-inch board on a two-car driveway costs less and plays better than a 72-inch board squeezed in. Our driveway ranking weighs price and overhang for exactly that reason.
How to get a fair installation quote
Installers price from what they see, so give them the details up front: the exact model and board size, the hole size and concrete from the manual (or from Pro Dunk's figures for a THOR), photos of the spot, whether the pole goes through an existing slab, and whether you want them to haul away the old hoop. Pro Dunk says installers can usually quote by phone, with a visit for more complex jobs.
Ask whether the quote includes concrete, how long they leave it curing before mounting the board, and who levels and adjusts the hoop at the end. A good installer will also walk you through the overhang chart before digging, since the spot is permanent.
When the cheaper hoop ends up costing more
Installation is a one-time cost, and that changes the math in a way most buyers miss. Digging, concrete and a weekend of work (or an installer's quote) cost about the same whether you set a $800 hoop or a $2,400 one. The hole does not care about the logo on the board.
So the real question is how long you want that hole to serve. Look at the warranties in our data: the Goaliath and Silverback models carry a 5-year limited warranty, while the Goalrilla, Goalsetter and Pro Dunk THOR models carry a limited lifetime warranty. If a budget hoop has to be replaced in a few years, you pay the hoop again, and on a direct-bury pole like the Silverback NXT 60, you dig again too.
Anchor kits help here. Most of the hoops we compare bolt onto an anchor set in concrete, so a later upgrade can sometimes reuse it if the bolt pattern matches. Ask the maker before you count on it; patterns differ between brands.
None of this means you must buy the expensive one. A five-year hoop for kids who will leave home in five years is a sensible choice. Just spread the install cost over the years you expect to play, not over the hoop alone, and the middle of the range (the GS60C, the THOR Gold) often turns out to be the better deal.
Is DIY worth the savings?
For a 54- or 60-inch hoop on easy soil, many families do it themselves: the makers publish step-by-step guides and videos, and Goalsetter's hinged anchor lets you assemble on the ground. For a 72-inch glass board or difficult ground, the $500 to $700 buys you a level pole, a footing done right and nobody holding a glass board on a ladder. Our installation guide shows what the weekend involves, so you can decide honestly.
Our three picks for this guide
Scores come from our published formula; the full list is in the ranking.
