Bali is a window treatment manufacturer known for its stylish, energy-efficient, and customizable blinds and shades sold at a mid-range price point. By contrast, Blinds.com is a massive online retailer offering a huge catalog of window coverings from budget-friendly basics to premium options, all backed by extensive customer support and optional professional services.
Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right window treatment brand for your home.
Bali: The Stylish & Energy-Efficient Choice
Bali is a well-known brand that designs and manufactures its own line of custom window treatments. It is a go-to for DIY homeowners and decorators looking for a balance of quality, style, and affordability. The brand has built a reputation on functional and fashionable products, particularly its energy-saving cellular shades and classic wood blinds.
- Product mix: A focused but comprehensive range of custom blinds and shades including cellular shades, roller shades, Roman shades, vertical blinds, and both real and faux wood blinds.
- Style/vibe: Modern and classic designs that emphasize clean lines and functionality. Their aesthetic is versatile and designed to complement a wide range of home decor styles without being overly trendy.
- Price point: Mid-range. Basic blinds start around $50, while popular options like cellular or Roman shades typically cost between $100 and $200 per window, with premium motorized options exceeding $300.
- Quality: Known for reliable, durable construction. Bali uses high-performance fabrics for its shades and solid wood or resilient faux wood for its blinds, backed by a limited lifetime warranty on many products.
- Customization: Extensive customization is available, with a wide variety of fabrics, colors, materials, and operating systems to choose from. Their online tools make it easy to design your perfect window treatment.
- Sustainability: Bali prioritizes eco-friendly manufacturing and holds certifications like GREENGUARD Gold, ensuring its products have low chemical emissions and contribute to healthier indoor air.
- Where to buy: Available directly from the Bali website and through major home improvement retailers like The Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Bali is an excellent option for shoppers who want dependable, well-made window treatments with a contemporary look and strong energy-saving features.
Shop Bali: bali-blinds.com
Blinds.com: The Ultimate Online Retailer
As one of the largest online window covering retailers, Blinds.com offers a massive selection of products to fit nearly any style, budget, or window shape. The company is primarily focused on providing a smooth and supportive online shopping experience, from free product samples and user-friendly design tools to live customer support and optional professional measurement and installation services.
- Product mix: An enormous catalog featuring every type of window treatment imaginable, including cellular shades, roller shades, wood blinds, shutters, vertical blinds, and curtains. They offer products from their own house brand as well as others.
- Style/vibe: Extremely varied, covering everything from minimalist and contemporary to traditional and eclectic. With countless fabrics, materials, and colors, you can find a style to match any specific decor theme.
- Price point: Broad price spectrum. Budget-friendly faux wood blinds start as low as $30, while mid-range shades sit around $80-$250. High-end, custom motorized shades can run over $400.
- Quality: The quality varies depending on the product line and price point. While their budget options meet basic standards, their premium collections feature high-end materials and construction. They typically offer a 3-year warranty on most products.
- Customization: Highly customizable options are a cornerstone of their business. They can accommodate standard windows as well as unusual shapes and sizes, with a vast number of finishes and features.
- Professional Services: For an additional fee, Blinds.com offers professional measuring and installation services in many areas, a key differentiator for customers who prefer not to DIY.
- Shopping Experience: Designed for an easy and supportive e-commerce experience. They offer free samples, a product visualizer, detailed guides, and live customer support via chat.
Blinds.com is the go-to for shoppers who prioritize selection, a wide range of prices, and a supportive online platform that includes options for professional assistance.
Shop Blinds.com: blinds.com
Bali vs. Blinds.com Comparison
Price Comparison
When it comes to price, Blinds.com offers a significantly broader range. You can find very inexpensive basic blinds for as little as $30, making it an excellent source for budget-conscious projects or rental properties. Bali operates comfortably in the mid-range market, their starting prices are higher (around $50), but they offer solid quality for the price.
While Bali's pricing is competitive for the quality you get, Blinds.com frequently runs sales and promotions, which can often result in a lower final cost, especially on larger orders. For shoppers trying to stay within a strict budget, Blinds.com has more accessible entry points, but for those investing in a whole-home solution, prices can become comparable for similar-quality products.
Style & Aesthetic
Bali's collections are more curated, leaning toward timeless contemporary, and classic styles. They offer a great variety of colors and fabrics, but the overall design language is focused on clean, versatile looks that won't fall out of fashion. This makes it easier to make a decision if you're looking for a straightforward, stylish solution without getting overwhelmed by choices.
Blinds.com is all about variety. Their aesthetic is whatever you want it to be. With a much larger catalog, you can find minimalist roller shades, ornate Roman shades, rustic wood blinds, and vibrant modern colors all in one place. If you have a very specific vision or a hard-to-match decor style, the sheer volume of options at Blinds.com gives you a better chance of finding the perfect match.
