LED Strip Lights Vs Rope Lights: Which Is the Best?

Confused about choosing between strip lights and rope lights? No worries, I will guide you to select the best one here.

Well, LED strips are convenient and offer brighter illumination than rope lights. Also, you can control strip lights with a mobile and a remote. As the rope lights can provide a soft glow, they are best for decorating your home or office.

In this article, I have discussed these two types in depth, so you can easily find your better match. Let’s dive into the below–

What Are LED Strip Lights? 

LED strip lights are also known as LED tape lights and LED ribbons. Basically, they consist of flexible circuit boards mounted with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). And they offer bright and energy-efficient lighting for consumers. As they are available in different colors, brightness, and waterproof options, you can choose one based on your needs.

Not to mention, they are highly customizable and you can use them as accent lighting, back lighting, for home, office, and more. The best part about these lights is that you can cut them to size in different shapes to create a unique design. 

What Are LED Rope Lights?

LED rope lights are strands of small LED bulbs encased in a clear, flexible PVC or plastic tube. This way, they become durable and weather-resistant, and you can use them indoors and outdoors. 

Besides, these lights are highly versatile, energy-efficient, and long-lasting, available in various lengths, colors, and brightness levels. Basically, they offer a continuous, soft glow that is ideal for decorative lighting. Also, they can be easily bent or cut to fit around corners or along surfaces.

LED Strip Lights Vs Rope Lights Quick Distinction Chart  

Features	LED Strip Lights	LED Rope Lights
Structure	Flat, flexible strips with LEDs mounted on a PCB.	Cylindrical, flexible tubes with LEDs or bulbs inside.
Brightness	Higher brightness, suitable for task and accent lighting.	Lower brightness provides a soft, ambient glow.
Dimensions	Slim, 8-12mm wide	Thicker, 10~13mm diameter
Flexibility	Flexible	Less flexible
Customizable	Highly customizable	Limited
Energy Efficient	High	Less
Beam Angle	Narrower, 120°-180°	Wide, 360°
Cost	Moderate to high	Affordable

What Is The Difference Between LED Strip Lights And LED Rope Lights?  

The most common distinction between LED strips and rope lights is–

01. Appearance

The lights consist of separate LEDs attached to the circuit boards with adhesives. You can cut them to a custom length to make a different design. Typically, they come with modern and sleek looks. Also, they have several color variations like RGB. 

On the other hand, LED rope lights are encased in a transparent, tubular PVC or epoxy casing housing LED bulbs. And these LEDs are popular for their soft and uniform glow. However, these lights only come with a single color for each rope. 

02. Light Source

The light source of the LED strips is their miniature LED chips, which come in many sizes and shapes. You can choose the specific size by noticing numbers like SMD3528. That means the LED is 3.5mm wide and 2.8mm in length. Besides, the brightness of the LED strips depends on their size. The bigger the chips, the brighter the illumination.

Whereas, rope lights can be run by LEDs and incandescent bulbs. And if you want an energy-efficient option, choose LED bulbs. However, the incandescent bulbs produce heat and consume more energy. 

03. Dimensions

Usually, LED strips come with many PCB widths, like 8mm, 6mm, 12mm, 10mm, and more. They are manufactured on a 5-meter scale based on length. You can also find more length sizes and select one depending on your needs. 

Similarly, rope lights have several diameters, for instance, 10 and 13mm. However, 10mm is better suited for a flexible nature than 13mm. With this, you can bend the lights and use them in curved areas.

04. Flexibility

LED strips are built on flexible tape that bends easily around corners or sharp edges. You can fold them in various ways, like 90-degree bends, tilts, or accordion folds. Therefore, they are ideal for making unique and creative lighting designs. Their adaptability allows for smooth installation on uneven or angled surfaces.

Rope lights are somewhat flexible but can’t bend sharply like LED strips. They require a bend radius of at least 3-4 inches, so they don’t fit neatly around corners or edges. Still, they work well for straight paths or gentle curves, and are ideal for simple lighting layouts.

05. Customizable

LED strips offer great flexibility for customization. Typically manufactured in 5-meter reels, you can easily cut them to fit your desired length. They are designed with specific cut points placed after every few LEDs. The exact cutting intervals vary depending on the LED density and brand, with common lengths around 25 mm, 50 mm, or 100 mm. This way, you can customize these strips for unique lighting solutions in various projects.

