Data checked: 3 July 2026
If you are down to two tabs, a Cape & Co Meridian in one and a Pergolux in the other, this page is written to close one of them. The short answer: Pergolux gives you the widest accessory ecosystem in the UK market, motorised options, and the rare ability to clip extras on after the build, and it charges a premium on every line of the order for it. The Cape & Co Meridian delivers the same core louvred engineering, professionally installed, for materially less money.
The rest of this page shows the working. Every figure was taken from pergolux.co.uk or capeandco.uk on 3 July 2026, and each one is checkable on the source site in a couple of minutes. If you are earlier in your research, start with our pergola buying guide, or with what a pergola actually is if you are right at the beginning; our louvred pergola guide explains the roof mechanism both of these products are built around.
In This Guide:
- The comparison at a glance: every spec side by side, dated.
- Price, like for like: what each actually costs standing in your garden.
- Roof systems: manual against motorised, and the louvre construction difference.
- Blinds, sides and extras: including what Pergolux does that nobody else matches.
- Warranty, delivery and installation: what the 10 year headline really covers.
- Which should you buy: the honest answer by buyer type.
At a glance: Cape & Co vs Pergolux
- Like for like price: a Meridian 4m x 3m fully installed is £3,000; the closest manual Pergolux, their 3m x 4m Pergola 4, is £3,479 as a kit.
- Roof construction: the Meridian has double skinned louvres on its manual frame; Pergolux fits single wall louvres until the motorised Pro at £4,236 on promo.
- The Pergolux edge: motorised tiers, glass walls, colour options, and SnapFIT channels that let you add accessories after the build, priced at a premium on every line.
- Warranty reality: their 10 years covers the aluminium frame only; moving parts and electrics carry 2 years, and registration within 90 days is mandatory. The Meridian's 3 year frame cover runs automatically.
- Installation: Meridian install is a fixed £500 (£800 for the 6x3) including bolt down fixing; Pergolux is a self assembly kit with professional installs quoted case by case.
- The verdict: choose Pergolux for the ecosystem, the Meridian for the sharpest installed price on the core product.
How this comparison works
First, the obvious: Cape & Co sells one of the two pergolas on this page, so read our verdicts the way you would read any retailer marking its own homework. To keep it fair, we compare the Meridian against the Pergola 4, the manual model in the Pergolux Series 4 range and the closest like for like product to ours, rather than against their motorised flagships. Pergolux was running a summer sale on the day we checked, so we quote both list and promotional prices. Where Pergolux wins, we say so, and there are places where it does.
The comparison at a glance
| Cape & Co Meridian | Pergolux Pergola 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (3m x 3m) | £2,100 | £3,189 list, £2,391 on summer promo |
| Price (4m x 3m class) | £2,500 | £3,479 (3m x 4m, checked 2 July) |
| Sizes | 3m x 3m, 4m x 3m, 6m x 3m | Seven sizes, 3m x 3m to 4m x 6m |
| Frame material | 6063-T5 aluminium, triple layer powder coat | 6063-T5 aluminium, double layer powder coat |
| Louvre construction | Double skinned louvres | Single wall louvres (double walled starts at the motorised Pro) |
| Roof operation | Manual crank | Manual crank (motorised on Pro and Pro Max) |
| Wind rating | Tested to 117 km/h (Beaufort 11) | 118 km/h and above, TÜV certificate published |
| Drainage | Integrated guttering, rain channelled down the legs | RainLUX integrated gutter system |
| Colours | Graphite Grey | Anthracite, White, Anthracite with white louvres |
| Mounting | Freestanding | Freestanding or wall mounted |
| Blinds and sides | Textilene side blinds, £450 to £499 per side, or with-blinds bundles | Retractable screens from £779 per side, plus glass and slat walls |
| Adding extras later | Blinds best specced at purchase (retrofit means partial disassembly) | SnapFIT channels: clip on screens, walls and heaters after the build |
| Warranty | Frame 3 years; louvres, mechanical parts, blinds and lighting 1 year; runs automatically, no registration | Frame 10 years; finish 5; louvres, motors and electrics 2; registration required within 90 days |
| Delivery | Free mainland UK delivery | Free, kerbside, two person unload with your help |
| Installation | Fixed price: £500 (3x3 and 4x3), £800 (6x3), bolt down fixing included | Self assembly kit, 3 to 7 hours; professional install quoted case by case, no published price |
Checked 3 July 2026 on each brand's own site. Pergolux promo prices are their Summer Kick-off Sale.
