How To Get a Prototype Made: Steps & Costs (2026)

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A prototype is an early, unreleased version of your product that you can touch and test. 

A prototype lets you confirm your design works as planned and gives you something tangible to show manufacturers before you place a bulk order. You need a prototype before a manufacturer can make your new product idea at scale.

This guide walks through each stage of developing a prototype for a physical product, up to the point where you’re ready for mass production.

What is a prototype?

A prototype is an early, unreleased version of your product. Entrepreneurs make prototypes to envision their finished product, identify flaws, and gather feedback from their target market before investing in mass production.

There are two main types of prototypes: 

• Visual prototypes. These show your product’s appearance, including its shape, size, color, and finish.
• Functional prototypes. These show your product’s functionality, or how it will work.

Both visual and functional prototypes can start as virtual models before becoming physical ones. A virtual prototype is a digital 3D model built in computer-aided design (CAD) software, which you can view and adjust on screen before making anything physical. “Visual” describes what a prototype shows, while “virtual” describes its format. 

Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, says the type you need depends on your goal.

“You don’t always need both,” he says. “You need to understand the purpose of your prototype. Is it for you to assess manufacturing? Is it to sell it back to clients? Is it to test it or sell it on Kickstarter? You need to know your objective and have that in mind first.”

Your prototype can go through several evolutions during the product development process:

• Concept prototype. Sometimes called a proof of concept,this is a rough model made from materials like cardboard, clay, or foam to test your basic idea and proportions.
• Working prototype. This version functions like the finished product, so you can test how it performs and gather feedback.
• Production-ready prototype. Also called a pre-production sample, this version uses the final materials and manufacturing methods, so it accurately represents the final product that a manufacturer can reproduce at scale.

Why do I need a prototype?

• Identify hidden problems
• Get feedback from customers
• Reduce business risk and secure investment

A prototype helps you catch problems, gather feedback, and reduce risk before mass manufacturing.

Identify hidden problems

A prototype gives you something physical to use and test, so you can spot flaws in your design––the top reason shoppers return products––before customers do. For their 2026 E-Commerce Trends Report, DHL surveyed 29,000 online shoppers across 29 countries. Sixty percent of respondents who returned a purchase said the item was faulty, poor quality, or didn’t meet their expectations.

Sometimes testing a prototype shows that a flaw can’t be fixed, and the idea itself needs to change. The team behind Heyday Canning Co. set out to make a chili crisp dumpling soup, but prototyping revealed that the canning process consistently destroyed the dumplings. They considered rebranding it as “broken dumpling soup,” then decided to focus on other recipes better suited to canning.

Get feedback from customers

A prototype lets you collect feedback from your target audience while you can still change your design. You can adjust your product’s materials, features, or look before you place a manufacturing order.

Ann McFerran, founder of Glamnetic, shared prototypes with friends during development to see how they reacted.

“I bring my friends along on the journey of testing,” she says on the Shopify Masters podcast. “You need to be inquisitive and not just depend on your own opinion, because you could be skewed in a certain way or not considering all angles.”

Ann used that feedback to refine each version of her prototype. “By the final prototype, when I handed it to somebody, they were literally freaking out. They were like, ‘This is the craziest beauty product I’ve ever tried,’ she says. “It got me excited and so much more confident about my own product.”

Reduce business risk and secure investment

A prototype lets you test demand before you pay for a manufacturing run.

When investors weren’t sure customers would buy Hearth Display, a digital whiteboard for organizing family life, the founders used a visual prototype to make their case. Susie Harrison, one of Hearth’s cofounders, explains on an episode of Shopify Masters.

“We started by quite literally just showing families designs of the actual product designs of the software features—not even a fully baked, engineered software experience but rather just a designed Figma screen of what Hearth could be like,” says Susie.

How to get a prototype made

1. Protect your intellectual property (IP)
2. Sketch and define your idea
3. Create a virtual product prototype
4. Build a low-fidelity mock-up
5. Build your first physical prototype
6. Start working with manufacturers
7. Refine your prototype
8. Get feedback
9. Launch a minimum viable product (MVP)

Follow these steps to take your product from idea to launch:

1. Protect your intellectual property (IP)

Building a prototype means sharing your idea with designers, engineers, and manufacturers. Intellectual property (IP) laws and legal agreements can help protect your design and inventions before you do.

Cassidy Caulk, founder of Kindred Label, secured three patents before launching her folding luxury sandal. 

“You could have the best idea in the world, but if people then go and rip it off [you’re in trouble]. The one thing you can do on the front end is try to protect yourself,” she says on an episode of Shopify Masters.

Before you share detailed sketches, specifications, or samples with anyone outside your business, such as a product designer or manufacturer, consider asking them to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA). 

An NDA is a contract in which the person receiving your information agrees not to share or use it without your permission. It keeps your conversations confidential, but patent ownership comes from the patent itself.

The timing of your patent application matters. The US follows a first-inventor-to-file system, which replaced the first-to-invent system on March 16, 2013, so patent rights are tied to when you file, not when you came up with the idea. 

