How Much Do Guppies Cost? Average Prices by Variety
Guppies are among the most affordable aquarium fish in the US: on FishyHub, both the guppy category and individual guppy listings sit in the entry-level / budget price tier, and guppy listings have a narrow price spread, so comparable fish are priced alike. Supply is very high and listings are rising. FishyHub does not split guppy listings by variety, so the variety guide below draws on hobby knowledge to explain which strains sit at the top and bottom of that budget tier.
Key Findings
- FishyHub marketplace data shows guppies sit in the entry-level / budget price tier in the US.
- FishyHub data shows US guppy listings have a narrow price spread, so most sellers price comparable guppies alike.
- FishyHub data shows the broader US guppy category has a moderate price spread, leaving room above everyday fish for selected strains and breeding groups.
- FishyHub data shows guppy supply is very high in the US, among the most heavily listed freshwater fish on the marketplace.
- FishyHub data shows guppy listing activity in the US is rising.
- FishyHub data shows guppies share the entry-level / budget tier with other livebearers in the US, including mollies, platies and swordtails.
- FishyHub search data shows "guppy" is among the terms shoppers search for most, with "guppies", "endler" and "blue guppy" also searched.
Guppy Prices in the US at a Glance
| Fish | Price tier | Supply | Price spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guppy listings | Entry-level / budget | Very high | Narrow |
| Guppies (category as a whole) | Entry-level / budget | High | Moderate |
| Mollies | Entry-level / budget | Moderate | Narrow |
| Platies | Entry-level / budget | Moderate | Moderate |
| Swordtails | Entry-level / budget | High | Narrow |
| Bettas, for comparison | Mid-range | High | Wide |
Guppies, in other words, cost about what the other common livebearers cost, and a tier below bettas, the other fish beginners most often buy as a colorful centerpiece.
Guppy Prices by Variety
FishyHub's US data does not break guppies down by strain, so this section is a guide to how varieties typically compare within the budget tier, based on hobby knowledge rather than marketplace figures. Groups are listed alphabetically within each band.
Lower end of the tier
- Feeder and mixed guppies - unselected fish of mixed color, bred in bulk.
- Mixed fancy males - colorful males sold without a named strain.
- Wild-type and common color forms - easy to breed and widely available.
Middle of the tier
- Cobra and snakeskin - patterned body scales, widely bred.
- Endlers - a close relative of the guppy, small and bright, popular for nano tanks.
- Mosaic and grass tails - classic line-bred tail patterns.
- Tuxedo (half black) - dark rear body with a colored tail.
Upper end of the tier
- Albino and red-eye lines - harder to keep pure and often less hardy.
- Dumbo ear - enlarged pectoral fins, a fashionable trait.
- Full red, full black and platinum lines - solid color across body and fins takes careful selection.
- Koi, Moscow and other show strains - true-breeding lines sold as pairs or trios.
- Swordtail and ribbon fin forms - specialist finnage that is harder to stabilize.
Because the price spread for guppy listings is narrow, the gap between these bands is smaller than in fish like bettas or goldfish. The biggest jumps usually come from buying a matched breeding group of a true-breeding strain rather than single males.
Why Guppies Are So Affordable
Guppies are livebearers: females give birth to free-swimming fry every few weeks, and a single group of adults can stock a tank within months. Commercial fish farms in the US, many of them in Florida, have produced guppies at scale for generations, and many home breeders in every region of the country sell their surplus. With very high supply and fish that ship well, prices stay low.
Why Some Guppies Cost More
Within the budget tier, a few things push a guppy's price up:
- True-breeding lines. A strain that reliably produces the same color and finnage has taken years of selection. Breeders price those pairs and trios above single fish.
- Males versus females. Males carry the color and long fins, so they usually cost more. Females of a named strain are valued by breeders, though, because they pass the line on.
- Solid color and rare traits. Full-color, albino and dumbo-ear fish take more selection to produce.
- Imported lines. Some show strains originate with breeders in Asia and cost more when first brought in.
Buying Guppies Online in the US
The fish may be inexpensive, but getting them to you is not always. From general hobby practice rather than FishyHub data:
- Shipping can outweigh the fish. Overnight courier and an insulated box cost the same whether you buy one guppy or a group, so buying a full group from one seller makes far more sense than buying a single fish.
- Temperature in transit. Heat packs are needed for winter shipments to the Midwest & Central, East Coast & Northeast and West Coast & Mountain West zones; cold packs may be needed in summer in the South & Southeast.
- Remote zones cost more. Alaska, Hawaii & territories is usually the most expensive zone to ship live fish to.
- Local fish store or online. Most local fish stores stock common guppies, which avoids shipping entirely. Online sellers are the better source for named show strains and endlers.
Guppies are tropical, so in most US homes they need a heater for much of the year. They prefer moderately hard water, which suits the tap water in much of the Midwest and Southwest.
Methodology
This page is based on FishyHub marketplace activity in the US over the period from October 2024 to October 2026. We looked at active guppy listings and their typical listed prices in USD, price spread, supply, new-listing activity, comparable livebearer categories, and search terms. Findings are reported as tiers and directions, not as figures.
FishyHub does not categorize guppies by strain, so prices by variety are explained from hobby knowledge, not marketplace data, and the title's "average prices" are answered with price tiers. The US market has no order history in this data, and price direction is not reported for the US. Search terms combine the US and Singapore markets. Shipping notes come from general hobby practice; FishyHub does not report shipping costs by zone or guppy activity by state.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a guppy cost?
On FishyHub in the US, guppies sit in the entry-level / budget price tier, with a narrow price spread for guppy listings.
What is the most expensive type of guppy?
True-breeding show strains such as koi, full red, full black, platinum and Moscow lines, especially sold as matched pairs or trios, usually sit at the top of the guppy price range.
Are male or female guppies more expensive?
Males usually cost more because they show the color and finnage. Females of named strains are valued by breeders.
Is it cheaper to buy guppies online or in a store?
For common guppies, a local fish store often works out cheaper because there is no shipping. Online sellers offer more named strains, and buying a group spreads the shipping cost.
How to Cite This Page
Source: FishyHub, "How Much Do Guppies Cost? Average Prices by Variety" (2026), https://fishyhub.com/us/blogs/blog-detail/how-much-do-guppies-cost-average-prices-by-variety
