LED Neon vs Glass Neon: Which Suits Your Business?

What each one is

Glass neon is made from glass tube, bent by hand to form letters and shapes, filled with gas and lit by electricity. It is the original, and it has a depth and warmth that is hard to copy.

LED neon uses a flexible strip of LEDs inside a diffusing sleeve, shaped to the design and usually fixed to a backing. From across a room it gives the same continuous line of light; up close, the construction is different.

The look

Enthusiasts will tell you glass neon has a glow no LED can quite match, and there is something in that — especially in heritage venues, cocktail bars and anywhere the sign is a feature in its own right. LED neon gives a very even, clean line and handles tight, detailed designs well. For most viewers at normal distance, both read as neon.

Where each can go

• Glass neon: best indoors or in protected positions, where the tube is not at risk of knocks.
• LED neon: more robust thanks to its flexible construction, which makes it a practical choice for busy public spaces, events and places where the sign may be moved.

If the sign will be within reach of customers, in a venue with lots of movement, or transported between sites, that usually points towards LED.

Mounting options

Both types can be mounted on clear acrylic backing, on metal frames, or directly onto a wall. Clear acrylic makes the lettering appear to float and is the most common choice for window and wall signs. Mounting directly to a wall suits large, permanent installations. Metal frames suit signs that hang or stand.

Colour and control

Both offer a wide range of colours, and dimming capabilities are available so the sign can be turned down for a quieter evening mood. Decide whether you want one colour or several; multi-colour designs need more planning so the colours balance when lit.

Which to choose

Choose glass neon if the sign is a centrepiece, it will be installed somewhere protected, and the authentic character matters to your brand. Choose LED neon if the sign needs to be robust, will be near people, may be moved, or includes very fine detail. If you are unsure, tell us where it will go and who will see it; the location usually answers the question.

Design first

Neon is drawn as a line, not a filled shape, so some logos need adapting to work. Our designers turn your artwork into a neon-ready design and show it to you on a proof before anything is made.

Where neon earns its place

Neon works best where the sign is part of the atmosphere: bar backs, restaurant walls, salon reception areas, shop windows seen at night, event spaces and photo walls. In those places people look at it, photograph it and remember it, which is worth more than any amount of information it could carry.

It is less useful as the only sign a business has. Neon reads beautifully at night but can be hard to see in bright daylight, so a shop that needs to be found during the day usually pairs it with a fascia or projecting sign. Think of neon as the mood, and your other signs as the directions.

Common questions