This document will compare and contrast eight popular LED controllers: WS2811, WS2812, WS2813, WS2814, WS2815, SK6812, APA102, and TM1802.

Key Differences

• WS2811: This is an addressable LED strip controlled by an external IC. Each IC controls 3 LEDs, so every 3 LEDs are cuttable as one single pixel². It uses a one-wire protocol and supports 256 levels of brightness per up to 3 color channels. It operates at DC5V/DC12V/DC24V².
• WS2812: Also known as WS2812B, this is an individually addressable and cuttable strip with the IC embedded into the 5050 LED, which improves its lighting performance². It uses a one-wire protocol and supports 256 levels of brightness per up to 3 color channels. It operates at DC5V.
• WS2813: This strip light is an updated version of the WS2812B. It has dual-signal wires and a signal break-point continuous transmission feature. This means if one IC is broken, the signal can still pass through². It operates at DC5V².
• WS2814: WS2814 is a variant of WS2811 in that it is an addressable LED strip controlled by an external IC, with a higher operating voltage. Each IC controls 3 LEDs, so every 3 LEDs are cuttable as one single pixel. It uses a one-wire protocol and supports 256 levels of brightness per up to 3 color channels. Typically, good for applications with longer runs where less ‘resolution’ per pixel is required. Operates at DC12V/DC24V.
• WS2815: This LED strip is similar to the 5V WS2813 LED light strips but operates at DC12V²[^10^]. It has dual-signal wires and a signal break-point continuous transmission feature². This means that any pixel's failure won't affect signal transfer and the total emitting effect². It operates at DC12V.
• SK6812 is a compatible alternative to WS2812 that has the same one-wire protocol and 256 levels of brightness per color channel. However, it can support additional color modes, such as RGB+W (White) or RGB+WW (Warm White).
• APA102 is a high-performance controller that uses a two-wire protocol (clock and data). It supports 1024 levels of brightness per color channel and has a global brightness control. It also has a higher refresh rate and lower flicker than WS2812.
• TM1802 is another external controller that requires a separate LED chip. It uses a two-wire protocol (clock and data) and supports 256 levels of brightness per color channel. It has a lower data transmission speed than APA102.

Applications

The choice of LED controller depends on the specific requirements and preferences of the application. Some general guidelines are:

• WS2811, WS2812,  are suitable for applications that require simple wiring, low cost, and high density of LEDs. They come in 1 channel or 3 channel variants over a single data line and support 256 levels of brightness per channel. They are commonly used in LED strips, matrices, rings, pixels, and pebbles.
• Both the WS2811 and WS2814 control 3 pixels per pixel the controller sees.  They are typically a bit cheaper and good for smaller controllers or applications where you need the pixel density, but not that level of detail.
• WS2813 and WS2815 are upgraded versions of the above pixels with redundant or reverse secondary data wires. Redundant data wire configurations are great for places that take more abuse or year-round installations.  Reverse data secondary data wires are great for hanging curtain martrix configuration or when adding LEDs to props.
• SK6812 and WS2814 are similar to WS2812 in that they control a single integrated 4-in-1 pixel which offers more color options with RGBW (+white) or RGBWW (+warm white) configurations.

Other mentions:

• APA102 is ideal for applications that require high brightness, high refresh rate, and low flicker. It is often used in LED displays, video walls, and POV (persistence of vision) devices.
• TM1802 is a cheaper alternative to APA102 but has a lower speed and higher voltage drop. It is also used in LED displays, video walls, and POV devices, but with lower quality and performance.