Liingo Eyewear Reviews: How They Stand out From Warby Parker

Key Takeaways

• Liingo Eyewear is a great option for affordable frames, glasses, and sunglasses
• Their customer service is excellent
• Their home try-on program is easy and effective
• Liingo Eyewear’s glasses come with free prescription lenses
• Their virtual try-on tool is accessible to everyone and helpful, but it has pretty low-quality
• The Liingo RX Reader is virtually useless
• Their price point is slightly lower than Warby Parker
• We still recommend Warby Parker over Liingo Eyewear due to their better selection, in-store options, more complete services, and faster turnaround times

Liingo Eyewear: An Overview

Liingo Eyewear is a relatively new online glasses retailer. It was launched in 2016 and acquired by 1-800 contacts in 2018.

The brand carries eyeglasses and sunglasses with stylish frames. Any of their frames can be fitted with single-vision, progressive/multifocal, or non-prescription lenses. 

Liingo is making a name for itself by providing contemporary designs at reduced prices. They work directly with manufacturers, own their own lab, and use an online model. This helps keep their prices lower than competitors.

Many people have been comparing Liingo Eyewear to Warby Parker. We’ll cover the similarities and differences between these two at the end of this article.

Liingo Eyewear Ratings

Frame Materials: 8/10

Lens Materials: 9/10

Comfort: 10/10

Style: 10/10

Cost: 9/10

Selection: 6/10

Customer Service: 10/10

Shipping: 8/10

App: 5/10

In-Store Experience: N/A

Overall: 8.5/10

Our Liingo Eyewear Review

I ordered a pair of prescription glasses and a pair of sunglasses from Liingo:

The packaging is colorful, creative, and super secure. My glasses and lenses arrived in perfect condition.

Frame Quality

The quality of my frames has surprised me in two ways:

• The metal frames are more flimsy than I expected
• Even though they are on the flimsy side, they are extremely comfortable

Compared with my titanium glasses from Warby Parker, these frames feel very insubstantial. At first I was taken aback, and a little disappointed.

I find the Liingo Addison frames more comfortable than Warby Parker James. This is because of their lightweight, minimalist hardware. However, I’m sure my Warby Parker James frames will outlast my Liingo Addison frames.

I can only speak to metal frames, since I don’t own a pair of acetate frames from Liingo. But if you’re looking for a pair of glasses that to wear every day, and durability is your priority, go with Warby Parker.

Liingo’s lightweight metal frames are perfect because they are super comfortable. This is great if you have a couple of pairs of glasses, or only use glasses for reading, working, or driving. Just be careful with them.

Lens Quality

I upgraded to 1.67 high-index lenses because my prescription is a bit higher. I also added blue-light blocking on my clear lenses.

The lenses are great. At my prescription level, I don’t notice much difference between high-index and regular polycarbonate lenses.

The 1.67 high-index lenses are a little thinner than my polycarbonate lenses from Warby Parker. However, the way my eyes look through my lenses doesn’t change at all.

I personally don’t think the extra $50 for high index lenses is worth it for my prescription strength. It feels like an unnecessary upsell.

However, some people experience the “coke bottle effect” with stronger prescriptions. If regular polycarbonate lenses have obscured your eyes, you might benefit from high-index lenses.

Liingo Eyewear Shipping Time

It takes 2 to 3 weeks to receive your order once your prescription is uploaded. However, you can upgrade to expedited shipping for $12.95. This should reduce the shipping time by 3 to 7 days.

For the home-try-on program, your frames should arrive within 5 to 7 business days.

Liingo Eyewear Customer Service

Since 1-800 Contacts owns Liingo Eyewear, you can expect the same level of excellent customer service. 

Liingo’s website offers an online chat feature that connects you to a live agent within minutes. I’ve never had an issue getting a question answered via this feature. However, you can also email or call them.

Their 60-day free return policy is very generous. As is their reimbursement for glasses adjustments (up to $25).

Liingo Eyewear App Review

The Liingo Rx Reader app is designed to read your prescription through your glasses lenses. I find it to be virtually useless.

The app was unable to read my prescription due to my astigmatism. Even if it can read your lens strength, it doesn’t provide a valid prescription, only prescription information.

