12 Best Cheap Plug-In Wall Sconces Under $50 (No Wiring)
The best cheap plug in wall sconces under $50: pairs with bulbs in the box, swing arms for reading, amber glass, rattan and one with USB ports. They plug into an outlet, no electrician.
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At a glance
| # | Pick | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yunaking Plug-In Wall Sconces, Set of 2 | about $27 | Best overall |
| 2 | Beser Win Plug-In Wall Sconces, Set of 2 | about $23 | Cheapest pair |
| 3 | CADUKE Plug-In Swing Arm Wall Sconces, Set of 2 | about $48 | Best for reading in bed |
| 4 | Oesotry Amber Tulip Plug-In Wall Sconces, Set of 2 | about $37 | Best vintage glass |
| 5 | VATONI Dimmable Plug-In Wall Sconce | about $27 each | Best dimmer |
| 6 | Globe Electric Briar Rattan Plug-In Sconce | about $31 each | Best rattan |
| 7 | CNMYKYDS Plug-In Wall Sconce with USB Ports | about $40 each | Best nightstand stand-in |
| 8 | Globe Electric x Novogratz Plug-In Sconce, Matte Black | about $26 each | Cheapest single |
| 9 | femusytt Green Glass Tulip Plug-In Sconces, Set of 2 | just under $50 | Best pop of color |
| 10 | Globe Electric Arched Arm Plug-In Sconce, Matte Brass | about $43 each | Best over a sofa |
| 11 | Lomoky Wood and Cage Plug-In Sconces, Set of 2 | about $31 | Best farmhouse pair |
| 12 | JEENKAE Mini Gooseneck Plug-In Wall Sconce | about $45 each | Best small single |
Yunaking Plug-In Wall Sconces, Set of 2
Two sconces, two bulbs, two cords, about $27. Most pairs at this price make you buy the bulbs separately. This one ships with 9-watt LED bulbs rated at 900 lumens, which is brighter than a classic 60-watt bulb.
The bulbs switch between three whites: a warm 3000K for the evening, a neutral 4500K, and a cool 6500K you'll probably never use in a bedroom. Each sconce mounts with screws or with an adhesive pad, and the 5.2-foot cord has its own on/off switch, within reach from the pillow instead of down behind the bed. The linen shades keep the glow soft. Plug and bulb socket are UL certified, the safety listing you want to see on anything you'll leave on for hours.
Beser Win Plug-In Wall Sconces with Fabric Shades, Set of 2
The least you can spend on a matching pair, at about $23, and the LED bulbs are in the box.
Like the Yunaking, it gives you three colors of white (warm, soft and daylight), and you change them with the on/off switch. The shades are plain linen on a metal frame, nothing fancy, which is exactly why they disappear into a rental bedroom. The plug and the bulb socket are both UL certified. If the budget is really tight, this pair does the job for the price of a pizza.
CADUKE Plug-In Swing Arm Wall Sconces, Set of 2
Read in bed? Get the swing arm. You pull the light over your book, then push it back flat against the wall when you're done, and the head turns 270 degrees to aim the light where you need it.
This pair has a black metal backplate and linen shades, a modern farmhouse look that works over a nightstand or beside a reading chair. Use it plugged in, or have it hardwired later if you ever own the wall. All the mounting hardware is in the box. At about $48, it's one of the pricier pairs here, and the one I'd hang on either side of my own bed.
Oesotry Amber Tulip Plug-In Wall Sconces, Set of 2
Amber glass shaped like a tulip, on a brushed gold base. Lit up, the glass turns the bulb's light the color of honey, which is about the coziest thing you can put on a wall for under $40.
You get two, each with a 5.58-foot cord. The bracket tilts up and down through 180 degrees, so you can point the glow at the wall or out into the room. Bulbs aren't included: use a standard E26 bulb, up to 60 watts, and pick a warm one so the amber stays golden instead of brassy. Over a bed it looks vintage-shop. Beside a bathroom mirror, it works just as well.
VATONI Dimmable Plug-In Wall Sconce, Brass
about $27A dimmer is the thing most cheap plug-in sconces skip. VATONI puts a knob right on the backplate: turn it to switch the light on and keep turning to go from a faint glow to full brightness.
It comes with the right bulb for that, a dimmable 2700K LED rated at 620 lumens, so there's nothing else to buy. The brushed brass head tilts 180 degrees up and down and swings 350 degrees side to side, which makes it a good reading light too. The cord is 6 feet. This is one sconce, so a pair costs about $54, still under what a lot of single designer sconces cost.
Globe Electric Briar Plug-In Wall Sconce, Rattan Shade
For a boho or Japandi room, this is the one I'd pick. A woven rattan shade, a matte white canopy against the wall, and a white braided fabric cord, 6 feet long, with an on/off rocker switch.
