Best Outdoor Motion Sensor Lights: Smart, Wired and Solar Compared
Updated
A motion light has one job: come on bright when someone walks into its zone, and stay off otherwise. How well it does that depends on three numbers most listings bury: how many lumens it puts out, how far and how wide it detects, and how long it stays on.
This page puts those numbers side by side for 22 lights in three groups: smart lights you control from an app, standard wired lights and bulbs, and solar lights. Every figure comes from the Amazon listing or the maker's own page, checked on October 3, 2026. We have not installed or tested these lights ourselves, and we leave out floodlight cameras. If you buy through our Amazon links, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we research.
Smart, Wired or Solar?
- Smart if you want to change timers from your phone, link the light to cameras or other lights, or switch it on remotely. Expect to need a hub or bridge for some brands.
- Wired or bulb if there is already a fixture or junction box where you want the light. The brightest options here, with nothing to set up in an app.
- Solar if there is no power where you need light, such as a shed, fence or far corner of the yard, and the spot gets direct sun.
Smart Motion Lights
App control, adjustable timers and links to other smart devices. Check what each one needs to connect: Ring needs Sidewalk or a Ring Bridge, Sengled needs a Zigbee hub, Hue needs a Hue Bridge.
| Light | Brightness | Detection | Timer / modes | Power | Weather rating | Smart features | Warranty | Maker price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Smart Lighting Floodlight (Wired)The strongest fit if you already use Ring: motion here can trigger your other Ring lights and cameras. Check Sidewalk coverage first, or budget for a Ring Bridge. No subscription is needed for the lighting features. | 2,000 lm, 3500K | 70 ft, up to 180° | 30 s to 5 min, set in the app | Hardwired | "Weather resistant", no IP stated | Ring app, schedules, links with Ring cameras and lights, Alexa. Needs Amazon Sidewalk or a Ring Bridge | 1 year | $69.99 (Ring) | Check Price on Amazon |
| Ring Smart Lighting Spotlight (Battery)For a side door or shed with no wiring. The D batteries are not included. | 400 lm adjustable, 3500K | 30 ft, up to 120° | 30 s to 5 min | 4 × D batteries, sold separately | IP66 | Ring app, Alexa. Needs Amazon Sidewalk or a Ring Bridge | 1 year | $39.99 (Ring) | Check Price on Amazon |
| Ring Smart Lighting Solar PathlightA marker light for walkways, not a security light. It belongs to the same Ring lighting system as the floodlight and spotlight. | Up to 80 lm, 3500K | Not stated | Motion-activated | Solar | IP66 | Ring app, Alexa. Needs Amazon Sidewalk or a Ring Bridge | Not stated | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| HALO ESF Motion Smart Wi-Fi FloodlightOne of two lights in this group, with the Govee, that do color as well as tunable white. The 2,400 lm figure is from the Amazon details table; HALO's own page covers only a non-motion version. | 2,400 lm, 2200K–6500K plus color | 50 ft, 180° | Not stated | Hardwired, 120 V, 28.2 W | Wet location rated | WiZ app over Wi-Fi, no hub; voice control (assistants not named) | 5 years | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| Feit Electric Dual Head Smart Flood LightA plain-looking two-head security light with tunable white and a 5-year warranty. Feit does not publish its detection range. | 2,000 lm, 2700K–6500K | Not stated | Dusk-to-dawn, schedules | Hardwired, 28 W | Wet location rated (Feit) | Feit app on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, Alexa, Google (Feit) | 5 years | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| Enbrighten Vibe Smart Security Light, Dual HeadThe widest detection angle on this page (210°), with an IP65 rating and a 5-year warranty. | 2,589 lm at 4000K, plus a 427 lm accent ring | 70 ft, 210°, three sensitivity levels | Timeout set in the app | Hardwired, 24.7 W | IP65 | Enbrighten app on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, Alexa, Google, no hub | 5 years | $93.99 (Jasco) | Check Price on Amazon |
| Govee Outdoor Wall Flood Light (H3351)3,000 lm with full color and a 1000K–10000K white range. Amazon claims Matter support; Govee's own page does not mention it. | 3,000 lm, 1000K–10000K plus color | 48 ft, 120° | Timer and motion-triggered scenes in the app | Hardwired, 36 W (Govee) | IP65 | Govee app over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Alexa, Google. Matter on Amazon only | 12 months (Amazon) | $99.99 (Govee) | Check Price on Amazon |
| Sengled Smart PAR38 Motion Flood BulbTurns an existing PAR38 fixture into a smart motion light, but only if you have a Zigbee hub. Motion notifications need the Sengled hub. | 1,200 lm, 3000K | 30 ft, 100° | Fixed 90 s; daylight sensor | E26 bulb, 14.5 W | Outdoor rated for wet environments | Zigbee: needs a hub (Echo with a Zigbee hub, SmartThings or the Sengled hub) | Not stated | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| Philips Hue Outdoor Motion SensorNot a light: it triggers any Hue light, for example the 2,250 lm Hue Discover floodlight. Worth it only if you are building on Hue. | Sensor only | 160° (Amazon) | Dusk-to-dawn automations | 2 × AA batteries | IP54 (Hue), IP44 (Amazon) | Needs a Hue Bridge; Alexa, Google, Apple Home and Matter through the Bridge | 2 years | $54.99 (Philips Hue) | Check Price on Amazon |
Ring, Wyze, eufy, Kasa, Arlo, Blink, Google Nest and Feit also sell floodlights with built-in cameras. Those are security cameras first and are not covered here. Building on Philips Hue? See our Philips Hue outdoor lights guide for the Discover floodlight and the rest of the range.
