Buyer's guide

Is Ted's Woodworking Worth It in 2026? An Honest Buyer's Guide

Quick answer

Ted's Woodworking costs $67 one time when we checked on Oct 9, 2026; every add-on and the $27/month membership offer are optional. It pays off if you build from four or more plans and read drawings comfortably. Quality is uneven, so test it in week one and use the advertised 60-day refund window if it falls short.

Woodworking plans, pencil, and tape measure on a warm walnut workbench

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Quick verdict

Worth it for: hobbyists who will build at least four or five projects from a plan this year, people who like browsing a big library before picking a build, and anyone who reads a cut list comfortably and only needs dimensions and drawings.

Not worth it for: someone who wants one specific project (buy that single plan), a total beginner who needs step-by-step video for every joint, or a buyer who knows they will click "yes" on every upsell.

Price we checked on Oct 9, 2026: $67 one time. Everything else offered during or after checkout is optional.

The real cost, line by line

The sales page states that the "standard" price is $39 per month. When we checked on Oct 9, 2026, there was no monthly option at checkout. The only thing you have to pay is the one-time $67.

What surprises some buyers is the number of offers that follow. None are required, but it helps to know they are coming so you can decide in advance.

ItemPrice (Oct 9, 2026)Required?
Ted's Woodworking core package$67 one timeYes
Jigs & fixtures guide (checkout add-on)$14.95No, a pre-ticked box is worth checking for
Hand tools guide (checkout add-on)$9.95No
Log home plans (checkout add-on)$7.95No
Post-purchase offers$49, $39.95, $27, $39.97No
Membership offer$27 per monthNo, recurring if accepted

If you said yes to everything, you would spend far more than $67 and add a monthly charge. If you said no to everything, you pay $67. Decide your number before you open the order form.

Hands holding a pencil over a printed project plan on a walnut workbench

What you get for $67

According to the sales page, the package is a members area of PDF plans, many with DWG files you can open in CAD software. A custom plan request is also included.

The vendor claims more than 16,000 plans. We cover what that number really means further down.

Four bonuses are listed with the core package:

DWG/CAD plan viewerSoftware to open and view the DWG drawings, per the vendor.
150 woodworking videosA video library covering techniques and projects, per the vendor.
Woodworking business guideA guide on starting a small woodworking business, per the vendor.
Complete woodworking guidesReference guides on tools, joinery, and shop basics, per the vendor.

The business guide is information only. It does not promise sales or income, and neither do we. If selling builds interests you, our list of woodworking projects that sell is a more practical starting point.

See what's inside →

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The math: cost per plan you will actually use

Single plans from independent designers and magazines commonly sell for about $5 to $20 each, with larger furniture plans at the top of that range. That is the fair comparison, not a catalog of 16,000.

Nobody builds 16,000 projects. The honest way to judge value is cost per plan you actually build from.

Plans you build fromTed's at $67Single plans at $5–$20 each
1$67.00 per plan$5–$20
3$22.33 per plan$15–$60
5$13.40 per plan$25–$100
10$6.70 per plan$50–$200

The break-even sits around four to five builds if your alternative is mid-priced single plans. Below that, buying individual plans is cheaper. Above it, the library starts to pay for itself, as long as the plans you pick are usable.

Stack of printed woodworking plans beside a calculator and tape measure on a rustic bench

Count your projects first

Write down the builds you actually want this year: a bench, a planter, a bookshelf. If the list has fewer than four items, single plans or free plans probably make more sense.

A plan library is only cheap if you build from it. Count your projects before you count the plans.

The 6 biggest objections, answered honestly

1. Is the plan quality consistent?

Buyers report that it is not. Some plans are detailed with cut lists and multiple views; others are a single drawing with little guidance. Expect to skim several plans before finding one you would build from.

Confusing hand-drawn plan sheet with scattered measurements next to mis-cut pine boards

2. Are there really 16,000 plans?

The vendor claims 16,000+. A 2014 UKWorkshop forum count found roughly 2,500 distinct plans, with the higher figure apparently counting variations and duplicates. Treat 16,000 as marketing, not a project count.

3. Who is "Ted"?

ToolGuyd reported in 2023 that the photo used for "Ted" appears to be a stock image. Woodshop News criticized the marketing back in 2015. The name works as a brand, not a verified craftsman behind every plan.

4. What about the upsells?

They are real and frequent, as the table above shows. All are optional. Read each checkout screen before clicking, look for pre-ticked boxes, and decline the $27/month membership unless you have a specific reason to want it.

