Titanium vs Stainless Steel

Titanium and stainless steel both resist corrosion, but they differ sharply in weight, strength and price.

Weight

Titanium's density (~4.5 g/cm³) is about 40-45% less than stainless steel (~8.0 g/cm³). For the same part, titanium is far lighter.

Strength

By weight, titanium alloys lead decisively. Ti-6Al-4V offers an excellent strength-to-weight ratio versus 304/316 stainless.

Corrosion

Titanium outperforms stainless in seawater and chlorides, where stainless can pit and suffer crevice corrosion.

Cost

Stainless is cheaper per kilogram. Titanium wins on lifecycle cost where corrosion, weight or downtime dominate.

Choose Titanium When

• Weight matters
• Seawater/chloride exposure
• Long maintenance-free service is required

Choose Stainless When

• Budget is the priority
• Loads and environment are moderate