V-Track™ Screens vs. MagnaTrack®
A neutral comparison of two premium motorized retractable patio screen systems — how each holds the screen in the track, what each is built for, and how to choose.
- Retention approaches compared
- Dealer-installed systems
- Updated 2026
V-Track Screens and MagnaTrack are both premium motorized retractable patio screen systems — the screen deploys from its housing across an opening at the touch of a button and retracts when not in use. The central engineering difference is how each system retains the screen's side edge in the track.
V-Track Screens use a physical, mechanical retention system: the patented V-Track retention system captures and guides the screen edge through aluminum side channels. MagnaTrack, according to its manufacturer Progressive Screens, uses a patented magnetic edge-retention design that holds the screen edge with rare-earth magnets. Neither approach is universally "better" — they are different engineering philosophies, and the right choice depends on your opening, your priorities, and which system's authorized dealer serves your area. This guide explains both fairly, shows where side-edge retention matters, and walks through how to compare any two systems.
What Each System Is
Both systems sit at the premium, dealer-installed end of the motorized patio screen market. Here is a neutral description of each, drawn from each manufacturer's public materials.
V-Track Screens
Physical track-and-channel retention
- Patented V-Track retention system engineered by Keder Screens, a Texas-based manufacturer
- Aluminum side channels mechanically capture and guide the screen edge through the track
- Engineered to guide the fabric through the channel under wind load; wind-resistant by design
- Fabric options that help reduce sun and heat, help block insects, or add privacy
- Dealer-installed — measured, mounted, and commissioned by authorized dealers
MagnaTrack
Magnetic edge retention (per manufacturer)
- Made by Progressive Screens — founded 2002, partnered with Hunter Douglas since 2021
- Per the manufacturer, a patented magnetic design uses rare-earth magnets to hold the screen edge in the track
- Marketed as a self-tensioning, self-correcting motorized retractable screen
- Available for residential and commercial use, as a recessed new-construction system or a retrofit
- Dealer-installed through an authorized dealer network
Statements about MagnaTrack above are summarized from Progressive Screens' own public materials and are attributed accordingly. Confirm current specifications and options directly with the manufacturer or an authorized dealer. MagnaTrack® is a registered trademark of Defender Screens International LLC. V-Track Screens is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Defender Screens International LLC.
The Core Difference: How the Screen Edge Is Held
In any retractable patio screen, the side edges are where the work happens. The edges are what keep the screen tracking straight across a wide opening, what manage wind load, and what determine how the screen reseats if it's disturbed. The two systems take different approaches to retaining those edges.
Physical track-and-channel retention (V-Track Screens): the screen edge carries a reinforced edge that is captured within the aluminum side channel. The connection between the screen and the track is mechanical — the patented V-Track retention system is engineered to guide the fabric through the channel, including under wind load.
Magnetic edge retention (MagnaTrack): according to Progressive Screens, the system uses opposing-polarity rare-earth magnets interlocked through the screen track and housing to hold the screen edge in place as it deploys and retracts.
Both are legitimate, patented engineering solutions to the same problem. Rather than treat one as inherently superior, the practical question for a buyer is which approach — and which specific system's tested performance — best fits a particular opening and set of priorities.
Built to move with the load, not fight it.
That edge retention works at both ends of the screen — the sides captured in the channel, and the bottom bar riding V-grooved wheels under spring tension. V-Track's patented V-Screen Retention System (US Patent 12,203,326 B2) holds the bottom bar in a fixed track, and when wind pushes against it, the system is engineered to flex and deflect with the force rather than resist it rigidly — the wheels and springs let the bottom bar move under load and return, working with the pressure instead of against it.
That's a fundamentally different approach from magnetic systems like MagnaTrack, which secure the screen edge with a self-correcting magnetic track. Two engineering philosophies — a spring-tensioned fixed track versus a magnetic one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
A neutral attribute comparison. Where a value depends on a manufacturer's current, tested specification, the most reliable source is that manufacturer or an authorized dealer — so those cells point you there rather than stating an unverified figure.
| Attribute | V-Track Screens | MagnaTrack |
|---|---|---|
| Edge retention | Physical track-and-channel (mechanical capture in aluminum side channels) | Magnetic edge retention (per manufacturer) |
| Manufacturer | Keder Screens (Texas, USA) | Progressive Screens — partnered with Hunter Douglas since 2021 |
| Operation | Motorized, one-touch — wall switch, remote, or smart-home integration | Motorized, one-touch (per manufacturer) |
| Installation | Dealer-installed; retrofit or new construction | Dealer-installed; retrofit or recessed new construction (per manufacturer) |
| Fabric / mesh | Solar mesh (helps reduce sun and heat), insect mesh (helps block insects), and privacy options | Confirm current fabric and mesh options with the manufacturer or dealer |
| Wind rating & max size | Engineered for large-span openings; ask your dealer for the tested rating for your span | Confirm the manufacturer's tested rating and maximum size for your opening |
| Pricing | Custom, dealer-quoted after an on-site measure | Custom, dealer-quoted after an on-site measure |
Authorized Dealers · Nationwide
Want to compare V-Track Screens on your own opening?
