Trademark costs have two layers: the USPTO's own filing fees, which are fixed per class of goods or services, and the work of searching, preparing, and prosecuting the application correctly — which is where most of the actual value and cost variation comes from.
USPTO fees are charged per class
Filing fees are assessed per class of goods or services the mark covers, so a business registering a name across multiple product categories pays multiple filing fees — a detail that surprises businesses that assumed one flat fee covers everything.
A clearance search isn't optional if you want it to succeed
Filing without a thorough search for conflicting marks risks a costly rejection or, worse, discovering an infringement claim after you've already built a brand around the name. A proper clearance search adds cost upfront but avoids far larger costs later.
Office actions add cost and time
If the USPTO issues an office action — a formal objection or request for clarification — responding correctly and within the deadline requires additional legal work. Applications prepared carefully from the start are less likely to trigger one.
Weighing the cost against what you're protecting
For a business whose name and brand are core assets, registration cost is typically minor compared to what's lost if a competitor registers a confusingly similar mark first, or if you're forced to rebrand after building recognition around an unregistered name.