A wide assortment of alloys is available in liquidus temperatures that range from 118°C to 302°C. Alloys can be indium-contained, gold-contained, lead-free, fusible or standard tin-lead, as well as many others.

Alloy selection should be based on strength and other required physical properties, as well as the preferred soldering temperature and the operating temperature of the device being soldered. A general rule is to select an alloy that melts at least 50°C higher than the operational temperature of the part being soldered.