Many people keep asking us the differences between hand-tied wefts and tape hair extensions, and which is better. So I decided to list the main features to help you decide.

1. Structure

Hand-tied wefts are 100% human hair that’s hand-tied to your natural hair with beads. Tape hair extensions are pre-taped wefts of 100% human hair. They are taped in between layers of your own hair.

2. Installation time

Hand tied wefts take longer to install and reinstall - about two hours, or longer if there’s more hair involved. Tape-ins need about 1 hour, or longer if you need to install more hair.

3. Maintenance

Clients with thin or fine hair need to move up hand tied extensions every eight to ten weeks. However, clients can typically go longer between reapplications because the extensions don’t curl like the tape-in versions.

Clients with thin or fine hair need to move up tape-ins every six to eight weeks. However, they also need to use sulfate and paraben-free products and gently brush wet extensions to prevent pulling them out.

4. Hair type

Hand tied wefts are better for those with fine hair because they are easier to conceal. It’s also better for sensitive scalps because their installation involves no glue, melting, or tape. They are also better if your hair has breakage because the thin, lightweight wefts are sewn by hand.

Tape-in extensions are more noticeable in people with fine hair and may not be a good choice for sensitive scalps.

5. Drying

Hand-tied extensions shouldn’t be air-dried because it leads to sagging. They need everyday brushing at the roots to prevent the short hair near them from getting coarse.

6. Itchiness

Both extensions can seem tight and heavy for the first few days because they are placed close to the scalp. Hand-tied wefts may feel itchy for the first few days but soon subsides.

7. Hairstyling

Hand-tied wefts are better for hairstyles because of their easy concealment. While it’s not easy to tie up hair with tape in extensions, hair with hand-tied wefts can be tied up.

You can stack lots of hand-tied wefts to cover thin hair and give a fuller look. However, tape-ins can’t be stacked on top of one another, and won’t give a full look.

8. Life

About the life of the extensions, it all depends on your care. Frequent trimming and deep conditioning prolong both extensions’ life. But hand-tied extensions can last longer because there’s no bond that breaks with time.

9. Cost

When it comes to cost, hand-tied wefts are twice as expensive as tape-ins. It’s worth it, though, considering the premium installation service, longevity, and improved versatility.

When it boils down to which is better of the two, I suggest you decide based on your budget, your hairstyle and hair, time and how well you want to look.