Price, like for like
Pergolas are priced three ways: the sticker, the delivered kit, and what it actually costs to have the thing standing in your garden. The third number is the one that matters, so here it is for the two closest size matches.
| Size class | Meridian, installed | Pergolux Pergola 4, kit only |
|---|---|---|
| 3m x 3m | £2,100 + £500 installation = £2,600 | £3,189 list (£2,391 on promo) |
| 4m x 3m class | £2,500 + £500 installation = £3,000 | £3,479 (their 3m x 4m) |
| 6m x 3m | £4,200 + £800 installation = £5,000 | Larger sizes priced by configuration on their site |
At list prices the gap is wide: £3,479 for the Pergolux kit against £3,000 for a Meridian of the same footprint with a professional team having already bolted it down. One honest wrinkle: if you catch the sale and you are a confident self builder, the promotional Pergola 4 at £2,391 comes in £209 under an installed 3m x 3m Meridian. Add their case by case installation quote, or your own weekend plus the anchoring hardware their kit does not include, and the gap reverses. Keep the pattern in mind as you read on, because it repeats on every line of a Pergolux order: the frame carries a premium, and so does everything you attach to it. For a fuller breakdown of what drives pergola pricing across the market, see our guide to how much a pergola costs in the UK.
Each Meridian size and its with-blinds variant sits on its own collection page: 3m x 3m, 4m x 3m and 6m x 3m. If you are unsure which footprint suits your garden, our guide to what size pergola you need covers seating and clearance by size, and if you are weighing the investment case itself, we have looked at how much value a pergola adds to a UK home.
Meridian 3m x 3m Aluminium Pergola
Roof systems: manual against motorised
At the like for like level, both roofs work the same way: a hand crank rotates the louvres from fully open to fully closed, so you get sun, dappled shade or a rain shedding roof without any wiring. The difference is what sits above each model in the range.
Pergolux offers motorised roofs on the Pergola 4 Pro (£5,649 list, £4,236 on promo at the time of checking) and Pro Max, with remote, app and smart home control. That is a real convenience, and if you want an electric roof, Pergolux is the better brand for it: we do not make one. Our comparison of louvred, retractable and electric pergola roofs covers when the upgrade is worth it. Just go in with your eyes open: a motor means a 240V supply run by a qualified electrician, a control unit, and electrical components that their own guarantee covers for 2 years, not 10. The Meridian is manual because that is where we think the value sits: the full quality of the structure, without paying for a motor and an app you may never use.
The quieter difference is in the louvres themselves. The manual Pergolux models, the Pergola 4 and the new Lite, use single wall louvres. To get a double walled roof from Pergolux you have to step up to the motorised Pro at £4,236 on promo. The Meridian gives you double skinned louvres on a manual frame from £2,100, which stiffens the roof and improves how it handles heat and rain noise. Our piece on single vs double louvre roofs explains why we think that construction matters more than the badge on the crank.
Weather performance
Both brands publish wind figures, and they land closer than the marketing suggests. The Meridian is wind tested to 117 km/h, Beaufort 11, which the scale labels a violent storm. Pergolux quotes 118 km/h and above for the Pergola 4, with a TÜV certificate linked from its spec sheet, and rates its entry Lite model at Beaufort 11, the same band as ours. On paper that is a one kilometre per hour difference at the like for like level: call it a draw in any real UK garden, because both figures sit far beyond what a typical garden ever sees.