A provisional patent application is one way to lock in an early filing date. It’s a lower-cost first filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that doesn’t require formal patent claims and isn’t examined, but it lets you label your product “patent pending.”

That filing date comes with a deadline. A provisional application lasts 12 months, and the USPTO won’t extend it, so you need to file a full (non-provisional) patent application within that window to keep your early date. Provisional applications also aren’t available for design patents, which protect a product’s appearance.

The USPTO describes those 12 months as time to assess your invention’s commercial potential before committing to the higher cost of a full application. That makes a provisional application an option if you’re still refining your prototype but need to start sharing it with manufacturers or testers. If you’ve already shown your product publicly, like through a sale, publication, or public use, US law still allows you to file within 12 months of that disclosure. However, the disclosure may prevent you from patenting it in other countries.

Work with a registered patent attorney or agent to decide which protections fit your product, including trademarks for your brand name and logo.

2. Sketch and define your idea

With your idea protected, the next step is to get it out of your head and onto paper. Your sketch doesn’t need to be polished, and pen and paper or a free drawing app will do. Its job is to pin down exactly what you’re making.

Include these details in your sketch or alongside it:

• Dimensions. Note the length, width, height, and weight you’re aiming for, plus any size limits, like needing to fit in a pocket or on a standard shelf.
• Materials. List what each part could be made from and what the material needs to do, such as resist water, hold its shape, or flex without breaking.
• How it works. Describe how people will use the product, step by step, including any moving parts, closures, or mechanisms.
• Defining features. Write down what makes your product different from what’s already available. Mark which features are essential and which are nice to have, so you know what to keep if cost or manufacturing limits force a trade-off.

Kindred Label’s sandal shows how these details work together. Cassidy, the brand’s founder, designed leather soles that fold in half using elastic hinges and magnets, so the sandals fit in a handbag. That sentence covers the product’s size goal, its materials, and the feature that makes it unique.

Add measurements and notes directly to your sketch, or write them up as a one-page product brief. You’ll use this information in the next step to build a virtual prototype, and again when you ask prototype makers and manufacturers for quotes.

3. Create a virtual product prototype

Once your sketch and product details are ready, turn them into a virtual prototype, a digital model you can view and adjust on screen before making anything physical. 

The tools you need to do this will depend on what you’re making.

For a physical product, that means a 3D model built in computer-aided design (CAD) software. CAD programs such as Onshape or Tinkercad let you build your product to exact measurements and rotate it to see every angle. You can export the finished CAD file for 3D printing and share it with prototype makers and manufacturers in the steps that follow. If you’d rather not build the model yourself, a freelance product designer or engineer can turn your sketch into one.

Interface design tools like Figma, Uizard, and Framer are built for designing app and website screens. They’re relevant if your product has a display or a companion app, since you can mock up what people will see and tap. Hearth Display’s cofounders, for example, used Figma screen designs to show families how their digital whiteboard’s software would work before it was built.

4. Build a low-fidelity mock-up

A low-fidelity mock-up is a rough physical model of your product made from inexpensive, easy-to-shape materials like cardboard, foam, clay, or craft supplies. 

It won’t look or work like the finished product, but it lets you hold your idea and check its size and shape before you spend money on a more accurate prototype. 

Cassidy’s first folding sandal mock-up started with a pair of sandals she bought online. 

“I ordered a pair of sandals off Amazon and just started sawing away at them with a bread knife,” she says. “From there, I went to Michaels, got different craft materials, and started building this first prototype to give a visualization.”

Building mock-ups herself also taught Cassidy how her sandal was put together, which helped when she started working with manufacturers. “Had I not been making samples myself, there’s no way I could have translated the engineering side of our concept to the manufacturing side,” she says.

If you need tools you don’t own, look for a makerspace. A makerspace is a shared workshop where members can use equipment like 3D printers, laser cutters, and woodworking tools. Makerspaces can be found in some public libraries. The Beatrice Public Library makerspace in Nebraska, for example, charges $7 a day or $15 a month for equipment access, plus material costs.

5. Build your first physical prototype

With a mock-up in hand, the next step is a prototype that looks and works more like the finished product. 

Here’s how four build routes compare:

Computer numerical control (CNC) machining and 3D printing are both rapid prototyping methods, and the right build route depends on your product’s materials, budget, and how many copies you need.

You can order CNC machining and casting directly from specialist shops, or a prototyping firm or engineer can arrange them for you.

Find a third-party prototyping supplier or engineer

If you don’t have the skills or equipment in-house, a prototyping firm or product engineer can turn your sketch and brief into working prototypes.

Kindred Label’s Cassidy turned to an engineering company after a manufacturer sent her an unusable sample. The firm designed her sandal’s folding mechanism, and while it cost more and took longer than she expected, the result was a working prototype ready for shoe manufacturers.

To find a supplier, ask other product founders for referrals or search engineering and freelance directories. Some makerspaces and university engineering departments also offer prototyping help.

Before you hire anyone, check for:

• Relevant experience. Ask for examples of products they’ve built with similar materials or mechanisms.
• IP ownership. Confirm in writing that you own the designs and CAD files they create for you.
• Confidentiality. Have them sign an NDA before you share your sketch or brief.
• A written quote. Get the cost, timeline, and number of included revisions in writing, so that you can compare suppliers on equal terms.

