If Party City was your go-to for getting helium balloons for birthdays, graduation parties, and other occasions, you might be wondering what your next go-to option should be now that most of their stores are closed.
To help you fill the void (and those balloons), we checked pricing for helium balloons at Michaels, 5 Below, Dollar Tree, and more. We also looked into the costs of buying or renting a helium tank and filling balloons yourself.
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Stores With the Cheapest Helium Balloons
We visited and called various locations of the following stores to get their pricing for helium balloons. Prices may vary by location.
Will a store fill up balloons if you don't purchase them there?
Wondering if you can BYOB (bring your own balloons) and have a store fill them for you? It depends on the store. Check out the chart above. We checked with various retailers to get their policies on customers filling outside balloons.
Micheals, Kroger, and Albertsons stores will fill up outside balloons for a per-balloon fee, which depends on the size of your balloons. I suggest calling ahead and telling the store how many balloons you have (and in what sizes) to get a quote. If you source outside balloons in bulk for cheap elsewhere, you could save money, but not necessarily. For example, Micheals inflation fees start at $2 for latex balloons, but you can buy a latex balloon from Michaels and have it filled for $1.99. So the only reason to bring your own latex balloons would be if you have certain colors or designs Michaels doesn't carry (you're not saving money).
Meanwhile, 5 Below and the dollar stores fill up only their own balloons when you buy them at the store.
Cost of Getting a Helium Tank and Filling Them Yourself
If you need a lot of balloons, you might be thinking about saving money (and avoiding a balloon-filled car ride) by buying or renting a helium tank, buying cheap balloons online, and filling them up yourself.
So does that save you money? We did the math.
Buying a small disposable helium tank can save you 30%, if you’re just filling latex balloons.
For as low as $50, you can buy a helium tank at Walmart. These tanks are disposable, good for just one use.
According to the product description, this particular tank will fill 50 latex balloons but only a couple of big mylar balloons. Let’s say you get 50 latex balloons out of a single tank.
Cost Breakdown for 50 Latex Balloons
Latex Balloons: As low as $0.05 per balloon at Dollar General or Dollar Tree
Tank Cost: $50
Grand Total: $52.50 out of pocket, or $1.05 cents per filled balloon
We didn’t include any info on large mylar balloons here, because the product reviews made it pretty clear these store-bought tanks tap out after just a couple of those.
Are you saving money? Yes, you’re saving money with this option. The lowest cost we found at any store for buying and filling a latex balloon was $1.50 per balloon, which would cost you $75 for 50 balloons. So you’re saving around 30%.
Keep in mind that some helium tanks did get poor reviews, and reviewers noted that they tend to fill up fewer balloons than advertised.
Renting a helium tank is a little more expensive, but it’s probably more convenient if you need a lot of balloons.
Want to fill latex and some large specialty mylar balloons? You’ll need to rent a larger tank. Helium 2 Rent is a good place to find local helium tank rentals near you.
The most affordable option in my area is an $80 tank, which fills up to 25 latex balloons and seven 30-inch mylar balloons (like giant numbers or other designs).
Cost Breakdown for 25 Latex Balloons and Seven 30-Inch Mylar Balloons:
Latex Balloons: As low as $0.05 per balloon at Dollar General or Dollar Tree
Mylar Balloons: As low as $1 per balloon on Amazon
Tank Rental: $80
Grand Total: $88.25 out of pocket, or $2.76 per filled balloon
Are you saving money? Nope, not in this case.
The lowest cost we found for getting and filling 25 latex balloons and seven 30-inch mylar balloons was at Dollar Tree. The one near me charges $1.50 per inflated latex balloon and $5 per inflated 30-inch specialty balloon. So you’d pay $72.50, which is around 18% less than the cost of renting and filling them yourself. But ask yourself this: Can you fit 25 latex and seven big mylar balloons in your car?
Instacart offers balloon delivery, but check product descriptions carefully and be ready to pay a delivery fee.
If you want inflated balloons brought to you, Instacart can do that. In my area, it’ll deliver inflated mylar balloons from Michaels.
But make sure to look for the “helium filled” or “inflated” label as you shop to make sure they arrive inflated (not all balloons have this option).
Prices start at $3.99 per 19-inch mylar balloon and $12.99 per 30-inch mylar balloon at Michaels. And the good news is that these are the same as the in-store prices by me (no Instacart upcharge). However, you do need to pay a $2.49 service fee and $7.99 delivery fee if you don’t have Instacart+, which gets you free delivery on orders of $10 or more. Plus, don’t forget to tip your driver.
And, no, you can’t get latex helium balloons delivered by Instacart. Only mylar ones are available to order.
Basically, go to the store for small balloon orders, but consider renting a tank if you need a lot.
If you’re trying to minimize your costs and need only a few balloons or a balloon bouquet, going in-store is the way to go since you won’t have to pay the upfront charge of the tank. We suggest picking up your balloons the day of your event as helium balloons start deflating after about 12 hours.
If you’re planning a big event or want balloons for a few upcoming parties, buying or renting a tank lets you fill the balloons up on site and avoid transporting them. It’s not necessarily cheaper, though, and big mylar balloons will eat through your helium quickly.
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