LED Curtain Lights vs String Lights: Which Is Better for Christmas?

Classic string lights are made to outline a shape (a tree, a railing, a window frame). LED curtain lights cover a whole surface and, if they're addressable, can display animations, pictures and text. If you want a real focal point that stands out from the street, the curtain wins; for a subtle touch or a Christmas tree, string lights are still perfect. And the two work great together.

Classic string lights

The Christmas staple: a wire with evenly spaced LED bulbs. You wrap it around a tree, a banister or a balcony rail.

Pros

• Inexpensive and easy to find.
• Flexible: it follows any shape.
• Subtle: great for a soft glow.

Cons

• It draws lines, not surfaces: on a balcony, the effect can look thin from a distance.
• Effects are usually limited to a few flashing modes.
• Single color or fixed multicolor on most entry-level sets.

LED curtain lights (and addressable curtain lights)

Curtain lights are made of several vertical strands hanging from a horizontal cable. They cover a surface: a window, a sliding door, a railing, a wall.

There are two main types. "Basic" curtains show one color and a few overall effects. Addressable curtains control every LED individually: they can show animated pictures, patterns and scrolling text, like a giant mini screen. That's what the Glowcony Magic Curtain does, with 400 addressable RGB LEDs and 100+ animations.

Pros

• Instant wow effect, visible from far away.
• Christmas animations (Santa, trees, reindeer, snowflakes), custom text, music mode.
• 16 million colors, phone control, timer.
• Useful all year: New Year's, birthdays, bedroom decor.

Cons

• Costs more than basic string lights.
• Needs a flat surface to shine: it doesn't wrap around a tree.
• Needs an outlet nearby (just like plug-in string lights).

Side-by-side comparison

• Visibility from afar: addressable curtain > basic curtain > string lights.
• Shape flexibility: string lights > curtain.
• Effects and customization: addressable curtain, by far.
• Setup: about the same; a curtain hangs from the top, string lights get wrapped.
• Budget: string lights first, addressable curtain second.
• Use beyond Christmas: curtain wins thanks to colors and animations.

Which one for your situation?

You want your balcony to stand out from the street

Addressable LED curtain lights, no question. An animated surface catches the eye much more than a line of dots. Check out our 12 Christmas balcony decorating ideas.

You're decorating a tree

Classic string lights: that's what they're made for.

You want a cozy bedroom glow

Both work. The curtain also lets you change color and dim it from the app.

You want the best of both

Combine them: an animated curtain on the window or railing as the centerpiece, and string lights around the top rail or on a small tree as a frame. That's the recipe behind the best-looking balconies.

What about energy use?

Both use LEDs, a low-energy technology. The real difference comes from how long they're on: a timer, like the one built into the Glowcony curtain, keeps the lights from running all night. More in our article on LED curtain light power consumption.

FAQ

What's the difference between curtain lights and string lights?

String lights are a single line you wrap; curtain lights are vertical strands that cover a surface. Addressable curtains can also display animations and text.

What are addressable LED curtain lights?

Curtains where each LED is controlled individually. That allows animated pictures, gradients and scrolling text, instead of one color across the whole curtain.

Can curtain lights replace the lights on my tree?

No, they're not made to be wrapped. Keep string lights for the tree and use the curtain on a window, wall or balcony.