The cheapest shingles to buy are three-tab asphalt shingles, which are the economy grade of asphalt roofing, costing significantly less than architectural or premium shingles. Among brands, the cheapest options typically include TAMKO Elite Glass-Seal three-tab at 75 to 100 dollars per bundle or 225 to 300 dollars per square, IKO Marathon 25 three-tab at similar price, Owens Corning Supreme three-tab at 80 to 110 per bundle, GAF Royal Sovereign three-tab at 80 to 110 per bundle, and CertainTeed XT 25 three-tab at 85 to 115 per bundle. Three-tab shingles are cheapest because they have a single layer of fiberglass mat, flat appearance, and shorter warranty of 20 to 25 years versus architectural shingles which have two layers and dimensional look and cost 30 to 50 percent more. The absolute cheapest way to buy shingles is to buy builder-grade three-tab from Home Depot, Lowe's, or local distributors during off-season sales in late fall or winter when demand is low, and to buy by the pallet for discount. However, cheapest upfront may not be cheapest long-term, as three-tab shingles last 15 to 20 years versus architectural lasting 25 to 30 years, and have lower wind ratings of 60 to 70 mph versus 130 to 160 mph for architectural, so they may need earlier replacement. For best value cheap but durable, many contractors recommend IKO Cambridge or TAMKO Heritage architectural which cost only slightly more than three-tab but last much longer.
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