Best Solar-Powered Security Lights

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.

The 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.

Because 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.

The 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.

We 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.

But 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.

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.

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.

• Best Cheap Motion Detectors
• Best Outdoor Security Cameras
• Best Solar Powered Security Cameras
• Best Floodlight Cameras for Home Security
• A Guide to Porch Light Safety: Leave It On or Turn It Off?