Direct cremation
The simplest, lowest-cost option — typically $800–$3,000 depending on where you look. Here's what it includes and how to avoid paying triple for the same service.
Direct cremation means the body is transported and cremated shortly after the paperwork clears, with the ashes returned to you — no embalming, no viewing, no ceremony beforehand. Any memorial you want can happen later, wherever you choose.
It's also the answer to a question we hear constantly: how much does cremation cost without any services? Because no funeral is attached, you pay only for the cremation itself — which is exactly why it's the lowest-cost path.
What it should cost
Local funeral homes usually charge $1,500–$3,000. Online, direct-to- consumer providers advertise $800–$1,200 in many areas by working with wholesale crematories. For the identical service, that difference is pure savings — which is why comparing is worth ten minutes.
See the typical range where you live on our cremation costs by state pages, and read the full direct cremation guide for the questions to ask.
Compare cremation providers near you
Vetted local and online options, side by side — as they come online in your area.
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