The quick take
If you want permanent shutters — the kind that stay on your house year-round — your two most popular choices are accordion and roll-down. Accordion shutters cost less and are simple and tough. Roll-down shutters cost more but are the easiest shutters on earth to close, especially with a motor. Both meet the Florida Building Code when properly rated. The right pick comes down to your budget, your openings, and how much effort you want to spend before a storm.
How accordion shutters work
Accordion shutters live folded against the sides of each window, like vertical blinds made of metal. When a storm comes, you unlock them, pull the two sides together along a top and bottom track, and lock them in the middle. One person can close a whole house in roughly 30–60 minutes. No storage, no heavy lifting, nothing to carry from the garage. Ballpark installed cost: $20–$30 per square foot. Learn more on our accordion shutters page.
How roll-down shutters work
Roll-down shutters hide in a box mounted above the window. You pull a strap or crank — or press a button on a remote — and the shutter rolls down like a garage door. With a motor, closing the entire house takes minutes. They also give you shade, a bit of insulation, and even some noise reduction when down. Ballpark installed cost: $25–$40 per square foot for manual models; motors add more. See roll-down shutters and motorized systems.
Head-to-head comparison
Cost: Accordion wins. For the same house, accordions typically cost noticeably less than roll-downs — and much less than motorized roll-downs.
Ease of closing: Roll-down wins, and it is not close with a motor. Accordions are still easy — just slower, since you walk to every window and lock each one by hand.
Looks: Roll-down wins when open (the box can be color-matched and tucked under the eave). Accordions are visible as folded panels beside each window year-round — neat but noticeable.
Second-story windows: Roll-down wins big. Closing an upstairs accordion means reaching the lock from a ladder or balcony; a motorized roll-down closes it from the ground with a remote.
Strength: Tie. Both meet code when properly rated. Pick the rating, not the style, for storm confidence.
Security: Roll-down gets a slight edge. A locked-down roll-down shutter covers the whole opening with no gaps to pry, and it doubles as a visible deterrent when you are away. Accordions lock securely too — both are a big step up from an unprotected window.
Maintenance: Both need basic care — keep tracks clean and hardware moving. Roll-down motors add a battery to check every so often. Our maintenance guide covers both.
Shade and daily use: Roll-down wins. You can drop them halfway on a hot afternoon for shade; accordions are all-or-nothing.
Which one should you pick?
There is no wrong answer here — both are excellent, code-approved protection. But most homeowners find the decision gets easy once they answer two questions: what is my budget, and who will be closing these in a real storm? If the person closing up is you, on a ladder, in the rain, the extra cost of roll-downs starts looking like a bargain.
Pick accordion if: you want the best value in a permanent shutter, most of your windows are on the ground floor, and you are fine spending 30–60 minutes closing up before a storm.
Pick roll-down if: you have second-story windows, you travel during hurricane season, anyone in the home has limited strength or mobility, or you just want storm prep to be effortless. Add motors on the hard-to-reach openings at minimum.
Mix them: many homeowners put motorized roll-downs upstairs and accordions downstairs — easy where it matters, savings where it does not.
What about the other styles?
If looks matter most, check out Bahama and colonial shutters. If budget matters most, storm panels protect for less. Our full types comparison covers all six options.
Get both quoted
The easiest way to decide is to see both prices for your house. Send the free quote form below and we will price accordion and roll-down options side by side — no pressure, just numbers.