The short answer: for most kitchens, get Smart Tiles’ white subway tile. It’s the only brand here that publishes clear rules for stoves, wall prep and removal. Judging by the maker’s description, its 3D gel surface is also the finish most likely to pass for glazed tile.
Want classic 3 × 6 tiles laid in your own pattern? Art3d’s 102-pack gives you single tiles. Want white tile with bold black grout? Art3d’s 12-inch sheets come that way. Have a warm-toned kitchen? STICKGOO’s warm white with grey grout is the softer choice.
Every maker here wants a clean, dry, flat wall. They differ on texture and heat, so the buying guide below the picks covers what to check before you order.
Best overallSmart Tiles Subway, Pure WhiteCheck price
Most layout controlArt3d 102-Pack Glossy White Subway (3 × 6 in.)Check price
Sold for rentalsTic Tac Tiles Subway, WhiteCheck price
Best black-grout lookArt3d Subway Sheets, White with Black GroutCheck price
Smart Tiles Subway, Pure White
The one to get for most kitchens, and the safest bet for renters: the only brand here that publishes its stove, prep and removal rules.
- Coverage6.21 sq ft per 10 tiles
- Surface3D gel (Gel-O)
- Stove rule8 in. zone if no back panel
Smart Tiles makes its tiles with a gel layer it calls Gel-O, which it says gives them a 3D effect and keeps them from yellowing or cracking over time. From that description, it's the finish here most likely to catch light like glazed tile. That's our judgment from the maker's description; we haven't put these up ourselves.
What sets it apart is the paperwork. Smart Tiles is the only maker here that publishes how close its tiles can go to a stove: an 8-inch tile-free zone behind a cooktop with no rear panel or metal plate, and 2 inches from toasters and toaster ovens. Its warranty caps the tiles at 120°F. It also publishes how to take them off, which matters if you rent.
What we like
- Published rules for stoves, wall prep and removal
- 3D gel surface the maker says won't yellow or crack
- Once fully stuck (generally after 48 hours, the listing says), guaranteed not to peel or crack if installed by the instructions
Watch out for
- Smaller box: 10 tiles cover 6.21 sq ft, so you'll need more boxes than with 12-inch sheets
- Not for textured walls, bare drywall or inside a shower, Smart Tiles says
- Turmeric and other strong spices can stain it for good, Smart Tiles warns
Art3d 102-Pack Glossy White Subway (3 × 6 in.)
For classic 3 × 6 subway tiles you place one at a time, in any pattern you like.
- Size3 × 6 in. single tiles
- CoverageAbout 12.75 sq ft (102 tiles)
- FinishGlossy white
Most peel-and-stick comes in big sheets with the grout printed on. These are single 3-by-6-inch tiles, the classic subway size, so you choose the spacing and the pattern: brick-style offset, straight stack or herringbone. The 102 tiles add up to about 12.75 square feet before cuts (our math from the tile size).
Art3d lists suitable surfaces as painted drywall, ceramic tile, linoleum, glass, marble or granite, metal and sealed or painted wood. It rules out brick, textured walls, rough or uneven surfaces and oily, glossy painted walls.
What we like
- Real subway size, with spacing you control
- Any pattern, not just the printed one
- The listing names the surfaces it does and doesn't suit
Watch out for
- Slowest to put up: every tile goes on by hand
- There's no grout: any gap you leave shows the wall behind, so paint the wall a grout color first or set the tiles tight
- The listing calls it heat resistant but gives no distance from the stove. Keep it out of the area right behind the burners.
Tic Tac Tiles Subway, White
The only listing here sold specifically for apartments and rentals, with a route for textured walls.
- Size12 × 12 in. sheets
- Coverage10 sq ft (10 sheets, our math)
- WallsSmooth, untextured, indoor
Tic Tac Tiles sells this one for apartments, dorms, RVs and rental kitchens, and calls it removable. It doesn't publish how to remove it, though, so treat "removable" as the maker's claim and test one tile first. Each 12-inch sheet has realistic grout lines printed in, and the company says it won't yellow, crack or fade.
