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Whether you're a seasoned indoor grower or you’re starting for the first time, you may have heard about the debate between LED grow lights vs. HPS grow lights. This is a common question for indoor growers, specifically cannabis growers, and you want to make sure you have the right light for energy efficiency, high yields, and healthy plant and flower shape. This article looks at the different factors of these grow lights, including light intensity, light penetration, yield potential, energy efficiency, overall price, and the upfront cost. By the end of this post, you will understand these different options and know which type of light makes the most sense for you. And if you don't want to go into depth on it, that's fine too. We provided a simple explanation of which option we recommend in most situations below. Before You Read Further The debate between HPS and LED lights is still pretty heated, and there is legitimate evidence on both sides. In this article, we’re attempting to wade through some of the evidence provided by both sides and give you the tools to buy the best lights and get a better yield on your indoor garden. If and when more data or technology become available, we will update this article as needed. Help us grow! This post contains affiliate links, which means we receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something recommended. All opinions however are our own and we do not accept payments for positive reviews. LED Grow Light Vs. HPS For most indoor growers, the modern LED grow light is usually superior to HPS lights or other HID options. The light emitted from an LED gives plants a better balance of red, blue, and green (similar to natural sunlight). It also produces higher plant yields using less power, lower electricity costs and requiring fewer additional costs. While HPS bulbs are usually a cheaper upfront option, once you consider the cost of the fixture, additional costs of HVAC, and ventilation, LEDs are the best option and most affordable option in the long run. There are a few exceptions to this, and there are still good lights within the HPS fixture camp. But an LED system usually is your best option in terms of performance and cost savings. Here are some of the best small LED grow lights on the market regarding PAR output per watt, based on a study completed by MIGRO in 2021. Of the options listed above, most are available on Amazon, so I included a comparison chart of those below: The Best Small LED Grow Light Photo Title ATREUM HYDRA-1000 100W LED Grow Light Full Spectrum - Samsung LM301B LED Diodes, Meanwell XLG Driver, Daisy Chain Dimmable Grow Lamp for Indoor Plants Veg Flower Hydroponic Greenhouse 2x2ft Coverage MAXSISUN MF1000 Grow Light, 100 Watt LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants Full Spectrum Uses Samsung Diodes and Mean Well Driver Remote Control Dimmable Growing Lamps for a 2’x2’ Grow Tent Veg & Bloom HLG 100 Rspec Horticulture Lighting Group Quantum Board LED Grow Light Veg & Bloom | High-Efficiency Upgraded LM301B LED's Spider Farmer 2023 New SF1000 LED Grow Light with Samsung LM301B Diodes & Dimmable Lighting Full Spectrum Grow Light for Indoor Plants Veg Bloom Growing Lamps for 3x3/2x2 Grow Tent 2.5 umol/J VIPARSPECTRA XS1500 LED Grow Light with Samsung LM301B Diodes (IR Included) & MeanWell Driver, Dimmable Full Spectrum Grow Lights for Indoor Plants Seeding Veg and Bloom MARS HYDRO 2023 New TS1000W Led Grow Light 3x3ft Daisy Chain Dimmable Full Spectrum LED Growing Lights for Indoor Plants Greenhouse Veg Bloom Light Hydroponic Growing Lamps Actual Power 150Watt UNIT FARM UF1000 Grow Light 4000K Full Spectrum LED Grow Light, 60W Seedling Grow Lamp for Indoor Plant, 2x2FT Microgreens Clones, 1x1FT Flowering Fruiting Feit Electric 20 Inch 175 Watt Full Spectrum High Bay LED Plant Grow Light, Blue-Spectrum Enriched for Vegetable Growth, Blue-Spectrum Enriched for Vegetable Growth Spider Farmer 2023 New SF1000 LED Grow Light with Samsung LM301B Diodes & Dimmable Lighting Full Spectrum Grow Light for Indoor Plants Veg Bloom Growing Lamps for 3x3/2x2 Grow Tent 2.5 umol/J Prime Status Price $149.99 $149.00 $117.99 $139.99 $49.99 $199.00 $117.99 Buy Now Photo Title ATREUM HYDRA-1000 100W LED Grow Light Full Spectrum - Samsung LM301B LED Diodes, Meanwell XLG Driver, Daisy Chain Dimmable Grow Lamp for Indoor Plants Veg Flower Hydroponic Greenhouse 2x2ft Coverage