My bare roots took off like a shot.
It amazes me that people plant stuff to encourage deer. Iād give anything to keep the @&#$?# away from my property!
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My 2 cents. If itās a local nursery growing their own stuff (like 39th parallel above) or at least a local nursery buying good stock from a reputable nursery, then growing it out in their own nursery bed, then cost doesnāt matter.
Let me repeat that, cost of the nursery tree doesnāt matter.
Iāve taken care of hundreds of fruit trees for a decade, and dozens of trees before that. The cost of the tree is nothing compared to the time/$ invested in the care of the tree and the protection of itās crop. If itās a good variety, true to name, suited for your climate, the tree will pay you hundreds of fruits in dividends for years and years, if you take measures to keep the pests from getting it.
Iāve reared more varieties of trees than I can remember which gave me hardly any harvest to sample, much less sell. Invested years in these trees - time, chemicals, fertilizer, weed control, vole control, deer control, pruning, inspecting, record keeping, and general fussing over them.
All this time and expense eclipses the cost of a new tree. In fact, I generally sell the wood off fruit trees I cut down for more than the cost of the new trees going in, so the new cost of a tree is essentially zero.
Even so, I canāt emphasize enough the cost of new trees from a good reputable nursery is nothing compared to the time (years) of raising the tree to get something back from it.
A good local nursery, which raises itās own stock and sells true to name is well worth anything they charge. Itās very important to get stock true to name from a local nursery which grows their own. You may even get stock on rootstocks which produce well in your area (though no guarantee, depending on the nursery). This is much preferred than shopping for the cheapest supplier.
The qualifier is that you are buying from a reputable local nursery, not some box reseller, which is much worse than simply ordering online from a reputable online nursery.
I understand everyone wanting to get the best value possible for any purchase (of course I do the same) but again the initial cost of trees is nothing.
To offer an extreme example, nobody except a fruit explorer would plant seeds āfor freeā to grow a fruit tree. Even then, the fruit explorer wouldnāt do it to minimize the initial cost of the tree, rather for the thrill of gamble to see what comes of the seed. Cost has nothing to do with it.
Taking the extreme example even further. No thinking human being would take a āfreeā child (sight unseen) for adoption. Why? Because they recognize their own preferences are valuable in order to get the finished product they want. These preferences are so important adoptive parents are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to get the child they want.
Sort of the same thing with fruit trees. They are sort of our āchildrenā. āFreeā or ācheapā trees are generally the most expensive trees youāll ever screw with. Odds are youāre going to invest a ton of time, and not be as happy in the end.
Unless you are fortunate enough to live near a quality nursery, which sells at rock bottom prices (like near McMinnville) expect to shell out some $$ for trees true to name if buying local from a reputable nursery. This is OK.
If itās reputable and good stock which produces well in your locale, your first harvest will more than cover (in abundance) any excess premium charged for the initial tree.
Saying all this, I understand the initial inquiry was simply to compare prices. Silverfootās inquiry is just one of curiosity, as I see it. It can be an interesting conversation. Iām using my post as an opportunity to answer a different question.
I just wanted to offer some longer term thinking to price shoppers who are always looking for the ācheapestā deal. In that sense, the cheapest is frequently the most expensive.
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Some people plant stuff to encourage deer, in order to kill them. In my mind I can see you nodding and smiling at that thought. 
Then again if you have neighbors planting stuff encouraging deer, in order to watch them savage your trees, then I can imagine @&#$?# elucidating from your vocal cords. 
Iām hoping for your sake itās the former.
If only deer meat was worth money. I could quit my job and make money from my porch. But itās not and they have cost me hundreds in destroyed trees.
Likewise. We lost 20 trees last winter from deer and a dozen the year before. This is the first winter we havenāt lost any trees to deer. Our deer fence is up on three sides and is starting to pay a few dividends.
Oh I understand that, I just donāt find that to even be necessary. If I were a hunter, I could sit on my deck with a beer, wait an hour, and pop off several.
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I have a fence, and it works. Iām just jealous of people who can seemingly plant out in the wide open with no problems.
I have 20 acres of mostly forest and have deer walking through numerous times a day. Until this year they had not bothered my summer garden. This year they messed with a few things but left it mostly alone. They have not yet touched the fruit trees. If they start being annoying I can electric fence the area.
I was just going to compose a similar post talking about fruit trees are a 20 year investment and making good choices up front saves dollars down the road.
And maybe touching that lost time is often the greatest expense since there is no way to ābuyā an increase in your lifespan. But after reading your post Olpea I realize that you have already done this and with greater eloquence than I could of done.
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Just to add my two cents about reputable nurseries and potted plants. In Virginia I have found that Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Walmart all source from wholesale nurseries in TN with one exception sourcing from Georgia/Florida. I have gotten mislabeled trees from everyone of the nurseries they use - Pirtle, Liberty, Simpson, Gardens Alive (same company that owns Gurneys) and more that I cannot remember the name of. I took out 5 peach trees this year that were mislabeled and I have at least 3 more that I have kept that are mislabeled. Spent 1 to 3 years to find out they were mislabeled and for at least 5 trees not varieties I wanted. For other trees like apples, cherries and pears you donāt know the rootstock and you are playing the lottery to find out if you got lucky and got a suitable rootstock for your area. As far as potted plants go I have found it a waste of money to buy potted peach trees - there is no difference in speed of growth, live/die rate. Buy from a reputable nursery - ACN, Vanwell, Cummins, CVN, Grandpas Orchard. You will know the rootstock and likely get the variety you ordered. Why waste years like I have?
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