Want to narrow your window treatment selection down to blinds or shades? Wondering what the main differences are between each and which one is the right choice for your home? Let’s help make up your mind. Here is the side by side comparison you’ll need to choose between shades vs. blinds in each room of your home. When it comes to window covers, there are lots of choices, such as blinds, shades, shutters, draperies, and curtains, etc. Shades and blinds are two of the most popular modern window coverings, both with their advantages and disadvantages. Blinds offer better and easier light control. You can crack open (horizontal or vertical) slats to let in light or tilt to darken your room. While blinds can be adjusted to control light flow, most shades have predefined opacity levels (1% to 14% or more) and they can be positioned up or closed. Shades are much more customizable than window blinds. Plus they are available with upgraded fabric collections and fabric wrapped valances to cover the hardware for a sleeker look. Here is a helpful guide for finding the best window treatment for your home. What’s the Difference Between Shades & Blinds? Faux wood blinds Many buyers use the two terms (blinds and shades) interchangeable when referring to different styles of window treatments. Both types achieve the goal of treating your window for light control, privacy, insulation, etc. However, they are two distinct classes that divide your window covering choices in half. Shades are window coverings made of one or more pieces of fabric or woven wood, and blinds are hard window coverings made with horizontal or vertical slats or louvers. Also, they significantly differ in operation, style, price, and other features. Slats of blinds can be completely raised for an unobstructed view, or they can be rotated to let in more or less light. You can choose from a variety of slat sizes, upgrades, and decorative tapes. Blinds are also better able to withstand heat and humidity. They won’t fade, warp, yellow, or bow in extreme temperatures, moistures, and direct sunlight. When it comes to functionality, shades offer more variety of functional benefits, from bright light to diffused glow to complete darkness or 100% blackout. Homeowners and business owners also love more variety of design options available with window shades. If you find investing in the right window covers might seem overwhelming, follow these practical tips to narrow down the selection process. Things to Consider When Choosing Between Shades & Blinds When deciding between blinds and shades, just ask yourself, “How do I want to block out light and control privacy?” 1. Light Regulation & Privacy Light Regulation Window shades and blinds fulfill these needs in different ways. Made with a solid piece of fabric, shades have only two options: (1) closed (lowered) or (2) opened (raised). On the other hand blinds have 3 options: (1) raised, (2) lowered, and (3) tilted slats for adjustable light control. If you want to let in natural light while keeping your window covered for complete privacy, go with a light filtering fabric shades. Still there are several other factors that differentiate between these 2 window covering styles. 2. Pet and Kid Safety Blinds for child safety Do you have pets and little ones at home? We strongly recommend safer window covers without any dangling or accessible cords. Most blinds don’t come in styles that are safer for young children. So, you can go with CPSC-approved cordless or motorized roller shades, room darkening shades, or cellular shades. 3. Affordability Discounts Blinds are usually more affordable than their top-of-the-line shade equivalents. For example, if you buy a 1 inch Cordless Privacy Mini Blind for a 48” x 48” window, you’ll be charged only around $54. On the other hand, a Soft Fold Top Down Bottom Up Roman Shade for the same sized window will cost you around $167, i.e., more than thrice the price of a mini blind! A motorized model with a higher quality fabric would be even costlier. However, much cheaper shades are also available, such as you can get a Cordless Cellular Shade for a 4’ x 4’ window for as low as $69 – much closer to the price of a blind. The reasons shades have the potential to be expensive include: More custom options Functional versatility Prices also vary across more specific styles of both blinds and shades. 4. DIY Installation DIY Installation If you are on a budget and love to be a DIYer, you could look for easy-to-install window covers. As nearly all types of blinds have the same mounting bracket, they happen to be quicker and more convenient to install for a beginner DIYer. After hanging the first blind, you’ll know how to do the rest. On the other hand, shades could be both easier or a bit more complex to install. For example, snapping a cordless roller shade into brackets would be much easier than hanging a big Roman shade. Note: Whether you are installing shades or blinds, accurate measurements (width, height, and depth) are essential to a perfect fit and a sleeker look. 5. Lower Maintenance Costs Cleaning When it comes to ease of cleaning, blinds emerge to be a more preferred choice for both homes and businesses. For example, you can wipe down a mini blind or a faux wood blind with a soft cloth or a brush. On the other hand, the fabric of a shade will trap more dust, dirt, or grime, so it will require more time and effort for thorough cleaning. For gentle spot cleaning, you’ll need warm water. However, dusting a shade can be quickly done with the brush attachment of the vacuum. 6. Durability As blinds are made from hard materials, such as wood, faux wood, PVC, and aluminum, they are better able to resist wear and tear than shades. However, natural woven wood shades and heavy duty fabric shades can compete with blinds for a longer life. 7. High End Look Soft fold roman shade Both shades and blinds can give you a high end look. However, shades come with more custom options to complement the modern decorative style of your formal living room or dining room. For example, Roman shades and roller shades come with 100’s of fabric designs and colorful patterns. 8. Energy Efficiency Energy efficiency is one of the most important factors to consider when deciding between shades and blinds for windows. Blinds usually don’t do much to keep out outside heat in summer or block out cold in winter. On the other hand, cellular shades with specially designed air-trapping pockets are a better option to insulate your windows all year round. Ultimately What Do I Shop for? Shades? Blinds? Choose blinds Before you buy the right type of window treatment for your space, think about external light, privacy, energy efficiency and outside view or see through. For example, if you have amazing views, you may want shades that completely retract into the headrail, or blinds with wide slats (3” or above). If you want filtered, glare-free light in your study room, light filtering or sheer fabric shades will be a better option. You can also order a free sample of your chosen product to see if it really works in your unique settings. FAQs What’s more expensive: blinds or shades? Fabric quality and custom options play an important role in determining the price of window coverings. Blinds can be a much cheaper option, as they’re typically less customizable than shades. However, adding a motorized lift will increase the cost of both types of window covers. Similarly, dual shades are an expensive option. Which is better: wood blinds or cellular shades? When it comes to insulation (energy saving), cellular shades are considered the best in the industry. With efficient temperature regulation, they can help you save big on your utility bills throughout the year. On the contrary, wood blinds are a hard window treatment, so they’ll do little when it comes to insulating your room. What are the disadvantages of blinds? Blinds are less efficient in keeping out heat and cold. Their dust-trapping slats need to be cleaned more often. Slats of (aluminum and plastic) blinds get easily damaged, requiring repair or replacement. Blind lift cords can pose a strangulation hazard for young children and pets. What is better than blinds? Thicker curtains can be a better option than blinds for insulation and soundproofing. For even better insulation, choose thermal curtains with acrylic foam sewn between the layers of fabric. Honeycomb shades with honeycomb-shaded grid of air pockets are the best option for insulation. Still Unsure? Stumped what style of blinds or shades is right for the functional and decorative needs of your home or office? Contact our professional experts for more practical tips and solutions. Use 24/7 live chat or give us a ring at (800) 863-6109 now.