It's made for smooth, untextured indoor walls. If your wall is textured, Tic Tac says to sand it, prime it and let the primer cure for 7 days first. You can cut it with scissors or a box cutter to fit around outlets and switches.
What we like
- Marketed for rentals, and called removable
- A published sand-and-prime route for textured walls
- Cuts with plain scissors
Watch out for
- No published removal method. Ask your landlord and test one tile in a hidden spot first
- The listing calls it heat resistant but gives no distance from the stove. Keep it out of the area right behind the burners.
Art3d Subway Sheets, White with Black Grout
For the crisp, graphic look of white subway tile with dark grout lines.
- Size12 × 12 in. sheets
- Coverage10 sq ft (10 sheets, our math)
- LookWhite, black grout
Black grout lines give white subway tile a bold, graphic look, and this is the only pick here that comes that way. Each sheet covers a square foot, so there are far fewer pieces to line up than with single tiles.
Art3d says these are two to three times thicker than regular peel-and-stick tiles, which makes them harder to tear or bend while you line them up. It also says the upgraded adhesive grips smooth, clean walls and lightly textured ones.
What we like
- The one black-grout option here
- Thicker than standard sticker tiles, Art3d says
- Art3d says it grips lightly textured walls
Watch out for
- Printed grout means you can't change the spacing
- Dark grout lines show every place two sheets meet, so line them up carefully (our advice)
- The listing says nothing about heat or stoves. Keep it out of the area right behind the burners.
STICKGOO Thicker Subway, Warm White with Grey Grout
For a softer white that sits more easily next to wood, cream or greige cabinets.
- Size12 × 12 in. sheets
- Coverage10 sq ft (10 sheets, our math)
- Thickness2–2.5 mm
STICKGOO gives a thickness in millimeters, 2 to 2.5, which the company says is two to three times thicker than ordinary peel-and-stick. The sheets interlock instead of overlapping, and the small tiles are about 3.3 by 1.8 inches.
Warm white with grey grout is softer than bright white with dark grout. In our view it's the easier choice next to wood, cream or greige cabinets.
What we like
- The only pick that states its thickness in millimeters
- STICKGOO says it sticks to smooth walls and lightly textured ones
- A soft color that suits warm cabinets
Watch out for
- The listing suggests showers and behind the stove but gives no distances or limits. We'd still keep it out of showers and away from burners
- The small tiles are smaller than classic 3 × 6 subway
Yipscazo Brushed Metal Tiles
A non-subway alternative: a brushed-metal, restaurant look on a modern kitchen wall.
- Size12 × 12 in.
- Coverage10 sq ft per box
- SurfaceBrushed aluminum, matte
This isn't a subway pattern. It's here for readers who want a metal backsplash instead. The listing describes a brushed aluminum, matte surface, though its title says stainless steel, so expect a brushed-metal look and check the listing if the metal matters to you.
Yipscazo says it sticks to a wall that is clean, flat, smooth, dry and free of dust, wax, soap scum and grease. A box of 10 sheets covers 10 square feet, and it suggests buying 1% extra for waste.
What we like
- Brushed-metal look that suits stainless appliances
- Covers 10 square feet per box
- Clear wall-prep rules in the listing
Watch out for
- The listing says many people put it behind the stove but gives no heat rating or distance, so treat it like the others
- Title says stainless steel, bullets say aluminum
How to choose
- Start with the stove. Does the tile have to run near your range? Then pick Smart Tiles, which tells you how close it can go: an 8-inch tile-free zone if the cooktop has no back panel, gas or electric. With any other brand, keep it out of the area behind the burners.
- Then look at your wall. Every maker wants it clean, dry and flat. After that they differ. Smart Tiles and Art3d’s 102-pack rule out textured walls. Art3d’s sheets and STICKGOO say they grip lightly textured walls. Tic Tac says to sand and prime a textured wall and let it cure for 7 days first.
- Tile size. Classic subway tile is 3 × 6 inches. Of these picks, only Art3d’s 102-pack says it uses that size. STICKGOO’s small tiles are about 3.3 by 1.8 inches, and the other sheet listings don’t give a tile size, so check the photos if the proportions matter to you.
