Net lights or string lights: what each one is actually for
A net is a grid you drape. A string is a line you wrap. On a 4 ft boxwood one takes two minutes and the other takes twenty.
By Sawyer V. · Published
Net lights and string lights do the same job to a passing car and completely different jobs to the person installing them. A net is a pre-spaced mesh you throw over the top of a shrub and tuck in at the sides. A string is a single line you wind around the plant, branch by branch, until it looks even.
Both are sold by LED count, which makes them look interchangeable on a shelf. They are not. The decision is coverage area against flexibility, and it is worth getting right before you are standing in the cold holding the wrong one.
Wreath & Watt earns a commission on qualifying purchases made through the Amazon links on this page. It costs you nothing and it does not change the order of the picks — here is exactly how we are funded.
How we compared them
On published figures only: LED count, the physical dimensions the listing states, and what that works out to per square foot or per foot of run. Then on the thing no listing mentions — how long each takes to put up, and how evenly it reads afterwards.
| Product | Format | LEDs | Published size | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net, 15 x 5 ft | Net | 300 | 15 x 5 ft = 75 sq ft | 4 LEDs per sq ft |
| Net, 14.8 x 5 ft | Net | 300 | 14.8 x 5 ft = 74 sq ft | 4 LEDs per sq ft |
| Mini string, 100 ct | String | 100 | 33 ft lighted length | 3 LEDs per ft |
| Long string, 500 ct | String | 500 | 165 ft | 3 LEDs per ft |
Density is our arithmetic from the published figures, not a manufacturer number. A net is measured in square feet; a string is measured in feet of run.
Source: Manufacturer listings on Amazon.com, verified September 2026.
The arithmetic that decides it
A net covers area. A string covers length. Converting one to the other is the only way to compare them, and the conversion is unkind to strings on a bush.
The arithmetic
- Example shrub: 4 ft wide, 3 ft tall, roughly a 4 x 6 ft surface once you go over the top = 24 sq ft
- One 15 x 5 ft net = 75 sq ft, so one net covers three shrubs that size
- Wrapping the same shrub with string at a 6 in pitch: about 48 ft of string per shrub
- A 100-count mini string is 33 ft, so one shrub takes about 1.5 strings
One net does three shrubs; strings take about a string and a half each. That is the whole argument, and it is why nets exist.
The reverse case is just as clear. A net cannot wrap a trunk, follow a railing, outline a window or climb a column. Anything linear is string work, and the arithmetic for those runs is on how many Christmas lights do I need.
Evenness is a net's real advantage
The pre-spaced grid is the point. A net drapes at a fixed spacing whether or not the person installing it has any patience, which means a row of bushes done with nets looks like a row done by the same person on the same day. Strings reward care and punish haste: uneven wrapping shows from the street as bright patches and dark gaps, and it is the single most common reason a front looks amateur.
The cost of that evenness is honesty about shape. A net on a rounded shrub sits well; a net on an irregular, leggy or very tall shrub bunches at the top and gapes at the bottom, and no amount of tucking fixes it.
Time, and why it matters more than it sounds
The arithmetic
- Net over one medium shrub, staked at the corners: about 2 minutes
- String wrapped around the same shrub at a 6 in pitch: about 15 to 20 minutes
- A row of five shrubs: about 10 minutes in nets, about 90 minutes in string
Our own timings on an assumed shrub, stated as estimates. The gap is large enough that it changes what you are willing to decorate at all.
That is the practical reason nets win on foundation planting. Most people give up on the shrubs halfway through the second one; a net means the whole bed is done before the coffee goes cold.
Who should buy which
Buy nets if your front is foundation shrubs, a low hedge, or a bank of boxwood, and you want it done in an evening with an even result. Two nets cover most front beds.
Buy strings if you are wrapping trunks or columns, outlining a railing or a window, doing a tree, or working on anything whose shape a grid cannot follow. The long 500-LED strings are for wrapping; wrapping trees and columns has the pitch arithmetic.
Buy both if the front has shrubs and a tree, which most fronts do. They run on the same circuit and look like one scheme as long as the bulb color matches — check that before you order, because it is the mistake that shows most: warm white or cool white.
Our picks for this
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Net lights, 300 LED, 15 ft x 5 ft mesh, warm white15 ft x 5 ft mesh, 300 LEDs | Hedges and long bush runs | 6.8/ 10 | $24.99Amazon #ad · Price as of October 10, 2026 · Disclosure |
| 2 |  Net lights, 300 LED, 14.8 ft x 5 ft mesh, connectable14.8 ft x 5 ft, connect two sets max | Two-panel hedge runs | 6.5/ 10 | $27.99Amazon #ad · Price as of October 10, 2026 · Disclosure |
| 3 |  Northlight LED mini lights, 100 count, 33 ft, warm white on brown wire100 LEDs, 4 in spacing, 33 ft lighted length | Trees, shrubs and wrapping — the workhorse string | 6.5/ 10 | |
| 4 |  YEGUO tree lights, 500 LED, 165 ft, UL588 plug3.94 in spacing, 9.8 ft lead, UL588 listed plug | The best-documented tree string | 9.5/ 10 | $29.99Amazon #ad · Price as of October 10, 2026 · Disclosure |
Scores are our own weighting of published manufacturer specifications, explained in full on how we research. They are not test results. We have not tested these products.
The picks, in detail
#1 — Hedges and long bush runs
Net lights, 300 LED, 15 ft x 5 ft mesh, warm white
15 ft x 5 ft mesh, 300 LEDs
6.8
/ 10
Measure the hedge, then buy the mesh. Net lights are the one product where the published dimensions are the whole decision.
