What Is My Crane Worth? 2026 Pricing Guide

Cranes are one of the most varied categories in heavy equipment. A 20-ton rough terrain crane and a 600-ton crawler crane both carry the same basic question: what is it actually worth on the current market?

The answer depends on the type, capacity, boom configuration, hours, and current demand in your region. This guide walks through each category with realistic 2026 price ranges and the key factors that move value up or down.

The Short Answer

Used crane values in 2026 range from $25,000 for a small boom truck in fair condition to $2 million-plus for a well-maintained 300-ton crawler or all-terrain crane with full certifications. The spread is wide because cranes are specialized machines bought by a narrow pool of buyers. That makes accurate comp data more important here than almost anywhere else in equipment.

Rough Terrain Cranes (20-120 ton)

Rough terrain cranes are the most liquid segment of the used crane market. Manufacturers including Grove, Link-Belt, Manitowoc, and Tadano produce the most common units. Buyers range from general contractors to specialty lift companies.

Capacity	3-5 Years Old	7-10 Years Old	12-15 Years Old
20-30 ton (Grove RT530E-2, Link-Belt RTC-8030)	$200,000-$280,000	$120,000-$175,000	$65,000-$100,000
40-50 ton (Grove RT540E, Link-Belt RTC-8050)	$280,000-$380,000	$175,000-$250,000	$95,000-$140,000
75-80 ton (Grove RT875E, Manitowoc 75T)	$450,000-$600,000	$280,000-$390,000	$145,000-$210,000
100-120 ton (Grove RT9130E, Link-Belt RTC-80100)	$700,000-$950,000	$420,000-$590,000	$210,000-$310,000

Crawler Cranes (50-500+ ton)

Crawler cranes retain value well when maintained and certified. The market thins out above 150 tons, which cuts both ways: fewer buyers, but also fewer competing units for sale. Manitowoc, Liebherr, Kobelco, and Tadano dominate this segment.

Capacity	5-8 Years Old	10-15 Years Old	18-25 Years Old
80-100 ton (Kobelco CKE900G, Manitowoc 11000)	$600,000-$850,000	$350,000-$530,000	$150,000-$260,000
150-200 ton (Liebherr LR 1160, Tadano GTC-1000)	$1,100,000-$1,500,000	$600,000-$900,000	$270,000-$430,000
300-400 ton (Manitowoc 2250, Liebherr LR 1300)	$2,000,000-$3,000,000	$1,100,000-$1,700,000	$480,000-$780,000

Note: Crawler cranes often sell as a package with jib sections, luffing attachments, and additional counterweight. A complete rigging package can add 10-25% to the base machine value. Value them together and disclose the full configuration to buyers.

All-Terrain Cranes (60-1,200 ton)

All-terrain cranes are Liebherr's and Grove's core product in the high-capacity road-traveling segment. They hold value extremely well at the high end because there are very few alternatives and they require significant capital to replace.

Capacity	5-8 Years Old	10-15 Years Old
100-130 ton (Grove GMK5130-2, Liebherr LTM 1100-5.2)	$1,200,000-$1,700,000	$650,000-$950,000
200-250 ton (Grove GMK6250L, Liebherr LTM 1200-5.1)	$2,200,000-$3,000,000	$1,200,000-$1,700,000
500+ ton (Liebherr LTM 1500-8.1, Grove GMK7550)	$5,000,000+	$2,500,000-$4,000,000

Boom Trucks (10-50 ton)

National Crane, Manitex, and Elliott dominate the boom truck market. These are the most accessible crane purchase for a small lifting company or contractor. Demand is steady because they serve a wide range of jobs and require only a commercial driver's license for road travel, not a crane operator certification in most states.

Capacity	3-5 Years Old	7-10 Years Old	12-15 Years Old
10-15 ton (National 690E2, Manitex 1770C)	$80,000-$130,000	$45,000-$75,000	$22,000-$42,000
20-30 ton (National 14110H, Manitex 2892C)	$150,000-$220,000	$85,000-$130,000	$40,000-$70,000
40-50 ton (National 1400, Elliott 50140R)	$250,000-$350,000	$140,000-$200,000	$65,000-$100,000

What Drives Crane Value Up or Down

Annual Inspection and Certification

This is the biggest single factor in crane value after capacity and hours. A crane with a current annual inspection and ASME B30.5 compliance documentation sells for 15-25% more than an identical machine that has been sitting idle and needs an inspection cycle to return to work. Buyers price in the cost and time to get a non-certified crane back into service.

Boom Condition

Boom sections are expensive to repair or replace and difficult to inspect without the machine. A clean, straight boom with no dents or cracks on the chord sections is worth significantly more than one with cosmetic damage. Buyers will deduct $20,000-$80,000 for boom work depending on the section size and repair needed.

Load Line and Block Condition

Wire rope and load blocks are consumables, but they factor into value because a buyer who needs to work immediately will deduct their replacement cost. Current rated capacity of the block and the rope's remaining service life affect how fast a crane goes from purchase to productive work.

Hours

Crane hours mean less than they do on earthmoving equipment because many cranes work intermittently. A rough terrain crane with 8,000 hours that spent most of its life on monthly maintenance contracts may have less actual cycle wear than one with 4,000 hours that worked industrial shutdowns at full capacity. Context matters. Engine hours, swing gear wear, and carrier frame condition tell more of the story than the hour meter alone.

Brand and Parts Availability

Grove, Liebherr, and Link-Belt command premiums in the US market because parts and service networks are established and dealer support is accessible. Lesser-known brands and older discontinued lines sell at a discount because buyers price in parts risk and potential downtime.

Region and Market Demand

Cranes follow infrastructure and energy work. Markets with active construction, wind energy, petrochemical, or heavy civil work pay more for the same machine than markets where lifting contracts are thin. The Gulf Coast, Southeast, Mountain West, and major metro markets typically show stronger crane values than rural or lower-construction-activity regions.

Getting a Crane Valuation Right

Standard equipment valuation tools often have thin crane comp data because transactions are less frequent and less publicly reported than earthmoving or ag equipment. The result: you see wide ranges or dated comps that don't reflect current market conditions.

A crane with $120K trade-in versus $175K retail is a $55K gap. Knowing where your machine sits in that range before a buyer makes an offer is the difference between a good deal and giving away margin.

Get a free crane valuation on EquipBook. Enter your make, model, year, capacity, and condition. The tool returns a trade-in range, retail range, and comparable market data so you know the real number before any negotiation starts.

Repair Costs Matter Too

If your crane needs inspection work, hydraulic repairs, or a boom section replaced before it goes to market, knowing the cost matters as much as knowing the value. A repair that brings a crane back to full certification can add more to the sale price than it costs, but only if the numbers work.

Use EquipBook's free repair cost estimator to get a labor and parts range for crane hydraulic systems, swing gear repairs, and carrier maintenance before you call a shop. Know the cost before you commit.