Most people start by asking for a neon sign. What they want is a lit sign that looks right on their wall or storefront, and neon is one of about ten ways to get there. This guide covers every type of illuminated sign we make, when each one is the right choice, and what to expect on cost, lifespan and installation. All of them go through the same free quote and come with a design proof before anything is made.
The short version
- Want the glowing-line look, indoors or in a window: LED neon. Fastest and most affordable, 10 to 12 days to your door.
- Want the classic look and don't mind glass: glass neon.
- Want your logo on the outside of the building, big and permanent: channel letters or a lightbox.
- Want a clean, modern reception sign with a solid glow: backlit acrylic or edge-lit acrylic.
- Want a full-color printed logo that lights up: front-lit acrylic, or LED neon with a UV-printed backing.
- Want a vintage marquee look: bulb letters.
- Want the sign everyone photographs: infinity mirror letters.
1. LED neon
Silicone-encased LED tube bent to your design and mounted on clear acrylic cut to the outline. It gives the neon line look without glass, runs on 12 volts, stays cool and plugs into a standard outlet. The standard tube is 6 mm; 8 mm and 12 mm are available for larger signs. Fills, gradients and detailed artwork can be UV-printed onto the backing with the tube outlining on top.
- Best for: logos, phrases and artwork indoors, windows, events, anything under about 8 feet.
- Indoor or outdoor: both. Order the outdoor build for the exterior.
- Cost: from $285 for small signs; most logo signs land between $400 and $900. See the price guide.
- Lifespan: LED rated for 50,000 hours, 2-year warranty extendable to 4.
- Delivery: 10 to 12 days from payment, express shipping included.
2. Glass neon
The original: hand-bent glass tube filled with neon or argon gas, lit by a transformer. Nothing else has quite the same depth of glow, and it is the right choice for a period-correct bar, a restoration or a piece that is meant to be the art. Glass is fragile in shipping and installation, needs a higher-voltage transformer, and the color range is limited to the gas and phosphor coatings available, so brand-color matching is approximate.
- Best for: classic bar and diner signs, art pieces, restorations.
- Indoor or outdoor: both, with a weatherproof transformer housing outdoors.
- Cost: higher than LED neon for the same design; quoted per project.
- Lifespan: 8 to 15 years with a transformer replacement along the way.
- Delivery: quoted per project.
3. Channel letters
Individual 3D letters and logo shapes, usually aluminum returns with an acrylic face, each lit from inside with LEDs. This is the sign on the front of most retail buildings. Three lighting styles: face-lit (the face glows), halo-lit or backlit (light spills onto the wall behind, the letters read as a silhouette by night) and combination (both). Mounted directly to the fascia or on a raceway.
- Best for: storefronts, building fascias, multi-location programs that need to match a brand standard.
- Indoor or outdoor: outdoor first; also used indoors for large reception walls.
- Cost: priced per letter by height; a storefront set is typically the most expensive sign type here. Quoted per project.
- Lifespan: 10 years and more; LED modules are replaceable.
- Delivery and install: quoted per project. Exterior signs usually need a permit and a licensed installer; we supply drawings for the permit.
4. Lightbox and cabinet signs
A box (aluminum frame) with a translucent face, printed or cut vinyl graphics, and LEDs inside. The whole face lights up. It is the workhorse of plazas, gas stations and pylon signs, and the most economical way to light a large area of graphics. Single-sided for a wall, double-sided for a projecting blade sign or a pylon.
- Best for: plaza fascias, pylon and monument inserts, blade signs, anything with a lot of text or a full-color graphic that must be seen from the road.
- Indoor or outdoor: both.
- Cost: lower per square foot than channel letters; quoted per project.
- Lifespan: 10 years and more; faces can be replaced when the branding changes.
5. Backlit acrylic signs
A solid acrylic logo or lettering, usually 1 inch thick, with LEDs behind it so the light spills onto the wall and the edges glow. By day it reads as a clean dimensional logo; by night it floats in a halo. The standard choice for office reception walls and lobbies.
- Best for: reception walls, lobbies, boardrooms, clinics.
- Indoor or outdoor: indoor, or sheltered exterior.
- Cost: comparable to LED neon at the same width; quoted per project.
- Lifespan: 50,000-hour LEDs.
6. Front-lit acrylic signs
The same dimensional acrylic, lit through the face instead of from behind. The face can be a solid color or a full-color print, so this is the way to get a lit sign that matches a detailed logo exactly, gradients and all. Often combined with backlighting for both a glowing face and a halo.
- Best for: logos with full-color artwork, retail interiors, trade show displays.
- Indoor or outdoor: indoor, or sheltered exterior.
