Apalus vs tesa: Which Magnetic Fly Screen Brand Fits Your Door?
Apalus and tesa are the two names often encounter when comparing magnetic fly screens on Amazon.com. They are not direct equivalents — Apalus is a category specialist with many material tiers; tesa is a general household brand with a narrower insect-screen line. This comparison helps you decide which ecosystem matches your door, budget, and expectations.
Brand positioning
Apalus sells magnetic curtains almost exclusively. Its Amazon.com presence spans budget Classic polyester through premium VP Pro fibreglass, with multiple fixed sizes. If you outgrow one tier, you can often stay in the same brand family.
tesa sells adhesive products across home improvement — insect screens are one slice. The magnetic self-closing curtain is a known SKU with anthracite styling and a modest size range (typically 80 × 200, 90 × 210, and 100 × 220 cm). Fewer upgrade paths exist within tesa if you need pet-grade mesh.
Installation approach
Both brands use self-adhesive Velcro — no drilling. Apalus kits commonly include push pins for wooden frames; tesa emphasises hand-washable fabric at 30 °C. Installation quality matters more than brand logo: clean, dry frames and careful alignment determine success. See our shared installation guide.
Materials and upgrade paths
| Factor | Apalus | tesa |
|---|---|---|
| Entry material | Standard polyester (Classic) | Polyester, anthracite finish |
| Mid upgrades | Prime polyester, VP fabric | Limited — mainly size variants |
| Premium tier | VP Pro flame-retardant fibreglass | Not offered in same line |
| Pet-focused options | VP and VP Pro tiers | General-purpose mesh only |
Cat owners and windy-terrace households often outgrow tesa's single material tier and move to Apalus VP or fibreglass competitors. Renters who want a recognisable brand for peace of mind may prefer tesa despite fewer upgrades.
Sizing
Both focus on fixed sizes — neither brand's magnetic curtain line is generally trimmable in height. Apalus lists more variants (including 90 × 190 and 95 × 220 cm through partner SKUs). tesa's three-size approach covers common cases but gaps exist for non-standard frames. Always measure first.
Magnet design
tesa advertises 30 sewn-in magnets on its standard curtain — a clear, countable spec. Apalus varies magnet strength by tier (Classic vs Prime vs VP) without always publishing magnet counts. For wind-sensitive installs, Apalus Prime or fibreglass alternatives with continuous strips may outperform baseline tiers from either brand — see windy balcony guide.
Who should choose which
Choose Apalus if you want a clear upgrade path (Classic → Prime → VP → VP Pro), need pet-resistant materials, or want the widest size scatter on Amazon.com.
Choose tesa if brand familiarity matters, your use case is moderate, your frame matches a listed tesa size, and you prefer anthracite fabric over default black polyester.
Consider neither if your opening is non-standard — look at fibreglass models with your exact dimensions in our comparison table.