The weave throws a soft pattern on the wall when it's on. It takes a regular E26 bulb up to 60 watts, sold separately, and it can be hardwired later. One sconce for about $31, so a pair lands near $60. If that's over budget, a single one by a reading chair looks finished on its own.
CNMYKYDS Plug-In Wall Sconce with USB Ports
This is the one for a nightstand too small for a lamp and a phone charger. Two USB ports sit on the sconce itself, and they charge whether the light is on or off.
The look is plain modern farmhouse: a black rectangular backplate and a boxy beige fabric shade. There's a dimmer built in, so use a dimmable bulb (E26, 60 watts max, not included). The cord is 71 inches, a little under 6 feet, which reaches most outlets behind a bed. Hang one on each side and the nightstands are free for a book and a glass of water.
Globe Electric x Novogratz Plug-In Wall Sconce, Matte Black
Want something simple? This is it: an oval matte black backplate, a bare bulb socket, and a 6-foot fabric cord with a rocker switch. It's a Globe Electric design made with Novogratz, and it suits a modern or industrial room.
With no shade, the bulb is the whole look. Buy a nice one: a warm globe bulb or a vintage-style filament LED (E26, sold separately, 60 watts max) turns a $26 sconce into something that looks chosen. It also hardwires if you ever want the cord gone.
femusytt Green Glass Tulip Plug-In Wall Sconces, Set of 2
Green is everywhere in decor right now, and a pair of sconces is a cheap way to bring it in without painting. These are green glass tulips on antique brushed brass, a pair for just under $50.
The cords are 6.5 feet, longer than most here, which helps when the outlet is far from the spot you want. The metal plate screws to the wall, then the sconce hangs on it. Bulbs aren't included (E26, up to 60 watts). The brand's own tip is a good one: a warm bulb for the bedroom, a brighter, cooler one if you're lighting a mirror. Pair them with a sage green living room and the room looks planned.
Globe Electric Arched Arm Plug-In Wall Sconce, Matte Brass
The arched arm reaches out from the wall and curves down, so the light lands over the sofa cushion or the armchair below, not on the wall behind it.
It's matte brass with a white textured shade, a soft glam look that fits a living room better than the industrial picks on this list. The rocker switch sits on the cord, easy to find in the dark. It takes one E26 bulb, 60 watts max, sold separately. Want a pair either side of the sofa? Budget about $86.
Lomoky Wood and Cage Plug-In Wall Sconces, Set of 2
Here the bulb sits bare inside a diamond-shaped black cage, on a block of solid wood. When it's on, the cage throws a pattern of shadows on the wall, which is half the appeal.
You get two for about $31, each with a 5.25-foot cord and an on/off switch. The bottom is open, so changing the bulb (E26, not included) takes seconds. It's UL listed. If black reads too heavy for your room, the same pair comes in white.
JEENKAE Mini Gooseneck Plug-In Wall Sconce
Small, curved and a little Scandinavian. The gooseneck arm and the little barn-style metal shade fit a narrow wall: beside a door, over a small desk, at the end of a hallway.
It's sold in black, blue or green, which makes it the easiest single here to match to a room. The cord is about 6 feet with an on/off switch, and it can be hardwired too. One thing to know before you buy: the sconce itself doesn't dim. It takes any E26 bulb up to 60 watts (not included), and it's ETL listed for dry rooms, so not over a shower.
What to look for in plug-in wall sconces
Cheap plug-in wall sconces differ in a few places that matter, and the listing tells you about all of them.
- Is the bulb in the box? Three of these say the bulbs are included: the Yunaking, the Beser Win and the VATONI. Most of the rest take a standard E26 bulb, the regular household size, and the price you see doesn't include it. A warm 2700K to 3000K LED, about 800 lumens for the equivalent of a classic 60-watt bulb, is the right one for most rooms.
- Where's the switch? A switch on the cord, on the backplate or on a dimmer knob means you never reach for the plug. Check that it lands within reach of the bed or the sofa once the sconce is up.
- How long is the cord? Measure from the spot on the wall to the outlet before you buy. The picks that give a length run from 5.2 to 6.5 feet.
- A safety listing. UL or ETL on the plug and the socket means the sconce was checked against US safety standards. Several picks here list one, and it's worth the look.
- Shade or bare bulb. Linen, rattan and amber glass soften the light. A bare bulb or a cage looks great with a pretty bulb and glares with an ugly one.
Plug-in wall sconces for the bedroom and the living room
In a bedroom, hang one on each side of the bed, about 60 to 66 inches from the floor to the middle of the sconce, and adjust for your headboard. Sit up against the pillows: you want to see the glow, not the bulb. For reading in bed, a swing arm like the CADUKE pair puts the light on the page.
