If you see strip light and rope lights at night, they look very similar. You might think they are almost the same thing. In fact, these two types of LED lights have different uses and characteristics. Let’s take a comprehensive look at the differences between rope lights vs strip light, their advantages, and which option is better for your needs. This will help you make a better choice between them.
What are Rope Lights?
Rope lights look like cylindrical tubes, but they have tiny LED lights embedded inside. These tubes are usually made of clear PVC, which is flexible. Therefore, they can be bent and twisted into many unique shapes.
Can you guess where we usually see rope lights? They are perfect for wrapping around trees or as holiday decorations, so we usually see them when we take a walk outdoors in the evening. Since they are usually long, you can cover a lot of ground if you can use one rope light.
What are the Advantages of Rope Lights?
Rope lights have many advantages, such as affordable prices and great flexibility. They are also very suitable for outlining shapes and wrapping around objects. Rope lights can be viewed 360 degrees, can be shaped into various shapes, and are often used for Christmas decorations.
Excellent flexibility
Rope lights are usually made of soft, bendable materials, which can be easily installed on various curves, corners and irregular surfaces. It is suitable for wrapping around various trees and shapes.
Easy to install
Rope lights are very long and do not require additional accessories to install. Just wrap them around the object. Rope lights are suitable for decorating various spaces such as furniture, ceiling edges, under cabinets or stairs, without complicated installation processes.
Energy saving
Rope lights use LED technology, which is more energy-efficient than traditional bulbs. They have low energy consumption, reduce electricity consumption, and are an environmentally friendly lighting choice.
Long life
LED rope lights have a much longer life than traditional bulbs, and they are not easy to damage. At the same time, it also reduces the frequency of replacing bulbs and reduces maintenance costs, which is particularly suitable for places that require long-term stable lighting.
High safety
Rope lights use low-voltage power supply, so they are quite safe. They generate low heat, reduce the risk of overheating or fire, and are suitable for installation near furniture, ceilings or wood products.
Diverse colors and control options
Rope lights usually offer a variety of color options, and even RGB light strips can freely adjust the color and brightness, which increases the diversity of lighting. Make it suitable for a variety of occasions and atmospheres, such as family gatherings, holiday decorations or romantic moods.
Waterproof design
Many rope lights are waterproof and can be used in outdoor occasions, such as gardens, balconies, stairs and outdoor areas around swimming pools. So we can often see rope lights on trees or landscapes outdoors.
Strong decorative effect
Rope lights are mainly used as decorative elements to enhance the visual effect of space. The soft light and changing colors make rope lights create a unique atmosphere in holiday decorations, wedding scenes or home environments, which is very suitable for beautifying space.
What are Strip Light?
Strip lights, also known as LED light strips, LED strips, and LED ribbons, are flat flexible circuit boards with light-emitting LEDs. The circuit boards are loaded with surface-mounted light-emitting diodes (LEDs). They are usually covered with a layer of 3M adhesive on the back, so they are easy to install.
There are many types of LED light strips, including LED neon, SMD, 360-degree neon flex, etc. They can produce a variety of colors and lighting effects. They usually come with a controller that allows you to change colors, adjust brightness, and even program dynamic lighting patterns at will.
Why choose LED Strip Light?
LED light strips have many advantages, which I believe lighting users know. For example, versatility, energy saving, easy replacement, and customization.
Flexibility
LED light strips are extremely flexible. Since the light strip is made of soft materials, it can be bent and folded. For example, curved corners, furniture edges, under cabinets, etc. So it can easily adapt to various space requirements and create a unique atmosphere.
Easy to install
LED light strips are very easy to install. Because most LED light strips come with 3M glue or other adhesives on the back, you only need to peel off the adhesive and stick the light strip on the target surface. You don’t need to drill holes for installation.
Support dimming
Many LED light strips have a dimming function, which can adjust the brightness according to different needs. This is a very flexible operation, allowing users to customize the lighting effects to adapt to different scenes. Different moods can adjust different levels of lighting to create a more comfortable atmosphere.
Multiple color temperatures
LED light strips offer a wide range of color temperature options, from warm 2700K to cool 6000K. Other color temperatures can also be customized, such as 5000K. There are also RGB, RGBW and RGBCCT. Users can choose the appropriate color temperature according to the specific application scenario, making it perfectly adapted to various indoor and outdoor lighting needs. If you wanna know color temperature, pls read 3000K vs. 4000K Light, How to Choose?
Customized length
LED light strips can be cut by yourself, and we also support customized lengths. They can be flexibly adapted to different spaces, whether it is short under-cabinet lighting or several meters long ceiling edge decoration, they can be adjusted to the ideal length by cutting.
Long lifespan
LED light strips have a very long lifespan, usually working for 30,000 to 50,000 hours, far longer than traditional bulbs. And generally, its shelf life is 3-5 years, which greatly saves the cost of maintenance and purchasing new lamps, and also improves long-term stability and reliability, especially suitable for lighting projects that need to run for a long time.
Diversification
LED light strips are available in different models, different powers, and even different colors, brightness, sizes, and functions. They are very suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. There are also LED neon tubes for outdoor use, which can adapt to different complex environments and weather outdoors.
What is the Main Difference Between Rope Light vs Strip Light?
| Feature | Rope Light | Strip Light |
| Brightness | Lower, diffused glow | Higher, directional illumination |
| Size and Profile | Thicker, more visible | Very thin |
| Flexibility | More flexible for bending and twisting | Moderately flexible |
| Installation | Mounting clips | Usually has 3M adhesive backing for easy fixation |
| Applications | Decorative lighting, ambient lighting, outdoor use | Wider variety of colors, including colour-changing and tunable white |
| Color Options | Limited color options | Wider variety of colors, including color-changing and tunable white |
Rope Light vs Strip Light, How to Choose?
This question depends on the specific needs and applications of the user, and you can consider the following factors.
Purpose and aesthetics: It depends on your lighting needs, whether it is for task lighting or decoration. If it is for Christmas holiday decoration or outlining the outline of a structure, rope lights may be a better choice. Light strips are ideal for indoor decorative lighting, accent lighting, or areas that require a low-key light source.
Installation environment: For outdoor use or areas where the lights may be exposed to the weather, both rope lights and LED light strips can provide better protection. LED neon tubes are very suitable for outdoor lighting.
Lighting effects: If you need dynamic lighting effects and color changes, light strips offer more versatility and control. The brightness will also be higher, while rope lights are more suitable for stable ambient lighting.
Conclusion
Knowing the difference between rope lights and strip lights can help you choose them better. You need to consider the lighting purpose, lighting cost and quality. If it is landscape and Christmas decoration, you can choose rope lights. If it is indoor and outdoor decorative lighting, you can choose high-quality LED light strips. We are a supplier of LED light strips, please consult us.