Llumar vs XPEL: Window Tinting Showdown
I know what you're thinking: another window tint shop that is going to say its window film is the best. Yes, but unlike all the others, we've actually installed both Llumar and XPEL. For 9 years, we were an authorized Llumar dealer, making the switch to XPEL mid-2024. Nobody is in a better position to honestly compare the top window film brands. In this comparison, we'll break down the differences between Llumar and XPEL in window tinting based on facts and our experience, providing you with expert insights to help you make the right choice for your vehicle in Atlanta, Georgia.
UV Protection
Let's start with an easy topic: Do Llumar and XPEL offer the same level of UV protection? Both Llumar and XPEL are exceptional when it comes to blocking harmful ultraviolet rays. UV can significantly contribute to skin cancer, along with damaging your car’s interior. Rest assured, whichever option you choose will block 99% of harmful UV rays. This is standard on all Llumar and XPEL window films.
Aesthetics & Clarity
Now this is personal preference with some opinion. When choosing window tint, aesthetics and optical clarity are crucial. You want a film that looks great and doesn't obstruct your view, especially for your windshield. So let's go over the appearance differences between Llumar and XPEL.
Aesthetics: Llumar has a natural charcoal appearance, which is the most common look in the window film industry. XPEL has a sleek black appearance that matches great with other black accents and trim. This is completely up to you; some people will prefer the charcoal of Llumar while others like the black of XPEL. Both will look amazing on any vehicle.
Clarity: Llumar and XPEL are both known for superior optical clarity. Llumar AIR 80 is, hands down, one of our favorite window films on the market. We are also super happy with the visibility of XPEL. I would give XPEL a slight edge over Llumar, but that is pure opinion. You will be pleased with the clarity of either window film brand, no matter the shade.
Heat & IR Rejection
This may be the most important section for many consumers. One of the key benefits of window tint is its ability to keep your car cool, especially during the hot summer months in Georgia. We will be focusing on Ceramic films since the standard options don't block any noticeable heat. There are three measurements of heat rejection. TSER is the total solar energy rejection, which encompasses all forms of heat. SIRR focuses specifically on Infrared (IR) heat, which is the burning you feel from the sun since it penetrates your skin deeper, reaching your nerves. Lastly, IRER also focuses on IR heat, but includes absorbed and reradiated heat. Now, compare the top films from Llumar and XPEL, including FormulaOne.
TSER: The winner is XPEL with XR Plus blocking up to 71%. FormulaOne Stratos blocks up to 65% while Llumar IRX blocks up to 62%. Many shops feel this is the most important measurement since it includes all forms of heat, not just one portion.
SIRR: XPEL XR Plus wins again with IR heat rejection of up to 98%. FormulaOne Stratos is right there with 97% and Llumar IRX hits the 88% mark. Most shops promote this specifically since infrared heat rejection is what delivers that instant cooling effect.
IRER: With absorbed and reradiated heat included, XPEL XR Plus still takes the win by blocking up to 70%. FormulaOne Stratos is not too far behind with 67% and Llumar IRX with 61%. IRER is important since this is the performance when the vehicle is not moving.
XPEL XR Plus is the clear winner across all three measurements. Now, you may not need that level of heat rejection. So we ranked Llumar and XPEL window films solely based on performance. It comes down to how much you're willing to pay for the performance you want. We recommend going with at least XPEL XR Black or Llumar IRX level of performance in Georgia. We feel the price for Llumar CTX is a little high for an entry-level Ceramic film with lower heat rejection.
- XPEL XR Plus
- FormulaOne Stratos
- FormulaOne Pinnacle
- XPEL XR Black & Llumar IRX
- Llumar CTX
Warranty
We already covered this in full detail in the Who Has the Best Warranty blog post, but let's touch on that again. Llumar and XPEL both offer lifetime warranties with nationwide coverage, meaning all dealers cover you. FormulaOne and XPEL take it a step further by allowing the warranty to be transferred to the next car owner. Pretty even up to this point, but XPEL is about to stand out. XPEL covers fading, which Llumar does not cover and specifically states it does not in the warranty. XPEL also covers below legal installs, which include the full windshield. Llumar does not cover any application that is not legal in your state. Yes, this includes the Llumar AIR 80 for the windshield. Another issue is that if you move from a state that allows darker shades to a more strict state, your warranty will be voided. Llumar goes by where the vehicle is currently registered, not by where you got it originally tinted. For example, you select legal tint in Florida but decide to move to Georgia, which has stricter tint laws. Once you register your vehicle in GA, your manufacturer's warranty with Llumar is voided. You will still have a warranty with the local shop, but that means driving back to Florida to get a warranty replacement. Llumar is very strict with this policy, and yes, we've seen this firsthand with our installs, along with people moving from FL. As a bonus, XPEL registers your warranty with CARFAX, so it helps add resale value, showing a premium product was installed.
Durability
Durability is a crucial factor when investing in window tint. You want something that will last and withstand the test of time. A lifetime warranty is amazing, but in reality, no window film lasts a lifetime. GA has pretty harsh summers, and many cheaper window film brands don't last as long as they should. This is where we can share our experience installing Llumar and XPEL and how long they last in Georgia.
As of today, we've been installing XPEL for 18 months with zero issues. This is way too short to truly test how long XPEL films last. We need at least double that time to compare to our experience with Llumar. The good news is that on all the window tint groups, forums, and sub-reddits we are involved in, we have not seen any reported failures. XPEL CS & XR Black has been out for over 8 years, while XR Plus has been out for over 7 years. We love to see XPEL having a proven track record.
As stated, we installed Llumar window films for 9 years from 2015-2024. To date, we've had 9 warranties, with 8 of them being bubbled-up rear windows and the other a delaminated windshield. The problem is that one was less than 3 years, and the rest were in the 3-5 year range. To be clear, these failures were Llumar ATC and CTX Ceramic. We've also seen in person a FormulaOne Pinnacle bubbed up rear window in just over 3 years, along with a few others posting online. We assume these were all vehicles that were not garage-kept and were exposed to the sun all day. Regardless, way too short for such a premium film. Llumar ATC, CTX, and FormulaOne Pinnacle are very old films that have been out for over 12 years. We've never had a failure from Llumar IRX or AIR 80. We've seen a couple of reported AIR 80 failures online, but both people were suspicious that possibly a different film was installed. Now, we also carried 3M for 8 years concurrently from 2016-2024 and had zero warranties.
Conclusion
Ultimately, both Llumar and XPEL provide excellent window tinting solutions with tons of happy clients. We always tell people to focus on the shop quality over nickpicking between premium brands. We just wanted to highlight some real-world differences that are not talked about. Based on our experience as a professional window tint shop, we decided to go with XPEL and could not be happier. With XPEL, we feel we are providing our customers with the very best in longevity and performance that is backed by the best warranty. Not just that, we've received amazing feedback from repeat customers on switching to XPEL. If you're looking for the best auto window tinting in Atlanta, give us a call at 678-404-6804 to talk about our current deals.