Buying guide · 2 min read
Desktop CNC routers under $500
Every desktop CNC router in the record priced under $500: what the money buys on paper, which leads on each published figure, and what you'll still need.
This page lists every machine in the record priced under $500, as each maker listed it on 1 November 2026. There are two, from $219.00 to $399.00. It doesn't rank them or recommend one: it shows what the money buys on paper and points out which machine leads on each published figure. Nobody has tested these machines for this site.
What this budget gets you on paper
- Work area: from 290 × 180 mm to 300 × 205 mm where published.
- Router or spindle included: 1 of 2.
- Drive: 0 with ballscrews on every axis, 1 with leadscrews on every axis, 1 that doesn't fully publish it.
- Closed-loop motors: 0 of 2.
All the machines
| Machine | Price | Work area | Z | Drive | Spindle incl. | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SainSmart 3018-PROVer V2 | $219.00 | 290 × 180 mm | 40 mm (1.6") | Leadscrew | Yes | Not published |
| SainSmart 3020-PRO MAX V2 | $399.00 | 300 × 205 mm | 78 mm (3.1") | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Which leads on each published figure
These come straight from the numbers. None of them says a machine is better, only which one has the most or least of something its maker publishes.
- Largest published work area: SainSmart 3020-PRO MAX V2, 300 × 205 mm.
- Tallest published Z: SainSmart 3020-PRO MAX V2, 78 mm (3.1").
- Lowest price per square foot of work area: SainSmart 3018-PROVer V2, about $390 per sq ft (my calculation; it ignores everything but X and Y).
- Includes a router or spindle: SainSmart 3018-PROVer V2.
- Most complete spec page (fewest of drive, linear guides, controller, footprint, weight and warranty missing): SainSmart 3018-PROVer V2, 3 missing.
What you'll still need to budget for
- Design and toolpath software for SainSmart 3020-PRO MAX V2, whose pages don't name any.
- Bits, clamps and some way of dealing with dust. No page in the record includes these in the base price.
More detail is in what's in the box and what a desktop CNC router costs.
How this page is made
It's generated from the same data as the machine record every time the record is rebuilt, so it changes when a maker changes a price or a spec. The figures above that aren't on any maker's page (price per square foot and the "most complete" count) are my own calculations from the published ones. There are no affiliate links, and nothing here depends on whether a maker pays anyone. Before you buy, check the maker's page; prices change often. Compare these side by side.
Sources
Read on 1 November 2026. Quotes are copied from these pages.