Rooftop Tent Cost Calculator
Price a rooftop tent properly by accounting for the tent itself plus the roof bars, platform or canopy rack it has to sit on, the accessories that make it usable, and the fitting labour. Ranges reflect Australian retailers and 4WD fitters in 2026.
The mounting system is the cost most people forget when they compare tent prices online.
Check the dynamic and static load ratings on your existing bars before you assume they will do. Most factory car bars are rated to 75kg to 100kg dynamic, and a hardshell tent alone is 60kg to 85kg before two adults get in it. Static rating (parked) is what carries the sleepers, but dynamic rating is what governs driving with it up.
Fuel economy is the running cost nobody prices in. A hardshell tent on the roof typically costs one to two litres per hundred kilometres, which is around $400 to $700 a year if you cover 15,000km with it fitted.
Measure your garage height before you buy. A hardshell on a dual cab with a roof platform often sits at 2.3m to 2.5m, which rules out most residential garages and a lot of shopping centre car parks.
💰 Ways to save
- Buy the tent and the mounting system as a bundle from one retailer. Rooftop tent specialists routinely discount bars, platforms and fitting by fifteen to twenty five per cent when they are sold with the tent, because the fitting labour is already booked and the margin sits in the hardware. Buying the tent online and sourcing bars separately usually costs more once you pay retail on the mounting kit and a standalone fitting fee.
- A softshell fold out gives you the most sleeping space per dollar by a wide margin. A two person softshell at $1,100 to $1,900 has a larger floor than a $3,500 hardshell clamshell because the fold out section doubles the footprint. If you are camping in one spot for several nights rather than moving daily, the extra two minutes of setup time is not worth $1,600.
- Buy at the end of the season. Australian rooftop tent retailers discount hard in April and May once the Easter rush ends, and again in late winter to clear the previous model year. Discounts of $300 to $800 on hardshell units are common in those windows, and the tents are identical to what will sell at full price in September.
- Skip the annexe until you have camped in the tent a few times. Annexes are $500 to $900, they add ten minutes to setup and pack down at each end, and a large share of owners use them once and then leave them in the shed. A cheap ground tarp and a chair under the awning covers the same need for most trips.
How we estimate this
## Rooftop tent prices in Australia right now
Pricing reviewed: June 2026.
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Pricing reviewed June 2026. Indicative Australian costs, not a quote.
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Understanding rooftop tent costs in Australia
Rooftop tent prices in Australia right now
Entry level softshell rooftop tents from budget Australian brands start around $700 to $1,100. Mid range softshells from established brands are $1,400 to $2,200. Hardshell clamshells sit between $2,600 and $4,200. Vertical wall pop up hardshells from premium brands run $4,500 to $6,500 for the tent alone, and the top of the market with integrated mattresses and internal lighting passes $7,000.
Those numbers are the tent only. A realistic all in figure for a first time buyer fitting a hardshell to a dual cab with no existing roof hardware is $4,500 to $6,800, because the platform, the fitting and one or two accessories add $1,800 to $2,600 on top.
Softshell versus hardshell in practice
Softshell tents fold out over the side or rear of the vehicle, doubling their footprint. That gives you a bigger floor, more headroom at the peak and a lower purchase price. The cost is setup time (five to ten minutes each way), a cover that has to be zipped on and off, and a tent body that stays damp longer if you pack it wet.
Hardshells open on gas struts in thirty to ninety seconds and close just as quickly, which is transformative if you are moving camp daily. They are also quieter and more aerodynamic on the highway. The trade offs are cost, a smaller sleeping footprint for the same money, and weight. A hardshell is typically 65kg to 90kg against 45kg to 65kg for a comparable softshell.
The mounting system is half the decision
Factory roof rails on most SUVs and dual cabs carry a dynamic rating of 75kg to 100kg, meaning the weight they can carry while driving. Static rating, which applies when parked, is usually two to three times higher because the chassis is not being loaded by cornering and bumps. A 75kg hardshell tent is legal on a 100kg dynamic bar, but there is almost no margin left for an awning or a set of recovery boards.
