Comparing Andersen Vs Pella Windows Cost, Prices & Series

When discussing premium window brands, Andersen vs Pella windows is a battle of the heavyweights.

While similar in many ways, there are important differences such as warranties. This Pella vs Andersen window comparison covers costs, styles warranties and other important details. Each window series is rated too, and tables allow for comparisons at a glance.

In this comparison of Andersen and Pella windows, we cover the following:

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Pella Vs Andersen: Window Cost Comparison

Let’s start with the bottom line. This will let you know which Pella and Andersen windows are in the price range you want to spend on new or replacement windows.

Both brands make several series, and cost varies by series. The details of each series – styles, options and features – are discussed below.

The key difference is materials. This table shows the series, material and cost range between Pella prices and Andersen window prices.

Comparing Pella Vs Andersen Window Prices
Andersen Series Interior/Exterior Price Range Pella Series Interior/Exterior Price Range
Wood Interiors
A-Series Wood / Fibrex $985 – $1,700 Architect Series Wood / Clad (1) $695 – $1,475
E-Series Wood / Aluminum Clad $925 – $1,595 Lifestyle Series (2) Wood / Vinyl Clad $615 – $1,150
400 Series Wood / Vinyl Clad $385 – $850 – – –
200 Series Wood / Vinyl Clad $240 – $580 – – –
Fibrex (Wood/PVC composite) or Fiberglass
100 Series Fibrex / Fibrex $200 – $350 Impervia Fiberglass/Fiberglass $240 – $625
All Vinyl
Andersen does not make vinyl frame windows
 350 Series Vinyl / Vinyl $175 – $350
250 Series Vinyl / Vinyl $150 – $295
Encompass (3) Vinyl / Vinyl $125 – $365
(1) Architect Series cladding is offered in Enduraclad aluminum and Enduraclad Plus with polymers.
(2) The Pella Lifestyle Series replaces the Pella 750 Series
(3) The Encompass Series is also sold as ThermaStar Windows
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If you’re familiar with Pella windows, you might notice that the company has dropped a few series in recent years.

Installation Cost

The prices in the table, except for the Renewal by Andersen windows, is the cost of just the window. Installation is not included.

How much does the labor cost to install windows?

  • $80 – $250 | Installation Cost per Window

There are two factors in window installation cost:

  1. New vs Replacement Windows: New windows – that is, windows in new construction or installed when there is no siding on the house, have lower installation costs compared with replacement windows.
  2. Window Size: Generally, the larger the window, the higher the labor cost, especially when two people are required for the job.

Wood: Andersen vs Pella

Wood is still considered the premium material. Here is a head-to-head comparison of Pella wood windows and Andersen wood windows.

Andersen Wood Windows

Wood’s natural beauty is unsurpassed.

Starting with Andersen, here are the available series with an overview for each. See the summary table below where each series is rated for comparison.

Andersen A-Series

Wood interiors are coupled with Fibrex exteriors. The Fibrex is not cladding. It is solid-frame composite made with 40% pine fibers and 60% PVC plastic.

Features are:

Wood species: 6 options including pine, oak, cherry and mahogany. The mahogany is sourced from sustainable African forests.

Finishes: 13 interior colors; 11 exterior colors.

Extras: A full range of options for frame profiles, sizes, hardware, glazing (glass), screens and grilles.

Andersen E-Series

These are wood windows with exterior aluminum cladding in 50+ colors. Features are:

Wood species: Bare or stained pine, oak, cherry, Douglas fir, walnut, mahogany and more.

Finishes: 20+ stain and paint options plus custom color matching.

Extras: A large selection of hardware, screens, profiles and more. An integrated security system called VeriLock is an option.

Andersen 400 Series

This might be Andersen’s most popular series. It combines beauty and good selection of features with a lower cost than the A-Series and E-Series windows.

You can buy these from an Andersen dealer or some home improvement/building supply stores.

Wood species: Pine only.

Finishes: Bare plus 3 paint. colors on the interior. Exteriors are vinyl cladding in 7 colors.

Extras: More than 10 hardware finishes plus a good selection of glass, screens, grilles and sizes. VeriLock sensors are an option.

Andersen 200 Series

These are affordable Andersen wood windows with vinyl cladding. Most are sold at home improvement/building supply stores.

Wood species: Pine only.

Finishes: Interior options are bare wood or white paint. There are just 2 exterior cladding colors.

Extras: 8 hardware choices and a limited number of glass, screen and grille options.

Pella Wood Windows

Pella makes two wood window options. The company has reduced the number of wood species from almost 10 to just 3. Details below.

Pella Architect Series

This is also called the Pella 850 Series. It is available in two styles: Traditional and Contemporary.

Traditional windows feature robust wood frames and classic styling. The Contemporary windows have narrower frames, so there’s more glass and a slightly wider field of view. Frames are lithe and stylish.

Wood species: Pine, mahogany and Douglas fir are offered in both Traditional and Contemporary.

Finishes: About a dozen stain/paint interior options. Exteriors are aluminum cladding in 25+ color choices.

Extras: More limited than Andersen’s, but still a good selection of grilles and screens. Insynctive security sensors are an option.

Pella Lifestyle Series

This series replaces the 750 Series some readers might be familiar with. It gets high ratings for Energy Star certified insulation efficiency and noise reduction.

Wood species: Pine only.

Finishes: Interior options are 7 stain and 3 paint colors. Exteriors are vinyl clad in about 12 colors.

