Solar powered security lights are an eco-friendly way to keep your home well-lit night and day. Our top pick, HMcity 120 LED Solar Lights, come with a motion sensor to activate when something passes by at night. Just one of these outdoor security lights can illuminate 200 square feet, bundled together, you can light up 800 square feet of your front or backyard.
Besides helping you feel safe, a solar-powered security light installs in a snap and won’t raise your monthly electric bill, making it ideal for the budget-conscious DIYer. To help you narrow down your choices, we’ve put some of the top names in solar power light fixtures head to head to see which products outshine the competition—literally.
Best solar powered security lights
- : Best overall
- : Easy installation
- : Best for doorways
- : Best for brightness
- : Strongest motion sensor
Compare solar-powered security lights
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Best overall | $35.99 (4-pack) | 270º | 7.8 x 6.18 x 3.54 in. | Up to 26 ft. | 420 | View on Amazon |
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Easy installation | $44.99 | 180º | 12.9 x 6.7 x 9.0 in. | Up to 30 ft. | 1,000 | View on Amazon |
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Best for doorways | $44.99 | 270º | 8.5 x 5.2 x 1.5 in. | Up to 26 ft. | 450 | View on Amazon |
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Easy installation | $39.99 | 180º | 5.9 x 3.2 x 8.4 in. | Up to 30 ft. | 3,000 | View on Amazon |
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Strongest motion sensor | $49.95 | 180º | 10.0 x 9.0 x 8.0 in. | Up to 40 ft. | 220 | View on Amazon |
*Amazon.com list price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.
1. HMcity 120 LED Solar Lights: Best overall
If you're not a big DIYer, but you'd like to add some extra outdoor solar lighting for safety, the HMcity 120 LED lights are good to start with. They work well at just six feet off the ground, and while they're not the brightest lights on our list, their unique three-panel design gives you 270-degree illumination. You don't have to mess with any wires, and installation is as easy as screwing in one screw.
Simple installation Adjustable settings Three-panel design 18-month warranty
24-month lifespan Too-sensitive motion detectorThe HMcity solar lights come with three different light settings, so you can decide if you want them on low light all night long, on low until they're motion activated to brighten, or off until they sense motion. To change the settings, just adjust the switch on the back of the unit.
One of the only downfalls is the HMcity lights won't last you very long. Each light has only a 24-month lifespan, though you might get more or less use out of them depending on your climate.
2. Sunforce Triple Head Flood Light: Easy installation
When you look at the Sunforce Flood Light, it's obvious this security light means business. Nothing hiding in the dark stands a chance against its 150 LEDs pumping out 1,000 lumens of blinding light.
Being fully weatherproof, you can easily mount it pretty much anywhere. We like that you can tweak the angle of each panel to cover the specific area you want and that you can adjust the sensitivity of the motion sensor—but we've found that the motion sensor isn't as responsive as other lights on the market.
Bright lights Adjustable coverage area Adjustable time settings Separate solar panel
Weak motion sensitivityBecause the Sunforce's light is separate from its solar panel, you can "stick it where the sun don't shine," like under the carport, and use the included nine-foot wire to place the solar panel on the roof. The Sunforce flood light doesn't have many lighting settings like the Litom, but you can decide how long the light stays on after being triggered.
3. InnoGear Solar Gutter Lights: Best for doorways
Gutters are a handy place to mount downward-facing security lights, especially when those lights use a sun-hungry solar panel on top. InnoGear solar lights are designed a lot like solar-powered streetlights with a flat, 36-LED light grid on one side facing the ground and a flat solar panel on the other side facing the sky.
They don't come with a 30-foot streetlight pole, but they do come with short aluminum poles so you can extend them farther from the side of your house or shed. Or you can attach them directly to the siding like a sconce.
Easy installation Unique overhead light design Multiple lighting modes Aluminum mounting poles
Short motion light Tricky configurationThe design of these gutter lights makes them ideal for illuminating exterior entrances, like back doors and garage doors. Like the Litom, they have multiple modes for nighttime use, but toggling between them is a hassle since you can only use one button.
