Best rain repellents 2026
Rain repellents add a hydrophobic barrier to glass, but which is the clear winner?
Even the best windscreen wipers can leave your glass smeary, especially if atmospheric conditions mean there’s dust and pollen in the air – and that’s particularly true as we head into the April showers season.
Adding a rain-repellent coating to your glass can really help keep your windscreen clear and improve your view of the road ahead, adding an extra layer of safety to your journey. As well as your windscreen, they can also be used on side and rear glass, while some of the products tested can also be applied to plastic windows on convertible cars, crash helmets and polymer headlights.
We tried out eight of the best-selling rain repellents on the market to see which one came out on top, assessing each of them on their performance, ease of application, durability and price.
How we tested
Using four different cars, we applied each repellent to half a windscreen and one side window, following the instructions.
We then drove each car in the wet over a period of four weeks to evaluate how well the repellents performed, how our visibility improved and if they were still doing their job almost a month after they had first been applied to the glass.
Used - available now
2020 Land Rover
Range Rover
44,408 milesAutomaticDiesel4.4L
Cash £42,895
2026 Ford
Tourneo Connect
57,263 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £17,895
2024 LAND ROVER
DEFENDER
87,077 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L
Cash £35,995
2024 Dacia
Sandero Stepway
29,813 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £11,708Our marks were awarded based on the quality and longevity of the protection they offered, plus the actual application process. The results were mixed, but the top three are worth keeping in your glovebox, ready for a rainy day.
Gtechniq G5 Water Repellent Coating
- Price: around £10.99
- Size: 100ml
- Rating: 5.0 stars
- Contact: gtechniq.co.uk
Gtechniq’s G5 Water Repellent Coating was one of two products we tested from the manufacturer and is simplicity itself to apply.
It has the consistency of a polish and you simply rub it into your screen using a lint-free cloth, until it disappears. As well as glass, Gtechniq also says it’s safe for use on Perspex screens – ideal if you have a cabriolet.
It took less than five minutes to apply and its hydrophobic qualities were immediately apparent, with rain simply running off the screen – at speed, we barely needed to use the wipers. The coating is also said to make glass easier to clean, and we certainly noticed this when using the windscreen wipers to clear a bird dropping. After four weeks, it was still performing as well as when first applied.
Rain-X 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner + Repellent
- Price: around £4.98
- Size: 500ml
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Contact: rainx.co.uk
Rain-X is the oldest name in the business when it comes to rain repellents, and the original is still one of the best. Its 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner + Rain Repellent is a dual-action liquid, so rather than needing to clean your glass before applying the coating, it does it all in one go and is easy to apply – just spray it on and wipe it clean, as you would with any glass cleaning product.
Its performance was equal to the Gtechniq G5’s in terms of its immediate efficacy, with rain beading on the windscreen and running off. But by the end of our four-week test period, it was starting to wear away. It’s great value for money, though.
Turtle Wax Clearvue
- Price: around £7.50
- Size: 300ml
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Contact: turtlewax.co.uk
Clearvue is a previous winner of this test and it remains a great product. You apply it to a clean windscreen by dabbing it onto a cloth then wiping it on, leaving it to dry and then adding a second coat. That means it’s a little fiddlier than some of the others here, but not exactly difficult to apply.
It was one of only three products tested that was still performing as well at the end of our test. Clearvue lasted longer than the Rain-X, but is more expensive, too. We also found the Gtechniq G5 was marginally better in light rain, where wipers often smear the most.
Gtechniq G1 Clearvision
- Price: around £12.95
- Size: 2x15ml
- Rating: 4.0 stars
- Contact: gtechniq.co.uk
The Clearvision’s two-stage formula creates a chemical bond on a car’s glass that Gtechniq says will last up to 20,000 miles, and it was still working brilliantly after four weeks.
It’s a faff to apply, though, because you need to put a compound on first for it to bond, while it can only be used on glass – so it’s no good for Perspex windows or motorcycle helmets, for example. It’s great once applied, but the performance of the Gtechniq G5 was just as good after a month, and our best buy was much easier to apply.
Maniac Line Rain Speed
- Price: around £13.95
- Size: 100ml
- Rating: 4.0 stars
- Contact: maniacline.com
New from Italian detailing company Maniac Line, Rain Speed is simple to apply because you just spray it on the windscreen, wait for it to dry, then wipe it over with a dry cloth.
Rain Speed worked very well at first, with rain beading tightly on the screen, while its performance at speed was equally impressive, with water running off the screen and side windows in channels. However, after three weeks Maniac Line’s rain repellent wasn’t as effective as when first applied, and it’s quite expensive compared with rivals.
Liquid Armour Shield
- Price: around £6.99
- Size: 500ml
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Contact: diy.com
Sold via hardware chain B&Q, Liquid Armour can be used on both the inside and the outside of your windscreen, with the manufacturer claiming it also stops condensation and fogging up within the cabin.
Shield is very easy to apply and it worked well initially, but after just a couple of weeks it started to be less effective as a rain repellent and was no longer beading as much as rivals. It’s excellent value for money, though, so having to use it more frequently won’t necessarily break the bank.
V12 Advanced Clear View
- Price: around £4.84
- Size: 360ml
- Rating: 3.0 stars
- Contact: amazon.co.uk
On first impression, the V12 Advanced Clear View looks like excellent value for money, but its bold claim to outlast the market leaders wasn’t matched by our experience during the test period.
To apply it, you just spray it on, let it dry and then buff it to a shine. Initially its hydrophobic qualities were good, but V12 Advanced Clear View lasted the second shortest of the rain repellents tested here, and after two weeks our wipers were smearing on the screen, with a strange milky residue from the product.
JokJok Glass Rain Repellent
- Price: around £3.99
- Size: 30ml
- Rating: 1.0 star
- Contact: temu.com
It’s difficult to know where to start with the JokJok, sold through Temu. It comes in a tiny bottle with a pump spray action that empties the product in just a few squirts, though that’s enough to do a full windscreen.
But we don’t know why you’d bother. Despite following the application instructions to the letter, it was very disappointing. On first application, the water did bead on the screen, but after just one day of showery weather it had clearly rinsed off and had all but stopped working.
Verdict
- Gtechniq G5 Water Repellent Coating
- Rain-X 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner + Rain Repellent
- Turtle Wax Clearvue
Turtle Wax and Rain-X have both won this test in the past, but for 2026 there’s a brand-new winner in the form of Gtechniq’s G5.
We’ve been impressed with Gtechniq’s detailing products before, and this is one of its best – it’s easy to apply and effective. We also like that it can be used on plastics.
Rain-X is the runner-up. It’s still a very good product and is superb value. Turtle Wax Clearvue is also excellent and arguably marginally better than the Rain-X, but doesn’t offer such good value for money.
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