Few things can overhaul the look of your vehicle the way window tint can. Not only can it give your vehicle an all-new look, but it also provides tons of protective benefits, and it can keep the hot sun from burning up your car throughout the day.
But while the right window tint can help with all those things, the wrong one will start to peel off, scratch up, or worse yet won’t apply right in the beginning. You don’t want to waste your time, money, and energy on a subpar product, which is why we highlighted ten of the best car window tints for you here.
Not only that, but we came up with a comprehensive buyer’s guide that will walk you through everything you need to know to get the perfect window tint for your car the first time!
Disclaimer – This article may contain affiliate links, which means that at no cost to you, we may receive a small commission for qualifying purchases.
10 Best Car Window Tint
We know you’re busy, so if you’re just trying to get to the best window tints out there, get one on order, and move on with your day, we wanted to highlight the best options out there right in the beginning for you here.
1. JNK Networks Window Tint – Best Car Window Tint Overall
- Size: Vehicle-specific precut
- VLT Percent: 5, 15, or 30 percent
If you’re looking for the perfect combination of ease of installation, quality, and price, you’re not going to find a better option than JNK Networks Window Tint. It uses a precut design which makes the installation process a lot easier.
When you place your order you simply put in the type of car you drive, then JNK Networks cuts out the perfect size tint for your windows and sends them to you! With a feature as great as this you might expect the price to be astronomically high, but it’s really not.
Not only is it a great value, but it’s a great quality too. If you take the time to install this window tint properly, there’s no reason it can’t give you top-notch results for years to come. Don’t misunderstand us, it’s not the absolute highest quality window tint out there, but at this price point, you’re getting an outstanding deal.
Finally, there are three different VLT percentages to pick from, so you can find exactly what you’re looking for and get the perfect window tint for your vehicle.
Pros
- Great mix of affordability, convenience, and quality
- Easy to install
- Precut to your vehicle
- Multiple VLT percent options to pick from
Cons
- Not the very highest quality
2. Solux DIY Window Tint – Best Budget
- Size: 20” x 10’
- VLT Percent: 10 percent
If you’re on a tighter budget and don’t mind doing a little more work then Solux DIY Window Tint is an outstanding choice. It’s an effective tint that will last a long time, but unlike our top choice with Solux DIY Window Tint, you’ll need to measure it out and cut it out yourself when it arrives.
You order this tint in 20” by 10’ sheets, and then you need to measure everything out for your specific windows. If you do it right you can get the same quality results with a little more work but spend a fraction of the amount.
However, if you do it wrong, you’ll need to order more. If that happens, you’ll spend just as much and need to put the work in yourself.
Another disadvantage of going with this window tint is that it only comes in one VLT percent. If you want 10 percent VLT it’s fine, but if you’re looking for anything else this window tint doesn’t have it.
In the end, if Solux DIY Window Tint is right for you all comes down to if you want 10 percent VLT and if you trust your abilities. If you do, you can save yourself quite a bit of money by getting this one and cutting it out yourself.
Pros
- Affordably priced
- Very effective tint
Cons
- Only one VLT percent
- You need to cut it yourself
3. MotoShield Pro – Premium Choice
- Size: Vehicle-specific precut
- VLT Percent: 5, 15, 25, 35, 50, 70, or 75 percent
If you want professional quality window tint and don’t mind spending a little more then MotoShield Pro is what you want. It’s a dual-film window tint that will last the lifetime of your vehicle if you install it correctly.
Even better, this Motoshield Pro film comes precut specifically for your vehicle. You don’t have to worry about messing up the measurements, you can simply install it and move on with your day. Another perk of going with this MotoShield Pro window tint is that there are seven different VLT percentages you can pick from.
If you want extremely dark windows go with 5 percent, but if you want something a little more transparent their 75 percent tint is an option too. Moreover, while this window tint is certainly more expensive than any other option on our list, you can order for just the windows you want.
Whether you’re replacing tint on a single window or only putting tint on rear windows, you can order exactly what you want and nothing more with this tint. MotoShield Pro is a great window tint, but you’ll need to spend a little more to get it.
Pros
- Precut to your vehicle
- Lots of VLT percentages to pick from
- Very high-quality tint
- Easy to install
Cons
- More expensive choice
4. True Line Window Tint
- Size: Vehicle-specific precut
- VLT Percent: 5, 20, 35, or 50 percent
True Line Window Tint is another precut window tint that just narrowly missed our top choice. It’s a great mix of price, quality, and ease of installation, and you can order for specific windows on your vehicle.
The reason True Line Window Tint didn’t make it to our top choice all comes down to the fact that it’s just a little bit more expensive. It’s just as easy to install and is a high-quality tint, but if you can save yourself a few bucks on a comparable tint you should.