Whereas, rope lights can be cut too, but they offer less flexibility in size compared to LED strips. The main challenge is that they come in longer sections, with cut points spaced quite far apart, usually every 18 to 24 inches. Because of this, you can’t trim them down to a certain length.

06. Brightness

LED strips are available in various brightness levels. And the strips indicate brightness in lumens. The higher the lumens, more brighter your LED strips will be. For instance, if you want soft, decorative, and accent lighting, choose low-lumen strips. In contrast, high-lumen strips are best for bright general or task lighting.

Unlike LED strips, LED rope lights are less bright. This is mainly because their thick PVC casing blocks some of the light. Over time, this plastic cover can also turn yellow. These issues are especially common with incandescent rope lights. The bulbs get hot and cause the PVC to yellow, which lowers the brightness even more.

07. Energy Efficiency

Typically, LED strips are energy efficient and can save 80% of the energy. This way, you can save money in the long run. Therefore, you can get more lights compared to traditional lighting using these LEDs. This is also an environmentally friendly feature. 

As the LED rope lights use bulb types LED and incandescent, the energy saving depends on them. Usually, LED bulbs are energy efficient, like strip lights. However, incandescent bulbs consume more energy. 

08. Installation

The installation process of the LED strip lights is simple. As they come with adhesive backing, all you have to do is peel them and set the strips in the required place. Also, you can use other methods like the LED channel or clip mounting. However, rope light has no adhesive backing. So you have to use hardware to secure the installation process.  

09. IP Rating

When you want to use rope lighting for outdoor purposes, the IP rating is very important. For extreme water and weather resistance, you can choose IP68. This way, the waterproof strips will run for years without much damage. Otherwise, IP65 will be enough for indoor use. 

10. Applications

You can use LED strip lights for home, outdoor, office, and commercial purposes. Besides, places like under cabinets, stairs, the living room, bedroom, and even pool areas. 

On the other hand, LED rope lights are mostly used for holidays like Halloween, New Year’s, Christmas, and more. Also, you can use them to highlight any artwork and architectural design. Again, rope lights can be used on roofs, sidewalks, pathways, etc.

11. Pros

LED Strip Lights	LED Rope Lights
Brighter and sharper light output Easy to cut and install Color and brightness control (via apps/remotes)	Not naturally waterproof Light only in one direction

12. Cons 

LED Strip Lights	LED Rope Lights
Durable and weather-resistant 360° glow for decorative use More impact-resistant	Harder to bend sharply

Which Is Better: LED Strip Lights Vs Rope Lights?

The best lights depend on your applications. You have to consider where to use it and then pick one. For instance, accent, general, and task lighting strip lights are best. On the other hand, for decorative purposes or to get soft, warm lighting, choose rope. 

Besides, the exact location of your installation also affects the lighting. If you want to set lights along the edges and corners, you need to use LED strips, as they are bendable. Similarly, LED strips come with different color options to make a unique design. 

After considering all these features, it is best to choose strip lights. However, if you want something cheaper and want to decorate, consider using rope lights. Try to choose LED rope bulbs over incandescent ones, as they are more energy-efficient. 

Concluson

The difference between strip and rope lights is many, so you can pick which features you need more. If you want lighting for daily use, strip lights are the best option. While for occasional use, go with rope lights. 

Therefore, if you want several unique sizes of strip lights, contact Mylikeled. We offer customization for our lighting to meet customers’ specific requirements.  

FAQs

Why do rope lights fail? 

There are many reasons why rope lights failed, for instance, poor quality chips, improper circuit design, and incorrect cutting. Also, when you bend rope lighting, it can also damage and ruin it. Similarly, power supply problems and soldering defects can further contribute to failure. 

Do LED strip lights get hot? 

No, the main advantage of LED strips is that they generate less heat and are cold to the touch. So there is no risk of safety or fire hazards. This way, you can install them around pets and kids. 

How long do rope LED lights last? 

High-quality LED rope lights can last anywhere from 25,000 to 50,000 hours, depending on usage and environmental conditions. However, their longevity can be affected by factors such as the quality of components, proper installation, and adequate heat management. 

Can you cut LED rope lights?

Yes, LED rope lights can be cut, but only at specific marked intervals indicated by dashed lines. However, cutting outside these marks can disrupt the circuit and cause sections to malfunction. After cutting, use appropriate splice connectors to reconnect or terminate the rope light for continued functionality safely