Metal vs Asphalt Roofing in 2026: Cost, Lifespan, Hail and Resale

Metal versus asphalt is usually framed as cheap versus premium. The real comparison has more layers: two very different kinds of metal roof, tariffs that raised metal prices, insurance credits that depend on your insurer, and resale numbers that favor asphalt even though metal lasts longer.

The scorecard

Not all metal roofs are the same

This is where most comparisons go wrong. "Metal is two to three times the price of shingles" mixes two different products.

• Exposed-fastener panels (often called corrugated or R-panel) run about $5 to $12 per square foot. Screws go through the panel face, and the rubber washers on those screws age and need attention over the years.
• Standing seam runs about $9 to $16 per square foot. Fasteners are hidden under raised seams, so there is far less to maintain. This is the metal roof most people picture.
• Metal shingles run about $6 to $14 per square foot and imitate the look of shingles, slate or shakes.
• Copper or zinc standing seam runs about $11 to $32 per square foot.

HomeGuide puts the average metal roof at about $23,800 overall. For comparison, asphalt runs about $5,700 to $12,000 for a typical roof at $3 to $5 per square foot.

What 2026 did to prices

Both options got more expensive this year, for different reasons.

• Shingles: manufacturers raised prices in spring 2026, then again on June 1, when Owens Corning, GAF and CertainTeed announced increases of roughly 6% to 10%.
• Metal: Section 232 tariffs on imported steel and aluminum have been 50% since June 2025. A proclamation that took effect in April 2026 applied the full rate to products made almost entirely of metal, and further adjustments followed in June. Metal accessories that every roof needs, such as flashing, drip edge and fasteners, have risen an estimated 15% to 25%.

A metal quote from 2025 is not a fair benchmark for a 2026 job. Ask any bidder to lock the material price in writing.

A 30-year cost comparison

Take a 2,000-square-foot roof as an illustration:

• Architectural asphalt at $4 to $6 per square foot is about $8,000 to $12,000. Over 30 years you might replace it once, depending on climate.
• Standing seam at $9 to $16 per square foot is about $18,000 to $32,000, likely once in your ownership.

If you stay long enough to need a second asphalt roof, the gap narrows sharply, and future asphalt prices will almost certainly be higher than today's. If you sell within ten years, asphalt usually wins: it costs less and, per the 2025 Cost vs. Value report, recoups a larger share of its cost at sale.

Hail, wind and insurance

Impact ratings. Roofing is rated for hail under UL 2218 from Class 1 to Class 4, with Class 4 the most resistant. Both metal roofs and impact-resistant shingles can earn Class 4.

Ratings are not the whole story. In testing by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, polymer-modified impact-resistant shingles passed about 55% of Class 4 impact locations, compared with about 35% for traditional impact-resistant shingles. The label matters, but the product behind it matters too.

Insurance discounts are set by your insurer. Many contractor sites promise fixed discounts, such as "20% to 35%." In Texas, the Department of Insurance states that the discount for each impact class is set by each insurance company. In 2026 it urged insurers to offer meaningful, actuarially supported discounts for impact-resistant and FORTIFIED roofs. Call your insurer before you buy and ask what discount you would get for the exact product.

The cosmetic damage trade-off. Some insurers pair the discount with a cosmetic damage exclusion, meaning dents that do not cause leaks are not covered. That matters most for metal, because hail damage to metal is often cosmetic. Read the endorsement before accepting the discount.

The common myths

• "Metal roofs are loud in the rain." Over solid decking with underlayment, as on most homes, metal is usually not much louder than shingles. Barn roofs over open framing are the loud ones.
• "Metal attracts lightning." It does not attract strikes, and it does not burn.
• "You can always put metal over shingles." Sometimes, but building codes limit roof layers and conditions, and a tear-off lets the installer inspect the deck. Check your local code and the manufacturer's instructions.

Maintenance over the years

Asphalt roofs need periodic checks for lifted or missing shingles, worn flashing and clogged gutters, and small repairs are cheap and easy to find. Exposed-fastener metal roofs need their screws checked over time, because the rubber washers under the screw heads age and can let water in. Standing seam needs the least attention: keep gutters clear, check flashing at chimneys and walls, and have any scratches in the finish touched up so the coating keeps protecting the metal.

Which one should you choose?

Choose asphalt if you plan to sell within about ten years, want the lowest upfront cost, or your roof has many angles and penetrations that make metal expensive.

Choose standing-seam metal if you plan to stay for decades, live where hail or wildfire is a real risk, want minimal maintenance, or your insurer offers a meaningful discount.

Consider Class 4 shingles if you want better hail protection without metal's price. See impact-resistant shingles cost.

Price either option with the roof cost calculator and our roof replacement cost worksheet, and learn how long each lasts in how long a roof lasts.

Cost vs. Value data: © 2025 Zonda Media, a Zonda company. Complete data from the Remodeling 2025 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.