However, True Line Window Tint comes in 20, 35, and 50 percent VLT, which are all options that JNK Networks Window Tint doesn’t come with.
So, if you want that VLT percentage specifically, True Line Window Tint is the best option out there for the money. It’s not quite as high-quality as MotoShield, but it’s not nearly as expensive either. Most people won’t have any issues with the quality of this window tint, and you can save yourself quite a bit of money compared to MotoShield.
Pros
- Precut to your vehicle
- Lots of VLT percentages to pick from
- You can customize what you get
Cons
- Not as high quality as MotoShield
- More expensive than JNK Networks Window Tint
5. Toyoco Window Tint
- Size: 24” x 11.5’, 24” x 15’, 24” x 25’, 29.5” x 15’, 29.5” x 25’, 36” x 15’, or 36” x 25’
- VLT Percent: 5, 20, 35, 50, or 70 percent
Toyoco Window Tint is another high-quality window tint option you need to measure out and cut yourself. This makes it a little more work but compared to the precut window tint it’s more affordable.
However, while it’s more affordable than precut window tint, compared to other window tints you need to cut yourself, Toyoco Window Tint is on the pricier side of things. It certainly costs a bit more, but it’s also a better quality than most other options, and if you apply it correctly you shouldn’t ever need to replace it.
Another advantage of Toyoco Window Tint is that while most window tints you need to cut yourself only come in one size, there are plenty of different sizes to choose from for you here. Measure your windows before you order the tint and you can get yourself the perfect amount of tint for your next project with just one order.
Not only are there tons of size options, but there are also five different VLT percentages for you to pick from. Whether you want an extremely dark 5 percent VLT window or something that lets in far more light, like a 70 percent, Toyoco has what you’re looking for.
Pros
- Tons of size options to pick from
- Lots of VLT percentages to pick from
- Very high-quality tint
Cons
- You need to cut it yourself
- More expensive for an option you need to cut yourself
6. Lexen Window Tint
- Size: 20” x 10’
- VLT Percent: 35 percent
Lexen didn’t crack the top half of our list, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a top-notch choice for you to consider. It’s an extremely affordable choice, but it’s another window tint you need to cut yourself. This makes it a bit more work than the precut window tints, but you’re also not spending as much.
Overall, the window tint itself is pretty easy to apply once you measure it out and cut it down to the right size, and it even comes with an applicator tool to help you get it on. However, while it’s a great and affordable window tint option, one of the primary concerns with it is that it only comes in one VLT percent.
If you want a 35 percent VLT, it’s not a bad choice, but if you want something a little more customizable, this isn’t the way to go.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Easy to apply
- It comes with an applicator tool
Cons
- You need to cut it yourself
- Only one VLT percent
7. MotoShield Pro
- Size: Tons
- VLT Percent: 50 percent
This is another MotoShield product, but while the first MotoShield window tint on our list offers precut tint and lots of VLT percentages, this window tint is a bit more limited. These are just the rolls of tint that MotoShield uses for their precut options, allowing you to make the same exact tint at a fraction of the cost.
It’s one of the highest-quality tints out there, but it’s also far more expensive than most window tints you need to cut yourself. Still, it should last the lifetime of your vehicle if you install it correctly, so it’s really a one-time expense.
You also get tons of size options to pick from. In fact, while we usually like to list all the size options you have to pick from, the sheer number of options with MotoShield makes that extremely impractical. Measure out what you need and figure out how you’re going to cut it out. If you do that you won’t need to order any extra tint and spend more than you need to.
It’s the best of the best, but with how much this window tint costs we wouldn’t blame you if you went for another option farther up the list and save yourself some money.
Pros
- Tons of size options to pick from
- Very high-quality tint
- Easy to apply
- It lasts a long time
Cons
- You need to cut it yourself
- More expensive for an option you need to cut yourself
8. Queenbox Tint
- Size: 20” x 10’
- VLT Percent: 100 percent (clear film)
One of the primary selling points of window tint is that it darkens windows. That’s not something that Queenbox Tint can claim with this product. It allows 100 percent of the light to pass through your window, which makes it legal in all 50 states.
Of course, since it lets all the light through the window it’s only natural to wonder why you would want it in the first place. While a clear tint doesn’t block light, it does block UV rays. This helps protect your vehicle’s interior without the need to put up a window shield every time you park somewhere.
It’s a pretty affordable choice, but like many of the lower-priced options on our list you will need to measure out everything and cut it to the size of your window. But while that’s inconvenient, if this window tint is right for you all comes down to if you want any darkening features.
If you do, this isn’t the window tint to go with, but if you don’t then this clear tint film provides plenty of UV protection without filtering out any light.