In a living room, a pair on either side of the sofa or the TV does what two table lamps would, without taking any floor or table space. A single over an armchair makes a reading corner. Keep every bulb in the room the same warm white, so the sconces and the lamps match. My cozy living room lighting ideas show how sconces fit with the rest of the lighting.
How to hide the cord
The cord is the only giveaway, and it's easy to deal with:
- A cord cover painted the wall color. It's a flat plastic channel that sticks to the wall over the cord. Paint it with the wall paint and it mostly vanishes.
- Let the furniture hide it. Hang the sconce right over the nightstand, the headboard or the sofa so the cord drops behind it.
- Make it a feature. A fabric cord, like on the Globe Electric picks, looks intentional when it falls straight down the wall.
Plug-in vs rechargeable wall sconces
A plug-in sconce is brighter, because it takes a real bulb, and you never charge it. A rechargeable one has no cord at all, so it goes on a wall without an outlet, in a hallway or over a print. The battery ones give somewhere around 60 to 300 lumens, so they're mood lighting rather than reading lights. If there's no outlet where you want the light, my rechargeable wall sconces under $60 are the other half of this guide.
How much to spend on plug-in wall sconces
About $23 to $30 buys a full pair with simple linen shades, like the Beser Win or the Yunaking. Between $35 and $50, a pair buys the look: amber or green glass, a swing arm. The singles run $26 to $45 each, so count double if you want one on each side. Past $50, you're mostly paying for a brand name, since the same corded design with a brass arm and a bell shade sells for $60 to $200 at lighting stores. If you're redoing the whole corner, my table lamps under $60 and nightstands under $150 round it out.
How I picked
What decides a good plug-in sconce is mostly practical: a switch you can reach, a cord long enough for your outlet, a bulb that fits a regular socket, and a safety listing on the plug. After that, it's the look, and a warm shade or nice glass does more for the room than a fancier arm.
Skip the ones whose listing won't say what bulb they take or what's in the box. That missing line is usually the first sign of a sconce that won't last.
FAQ
How much do plug-in wall sconces cost?
A good pair costs $23 to $50. On this list, the cheapest pair is the Beser Win set at about $23, and the cheapest single is the Globe Electric x Novogratz at about $26.
Which plug-in wall sconces are under $30?
Four of them: the Beser Win pair, the Globe Electric x Novogratz, the Yunaking pair and the VATONI dimmable sconce. The Lomoky pair and the Globe Electric Briar are just over, at about $31. Everything on the list is under $50.
What are the best plug-in wall sconces?
The Yunaking set of 2. About $27 gets you two linen-shade sconces with 900-lumen LED bulbs included, three colors of white, a switch on each cord, and the choice of screws or adhesive. For reading in bed, the CADUKE swing arm pair is worth the extra money.
Do plug-in sconces look good?
Yes, when the cord looks tidy. Run it straight down the wall, hide it behind the furniture or in a cord cover painted the wall color, and use a warm bulb. A pair of sconces with nice shades looks more finished than two lamps on mismatched tables.
Are plug-in sconces safe?
Yes, used like any lamp: keep the cord out of walkways, don't overload the outlet, and stay at or under the bulb wattage on the listing (60 watts for most picks here). Look for a UL or ETL listing on the plug and socket.
What are plug-in wall lights called?
Plug-in wall sconces, plug-in wall lamps or corded sconces. The ones with an arm that moves are swing arm wall lamps. Many are sold as "plug-in or hardwire," which means they ship with a cord but an electrician can wire them in later.
What are the benefits of using a plug-in wall sconce?
No electrician, no landlord permission, and two small screw holes to fill when you move. It frees up the nightstand or the end table, it takes a regular bulb so it's bright enough to read by, and it comes with you to the next place.
Can you put a wall sconce up without wiring?
Yes. Every sconce on this list plugs into a regular outlet. If there's no outlet nearby, a rechargeable sconce needs none at all.
Where should wall sconces be placed in a bedroom?
On either side of the bed, about 60 to 66 inches from the floor to the middle of the sconce, adjusted for the height of your headboard. Close enough that you can reach the switch without getting up.
Are bedroom wall sconces worth it?
For a small bedroom, yes. Two sconces cost less than two good table lamps, and they leave the whole nightstand free. In a rental, plug-in ones are the easiest way to get there.
The verdict
For most rooms, get the Yunaking set of 2: two sconces with bright bulbs included for about $27. If you read in bed, the CADUKE swing arm pair puts the light on the page. For the coziest glow, the Oesotry amber tulips look straight out of a vintage shop. And if your nightstand is tiny, the CNMYKYDS sconce charges your phone too. Affordable, never cheap-looking.