Heavy duty aftermarket bars are $600 to $950 fitted. A full roof platform with a wind deflector is $1,400 to $2,100. A canopy or tray mounted rack is $1,000 to $1,600. Platforms are usually the right call if you also want an awning, a shovel, a jerry can holder or a solar panel, because everything then mounts to a single flat rail system rather than fighting for space on two bars.
Weight, fuel and driving impact
A loaded hardshell setup adds 90kg to 130kg to the roof, which is the worst place on a vehicle to add mass. Expect noticeably softer turn in, more body roll on winding roads and a genuinely different feel in crosswinds on the highway. Fuel consumption typically rises one to two litres per hundred kilometres, which on 15,000km a year at $1.95 a litre is $290 to $580 in extra fuel.
Many owners fit and remove the tent seasonally for that reason. A hardshell can be lifted off with two people and a set of quick release brackets in about fifteen minutes, and quick release kits cost $150 to $300.
Accessories worth buying and ones to skip
The anti condensation mat at $150 to $220 is the single best value accessory. Rooftop tents condense badly because two people breathing in an enclosed canvas box overnight produces a surprising amount of moisture, and a mat under the mattress lets air circulate so the underside does not go mouldy. An extended ladder at $200 to $300 is essential if your vehicle sits tall, because the standard ladder on many tents assumes a wagon rather than a lifted dual cab.
Annexes at $500 to $900 and insulation liners at $320 to $460 are more situational. Annexes suit long stays and families with kids who need a change room. Liners genuinely help in alpine and desert winter conditions but do nothing useful on the coast.
Installation, legality and insurance
Professional fitting is $250 to $400 for a tent onto existing bars, and $550 to $850 if the fitter is also installing the platform or bars. Most people can DIY the tent onto an existing platform with two helpers, but torque settings on the mounting bolts matter and should be rechecked after the first few hundred kilometres.
Check your comprehensive insurance covers the tent. Many Australian policies treat a rooftop tent as an accessory that must be declared, with a sub limit of $2,000 to $5,000 unless you specifically list it. Given a hardshell setup can be $6,000 fitted, an undeclared tent is a large uninsured exposure. Also check your total vehicle height on a sticker on the dash, because 2.4m plus setups will hit boom gates and undercover car park beams that you have driven under a thousand times without thinking.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a rooftop tent cost in Australia?
Budget softshells start at $700 to $1,100 and mid range softshells are $1,400 to $2,200. Hardshell clamshells run $2,600 to $4,200 and premium vertical wall pop ups are $4,500 to $6,500. Add $800 to $2,100 for a mounting system and $250 to $850 for professional fitting.
Do I need roof bars or a full platform?
Bars are enough if the tent is all you carry, and heavy duty bars are $600 to $950 fitted. A full platform at $1,400 to $2,100 makes sense once you also want an awning, solar panel, jerry cans or recovery boards, because everything mounts to one rail system instead of competing for space on two bars.
How much weight can my roof actually carry?
Most factory bars on SUVs and dual cabs are rated 75kg to 100kg dynamic, meaning while driving. Static rating while parked is typically two to three times that, which is what carries the sleepers. A hardshell tent at 65kg to 90kg leaves very little dynamic headroom, so check the plate or the manufacturer specification before buying.
How much extra fuel does a rooftop tent use?
Expect one to two litres per hundred kilometres extra with a hardshell fitted. Over 15,000km a year at $1.95 a litre that is roughly $290 to $580 annually. Many owners remove the tent between trips using quick release brackets that cost $150 to $300 and take about fifteen minutes.
Is a hardshell worth the extra money over a softshell?
It depends on how often you move camp. Hardshells open in under ninety seconds against five to ten minutes for a softshell, and they pack away wet without drama. But a $3,500 hardshell has a smaller sleeping floor than a $1,600 softshell, so if you stay put for several nights the softshell gives more space per dollar.
Does my insurance cover a rooftop tent?
Usually only if it is declared. Many Australian comprehensive policies apply an accessory sub limit of $2,000 to $5,000 unless the tent is specifically listed on the policy, which is well short of a $6,000 fitted hardshell setup. Call the insurer, declare the value and get the confirmation in writing.
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