5 Best Smart Christmas Lights of 2025: From Twinkly to Govee
Comparison of our favorite smart Christmas lights
Honorable mentions
Here are some of the other smart string lights we tested for this story that are still available this year.
Photography: Nanoleaf
Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Holiday String Lights for $150: These lights work with Google Assistant, Alexa, and HomeKit, and are similar in appearance, style, and price to our top pick. The only major difference is that the cord splits in two: the idea is to start in the middle of the tree, not the bottom, and wrap one cord up and the other down. It’s a bit disorienting and the ropes may be more bothersome depending on the location of your tree.
Ollny Christmas Lights for $50: If you want something a little simpler, Ollny’s warm and welcoming Christmas lights are affordable. We tested this 49-foot string of lights, featuring 1,000 LEDs in a pretty warm white color. They are IP44 rated and come with a handy little remote control which makes them ideal for outside your home. You can choose from eight effects, four brightness levels, and set timers to automatically turn them on or off after several hours.
How to use a smart plug with regular lights
If you don’t want a whole new set of Christmas lights but still want to add a little smartness to your holiday decor, a smart plug may be the perfect solution. These plug into your outlet and make it smart, giving you Wi-Fi control over it.
With smart plugs, you’ll get a simple level of control: on or off. This is great for lights in particular because you can technically leave the light on and the smart plug will remember what time you want to turn it on or off. You can also sync it with a smart speaker to voice commands. You won’t get custom colors like you would with the real smart Christmas lights we recommend above, but if you mainly want a remote to turn your lights on and off, these smart plugs will do the trick.
FAQs
What makes Christmas lights “smart”?
Smart devices, whether smart Christmas lights, smart bulbs, or smart speakers, all have the ability to connect to Wi-Fi and can be controlled with an app. For smart Christmas lights, this means you can use the app to create light designs, set timers for turning lights on and off, and take advantage of other features like scenes or presets, depending on the app’s features. This opens up many more lighting options with your single string light than a “dumb” string light that can only be defined by colors and offers no custom controls.
Are smart Christmas lights worth it?
They’re worth it for anyone who has time to take advantage of the features, or for anyone who is frustrated trying to remember to turn their Christmas lights on and off every morning and evening. It will take a little more time to install than a regular set of string lights, but smart Christmas lights are a great device for making your holiday decoration exactly what you want. Plus, you can easily control the lights while you’re lying on your couch.
Are permanent outdoor lights also smart?
So far, the permanent outdoor lights we’ve tested all have smart capabilities. Features may vary depending on the brand you choose, but the concept is that you can install them once and customize your colors to use them year-round from then on. They are much more complex to install due to their permanent nature and are not suitable for all types of homes. You can also have them installed by a professional.
Power up with unlimited access to CABLE. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe today.