Prime Status Price $149.99 Buy Now Photo Title MAXSISUN MF1000 Grow Light, 100 Watt LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants Full Spectrum Uses Samsung Diodes and Mean Well Driver Remote Control Dimmable Growing Lamps for a 2’x2’ Grow Tent Veg & Bloom Prime Status Price Buy Now Photo Title HLG 100 Rspec Horticulture Lighting Group Quantum Board LED Grow Light Veg & Bloom | High-Efficiency Upgraded LM301B LED's Prime Status Price $149.00 Buy Now Photo Title Spider Farmer 2023 New SF1000 LED Grow Light with Samsung LM301B Diodes & Dimmable Lighting Full Spectrum Grow Light for Indoor Plants Veg Bloom Growing Lamps for 3x3/2x2 Grow Tent 2.5 umol/J Prime Status Price $117.99 Buy Now Photo Title VIPARSPECTRA XS1500 LED Grow Light with Samsung LM301B Diodes (IR Included) & MeanWell Driver, Dimmable Full Spectrum Grow Lights for Indoor Plants Seeding Veg and Bloom Prime Status Price Buy Now Photo Title MARS HYDRO 2023 New TS1000W Led Grow Light 3x3ft Daisy Chain Dimmable Full Spectrum LED Growing Lights for Indoor Plants Greenhouse Veg Bloom Light Hydroponic Growing Lamps Actual Power 150Watt Prime Status Price $139.99 Buy Now Photo Title UNIT FARM UF1000 Grow Light 4000K Full Spectrum LED Grow Light, 60W Seedling Grow Lamp for Indoor Plant, 2x2FT Microgreens Clones, 1x1FT Flowering Fruiting Prime Status Price $49.99 Buy Now Photo Title Feit Electric 20 Inch 175 Watt Full Spectrum High Bay LED Plant Grow Light, Blue-Spectrum Enriched for Vegetable Growth, Blue-Spectrum Enriched for Vegetable Growth Prime Status Price $199.00 Buy Now Photo Title Spider Farmer 2023 New SF1000 LED Grow Light with Samsung LM301B Diodes & Dimmable Lighting Full Spectrum Grow Light for Indoor Plants Veg Bloom Growing Lamps for 3x3/2x2 Grow Tent 2.5 umol/J Prime Status Price $117.99 Buy Now Unfortunately, MIGRO wasn't one of the options on Amazon. So you can purchase from them on their site. Let's go into the definitions and factors that led us to this decision.Are these options too big for your needs? Looking for a small indoor grow light? Start with this post. Why Is This So Complicated? We’d be lying if we said the information below is simple. But to accurately compare these two systems, we have to take a step back and look at a few basics of grow lights. Notably, we need to first understand how efficiently a lighting fixture uses electricity and emits light. Then we need to know how effective that specific light is at reaching the canopy of your plants and then giving them the correct spectrum of lights. It gets even more complicated when you consider that different types of plants have different needs, and the spectrum of lights can affect the shape and flowering capabilities of those plants. And finally, you have to think about the additional accessories that come along with your fixtures. HID units produce a lot of heat, so you can usually expect to pay more on additional equipment and electricity to keep your growing space cool and ventilated. Dr. Bruce Bugbee, the founder of Apogee Instruments, was interviewed in 2018 on the MIGRO lights Youtube channel discussing the differences between HPS lamps and LEDs. If you have the time, please start by watching this full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1O3OD-dI20 Grow Light Basics When using grow lights, there are a few primary considerations regarding quality: the color of light, the energy cost of light fixtures, and light intensity. Before we look at the battle of LED grow lights vs. HPS, let's start by understanding the needs of your plants. Color Of The Light We all know that plants use light to grow - but have you ever thought about how the color of light affects your plant growth? The sun emits the entire spectrum of seeable light, which includes red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. This is what we call full-spectrum light or white light. When it comes to artificial light, most indoor plants thrive under full-spectrum bulbs, which generate a balance of cool and warm light that mimics (or at least tries to mimic) the sun. They're great for seedlings, houseplants, culinary herbs, and a variety of other plants. In broad terms, blue light specifically helps support leaf and stem development. Red light benefits flower growth, so it's essential for plants that produce fruit. That said, there's a lot of information out there about the specific benefits of red and blue lights. And some of it is misleading. Here's a good video on common misconceptions around the color spectrum, specifically red and blue light. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMVP7Nvew0A Lumens vs. Par While it may seem obvious, it's easy to forget that plants and people perceive light very differently. Humans perceive color using photopic vision. Plants use photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), which is the wavelengths of light that drive photosynthesis. Here's a wonderful article on the differences between PAR and lumens. Grow Light Intensity The total quantity of grow light produced by an LED, HPS, or other light source per second is measured in PPF (Photosynthetic Photon Flux). This is what we would call the grow light intensity. Micromoles per second (umol/s) is the unit of measurement. How Much PAR Does The Light Produce? PAR (photosynthetic active radiation) refers to the wavelengths of lights that drive photosynthesis in plants. To measure the amount of PAR produced by a system per second, we use Photosynthetic Photon Flux (PPF).We should point out that PPF does not tell you how much of the measured light reaches the plants, but it is crucial to know if you want to figure out how efficient a lighting system produces PAR. How Much PAR Reaches Your Plants? To measure the amount of instantaneous PAR that goes from your fixture to your plants, something called photosynthetic photon flux density is used (PPFD). This a measurement of the PAR that arrives at the plant from the lighting fixture. To add more to this complexity, you need to take several PPFD measurements on a growing area and find the average. The reason for this is that grow lights are typically the brightest in the center, with the light decreasing toward the edges of the area. It’s possible (and likely) that a grow light manufacturer only provides the PPFD from the center space. As an article from Fluence explains, “To ensure you are getting actual PPFD values over a defined growing area, the following needs to be published by the manufacturer: measurement distance from the light source (vertical and horizontal), number of measurements included in the average, and the min/max ratio).” Overall Intensity The strength or amount of light produced by a particular lighting source is referred to as light intensity. It is a measurement of a light source's wavelength-weighted power. The lamp source determines the light intensity, and there are high and low light intensity fixtures, lamps, and bulbs. When it comes to indoor gardening, different light intensities have different purposes. Young plants, for example, typically need lower light intensity than vegetative and flowering plants. Full-spectrum light source is intended for full-term plant growth from the vegetative stage to the higher-light-requiring bloom and finishing stages。#Fullspectrumled #Growled #Growlights #Ledgrowlights #Ledgrowlighting #growers #grodan #Agriculture #Backyardgarden #Cannabisgrow pic.twitter.com/I8RoJnTda7— Alisa Luo (@AlisaLuo4) July 1, 2021 Definitions: HPS Vs. LED Grow Lights HPS Lights HPS lights, or high-pressure sodium lamps, are under the umbrella of high-intensity discharge (HID) lights. HPS systems have been the industry standard for a long time, as they were more affordable, have high intensity, and produce significant red light. They also provide a large amount of yellow light and are commonly used for street lighting and security lighting. For many years, indoor growers and greenhouse growers favored HPS lights because of the massive outputs of the wide color spectrum produced by the relatively affordable lights. During the flowering stage, red light is critical, and HPS has been shown to boost harvest output. That said, the high-intensity output of High-Pressure Sodium lights generates a lot of heat. Because of this, you often need to have additional ventilation, fans, and HVAC systems to regulate temperature and keep the needed airflow. This can cause your expenses to rise quickly. In many circles, one of the primary critiques of HPS lighting is that it doesn't produce enough blue light, which can make a significant impact on the plants, causing them to stretch. While HPS has remained the king of grow lights for decades, its reign is quickly coming to an end. HPS lights, as a whole, have not improved for many years. On the other hand, LEDs have drastically improved in the last couple of years, making them more effective and more affordable. Photo