Standard Motion Lights and Bulbs
No app, no Wi-Fi: a motion sensor and a photocell do the work. Settings are dials or switches on the light. Cheaper, and nothing to set up beyond the wiring.
| Light | Brightness | Detection | Timer / modes | Power | Weather rating | Warranty | Maker price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEONLITE LED Motion Sensor Security LightA long-running two-head security light with a dusk-to-dawn mode. Also sold in bronze and in a 3000K warm version. | 2,500 lm, 5000K | 59 ft, 180° | On-time, Auto and dusk-to-dawn modes | Hardwired, 25 W, 100–277 V | IP65, ETL | 3 years | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| LEPOWER 40W LED Security LightSelectable detection range is useful near a street or a neighbor's yard, where a fixed long range would trigger all night. | 4,000 lm, 5500K | Up to 72 ft (10/20/50/72 ft), 180° | 1, 5 or 10 min | Hardwired, 40 W | IP65, ETL | 12 months | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| LUTEC 72W 3-Head LED Security LightThe brightest light on this page, for large driveways and yards. Amazon and LUTEC disagree on range and warranty. | 7,500 lm, 5000K | 69 ft (Amazon) / 59 ft (LUTEC), 180° | 1, 3 or 10 min; Test, Security, dusk-to-dawn and manual override | Hardwired, 72 W | IP65 | 3 years (Amazon) / 5 years (LUTEC) | $209.99 (LUTEC) | Check Price on Amazon |
| SANSI 28W LED Security LightThe lowest maker price among the hardwired lights we could price. | 3,500 lm, 5000K | 72 ft, 120° (Amazon) / 180° (SANSI) | Auto, dusk-to-dawn, on-time and test modes | Hardwired, 28 W | IP65, ETL | 2 years (SANSI) / 5-year protection plan (Amazon) | $45.99 (SANSI) | Check Price on Amazon |
| Onforu 32W 2-Head LED Security LightIts dusk-to-dawn mode keeps a low glow all night and jumps to full brightness on motion. | 3,200 lm, 6500K | 19 to 72 ft, 180° | 1, 3 or 10 min; dusk-to-dawn mode at 30%, rising to 100% on motion | Hardwired, 32 W | IP65 | 2 years | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| Euri Lighting EFL-130W-MD Flickering Flame Porch LightA porch lantern rather than a floodlight: it flickers like a gas lamp and switches to a bright security light when it detects motion. | 1,200 lm security light at 3000K; 1800K flame mode | Not stated | Flame effect from dusk, security light on motion | Hardwired, 12.5 W, 120 V | Wet rated | 2 years | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| Sengled PAR38 Motion Sensor Flood Bulbs, 4-Pack (4-pack)The simplest upgrade: screw into an existing PAR38 fixture. Not smart. | 1,050 lm, 3000K | Not stated | About 90 s on motion; always-on mode | E26 bulb, 11.5 W | UL Wet Listed | Not stated | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| GE LED+ Motion Sensor PAR38, 2-Pack (2-pack)A screw-in alternative to the Sengled with a longer warranty but a shorter, narrower detection zone. | Warm white 3000K; lumens not stated on Amazon | 24 ft, 90° | On at night when motion is detected | E26 bulb, 15 W | Wet rated | 5 years | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
Solar Motion Lights
No wiring at all. Brightness and runtime depend on how much sun the panel gets, and the detection ranges are shorter than wired lights.
