Shingles vs Metal Roofing

Cost, Lifespan, Energy & Warranty Compared

This comparison puts asphalt shingles and standing-seam metal roofing side-by-side. Asphalt: $350-$550/sq installed, 20-25 year lifespan, 25-30 year warranty, lowest upfront cost. Metal: $1,000-$1,800/sq installed, 50+ year lifespan, 30-50 year warranty, qualifies for energy-efficiency tax credits, adds resale value. Metal wins on lifecycle cost in regions with severe weather (hail, snow, wildfire). Asphalt wins on tight budgets and short hold periods. Pair with our Replacement Cost Guide.

This is the comparison on everything except price — how the two behave over decades, in weather, underfoot and at resale. For the money side, the metal roof versus shingles cost page works through the per-square figures.

How they behave over time

Asphalt shingles and metal compared on performance
	Architectural asphalt	Standing-seam metal
Typical life	25 – 30 years	40 – 70 years
Weight per square	~250 lb	~150 lb
Wind performance	Good, depends on nailing and starter	Excellent
Hail	Bruises and loses granules; Class 4 rated options exist	Dents cosmetically, rarely punctures
Fire	Class A with the right assembly	Non-combustible — valuable in wildfire areas
Snow	Holds snow	Sheds it, which needs snow guards over doorways
Noise in rain	Quiet	Audible, though much less so over a decked, insulated attic
Repair	Easy and cheap, shingle by shingle	Specialist, panel by panel
Colour match later	Difficult after weathering	Good — finishes are stable

Where each one clearly wins

Metal in wildfire country, where non-combustible matters, and in heavy snow, where shedding matters.
Metal on a house you intend to keep for decades, because it outlives two or three asphalt roofs.
Asphalt on a complex cut-up roof, where metal's labour cost rises sharply with every valley and dormer.
Asphalt where you may sell within a decade, because the extra spent on metal is not recovered in the sale price.
Asphalt where a repair needs to be quick and local — any roofer can patch a shingle roof.

The practical differences people notice

Snow sliding off a metal roof in a sheet, which is why snow guards go above doorways, paths and parking.
Thermal movement. Standing seam is designed to expand and contract along the panel; it makes a faint ticking sound on a hot afternoon.
Walking on it. A metal roof is harder to walk safely and easier to damage underfoot, which matters for later solar or chimney work.
Attic temperature, where a reflective metal finish makes a modest difference — less than ventilation and insulation do.

What does not decide it

Lightning — metal roofs do not attract it, and being conductive and non-combustible they are arguably safer if struck. And noise is far less of a factor than reputation suggests once there is a deck, underlayment and an insulated attic underneath.

Frequently asked questions

Which lasts longer, shingles or metal?

Metal, by a long way — 40 to 70 years for standing seam against 25 to 30 for architectural asphalt. That is why it usually wins on lifetime cost if you own the house long enough to see it.

Is a metal roof noisy in rain?

Far less than its reputation suggests once there is a deck, underlayment and an insulated attic underneath. It is audible, not loud — the noise people remember is from a barn with panels straight onto purlins.

Do metal roofs attract lightning?

No. Metal does not attract lightning, and being conductive and non-combustible a metal roof is arguably safer if a strike does occur.

When are shingles the better choice?

On a complex cut-up roof where metal's labour cost rises with every valley, if you may sell within a decade, and where a quick local repair matters — any roofer can patch a shingle roof.