Extras: Integrated shades and blinds between the glass panes are an option with the Lifestyle Series. Insynctive security sensors are available too. These are in addition to a nice selection of hardware, grilles and screens.

Andersen vs Pella Wood Window Ratings

This table rates each series in important categories and gives an Overall Rating.

Series Styles (1) Quality Wood Choice Finishes Extras Warranty (2) Overall Rating
Andersen A-Series D, C, A 5 4 4 5 3 (10 years) 4.2
Andersen E-Series D, C, A 5 5 5 5 3 (10 years) 4.6
Andersen 400 Series D, C, A, G 4 2 3 4 3 (10 years) 3.2
Andersen 200 Series D, G 3 2 2 3 3 (10 years) 2.6
Pella Architect Series S, D, C, A 5 3 4 4 5 (Lifetime) 4.2
Pella Lifestyle Series D, C, A 5 2 3 5 5 (Lifetime) 4
(1) Style Code: S=single-hung; D=double-hung; C=casement; A=awning; G=gliding/sliding
(2): Frame warranties. Glass and hardware warranties might vary.

Summary of Ratings

Quality in the top lines is even. There are two key differences.

Wood choices: Andersen gives you quite a few more. Pella recently reduced wood options to just 3 or 1, depending on the series.

Warranty: Pella’s Lifetime limited frame warranty is much better than Andersen’s 10-year frame warranty.

Andersen Fibrex vs Pella Impervia Fiberglass

Fibrex is an Andersen proprietary material made from 60% PVC (vinyl plastic) and 40% recycled pine fibers. Andersen claims that the blend is twice as strong as vinyl, but vinyl comes in many strengths, so this is a difficult claim to prove.


Andersen 100 Series Fibrex

This is the only series with a Fibrex interior and exterior.

Finishes: 4 interior and 5 exterior colors. Some can be mix-and-match. Others, like Dark Bronze and Sandtone have matching interiors and exteriors.

Extras: There are 2 hardware styles in 6 color choices. You have 7 grille patterns to consider and 2 screen options.

Pella Impervia Fiberglass

Pella Impervia windows are made with Duracast 100% fiberglass, which Pella calls, “The most durable material available in windows.” So, there’s a counter-claim that is equally vague.

Finishes: 6 colors are offered in matching interior/exterior schemes. You can also order white interiors and a different exterior color.

Extras: There is 1 hardware style in 8 color options. You have a limited number of screen, glass and grille choices – but pretty good for a window in this price range. Insynctive security system sensors are an option.

Andersen 100 Series vs Pella Impervia Ratings

Here is how these window series compare in key categories.

Series Styles (1) Quality Finishes Extras Warranty (2) Overall Rating
Andersen 100 Series S, C, A, G 3 3 4 3 (10 years) 3.25
Pella Impervia Series S, D, C, A, G 4 3 4 5 (Lifetime) 4
(1) Style Code: S=single-hung; D=double-hung; C=casement; A=awning; G=gliding/sliding
(2): Frame warranties. Glass and hardware warranties might vary.

Summary of Ratings

Pella Impervia has two advantages over Andersen 100 Series windows.

Quality: There’s a reason Andersen calls them the 100 Series. They’re pretty basic in quality and construction. Impervia is a step up in quality but also in cost, so consider that when looking at window prices and your budget.

Warranty: Andersen’s warranties don’t stack up to those of most other brands. Pella’s are very good – at least on paper. Window warranty claims can be tricky to prove, especially when the window is improperly installed.

That’s why, regardless of which brand you choose, having them professionally installed is the best approach.

Pella Vinyl Window Series

There’s nothing from Andersen to compare directly with Pella vinyl windows, but here is an overview of the Pella lines.

Pella 350 Vinyl Windows

This is Pella’s best vinyl window with a lot of color and extra options.

Colors: 2 interior colors, white and almond, plus 9 exterior color choices.

Extras: There are 18 style/color hardware combinations to customize the look of your windows. 3 glass options and 6 grille styles complete the accessory choices. The Insynctive sensors are optional.

Pella 250 Vinyl Windows

Good quality is available in these midgrade vinyl windows.

Colors: White and almond interiors plus 9 exterior color choices.

Extras: 2 hardware styles, both in white and almond. 3 glass and 2 grille types are offered along with Insynctive sensors.

Encompass by Pella aka ThermaStar

These actually might be the closest in comparison to Andersen 100 Series. They are decent in quality with limited options.

Colors: White or almond, both interior and exterior.

Extras: 4 hardware style and finish combinations. 3 glass options and 6 grille choices.

Series Styles (1) Quality Finishes Extras Warranty (2) Overall Rating
Pella 350 S, D, C, A, G 4 4 4 5 (Lifetime) 4.25
Pella 250 S, D, C, A, G 3 4 3 5 (Lifetime) 4
Encompass S, D, C, A, G 3 3 3 5 (Lifetime) 3.5
(1) Style Code: S=single-hung; D=double-hung; C=casement; A=awning; G=gliding/sliding
(2): Frame warranties. Glass and hardware warranties might vary.

Conclusion

At the high end, Anderson A-Series and E-Series windows are the most beautiful available. You get more wood specie options too. We provide details about all other Andersen windows in our Andersen windows price guide.

The Pella Architect 850 Series is close and has a better warranty. It’s too bad they’ve limited wood choices in recent years.

In other lines, Pella has an edge. You get more options, better quality in head-to-head comparisons and the much better Lifetime warranty. Our price guide for Pella windows provides more details.

Our house window prices section covers further price comparisons for Pella and Andersen with other major window replacement brands.

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