How many switches do I need?
One per key. A 75% keyboard usually needs 84 switches, a 65% needs 68, a 60% needs 61, a TKL needs 87 and a full-size board needs 104. Most switch packs on sale today hold 18 or 36, so a 75% takes 5 packs of 18 (90 switches). On Nov 6, 2026 the cheapest in-stock linear was the 43 Studio Jing Linear Switches at $0.20 each, or $18 for a 75%.
Prices and stock checked Nov 6, 2026.
How many switches each layout needs
These counts come from 224 keyboards in our catalog that list a switch count. The range covers 8 in 10 of them. A knob, a split spacebar or an ISO Enter changes the count by one or two, so check your board’s product page.
| Layout | Usual count | Range in our catalog | Boards counted | Packs of 18 | Packs of 36 | Packs of 108 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40% | 40 | 40 to 46 | 3 | 3 (54) | 2 (72) | 1 (108) |
| 60% | 61 | 61 to 64 | 17 | 4 (72) | 2 (72) | 1 (108) |
| 65% | 68 | 66 to 68 | 41 | 4 (72) | 2 (72) | 1 (108) |
| Alice | 68 | 68 to 100 | 8 | 4 (72) | 2 (72) | 1 (108) |
| 75% | 84 | 81 to 85 | 61 | 5 (90) | 3 (108) | 1 (108) |
| TKL (80%) | 87 | 85 to 88 | 54 | 5 (90) | 3 (108) | 1 (108) |
| 96% and 1800 | 96 | 96 to 101 | 22 | 6 (108) | 3 (108) | 1 (108) |
| Full size (100%) | 104 | 101 to 109 | 18 | 6 (108) | 3 (108) | 1 (108) |
How many packs should I buy?
Round up to whole packs. Of the switch packs in stock on Nov 6, 2026, 88 hold 18, 64 hold 36 and 8 hold 108. Rounding up usually leaves a few spares, which covers a switch that arrives with a bent pin.
What a full set of switches costs
Prices on Nov 6, 2026 for whole packs at the cheapest store that had them in stock. The first rows are switches people ask about most, and the last two are the cheapest linear and tactile we track.
| Switch | Type | Per switch | 65% (68) | 75% (84) | Full size (104) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateron Oil King Linear Switch | Linear | $0.65 at Divinikey | $46.80 | $58.50 | $70.20 |
| Gateron KS-3 Milky Yellow Pro Linear Switches | Linear | $0.23 at Divinikey | $16.56 | $20.70 | $24.84 |
| Cherry MX2A Brown Tactile Switches | Tactile | $0.35 at Divinikey | $25.20 | $31.50 | $37.80 |
| Gateron Baby Kangaroo 2.0 Tactile Switches | Tactile | $0.55 at Divinikey | $39.60 | $49.50 | $59.40 |
| KTT Vanilla Ice Cream Linear Switches | Linear | $0.57 at Kinetic Labs | $41.04 | $51.30 | $61.56 |
| 43 Studio Jing Linear Switches | Linear, cheapest in stock | $0.20 at Divinikey | $14.40 | $18 | $21.60 |
| Haimu Blue Hour Tactile Switch | Tactile, cheapest in stock | $0.23 at CannonKeys | $16.20 | $24.30 | $24.30 |
Compare more in linear switches under $0.50, tactile switches and silent switches.
Common questions
How many spare switches should I buy?
Rounding up to whole packs is usually enough. A 75% with 84 keys takes 5 packs of 18 (90 switches), which leaves 6 spares for a switch with a bent pin.
Do hot-swap and soldered keyboards need the same number of switches?
Yes, one switch per key either way. What differs is the pins: a 5-pin hot-swap socket takes 3-pin and 5-pin switches, and a 3-pin socket needs the two plastic legs of a 5-pin switch clipped off. All 63 in-stock hot-swap kits that record pin support take both.
How many keys does a 75% keyboard have?
Usually 84. 38 of the 61 75% keyboards in our catalog that list a switch count have 84, and most of the rest have 81 to 85.
Do I need to buy switches for a prebuilt keyboard?
No. Assembled keyboards ship with switches installed. You buy switches for a barebones kit, or to replace the ones on a hot-swap board.
The build planner counts the packs for the exact kit you pick. To check a board you already own, press every key in the keyboard tester.