- Sheets or single tiles? Sheets (12 × 12 inches here, with the grout printed on) mean fewer pieces to line up. Single tiles take longer, but you choose the spacing and pattern.
- Thickness and material. Thin vinyl stickers can tear and stretch while you position them, and in our view they show every bump in the wall behind them. Thicker sheets, like STICKGOO’s 2 to 2.5 mm and Art3d’s sheets (two to three times thicker than standard, Art3d says), are stiffer and easier to line up. Smart Tiles uses a gel top layer for a 3D surface. Yipscazo’s tiles have a brushed-aluminum face, which gives a metal look rather than tile.
- Gloss or matte? Glossy white bounces light around, which can make a small or dark kitchen feel brighter. A matte surface like Yipscazo’s brushed metal hides fingerprints and smudges better. That’s our view, not a maker’s claim.
- Grout color. White grout looks calm and quiet, so the tile reads as one surface. Grey softens the look. Black is bold and shows every line. Our grout color guide shows each one with white subway tile.
Renting? What “removable” really means
“Removable” on a box is a claim, not a promise about your landlord’s paint. Smart Tiles is the only brand here that publishes a removal method: warm each tile with a hair dryer, pull gently from a corner, then clean off any glue. It says this works “practically without damage, depending on the surface”. Smart Tiles adds that a tile can still be repositioned until you press it down firmly, so you can set a row lightly, check it’s level, then press. Tic Tac Tiles sells its tile for rentals and calls it removable, but doesn’t say how to remove it.
So before you cover a rented wall:
- Get your landlord’s okay in writing.
- Test one tile in a hidden spot, like under the upper cabinets. Leave it a week, then remove it the way Smart Tiles describes and check the paint.
- Keep touch-up paint for move-out day.
How much to buy
Boxes cover very different areas, so don’t just count boxes. Here’s what each pick covers, from its listing or our math from the tile size:
- Smart Tiles: 6.21 sq ft per box of 10 tiles.
- Art3d 102-pack: about 12.75 sq ft per pack.
- Art3d sheets, Tic Tac and STICKGOO: 10 sq ft per box of ten 12-inch sheets.
- Yipscazo: 10 sq ft per box.
Measure the width and height of each section of wall you’ll cover, multiply, and add the sections up. Leave out windows, and the zone behind the stove if you’re keeping it bare. Divide by the box coverage above and round up. Then add about 10 percent for cuts around outlets and corners. That’s our rule of thumb; Yipscazo suggests just 1% for its metal tiles. Our guide to how much subway tile you need walks through it with a worked example.
How we rate
We score each pick out of 10, in whole or half points, on four things we can check from the makers' own words, weighted for someone refreshing a kitchen they already have: published limits and instructions (35%), meaning whether the maker states how close to a stove it can go, what walls it suits and how to remove it; wall fit (25%), meaning how many kinds of wall the maker says it works on; the look as described (25%), meaning the surface, size and grout the maker lists; and coverage and value (15%), meaning how much wall a box covers.
We have not installed or tested these products ourselves, so a score is a comparison of what each maker promises and documents, not a lab result. We read every bullet of each maker's Amazon listing and, where the maker publishes them, its install instructions. A product needed a long track record of ratings to make the shortlist, but we don't quote reviews or star ratings. No brand pays for placement, and a commission cannot buy a higher rating. When a pick changes, we will say so on this page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use these in a bathroom?
Behind a sink, yes. Smart Tiles says its tiles handle bathroom humidity and splashes but don’t belong inside a shower or tub. STICKGOO’s listing suggests showers but gives no instructions for it. We’d keep every one of these out of the shower.
What tools do I need?
Smart Tiles says to cut its tiles with a retractable utility knife, and Tic Tac says scissors or a box cutter work. Art3d’s 102-pack listing adds tin snips or a hand saw. Beyond that, our list: a tape measure, a level or a pencil line to keep rows straight, spare blades, and something flat to press the tiles down, like a plastic smoother.
How do I clean it?
Gently. Smart Tiles says to use a soft sponge, warm water and a mild, non-abrasive cleaner, and to avoid harsh products. Tic Tac says to wipe it clean with mild soap and water. Skip scrubbing pads on all of them.