Our biggest complaint is that you can't make the brightest motion light stay on longer than about ten seconds.
4. Tuffenough LED Solar Security Lights: Best for brightness
Tuffenough 3000LM LED Security Lights rank high on the brightness scale. It comes with customizable settings for the motion sensor sensitivity, so you can adjust how much movement will trigger the light. (No more blinding the neighbor when they walk their dog.)
You can also change how long the light stays on once it's triggered. Thanks to the wireless remote control, it's easy to select one of three lighting modes based on your needs.
Customizable settings Battery or hardwired installation
Not the strongest motion sensorWe saw reviews from customers claiming that the motion sensor isn't as powerful as they wanted. This could be due to these sensor settings in these cases.
5. MAXSA Innovations Solar Light: Strongest motion sensor
*Amazon.com list price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.
The MAXSA solar light looks like a regular security light with two spotlight heads that adjust vertically and horizontally to cover the exact areas you want. You can adjust how long you want the light to stay on after it's triggered, the range of the motion sensor, and how dark it has to be before the light turns on.
We also like that you can adjust the angle of the motion sensor on the MAXSA, so mounting it lower on the wall still lets it detect movement from far away.
Senses motion up to 40 feet away Has rechargeable batteries Adjustable light heads
Dim lightBut at only 220 lumens, this light is one of the weaker ones on our list. And over time the motion sensor often collects water, so we recommend hanging it somewhere protected or adding a little extra waterproofing before you mount it.
Final word
The best solar powered security lights can shed light on a wide area and work with motion sensors to activate when someone walks by. You can find hardwired or battery powered to fit whatever surface you're planning for.
Solar powered lights allow you to light up your front yard, driveway, and sidewalk without adding to your energy bill. We chose the HMcity 120 LED Solar Lights as our top pick because of its flexibility and price. You can choose from packs of one, two, or four to line your home or apartment with powerful, motion activated lights. Just one of these outdoor security lights can illuminate 200 square feet, bundled together, you can light up 800 square feet of your front or backyard.
How we reviewed solar security lights
We researched the top solar-powered security lights on the market and studied the pros and cons of each to narrow down our list to the best of the best.
To understand how we rank and review products, visit our methodology page. To find out more about how to beef up the outdoor security around your home, check out our guide to the best outdoor security cameras.
Solar security light FAQ
As the light's solar panel sucks up energy from the sun, it has to have somewhere to store it until it gets dark, so solar lights use a rechargeable battery to bank the energy.
But just like the rechargeable battery in your phone, over time the battery in your solar light will start to deteriorate and not hold a charge very well.
If you notice that your solar light isn't staying on as long as it used to, trying putting in a fresh battery. Check the manufacturer's instructions to make sure you get the right battery for your light.
If you want your motion sensor to detect movement farther away, place it higher up. Just like a motion sensor for a security system, you'll want to place it as high as possible to give it the best coverage.
Try to avoid putting your light under carports or other overhangs that might limit its sensing range.
LEDs (light emitting diodes) need less power than incandescent bulbs, making them ideal for solar lighting applications.
The smaller a solar panel is, the less power it generates, and since you don't want to use a giant panel for a small light, LEDs and solar panels are a perfect fit.
LED bulbs are also brighter and last longer than incandescent bulbs, two other features that are just right for security lights.
An average 60-watt incandescent bulb gives off about 800 lumens of light, but because LED lights give off a whiter light, they may appear brighter than other lights with the same lumen output.
Security lighting can protect you from bad guys or it can protect you from yourself—or it can do both!
If you're looking for something that will scare off an intruder, choose a bright, motion-activated light that you can mount up high, preferably with a night light mode to keep it on all evening.
If you're more worried about seeing your way in the dark, smaller, less powerful lights should serve you just fine. Mount them along fences, railings, and walkways to light up your path at night.
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*Amazon.com list price as of post date. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
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