Pros
- Legal in all states
- It provides UV protection
Cons
- You need to cut it yourself
- It does not provide any darkening
9. SW Store Tint
- Size: Tons
- VLT Percent: 80 percent
If you want a ton of different size options to pick from and want a lighter tint that lets through more light, then SW Store Tint is a great choice. With a VLT percent of 80 it’s legal in most but not all states, which makes it a great choice if you live in an area with more restrictive tint laws.
It’s also extremely easy to apply, although you will need to measure it and cut it out yourself. But if you figure out how much you need and you’re going to cut it out beforehand, SW Store Tint offers tons of different sizes for you to pick from so you can order just the right amount of tint for your vehicle.
And while this window tint doesn’t block as much light as many of the other options on our list, it still fully blocks UV light for the ultimate protection of your vehicle’s interior.
But while 80 percent VLT is perfectly legal in many states, it’s also not nearly as dark as many people want. When you pair that with the fact that you have to measure it all out and apply it yourself, it’s not hard to see why it couldn’t make it any further up the list.
Pros
- Tons of size options to pick from
- Legal in MOST states
- Easy to apply
- Provides UV protection
Cons
- You need to cut it yourself
- Only one VLT percent
- Not very dark
10. Gila Heat Shield Tint
- Size: 6” x 26”
- VLT Percent: 20 percent
Gila Heat Shield Tint is the last window tint to make our list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth considering. It beat out a ton of other window tint options to earn this spot, and it did it in large part because it’s a very affordable choice.
Not only is it affordable, but it’s scratch resistant and easy to apply, so it should last quite a long time on your vehicle. It does come in a much smaller package size compared to many of the options on our list, but that makes it a great choice if you only want to put tint on a single window or two on your vehicle.
You still will need to cut it yourself and it’s not the best choice for larger projects because of how much you’ll need to order, but the real problem here is that it only comes in one VLT percent. While 20 percent is a pretty popular option if you’re looking for anything else they won’t have what you want.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Great for very small windows
- Scratch resistant
- Easy to apply
Cons
- You need to cut it yourself
- Very small sizes
- Only one VLT percent
Window Tints Buyer’s Guide
With so many great car window tints out there it can be a challenge trying to narrow it down to just one. There’s a lot to go through, and that’s why we came up with this comprehensive buyer’s guide to walk you through everything you need to know before making a decision.
Laws On Window Tint
If you live in the United States the laws on window tint are complicated. That’s because the law varies from state to state, and the laws controlling your vehicle vary depending on the state you have it registered in.
That means if you have a vehicle with Tennessee plates you can put dark tint on your vehicle and driver wherever you want, but if you move to Pennsylvania, there’s a good chance you’ll have to take some of that tint off to keep it legal.
However, if you have a vehicle with Tennessee plates and drive it to Pennsylvania, you won’t have to worry about taking the tint off.
Look up the laws for whatever state you registered your vehicle in before you purchase the tint you want to put on your vehicle. The last thing you want is to purchase the tint and put in the work to put it on your vehicle only to have a cop pull you over, give you a ticket, and make you take it all back off.
What Does VLT Mean?
When it comes to window tint, VLT is an acronym standing for “Visible Light Transmission,” and it’s one of the most important acronyms to consider when ordering tint. VLT refers to the amount of light that will pass through the tint to the inside of your vehicle.
A window tint with a 5 percent VLT will be extremely dark since that number means it only lets in 5 percent of the light that hits the window. Meanwhile, a window with 75 percent VLT will allow 75 percent of the light that hits the window to make it to the other side.
The higher the VLT, the more light it lets through to the other side, translating to a lighter window tint. Not only is VLT an important figure to know since it breaks down exactly what you’re getting, but it is also the measurement that states use if they restrict how dark the tint can be.
Knowing the VLT of the tint you’re getting and that it’s an accurate percentage is a critical part of ensuring you’re getting a high-quality tint, and fortunately, that’s an area where all the tints on our list really shine.
How Much Tint Do You Need?
If you’re ordering a precut tint for your vehicle, this isn’t something you really need to worry about, but if you’re planning on doing it yourself, you want to get the right amount of tint on the first order. If you order too much, you’ll spend more than you should, defeating the purpose of you doing it yourself.
However, if you don’t order enough you’ll get halfway through the job only to realize that you need to order more. Those are two fates you want to avoid, and it all comes down to ordering the right amount of tint for your vehicle the first time.
The easiest way to ensure you get the right amount of tint for your vehicle is to measure your vehicle’s windows before you order any tint. But whatever you do, don’t just measure the windows, calculate the square footage of the sheet of tint and assume you’re good to go.
Because no matter how strong your tint-cutting Tetris skills are, you’re not going to be able to make use of every inch of tint on the sheet. Once you have the windows measurements, do yourself a favor and map out how you plan to cut them out.