It’s best to see an eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam if you don’t have a current prescription or your prescription has expired.

You can also schedule a virtual exam, which will renew your prescription if there aren’t any changes, with Warby Parker or 1-800 Contacts.

What Customers Are Saying

We also reviewed Liingo eyewear reviews from different customers as part of our review process.

As of writing, the brand has a 3.3 out of 5 rating on TrustPilot. This means that there are both positive and negative reviews regarding Liingo Eyewear.

Here’s what customers are saying about the brand:

• Liingo’s customer service representatives are helpful and promptly answer your questions
• Customers like how they can try and order glasses online
• Some customers experienced lengthy delays in receiving their glasses
• People with high prescriptions didn’t like Liingo because they received thick lenses

How Does Liingo Eyewear Work?

Liingo eyewear has a simple pricing model. All their frames (eyeglasses or sunglasses) cost $79, $99, or $129. 

Single-vision lenses are included for free for any eyeglasses. They have several additional upgrades available:

• Progressive/multifocal lenses: $149
• Sunglasses (grey or brown tint): $49
• Blue Light Blocking Lenses: $59
• Light-Responsive (grey or brown tint): $79
• 1.67 High Index lenses (thinner than polycarbonate): $49
• Scratch-resistance, anti-glare and 100% UV protection are included for FREE
• Water and smudge resistance are available for $39 or free on some pairs

Liingo Eyewear has several guarantees that add value to your purchase, including:

• Free shipping on every order
• Free returns for 60 days
• Free adjustments (they reimburse adjustment charges from any eye doctor up to $25)

They also have followed in Warby Parker’s footsteps and offer a home try-on program. 

You’re able to choose up to 5 frames and have them shipped to your house for free. You can try them on for 5 days, then put them back in the box and send them back with a prepaid shipping label.

Liingo Eyewear Virtual Try-On

Liingo provides a virtual try-on option for every pair of frames. This lets you get a sense of what you’ll look like in them before ordering.

Liingo Virtual Try-On Image

Actual Lenses from Liingo

It’s easy to use and pretty effective. And unlike Warby Parker, you don’t need to use an app. You can use your cell phone or computer camera to record a short clip. Just move your head left to right, use a credit or debit card to measure your PD, and you’re good to go!

Warby Parker’s virtual try-on tool gives you a higher resolution image. However, you need to download their app. And it’s only available on the iPhone X and above. (Android users can’t access it).

Liingo Eyewear Ordering Process

Liingo’s ordering process is simple and straightforward. You have two options:

• Purchase frames and lenses directly from the site
• Choose up to 5 frames to try on at home (not all frames are eligible)

If you decide to use the home try-on program, here’s how it works:

1. Turn on the “In-Home Try On Available” filter.
2. Add up to 5 pairs to your cart (you can use the virtual try-on to preview them).
3. Enter your shipping and billing information (billing info is required in case you don’t return the frames on time).
4. Wait 5 to 7 business days for your order to arrive.
5. Once the package is delivered, you have 5 days to try on the frames (they don’t have lenses in them).
6. Once you’ve tried on all the frames, you can put them back in the box, apply the prepaid shipping label, and ship them back.
7. You can purchase the frames you like, along with the lenses, on their website at any point during the process.

Once you decide to make a purchase, Liingo’s checkout process is simple and straightforward:

1. Find the frames you want and click “Select Lenses & Buy”
2. Choose from single-vision, progressive/multifocal, or no prescription lenses
3. Choose your lens type (clear, blue light, sunglasses, or light-responsive)
4. Choose your lens material (polycarbonate or 1.67 high index)
5. Choose your lens protection (essential or deluxe)
6. Click “Add to Cart”
7. Enter any discount codes you may have
8. Enter your shipping and billing information
9. Upload your current eyeglass prescription
10. Sit tight and wait — your prescription is on its way

Liingo vs Warby Parker

Both Liingo Eyewear and Warby Parker are great options for buying glasses online.  If you’re deciding between the two brands, here’s a table comparing them:

We recommend Warby Parker over Liingo Eyewear due to their better selection, in-store options, more complete services, and faster turnaround times.

Read our full review of Warby Parker vs Liingo Eyewear.