| Light | Brightness | Detection | Timer / modes | Power | Weather rating | Warranty | Maker price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEPOWER Solar Security LightThe separate panel can go where the sun is while the light stays in the shade, which is the main limit of all-in-one solar lights. | 1,600 lm, 5500K, 3 heads | 0 to 72 ft, adjustable | Auto 10–120 s; ON mode about 50 min | Solar, panel on a 15 ft cable | IP65 | 1 year | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| LUTEC 3000LM Solar Security LightLets you choose 1,500 or 3,000 lm, trading brightness for runtime. The Amazon details table contradicts the listing, so we use only the title and bullets. | 1,500 or 3,000 lm selectable, 5000K | 0 to 69 ft, 180° | 30, 60 or 120 s; Test and Security modes | Solar, panel on a 16 ft cable, 4,000 mAh | IP65 (title) | 3 years (details table) | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| Aootek Solar Motion Lights, 182 LED (2-pack)All-in-one solar lights sold in pairs. Shorter detection range than the wired lights. | 2,500 lm (title) | 26 ft, 120° | 3 modes; 25 s at full brightness; 8–10 h per charge | Solar, built-in panel | IP65 | 1 year | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| TECKNET Solar Motion Lights, 416 LED (2-pack)High claimed brightness but the shortest detection range on this page, so it suits doors and porches more than yards. | 4,200 lm (title), cool white | 13 to 20 ft, 120° | 3 modes, including all-night dusk-to-dawn | Solar, built-in panel | IP66 | 36 months after registration | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
| CLAONER 4-Head Solar Motion Light with Remote (2-pack)The highest weather rating of the solar lights, and a remote for changing modes without a ladder. | 3,500 lm, 7000K | 26 ft, 180° | 4 modes, 20 s on motion; remote included | Solar, panel on a 16.4 ft cable | IP67 | 2 years (bullet) / 12 months (details table) | Not published | Check Price on Amazon |
How to Choose a Motion Light
Match the detection zone to the spot
Ranges on this page run from 13 ft to 72 ft and angles from 90° to 210°. Longer is not always better: a 72 ft sensor facing a street will trigger on every passing car. Lights with a selectable range, like the LEPOWER 40W (10, 20, 50 or 72 ft), let you cut the zone down to your own driveway.
Pick brightness by the job
A side door or shed needs a few hundred lumens, like the 400 lm Ring Spotlight. A driveway calls for the 2,000 to 4,000 lm of most two-head security lights. Only a large yard needs something like the 7,500 lm LUTEC 72W.
Decide on warm or cool light
Most wired security lights here are 5000K to 6500K, a cool white that reads as harsh next to warm porch lights. The Ring lights (3500K), the Sengled and GE bulbs (3000K) and the LEONLITE 3000K version are warmer. The smart Govee, HALO and Feit lights let you set the color temperature yourself.
Look at what happens between triggers
Some lights can glow dimly all night and jump to full brightness on motion: the Onforu runs at 30% until it sees movement, and the Euri lantern shows a flame effect. Others are fully off until triggered. Timers range from 10 to 25 seconds on several solar lights to 10 minutes on the LEPOWER 40W, LUTEC 72W and Onforu.
For solar, check where the panel goes
A solar light under an eave or on a north wall will not charge. The LEPOWER, LUTEC and CLAONER solar lights put the panel on a 15 to 16.4 ft cable, so the light can sit in the shade while the panel gets sun.
What We Could Not Verify
- Conflicting specs: LUTEC 72W range (69 ft on Amazon, 59 ft on LUTEC's site) and warranty (3 vs. 5 years); SANSI detection angle (120° vs. 180°) and warranty; CLAONER warranty (2 years vs. 12 months on the same listing).
- Missing specs: Ring Floodlight IP rating (Ring says only "weather resistant"); Feit and HALO detection and timer details; GE LED+ lumens; Aootek color temperature.
- Claims we could only find in one place: Govee H3351 Matter support and warranty (Amazon only); HALO 2,400 lm (Amazon details table only); solar brightness figures that appear only in the listing title.
- Sengled smart bulbs: we did not check the current state of Sengled's hub and cloud service.
- Maker prices: many brands here do not publish one. Prices shown are the maker's list price; Amazon prices differ.
- Real-world performance: detection range, runtime and lifespan are the makers' figures, not our measurements.
Looking for other outdoor lights? See our smart outdoor lighting guide.