PET vs Acrylic Privacy Filters: Which Material for Your Order?

PET and acrylic are the two materials behind most privacy filter product pages, and mixing them up in a purchase order is a common source of delay. PET privacy filters are flexible plastic film, used for laptop, MacBook, Surface and most monitor privacy screens with magnetic, removable direct-attach or frame-clip installation. Hanging acrylic is a separate, rigid material used for a specific monitor-mount privacy screen format. The two are not interchangeable, and a supplier quote should always state which one it covers.

This guide compares the two materials on the points that matter for a purchase decision: flexibility and mounting, optical behavior, durability, device coverage, and how each is priced and packaged for bulk orders.

PET privacy filters

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a thin, flexible plastic film. It is the material used across ScreenWord’s laptop, MacBook, Surface and most monitor privacy screens. Because it is flexible, PET filters can be cut to match the visible display area closely and support several attachment methods on the same material: magnetic frame, removable direct-attach (nano-adhesion) edges, or frame-clip mounting depending on the device series.

PET is the default choice for device-matched privacy filters where the filter needs to sit flush against the screen and travel with the device, such as laptops used outside the office or monitors in shared desks.

Hanging acrylic privacy screens

Hanging acrylic is a separate, rigid material used for a specific monitor privacy screen format: a flat acrylic panel that mounts in front of the monitor on a hanging frame rather than attaching directly to the screen surface. It does not inherit PET’s technical parameters (visible-area fit, magnetic or adhesive attachment) because it is a different manufacturing process and a different mounting principle.

Hanging acrylic is a separate product line from ScreenWord’s PET monitor filters, not a variant of it. Buyers evaluating a monitor privacy screen should decide between the PET magnetic/direct-attach format and the hanging acrylic format before requesting a quote, since the two have different lead times, packaging and pricing structures.

Comparing the two materials

Point	PET	Hanging acrylic
Form	Thin, flexible film	Rigid flat panel
Mounting	Magnetic frame, removable direct-attach, or frame-clip, depending on device	Hangs on a frame in front of the monitor, not attached to the screen
Device fit	Cut to the visible display area of a specific laptop, MacBook, Surface or monitor model	Not device-attached; sized to the monitor/frame setup
Typical use	Laptops, MacBooks, Surface devices, most monitors — especially where the filter should travel with the device	Monitor setups where a hanging panel format fits the workstation
Product pages	MacBook magnetic, Surface magnetic, universal laptop magnetic, monitor magnetic	Hanging acrylic monitor privacy screen

Both materials provide visual privacy from side angles; the difference is in how each attaches to or sits in front of the device, not in whether privacy is achieved.

Choosing between them for an order

Start from the device, not the material. If the order is for laptops, MacBooks, Surface devices, or monitors where the filter should attach directly to the screen and travel with the device, PET is the applicable material and the relevant device-specific product page defines the installation method. If the requirement is a monitor privacy screen in a hanging-panel format, that is the separate hanging acrylic product line.

A mixed order — some devices on PET, a monitor-hanging format for others — is normal for office rollouts with different desk setups. State both requirements separately in the quote request so each line item is matched to its correct material and MOQ. See also standard or custom privacy filters for a mixed device order for planning a combined order across devices.

FAQ

Can PET and acrylic be used on the same monitor? No — a monitor uses either the PET magnetic/direct-attach filter or the hanging acrylic panel, not both at once. Choose based on whether the filter should attach to the screen or sit on a hanging frame in front of it.

Does hanging acrylic cost more than PET? Pricing depends on size and order volume for both materials; request a quote for the specific device or panel size rather than assuming one material is categorically cheaper.

Is hanging acrylic available for laptops? No — hanging acrylic is a monitor-mount format. Laptop privacy filters use PET with magnetic or direct-attach mounting matched to the laptop model.

Which material does ScreenWord manufacture? Both. ScreenWord’s laptop, MacBook, Surface and most monitor privacy screens use PET; the hanging acrylic monitor privacy screen is a separate product line. See the manufacturing capabilities page for material and processing details, or request a quote for a specific device.

Durability and care differ by material

A flexible PET film and a rigid acrylic panel respond differently to daily handling, which matters for bulk orders going to shared offices or hot-desking environments.

PET filters are thin and can flex without cracking, which suits repeated attach/detach cycles — relevant for magnetic and removable direct-attach formats used on laptops that move between desks or travel. PET surfaces should be cleaned with the method appropriate to the specific product’s coating; see how to clean a privacy filter for the documented method.

Hanging acrylic is rigid and does not flex, so it is less exposed to the wear patterns of repeated attach/detach, but as a flat panel it should be handled by the edges during installation to avoid surface marks. Because it mounts on a frame rather than the screen itself, it is not subject to the same magnetic-attachment or adhesive-residue considerations as PET filters.

For a bulk order, confirm with the supplier which cleaning and handling guidance applies to the specific material and product line before distributing filters to end users or including care instructions in packaging.