Red vs. Green Laser Levels

So you’re trying to buy a laser level and you’re presented with some color options. Which laser level beam color should you go with? Most commonly for laser levels, you’ll find it’s a decision between red vs. green.

So which laser level should you go with? Red or green? Here’s the quick answer:

You should go for the green laser level because it is far easier to see the laser beam in both low-light and daytime conditions. Naturally, human eyes are more sensitive to green light than any other color light in the color spectrum.

Now let’s explain why green laser levels are the better choice for your money and the difference between red and green laser levels.

What’s The Difference Between Red and Green Laser Levels?

Other than the obvious color difference, the primary differences between red and green laser levels include price, power consumption and beam visibility.

Price Differences

Green lasers in general are more expensive to produce therefore the costs come back to the consumer. That’s why when you’re searching to buy a laser level, you’ll notice that the green beam models are more expensive than the red ones.

Power Consumption

Green laser levels draw more power than their red equivalents. For laser levels, there won’t be a very obvious difference in battery life between red and green levels but it is still worth mentioning.

Laser Beam Visibility

Green lasers are much more visible than red lasers, especially in daylight conditions. That’s why if you’re doing a lot of work outside with your laser level, the best option by far would be a green laser.

The color green is the most noticeable color in the color spectrum to the human eye. Our eyes are more sensitive to green light than red light so that’s why green lasers are more visible to us.

Visibility Range

One other important difference between red and green laser levels is the range that you can see the laser line. For reasons mentioned above due to the visibility of the color green to the human eye, you can also see green lasers much further than red lasers. You can even see a green laser from miles away at night!

Which Color Laser Level Should You Buy?

If you want a laser level that you can comfortably and reliably use outdoors, buy a green laser level. If you’re price conscious and don’t do a lot of work with laser levels outdoors, you may want to save some money and buy a red one instead.

For some buying recommendations along with reviews, check out our article on the best laser levels.