The WYSIWYG Premium: What Seeing the Exact Coral Costs
Comparing WYSIWYG and non-WYSIWYG listings within the same coral type, measured across every genus with enough listings on both sides.
Published July 29, 2026 · figures recomputed from data through September 5, 2026 · by Reef Price Index
WYSIWYG — "what you see is what you get" — means the photo shows the exact physical coral you'll receive, not a representative example of the strain. Vendors photograph each piece individually, which costs labor, and buyers pay for certainty. How much? On the latest snapshot, 799 of 4,000 coral listings we track (20%) are WYSIWYG, and we can compare them against non-WYSIWYG listings within the same coral type — the comparison only makes sense genus-by-genus, since WYSIWYG stock skews toward showier corals to begin with.
The premium, genus by genus
Every coral type below has at least five listings on each side of the comparison. Median WYSIWYG listing vs. median non-WYSIWYG listing, same type, same day. Across the 23 qualifying types, the median premium is 13%, and 13 of 23 carry a positive premium.
| Coral type | WYSIWYG median | Non-WYSIWYG median | Premium | Listings (W / non-W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birdsnest Coral (Seriatopora) | $159.99 | $34.99 | +357% | 9 / 27 |
| Blastomussa | $274.99 | $79.99 | +244% | 7 / 25 |
| Montipora | $119.99 | $39.99 | +200% | 31 / 170 |
| Chalice Coral | $199.99 | $69.99 | +186% | 43 / 137 |
| Lobophyllia | $249.99 | $111.60 | +124% | 7 / 10 |
| Scolymia / Master Scoly | $474.99 | $251.10 | +89% | 10 / 59 |
| Acropora | $172.49 | $99.99 | +73% | 306 / 466 |
| Hydnophora | $49.99 | $32.49 | +54% | 6 / 10 |
| Acanthophyllia (Meat Coral) | $799.99 | $539.10 | +48% | 12 / 35 |
| Micromussa / Acan Lords | $119.20 | $89.99 | +32% | 23 / 63 |
| Hammer Coral (Fimbriaphyllia, formerly Euphyllia) | $137.49 | $121.10 | +14% | 14 / 34 |
| Mushroom Coral | $149.99 | $132.49 | +13% | 23 / 78 |
| Plate Coral (Fungia/Diaseris) | $199.99 | $179.55 | +11% | 31 / 34 |
| Cyphastrea | $31.20 | $31.20 | +0% | 13 / 50 |
| Zoanthids | $39.20 | $42.49 | -8% | 44 / 402 |
| Leptastrea | $23.20 | $28.99 | -20% | 5 / 16 |
| Goniopora | $103.20 | $129.99 | -21% | 7 / 63 |
| Favia / Favites | $39.20 | $49.99 | -22% | 32 / 77 |
| Leptoseris | $23.20 | $29.99 | -23% | 10 / 22 |
| Torch Coral (Euphyllia) | $224.99 | $299.00 | -25% | 18 / 31 |
| Bowerbanki Acan (Homophyllia bowerbanki) | $71.20 | $94.99 | -25% | 5 / 10 |
| Psammocora | $15.20 | $21.60 | -30% | 7 / 16 |
| Echinata | $31.20 | $49.99 | -38% | 5 / 21 |
Why the premium varies so much
Where the premium runs large, the WYSIWYG pool is usually where a vendor lists its named strains, larger colonies, and show pieces — the photo certifies exactly the coloration you're buying, and coloration is the product. Where the premium is small or negative, WYSIWYG is being used as an inventory system rather than a showcase: one listing per physical frag, including perfectly ordinary ones. A negative number doesn't mean the photographed coral is worse — it usually means that type's non-WYSIWYG listings skew toward premium named strains sold as representative stock.
Buying advice this data supports
- Pay the premium when color is the point. For high-variance types — chalices, acros, zoas — two frags of the same strain can look meaningfully different, and the photo is the only guarantee. (See why the same coral costs $30 or $300.)
- Skip it when structure is the point. For corals bought as fast-growing structure — GSP, toadstools, most montipora — a representative photo tells you nearly everything, and the non-WYSIWYG price is the better deal.
- Compare a WYSIWYG price against its own column. Judging a WYSIWYG show piece against the all-listings median overstates the markup; the tables above give the fairer baseline.