Wobbly handmade side table with a gap at one leg joint on a workshop floor

5. Can I get a refund?

The sales page advertises a 60-day money-back guarantee. Orders run through ClickBank, and refunds are requested through ClickBank's support site, clkbank.com. Our refund guide walks through the steps.

6. Is it beginner-friendly?

Partly. The plans assume you can read drawings and cut lists. If that feels unfamiliar, start with our guide on how to read a cut list and pick a simple first build such as a beginner workbench.

The included videos can help fill the gaps, but they are not tied plan by plan. Expect to connect a technique video to a drawing yourself rather than follow a guided build from start to finish.

Third-party sentiment is mixed: Trustpilot showed 2.0 out of 5 from 12 reviews in October 2026. That is a small sample, but it fits the pattern of mixed plan quality and upsell complaints.

Check the current offer →

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A 30-minute "first week" test

If you buy, use the 60-day window on purpose. This short test tells you within a week whether to keep it.

Laptop showing a blurred plan drawing next to a notepad and pencil on a honey-toned workbench

Look up three projects from your list. Note whether each plan exists and how easy it was to find in the members area.

Minutes 10–20: inspect. Open each plan. Does it have a full cut list, dimensions on every part, and more than one view? Mark each as "would build," "maybe," or "no."

Minutes 20–30: dry run. Take your best "would build" plan and write a shopping list from its cut list. If you cannot make a list without guessing, the plan fails.

Two or more "would build" plans out of three means it is probably working for you. One or zero means request a refund well before day 60, not on day 59.

Hands sorting cut walnut and maple boards into labeled piles beside a cut list

Keep notes

Write the date of purchase and your test results down. If you request a refund, a clear date and reason makes the process faster.

60-day
refund
Refund window, per the vendor

The sales page advertises a 60-day money-back guarantee, handled through ClickBank at clkbank.com. Terms can change, so read the current terms on the order page before you buy and request any refund well inside the window.

Alternatives worth a look

Free plans. Many tool makers, magazines, and hobby sites publish free plans with good cut lists. If you only need a few common projects, start there. We compare the two in Ted's Woodworking vs free plans.

Half-framed backyard garden shed with stacked lumber and a level resting on a beam

My Shed Plans for sheds

If your main project is a shed, a shed-focused package may fit better than a general library. See our Ted's vs My Shed Plans comparison, and check current price on their site.

For a wider field, our roundup of the best woodworking plans for 2026 ranks options on our stated criteria, and Ted's vs Woodsmith plans covers a magazine-backed alternative.

See what's inside →

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Final verdict: is Ted's Woodworking worth it?

At $67 with every add-on declined, Ted's Woodworking can be worth it if you will build from four or more of its plans and you are comfortable reading drawings. The library is big, the quality is uneven, and the marketing overstates both the plan count and the "Ted" story.

The deciding factors are simple: how many projects you will really build, how comfortable you are filling small gaps in a drawing, and whether you can say no to the upsells. Get those three right and the $67 is a reasonable bet. Get them wrong and even a large library sits unused on a hard drive.

If you have one project in mind, skip it and buy that one plan. If you have a long list, try it with the 30-minute test and use the 60-day window if it does not hold up.

Pay $67, decline the extras, run the test in week one, and let the plans earn their place.

Want more detail first? Read our full Ted's Woodworking review.

Get instant access ($67) →

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Frequently asked questions

How much does Ted's Woodworking really cost?

When we checked on Oct 9, 2026, the core package was $67 one time. Checkout add-ons ($14.95, $9.95, $7.95), post-purchase offers ($49, $39.95, $27, $39.97), and a $27/month membership are all optional.

Is there a monthly charge?

Not for the core package. The sales page mentions a $39/month standard price, but no monthly option appeared at checkout. A separate $27/month membership is offered after purchase and only applies if you accept it.

Does Ted's Woodworking really have 16,000 plans?

The vendor claims 16,000+. A 2014 UKWorkshop forum count found about 2,500 distinct plans, so the larger number likely includes variations and duplicates.

How do I get a refund?

The sales page advertises a 60-day money-back guarantee. Orders are processed by ClickBank, and refunds are requested through clkbank.com.

Is Ted's Woodworking good for beginners?

Partly. Plans assume you can read drawings and cut lists, and detail varies from plan to plan. Beginners should learn to read a cut list first and start with a simple project.

When is it not worth it?

If you only want one or two specific projects, buying those single plans or using free plans is usually cheaper than $67.