Try 3D printing

Three-dimensional printing, aka 3D printing, is a form of rapid prototyping that builds a physical version of your CAD file layer by layer.

You don’t need to own a printer. Makerspaces can have 3D printers you can book, and online 3D printing services will print and ship parts from a file you upload.

Every printer has a maximum build size, so larger products may need to be printed in sections and joined. A 3D printer also makes only the physical parts of your product, so you’ll need to source and fit any electronics, like circuit boards or batteries, separately.

6. Start working with manufacturers

Once you have a working prototype, you need a partner who can manufacture it at scale. Start with the prototyping supplier you already work with. Some prototyping shops and engineering firms also run production in-house.

Before you look elsewhere, ask your prototyping supplier about:

• Volume. Whether they can produce your product at the volume you need and what their minimum order quantity is.
• Process. Whether production will use the same process and materials as your prototype, such as injection molding or CNC machining, or whether the design needs changes.
• Handoff. If they can’t manufacture at volume, which factories they recommend, and whether you’ll own the files, molds, and tooling to take there.

Industry trade shows are another place to meet manufacturers. Once you have a shortlist, send each one the same brief and ask for a quote.

Cassidy interviewed five different factories to find the right manufacturer for Kindred Label. 

“For some of them, the concept was a little out-there,” she says. 

At that point, she had an engineering prototype of her folding sandal, but she needed a manufacturing partner to turn it into a functioning shoe. She ended up choosing a small family-owned factory in Portugal that shared her vision.

7. Refine your prototype

Prototyping is iterative, so plan for more than one round of revisions and build them into your product development timeline and budget.

When you get quotes, confirm how many rounds of changes are included. Keep a simple log of what changed in each iteration and why, so you and your supplier can track what’s working.

As you refine your prototype, avoid these mistakes:

• Testing only in stand-in materials. If your prototype uses materials that are cheaper or easier to get than your production materials, test at least one version in the real thing.
• Changing several things at once. If you adjust the size, material, and mechanism in the same round, you can’t tell which change fixed a problem or caused a new one.
• Waiting until the final version to get feedback. Share each round with testers before you make the next one.
• Leaving labels and packaging until last. Review them alongside the product itself, since a missing label detail can mean reprinting stock.

8. Get feedback

Between revision rounds, put your prototype in front of the people you’re designing for. 

They can show you what works, what doesn’t, and which features matter most to them, including things you might not have considered.

Places to find testers include:

• Your existing audience. If you already sell online or have an email list or social following, invite customers to apply as testers.
• Online communities. Post a call for testers in forums or social media groups where your target market spends time.
• Local groups and events. Host a small focus group in your area, or bring your prototype to relevant markets or meetups.
• Your personal network. Friends and family can help with early rounds, as they did for Ann at Glamnetic. Add testers from outside your circle too.

Screen applicants with a few questions about who they are and how they’d use your final product, so your testers match your target customers. 

If you have a Shopify store, Shopify Forms lets you build a tester sign-up form that tags each applicant as a customer. To set one up, go to Apps > Forms in your Shopify admin and click Create form.

Decide what you want to learn before each round. Depending on your product, test for:

• First impressions. Hand over the prototype without explaining it, and watch how testers try to use it.
• Core function. Ask testers to complete the main task your product is designed for, and note where they struggle.
• Real-world use. Have testers use the prototype in their normal routine over several days to check fit, comfort, and performance.
• Purchase intent. Ask whether they’d buy it, what they’d change, and how much they’d pay.

Use their answers to shape your next prototype.

Some products also need formal safety testing before you can sell them. In the US, federal law requires every children’s product covered by a federal safety rule to be tested by a CPSC-accepted third-party laboratory. Rules vary by product category and country, so check what applies to yours.

9. Launch a minimum viable product (MVP)

Not every new product needs to be perfect before you start selling. A minimum viable product (MVP) is a simplified but functional version you introduce to the market for early product validation. It also lets you test demand before the final stage of product development.

Once your prototype reaches the MVP stage, consider creating an online store to collect orders from early adopters.

With an ecommerce platform like Shopify, you can create an online storefront fast and start promoting your products. A few early sales can show demand before you invest in full-scale production.

How much does it cost to get a prototype made?

The cost to get a prototype made depends on who builds it, what materials it needs, and how many revision rounds you go through. 

Here’s what you pay for with each option:

When you compare prototype quotes, look at:

• Labor rates. Ask for the hourly rate and estimated hours rather than a single total, so you can see where the money goes.
• Revision costs. Check how many rounds the quote includes and what each extra round costs. A lower quote with one included revision can end up costing more than a higher quote with three.
• Turnaround times. Compare the delivery date for each round, and ask whether a faster turnaround costs extra.

Get at least two quotes for the same brief, so you’re comparing like for like.

Start making prototypes today

If you want to test market demand before investing in prototyping and manufacturing, consider sourcing products from other brands to validate your product concept first. With Shopify Collective, you can sell products from thousands of other Shopify brands, and they ship the orders.