- Cost: quoted per project.
7. Edge-lit acrylic signs
A clear acrylic panel engraved or printed with your design and lit from the edge, so only the engraved lines glow. Thin, light, elegant, and the easiest to mount on a desk stand or a wall bracket. The glow is subtle, so it works at reading distance rather than across a parking lot.
- Best for: reception desks, directional signs, awards, small retail displays.
- Indoor or outdoor: indoor.
- Cost: the most affordable lit option after LED neon; quoted per project.
8. Marquee bulb letters
Large dimensional letters with exposed bulbs (LED filament bulbs today) along the face. The vintage theater and carnival look. Heavy and warm, usually made in metal or wood-look finishes, in letters from about 12 inches to 4 feet tall.
- Best for: bars, restaurants, event venues, wedding and photo backdrops, retail feature walls.
- Indoor or outdoor: both, with outdoor-rated sockets outside.
- Cost: priced per letter by height; quoted per project.
9. Infinity mirror signs
Dimensional letters or shapes with a mirror at the back, a one-way mirror at the face and a ring of LEDs between them, so the light reflects into an endless tunnel. By day they read as clean mirrored letters; lit, they have a depth nothing else here has. Available in single colors and RGB.
- Best for: bars, nightclubs, event and wedding backdrops, retail feature walls, anywhere the sign is the photo.
- Indoor or outdoor: indoor.
- Cost: priced per letter by height; quoted per project.
- Lifespan: 50,000-hour LEDs.
10. Flex LED and architectural outlines
LED neon in long runs rather than a sign: outlining a building edge, a window, a bar top, a ceiling cove or a staircase. Made to measure for the run you need, dimmable, available in single colors and RGB for color changes. The same material as an LED neon sign, so it matches a sign of the same color exactly.
- Best for: window and building outlines, bar and cove lighting, ceilings, event installs.
- Indoor or outdoor: both.
- Cost: quoted per project, based on the total run and the install.
Side by side
| Type | Look | Where | Relative cost | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED neon | Glowing line | Indoor, window, outdoor build | $ | 10 to 12 days |
| Glass neon | Classic glowing line | Indoor, outdoor with housing | $$ | Quoted |
| Channel letters | 3D lit letters | Outdoor fascia, large interiors | $$$ | Quoted |
| Lightbox / cabinet | Lit face with graphics | Outdoor, pylon, blade | $$ | Quoted |
| Backlit acrylic | Dimensional logo with halo | Indoor | $ | Quoted |
| Front-lit acrylic | Glowing printed face | Indoor | $$ | Quoted |
| Edge-lit acrylic | Engraved lines glow | Indoor | $ | Quoted |
| Marquee bulbs | Vintage exposed bulbs | Indoor, outdoor | $$ | Quoted |
| Infinity mirror | Mirrored letters, endless tunnel glow | Indoor | $$ | Quoted |
| Flex LED outline | Continuous line of light | Indoor, outdoor | $$ | Quoted |
How to choose
- Start with the viewing distance. Across a parking lot: channel letters, lightbox or large LED neon. Across a room: LED neon, backlit or front-lit acrylic, marquee letters. At arm's length: edge-lit acrylic.
- Then the artwork. A line-art logo or a phrase is made for neon. A full-color logo with fills belongs on a front-lit acrylic face, a lightbox, or LED neon with a UV-printed backing.
- Then the building. Exterior signs on a commercial building usually need a landlord's approval and a city permit. We supply the drawings; a local installer hangs it. Everything indoor is plug-in and hangs with the included hardware.
- Then the budget. If the number is firm, tell us. The same logo can usually be made two or three ways at different price points, and the proof will show the options.
One form, every type
Send the logo or the idea, say where it is going and roughly how big, and we will recommend the sign type in the proof along with the price. Every sign is made in our production facilities in Dallas, Los Angeles and Shanghai.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest type of illuminated sign?
For an indoor sign, LED neon or edge-lit acrylic. For an exterior sign that has to be seen from the road, a lightbox is the most economical way to light a large area.
Which lit sign lasts the longest?
Channel letters and lightboxes with replaceable LED modules run 10 years and more. LED neon is rated for 50,000 hours, about 11 years at 12 hours a day.
Can I get my full-color logo as a lit sign?
Yes. Front-lit acrylic, a lightbox face, or LED neon with a UV-printed backing all reproduce full-color artwork. Neon alone reproduces line art.
Do I need a permit?
Usually for anything mounted on the exterior of a commercial building, and usually not for interior or window signs. Rules vary by city; we supply the drawings a permit application needs.
Can you match an existing sign at another location?
Yes. Send photos and the dimensions of the existing sign and we will match the type, size and color.