Published specifications
- LEDs
- 300
- Mesh size
- 15 ft x 5 ft
- Modes
- 8
- Weather
- Listed as waterproof; IP rating not published by the manufacturer
Our scoring
- Published specs
- 8 / 10
- Coverage
- 9 / 10
- Weather tolerance
- 6 / 10
- Serviceability
- 4 / 10
Good
- Mesh dimensions are published, which is the only spec that tells you whether it covers your hedge
- One net does the work of wrapping three or four strings by hand
Watch out
- A 15 x 5 mesh drapes badly over a round shrub — it is built for a hedge line
#ad · Price as of October 10, 2026 · How we are funded
Specs from the Amazon listing (ASIN B0D7HLJW2M), retrieved 2026-09-04.
#2 — Two-panel hedge runs
Net lights, 300 LED, 14.8 ft x 5 ft mesh, connectable
14.8 ft x 5 ft, connect two sets max
6.5
/ 10
Nearly identical to our other net pick. Choose on which mesh size fits, and note the two-set connection limit.
Published specifications
- LEDs
- 300
- Mesh size
- 14.8 ft x 5 ft
- Modes
- 8
- Connectable
- Maximum 2 sets end to end
Our scoring
- Published specs
- 8 / 10
- Coverage
- 8 / 10
- Weather tolerance
- 6 / 10
- Serviceability
- 4 / 10
Good
- Publishes its connection limit, which most net lights leave you to discover
Watch out
- Two sets is a hard ceiling — a long hedge needs a second outlet
#ad · Price as of October 10, 2026 · How we are funded
Specs from the Amazon listing (ASIN B094NBB584), retrieved 2026-09-04.
#3 — Trees, shrubs and wrapping — the workhorse string
Northlight LED mini lights, 100 count, 33 ft, warm white on brown wire
100 LEDs, 4 in spacing, 33 ft lighted length
6.5
/ 10
The default mini string. Buy the count you need for the tree, not the count that was on sale.
Published specifications
- Count
- 100 LED mini bulbs
- Spacing
- 4 in
- Lighted length
- 33 ft
- Bulb color
- Warm white
- Wire
- Brown
- Rated wattage per string
- Not published by the manufacturer
Our scoring
- Build
- 7 / 10
- Weather tolerance
- 7 / 10
- Serviceability
- 5 / 10
- Published specs
- 7 / 10
Good
- 4-inch spacing over 33 feet is the density most tree-wrapping guidance assumes
- Brown wire disappears against bark and trunk wraps, where white wire draws a line
- LED draw means you can run many strings on one circuit — see our amp guide
Watch out
- Wattage is not printed on the listing, so you have to read the tag on the string itself
- Brown reads as a visible line against a white railing — that is what the white-wire set is for
Specs from the Amazon listing (ASIN B073WK2J4Z), verified via the Creators API 2026-09-24. Replaces the discontinued green-wire version (B073WJBKPX) from the same Northlight line.
#4 — The best-documented tree string
YEGUO tree lights, 500 LED, 165 ft, UL588 plug
3.94 in spacing, 9.8 ft lead, UL588 listed plug
9.5
/ 10
The pick. It publishes the safety listing and every dimension you need to plan a tree around.
Published specifications
- LEDs
- 500, warm white
- Lit length
- 165 ft
- Lead wire
- 9.8 ft
- Spacing
- 3.94 in
- Plug
- UL588 listed
- Power
- 30 V low-voltage transformer
- Modes
- 8, with timer and memory
- Wire
- Green
Our scoring
- Spec completeness
- 10 / 10
- Safety listing
- 10 / 10
- Lead length
- 9 / 10
- Controls
- 9 / 10
Good
- Spacing, lead length, voltage and a UL588 listing all published — the most complete tree-light listing here
- A 9.8 ft lead reaches the outlet from the middle of a room without an extension cord
Watch out
- No published wattage, so load has to be read from the transformer label
- Green wire suits a green tree only
#ad · Price as of October 10, 2026 · How we are funded
Specs from the Amazon listing (ASIN B09VBKKGHR), verified 2026-09-11.
Questions
›Are net lights better than string lights for bushes?
For rounded shrubs, yes, on two counts: one 15 by 5 ft net covers about three medium shrubs, and the pre-spaced grid looks even without any care. For leggy or irregular shrubs, a string follows the shape better.
›How many net lights do I need for a front bed?
Work in square feet. A 15 by 5 ft net is 75 sq ft; a medium shrub takes about 24 sq ft of draped surface. Two nets cover a typical five-shrub front bed with some to tuck.
›Can you use net lights on a tree?
Only on the trunk of a columnar tree, and badly. Nets are made for surfaces, not cylinders. Use a long string and a fixed wrapping pitch instead.
›Do net lights and string lights look the same from the street?
Close, if the bulb color and spacing match. The visible difference is evenness: a net is uniform by construction, and hand-wrapped string is only as even as the person wrapping it.
Sources
- Net lights 15 x 5 ft listing (ASIN B0D7HLJW2M) — 300 LED over a 15 x 5 ft mesh, warm white
- Net lights 14.8 x 5 ft listing (ASIN B094NBB584) — 300 LED, 14.8 x 5 ft mesh, connectable
- Northlight LED mini listing (ASIN B073WK2J4Z) — 100 LEDs, 4 in spacing, 33 ft lighted length
- YEGUO 500 LED string listing (ASIN B09VBKKGHR) — 500 LEDs over 165 ft
- Coverage and timing arithmetic — Square feet of draped shrub surface, feet of string at a 6 in wrapping pitch, and our own installation timings on an assumed shrub — stated as estimates
We have not tested these products. Every figure above comes from a published manufacturer specification or from arithmetic shown on this page, and anything a maker does not publish is printed as unavailable rather than estimated. How that works, and what we will not claim, is set out on how we research.