Quality & Construction
As a manufacturer, Bali offers consistent, dependable quality across its product lines. Their materials, from honeycomb fabrics in their cellular shades to real wood finishes, are well-regarded for durability. The limited lifetime warranty on many of their products speaks to their confidence in their construction.
Blinds.com, as a retailer, offers products with varying levels of quality. Their premium, higher-priced options can be excellent, featuring top-tier materials and parts. However, their lowest-priced budget options are built to meet a price point and may not offer the same longevity. It’s important for shoppers at Blinds.com to read reviews and specifications carefully to ensure the product meets their quality expectations.
Customization Options
Both brands excel at customization for standard windows, allowing you to specify exact width and height, choose colors, select lift options (cordless, motorized), and more. Bali offers an impressive range of fabrics and finishes within its focused product line.
Blinds.com takes it a step further by accommodating a wider array of unique window shapes and sizes. Their ability to handle complex or non-standard openings gives them an edge for homes with architectural quirks. The sheer volume of their fabric and material options also provides near-limitless personalization.
Shopping Experience
The shopping experiences are quite different. Bali's website is straightforward and easy to navigate, guiding users cleanly through the customization process. You can also see and purchase their products in person at retailers like The Home Depot, which is a major advantage for those who want to see samples before buying.
Blinds.com has perfected the online-only shopping model. Their website features helpful tools like a product visualizer, and they readily mail free samples to your home so you can see colors and textures in person. Their standout feature is their easily accessible customer support and the option to hire professionals for measuring and installation, which removes the biggest pain points of buying blinds for many people.
Sustainability & Ethics
Both brands show a commitment to environmentally conscious practices. Bali is particularly transparent about its efforts, holding a GREENGUARD Gold certification on many products. This certification proves that their products have low chemical emissions, which is an important factor for maintaining healthy indoor air quality.
Blinds.com also promotes sustainability by offering a variety of eco-friendly fabrics and materials. However, their certifications aren't as prominently displayed or standardized across their vast catalog. For shoppers who prioritize verified green products, Bali makes it easier to identify and purchase certified items.
Which One Should You Choose?
The right choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and how you prefer to shop.
Choose Bali if:
- You prioritize consistent quality and durability at a reasonable mid-range price.
- You are looking for energy-efficient window treatments like cellular shades.
- You value products with a GREENGUARD Gold certification for healthier indoor air.
- You prefer a more curated, straightforward selection of modern and classic styles.
Choose Blinds.com if:
- You want the largest possible selection of styles, colors, and materials.
- You are either on a tight budget or looking for high-end, premium options.
- You would rather have professionals measure and install your window treatments for you.
- You value a supportive online shopping experience with free samples and live chat support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bali or Blinds.com cheaper?
Blinds.com generally offers cheaper starting prices, with basic blinds available for as low as $30. Bali is a mid-range brand with prices starting around $50, but their sales and promotions can make prices competitive, especially when comparing products of similar quality.
Which brand has better quality?
Bali is known for consistent, reliable quality across its product lines and backs many items with a limited lifetime warranty. As a retailer, the quality at Blinds.com can vary from budget to premium depending on which product you choose. Their higher-end options are excellent, but you need to read reviews carefully on their cheaper items.
Who has more selection?
Blinds.com has a much larger and more diverse selection. As a massive online retailer, they offer countless styles, brands, materials, and colors, including curtains and shutters, giving shoppers nearly limitless options.
Which brand is better for DIY installation?
Both brands are very DIY-friendly, offering detailed measurement and installation guides. Bali's products are designed for straightforward installation by homeowners. However, Blinds.com also provides the option of professional installation if you'd rather not do it yourself.
Can I get free samples from both brands?
Yes, both brands offer free samples or swatches so you can see the colors and materials in your home before placing an order. This is a key feature of both Bali's and Blinds.com's shopping experience.
Does Blinds.com offer installation services?
Yes, Blinds.com offers professional measuring and installation services in many areas for an additional fee. This is a significant advantage for those who are not comfortable with DIY projects. Bali does not directly offer these services.
Which is better for energy efficiency?
Bali puts a strong emphasis on energy-efficient products, especially its line of cellular (or honeycomb) shades, which are designed to trap air and provide insulation. While Blinds.com also offers these types of shades, Bali is particularly well-known for them.
Where can I buy Bali blinds?
You can purchase Bali products directly from their website or through major retailers like The Home Depot and Lowe's. This allows you to potentially see samples in a physical store. Blinds.com products are available exclusively through their website.
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