Under the ratings, the builds are more alike than different: both frames are 6063-T5 architectural aluminium, and both drain rain through internal gutters and down the legs rather than off the edges. Closed louvres shed rain rather than sealing the space like a conservatory, on both brands: our guide to whether pergolas are waterproof explains that distinction. The Meridian adds a triple layer powder coat against their double layer, and double skinned louvres at a price point where Pergolux fits single wall. This is the point to be clear about: like for like, these are two high quality structures built from the same alloy to do the same job. What separates them is not engineering, it is what you are asked to pay for it. Whichever way you go, anchor it properly: bolt down fixing is included in our installation service, while Pergolux kits leave anchoring hardware to you.
Blinds, sides and adding extras later
A louvred roof solves sun and rain from above. Wind, privacy and low evening sun come in from the side, and sides are what turn a covered patch of patio into a usable outdoor living room. This is where the two brands genuinely diverge.
Start with the thing Pergolux does that nobody else in the UK market currently matches, including us. Series 4 frames carry SnapFIT accessory channels, so you can clip retractable screens, slat walls, glass walls or a heater onto a built pergola later, with no drilling and no disassembly. On a Meridian, blinds can be added to a built frame, but part of the pergola has to come apart to fit them, so our honest advice is to spec the with-blinds variant at purchase. If you plan to keep adding to the structure over several years, that flexibility is a real argument for Pergolux.
Then look at what the flexibility costs. The Meridian's Textilene mesh blinds are £450 for a 3m side and £499 for a 4m side, or come bundled: the 3m x 3m with three blinds is £3,350, the 4m x 3m with three blinds is £3,750, and the 6m x 3m with four blinds is £5,900, with an LED lighting add-on at £50 that fits into the guttering. Pergolux retractable screens start at £779 per side, with glass walls, slat walls and heaters above that. The ecosystem is wider, and it is priced at a premium throughout.
Meridian 4m x 3m with 3 Side Blinds
The gap shows up fastest when you enclose a pergola. A Meridian 4m x 3m with three blinds, installed, totals £4,250. The equivalent Pergolux 3m x 4m with three retractable screens starts around £5,816 as a kit, before anyone has assembled anything. For an honest look at when side blinds earn their place, and when they do not, see our guide to whether pergola blinds are worth it.
Warranty, delivery and installation
The warranty headline reads 10 years against 3, and if that were the whole story it would be a clear Pergolux win. The detail is worth two minutes of your time. Their 10 years covers the aluminium frame; the paint finish carries 5 years, and the parts of a louvred pergola that actually move, the louvres, hinges and linkages, carry 2 years, the same as the motors and electrics. The guarantee is also conditional: you must register within 90 days of delivery, install within six months, and keep up a documented cleaning and lubrication routine, or the cover falls away. The Meridian's guarantee is shorter and plainer: a 3 year frame guarantee with louvres, mechanical parts, blinds and lighting covered for 1 year, and it runs automatically from the date of purchase with nothing to register. So the honest reading is this: on the frame, Pergolux offers genuinely longer cover. On the moving parts, the gap is 2 years against 1, not 10 against 3. Our plain English guide to pergola warranties unpacks how to read these policies across the market.
Delivery is free from both brands, but it means different things. Pergolux delivers kerbside with a two person crew and asks you to help unload; packages on the largest sizes can reach 100 kg, and carrying the boxes to the garden is a £250 option at checkout. Cape & Co delivers free across mainland UK and arranges installation alongside delivery, typically within 3 to 14 working days.
Installation is the structural difference between the two offers. A Pergolux is a self assembly kit, and a well designed one: allow 3 to 7 hours with two people, guided by their app, with anchoring hardware not included. Their professional installation service is quoted case by case through their sales team, with no price published. The Meridian's installation service is a fixed £500 for the 3m x 3m and 4m x 3m and £800 for the 6m x 3m, carried out by a trained team with bolt down fixing on all surfaces included. With one brand you know the full standing-in-your-garden price before you order; with the other you know it when the quote comes back. One more piece of homework applies to both: most gardens will not need permission for a pergola, but check our pergola planning permission guide and the pergola height rules if you are near a boundary or in a conservation area.
