Window tint comparison: 20% vs 35%, 15% vs 20%, 5% vs 20% side by side

Tint pairs compared

“Less light” is 1 − darker ÷ lighter, rounded to a whole percent. The factory glass multiplies both films by the same amount, so the darker film lets in the same share less on the car. Measured by an owner with a calibrated meter (±2%) in August 2024 Cybertruck Owners Club. Tesla doesn’t publish these figures.

20% vs 35% tint

• 35% lets through 35% of the light
• 20% lets through 20% of the light

20% film lets through 20% of the visible light and 35% film lets through 35%, so 20% is darker and lets in about 43% less light. On the Cybertruck’s front door glass (72%), 35% film leaves 25.2% getting through and 20% leaves 14.4%. On one Cybertruck owners’ forum page, owners reported both 20% and 35% on their front side windows Cybertruck Owners Club, and one owner’s thread describes 20% on the front doors with 70% over the factory-dark rear glass Cybertruck Owners Club.

In the simulator: both on one car (35% on the front windows, 20% on the rear), or each one from the driver’s seat at night.

• See 20% and 35% on one car
• 20% at night
• 35% at night

15% vs 20% tint

• 20% lets through 20% of the light
• 15% lets through 15% of the light

15% film lets through 15% of the visible light and 20% film lets through 20%, so 15% is darker and lets in about 25% less light. On the Cybertruck’s front door glass (72%), 20% film leaves 14.4% getting through and 15% leaves 10.8%. AAA calls a 15% VLT quite dark AAA. Owners on one Cybertruck forum page reported both 15% and 20% on their front side windows Cybertruck Owners Club.

In the simulator: both on one car (20% on the front windows, 15% on the rear), or each one from the driver’s seat at night.

• See 15% and 20% on one car
• 15% at night
• 20% at night

5% vs 20% tint

• 20% lets through 20% of the light
• 5% lets through 5% of the light

5% film lets through 5% of the visible light and 20% film lets through 20%, so 5% is darker and lets in about 75% less light. On the Cybertruck’s front door glass (72%), 20% film leaves 14.4% getting through and 5% leaves 3.6%. 5% is the darkest film here: it lets through about one twentieth of the light. On one Cybertruck owners’ forum page, three owners reported 5% on their front side windows and one reported 20% Cybertruck Owners Club.

In the simulator: both on one car (20% on the front windows, 5% on the rear), or each one from the driver’s seat at night.

• See 5% and 20% on one car
• 5% at night
• 20% at night

35% vs 50% tint

• 50% lets through 50% of the light
• 35% lets through 35% of the light

35% film lets through 35% of the visible light and 50% film lets through 50%, so 35% is darker and lets in about 30% less light. On the Cybertruck’s front door glass (72%), 50% film leaves 36% getting through and 35% leaves 25.2%. 35% sits in the middle of the shades here: darker than 50% and 70%, lighter than 20%, 15% and 5%.

In the simulator: both on one car (50% on the front windows, 35% on the rear), or each one from the driver’s seat at night.

• See 35% and 50% on one car
• 35% at night
• 50% at night

5% vs 15% tint

• 15% lets through 15% of the light
• 5% lets through 5% of the light

5% film lets through 5% of the visible light and 15% film lets through 15%, so 5% is darker and lets in about 67% less light. On the Cybertruck’s front door glass (72%), 15% film leaves 10.8% getting through and 5% leaves 3.6%. These are the two darkest films here. AAA calls a 15% VLT quite dark AAA, and 5% lets through about one twentieth of the light.

In the simulator: both on one car (15% on the front windows, 5% on the rear), or each one from the driver’s seat at night.

• See 5% and 15% on one car
• 5% at night
• 15% at night

50% vs 70% tint

• 70% lets through 70% of the light
• 50% lets through 50% of the light

50% film lets through 50% of the visible light and 70% film lets through 70%, so 50% is darker and lets in about 29% less light. On the Cybertruck’s front door glass (72%), 70% film leaves 50.4% getting through and 50% leaves 36%. These are the two lightest films here, and AAA calls a 70% VLT very light AAA. On one Cybertruck owners’ forum page, two owners reported 70% and two 50% film on the windshield Cybertruck Owners Club. On the Cybertruck’s windshield glass (76%), 70% film leaves 53.2% and 50% leaves 38%.

In the simulator: both on one car (70% on the front windows, 50% on the rear), or each one from the driver’s seat at night.

• See 50% and 70% on one car
• 50% at night
• 70% at night

What about 30%?

30% film isn’t one of the shades on this page. It lets through 30% of the visible light, so it sits between 35% and 20%.

Does darker tint cost more?

Most shops charge the same for every shade of a film, so the shade rarely changes the price; the film type does. The tint and wrap cost guide shows what each film type costs.