The Best Permanent Outdoor Lights (2026): Govee, Eufy, Cync

Permanent outdoor lights might not seem useful now that we're headed into summer, but they're actually great to use year-round. The name suggests exactly what they are: a type of string light designed to stay up all year instead of coming down after the occasion you hung them for, whether it's the holiday season or a big party that inspired you to deck out your front porch.

Whether these lights are truly “permanent” is up to you, since you can choose to anchor them to your home with either screws or adhesive. Note that they may not be a fit for every home's architecture—you will need eaves, and preferably flat ones, to hide the thick cords. Our favorite options are from Govee ($440, 100 feet) and Eufy ($300, 100 feet); both are great sets you can cut and splice to customize to your home's roofline. My favorite affordable set is from Cync ($143, 100 feet)—it's easy to use and install and has lots of great color options.

No matter which set you choose, these lights are made for year-round enjoyment. It's not just for your basic holidays like Christmas and Halloween, either: WIRED reviewer Kat Merck uses hers in the post-holiday season to display her husband’s favorite sports team colors, and I've got big plans to use the permanent lights affixed to my balcony railing to light up for my next party.

Updated April 2026: We've updated the prices and details in this guide for summer, and added new sections on the best time of year to use and buy these types of lights.

What Are Permanent Outdoor Lights?

Permanent outdoor lights are exactly what they sound like: outdoor lights meant to be permanently affixed to your home, so you don't have to go up and down a ladder every Halloween and Christmas season. They're similar to smart Christmas lights like those from Twinkly ($120) and Philips Hue ($210), and other smart lighting options like Philips Hue's smart bulbs ($99), in that they connect to an app and have custom color control.

The lights we recommend below are all DIY-friendly, but you can also hire a professional to affix them to your home. Some higher-end brands, like JellyFish and Gemstone, are for professional installation only. Hiring an installer is recommended either way if you have harder-to-reach eaves or a trickier home design, which may add considerably to the overall cost.

What Your Home Will Need

The most important thing to check is if your home is even compatible with permanent outdoor string lights. If your home has any of these features, installation should work for you:

• Accessible roof eaves, often found on one- or two-story homes
• An outdoor ceiling, like a porch roof
• Flat, smooth materials, including glass, cement, wood, or metal, under the eaves
• Access to an outlet, ideally an outdoor one that's at least partially covered

Most one- and two-story homes can accommodate permanent outdoor lights. Govee, for example, claims its permanent outdoor lights ($440) will work on everything from cottages to large mansions. Eufy warns that certain paints, including those with texturing, could prevent secure adhesion of its permanent outdoor lights ($300).

Here are the home styles for which installation of permanent lights will be a struggle:

• Homes with a stucco exterior
• Homes with no roof eaves of any kind
• Three-story homes with no eaves on the lower levels
• Properties with strict HOA rules against permanent exterior changes

What to Look for in Permanent Outdoor Lights

Cut-and-splice abilities. The ability to cut out pucks and splice the cord ends back together creates a much more customized and professional look. Our favorite sets from Govee and Eufy both include this ability.

Weatherproofing. Every model needs an IP (weatherproofing) rating to survive outside. There's usually a lower rating for the control box compared to the rest of the lights.

A range of installation options. You'll want a set that comes with plenty of options, including adhesive and drilled mounting options.

Controls for individual lights. Make sure you'll have easy individual controls, or you might find yourself frustrated with the design results.

A great app. A good app determines whether features are accessible. Govee and Eufy both have good apps that are easy to use and come with preloaded light themes.