Which should you buy?
Buy Pergolux if you want the accessory ecosystem: motorised roofs, glass walls, colour choice, wall mounted fitting, and extras you can add after the build. Buy the Meridian if you want the same core engineering, double skinned louvres and a fixed price installation for materially less money, with blinds specced at purchase.
- Choose Pergolux if the ecosystem is the point. Motorised tiers, glass walls, slat walls, heaters, colour options and SnapFIT retrofit flexibility make it the most expandable system in the market. It is a high quality product; expect to pay a premium on every line for it, and read the warranty registration terms carefully.
- Choose the Meridian if the pergola is the point. The same 6063-T5 aluminium, a double skinned roof their manual model does not match, delivered, bolted down and finished by a team for a fixed £500, with blinds at £450 to £499 a side rather than £779 screens. Spec the blinds at purchase and it is all done in one visit.
And if part of you is still asking whether a pergola is the right spend at all, our honest look at whether pergolas are worth it is the place to settle that first.
Shop the Meridian Pergola Range
Meridian 3m x 3m Louvred Pergola
Where the range begins. A dedicated dining or seating zone for most patios, installation available.
Meridian 3m x 3m with 3 Side Blinds
The 3x3 louvred pergola with three manual side blinds for extra shelter and privacy.
Meridian 4m x 3m Louvred Pergola
The most popular size. Room for a six-seat dining set, adjustable louvres, installation available.
Meridian 4m x 3m with 3 Side Blinds
The 4x3 louvred pergola paired with three manual side blinds for added enclosure.
Meridian 6m x 3m Louvred Pergola
A full entertaining footprint with dual dining and lounge zones and an adjustable louvre roof.
Meridian 6m x 3m with 4 Side Blinds
The 6x3 louvred pergola with four manual side blinds for near-full enclosure.
The bottom line
Pergolux has earned its place: certified figures, the market's widest accessory ecosystem, and retrofit flexibility nobody else currently offers. None of that is in dispute here. The question is what you pay for it, and on draft day the answer was a premium on every line: £479 more for their closest manual frame than a Meridian costs fully installed, screens at £779 a side against blinds at £450, and a 10 year headline that applies to the frame while the moving parts carry 2 years. The Meridian's case is quality without the padding: the same architectural aluminium, a double skinned roof, wind tested to 117 km/h, installed and bolted down for a fixed fee. Put our numbers next to theirs with both tabs open, and decide with a calculator rather than an ad campaign. Either way, you end up with a good pergola: that is the honest conclusion of this comparison.
Browse the Meridian Pergola Range
FAQs
Is Pergolux any good?
Yes. Pergolux publishes TÜV certified test figures and reviews well (4.5 on Trustpilot at the time of writing). Its 10 year guarantee covers the aluminium frame; louvres, motors and electrics carry 2 years, and registration within 90 days is required. The trade off is price: a premium on every line, from frames to £779 screens.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Pergolux?
Yes. The Cape & Co Meridian is the closest like for like alternative: a manual louvred aluminium pergola with double skinned louvres from £2,100, against £3,189 list for the manual Pergolux Pergola 4. Even with professional installation added, a Meridian 4m x 3m totals £3,000 against £3,479 for their closest size.
Are Cape & Co pergolas good quality?
Yes. The Meridian uses the same 6063-T5 architectural aluminium as premium rivals, with double skinned louvres, a triple layer powder coat and integrated drainage, and it is wind tested to 117 km/h (Beaufort 11). It carries a 3 year frame guarantee and is rated 5.0 on Google Reviews at the time of writing.
Do Pergolux prices include installation?
No. Pergolux pergolas are self assembly kits: allow 3 to 7 hours with two people, and anchoring hardware is not included. Delivery is free but kerbside, with your help unloading. A professional installation service is available, quoted case by case with no published price. Cape & Co installation is a fixed £500, or £800 for the 6m x 3m.