This will ensure you’re considering any unusable space on the tint. And give yourself three or four inches of buffer space between cuts at a bare minimum, otherwise you might find yourself needing more tint because you can’t effectively cut as close as you’d like!
It’s a bit more work to do it this way, but it’s something you’ll need to do eventually either way. And this way you’re saving yourself a little money by only ordering the right amount of tint for your vehicle and wasting as little as possible!
Tips When Installing Window Tint
Once you get the right tint on order you still need to take the time to install it the right way. The right window tint installation leads to a professional-looking result that will last years, while a poor installation will leave you with bubbles and scratched-up tint you can’t wait to get rid of.
It can be a tricky process, which is why we wanted to take the time to highlight a few tips and tricks you should follow when installing window tint on your vehicle.
1. Pick the Right Location
Having a clean working environment with plenty of room to maneuver can make all the difference when you’re installing window tint. The ideal location is a garage with plenty of space, that way no contaminants can find their way to the tint or window, and you have plenty of space to move around while working.
2. Clean the Windows
When you’re putting window tint on your window, you’re trapping everything already on your window underneath the tint. That’s why you really want to make sure you take the time to have a perfectly clean window before you start trying to put the tint on.
If you miss a pet hair, some dust, or anything else you’ll be able to see it under the tint, but you won’t be able to get it out.
3. Take Your Time
Once you have your tint on your vehicle, you can’t just move it over a little or try again. Once it sets, it’s there for good. If you want to try again you’ll have to pull that tint off, throw it away, and try again with new tint.
Take your time the first time, otherwise you might have to purchase new tint and do it all over again to get the desired results.
4. Measure Twice and Cut Once
If you’re cutting your own tint, do yourself a favor and double-check the measurements before you make any cuts. Once you cut the tint there’s no putting it back together, so you need to get it right the first time.
5. Use a Heat Gun and an Applicator
While you might think you can do it all by yourself and without any tools, even the pros use tools. If you want professional-looking results you should use tools too, and two of the most beneficial are a heat gun and an applicator tool.
These tools help you get everything into the perfect place and work out the bubbles in the tint as quickly and as easily as possible. Do yourself a favor and use the right tools for the job.
6. Use Water
When you’re applying the tint do yourself a favor and spray the window down with water. While you’ll need to push this out later, having a wet window makes it much easier to slide it into the perfect position if you line it up a little off initially.
Spray down the window and then start pushing out the water with the applicator tool once you have it in the right position.
7. Push Out the Bubbles
This might seem like common sense but take your time to get all the bubbles out. Don’t settle for good enough because small bubbles will grow over time and lead to even larger ones.
But if you push out all the bubbles you shouldn’t have this problem in the future. Start with big bubbles and push them out but go back to push out all the smaller ones too.
Professional Window Tint Installation Cost
After reading through all the reviews and tips for installing window tint you might find yourself wondering if it’s just better to take your vehicle to a professional shop to have them install it for you.
But while you can get most of the window tint options on our vehicle for between $25 and $75, if you want a professional shop to install tint you can expect to spend between $250 to $600 depending on what you drive and the quality of the tint.
That’s a pretty big price difference, and its why so many people are willing to do the work and install the tint themselves. It might be a decent amount of work, but the hundreds of dollars you can save can make it well worth the little extra headache, especially since so many shops are willing to cut it out specifically for your vehicle, which is already the hardest part.
Which is better ceramic or carbon car window tint?
The ceramic window tint is a better choice if you are looking for durability and quality. Carbon tint is better if you want a scratch resistant film or are on a budget and looking for a cheaper film.
What percentage of car window tint is best?
35% to 50% window tint is a great choice for most people, as it’s not too dark but still protects against UV and keeps the car cool. But it also depends on where you live. In sunny climates, a darker tint is better to keep the car cooler.
Is 20% car window tint pretty dark?
Yes, 20% car window tint is quite dark and if you plan to have 20% film on the windshield or front windows, it will be very difficult to drive at night. 20% film means it only lets 20% of the light through.
Should I get a 20% or 35% car window tint?
35% is a better choice and enough for most people, as 20% film is quite dark. However, it depends on your preferences but if you plan to have 20% car window film on the windshields, it will be difficult to drive at night.
Don’t wait until the hot summer months come to get a top-notch tint for your vehicle. Get ready for the warmer months ahead of time by ordering now. Of course, if it’s already starting to warm up where you live you don’t want to wait another minute!
With any of the great window tints on our list, you can put those scorching days in your car behind you and transform the look of your vehicle in a great way in the process!
Learn more:
- Is Mirror Tint Legal on a Car?
- How to Remove Window Tint (4 Easy Methods)
Categories: , Reviews