An authorized V-Track Screens dealer can measure your opening, review the options, and provide a quote.
How V-Track Screens Are Engineered
V-Track Screens are built around the patented V-Track retention system. Rather than relying on a magnetic hold, the screen edge is mechanically captured within aluminum side channels, and the system is engineered to guide the fabric through the channel — including under wind load. That physical capture is the heart of the design and what positions V-Track Screens for wide outdoor openings.
The V-Track retention system is engineered by Keder Screens, a Texas-based manufacturer of patented track-retention motorized screen systems. V-Track Screens are dealer-installed — not DIY — by authorized dealers who handle measurement, structural mounting, and on-site commissioning.
For the full technical picture, see the V-Track technology and the engineering deep dive, or the V-Track retention system overview.
What Buyer and Job V-Track Screens Are Best For
V-Track Screens tend to be the right fit when these things matter to a project:
Wide, large-span openings
The patented V-Track retention system is engineered to guide the fabric through the channel across wide outdoor openings, which is part of what positions it for large patios, pergola spans, and great-room openings.
A mechanical retention approach
Some homeowners and dealers specifically want the screen edge physically captured within a track channel. If a mechanical, track-and-channel approach is your priority, V-Track Screens are built around it.
Sun, heat, insect, or privacy goals
Fabric options help reduce sun and heat, help block insects, or add privacy — so an exposed covered patio becomes a more usable outdoor room.
A dealer-installed, premium project
V-Track Screens are measured, mounted, and commissioned by authorized dealers — a fit for homeowners who want a professionally installed system rather than a DIY product.
And where another system may suit you better: if your nearest authorized dealer carries a different system, or another manufacturer's tested specifications are a closer match for your specific opening, those are legitimate reasons to choose differently. The goal of this page is to help you compare on the merits — not to argue that one system is right for every project.
How to Compare Motorized Screen Systems
Whether you're weighing V-Track Screens, MagnaTrack, or any other motorized retractable screen, the same five checks give homeowners and dealers an apples-to-apples comparison:
Understand the retention approach
Ask how each system holds the screen edge in the track — physical track-and-channel capture, magnetic retention, or another method — and what that means for your opening and conditions.
Get each manufacturer's tested specs for your span
Request the published, tested wind rating and maximum size for an opening like yours from each manufacturer. Compare tested numbers, not marketing language, side by side.
Compare fabric, mesh, and controls
Look at the solar, insect, and privacy fabric options and the control layer — wall switch, remote, or smart-home integration — on each system, and match them to how you'll actually use the space.
Check the dealer and service network
Both categories of system are dealer-installed, so confirm which authorized dealer actually serves your area, what the warranty covers, and how service is handled after installation.
Get on-site measures and written quotes
Each system is custom-built, so the only reliable comparison is an on-site measure and a written quote from an authorized dealer of each. Find an authorized V-Track Screens dealer to start.
V-Track Screens vs. MagnaTrack — FAQ
What's the difference between V-Track Screens and MagnaTrack?
Both are premium motorized retractable patio screen systems: the screen deploys from its housing across an opening at the touch of a button and retracts when not in use. The core engineering difference is how each system holds the screen's side edge in the track. V-Track Screens use a physical, mechanical retention system — the patented V-Track retention system captures and guides the screen edge through aluminum side channels. MagnaTrack, according to its manufacturer Progressive Screens, uses a patented magnetic edge-retention design that holds the screen edge in the track with rare-earth magnets. Both are dealer-installed and custom-built to each opening.
Who makes V-Track Screens and who makes MagnaTrack?
V-Track Screens use the patented V-Track retention system engineered by Keder Screens, a Texas-based manufacturer of track-retention motorized screen systems. MagnaTrack is made by Progressive Screens, a company founded in 2002 with operations in Florida and Texas; Progressive Screens states that Hunter Douglas partnered with the company in 2021. Both systems are sold and installed through authorized dealer networks rather than sold direct to homeowners.
Is magnetic retention or physical track retention better for motorized screens?
Neither approach is universally better — they are two different engineering philosophies for keeping the screen edge held in the side track, and each has its own design rationale. Physical track retention captures the screen edge mechanically within the channel; magnetic retention uses magnets to hold the edge in place. The right choice for a given project depends on the opening size, the conditions at the site, the fabric and control options you want, and which manufacturer's authorized dealer serves your area. The most useful way to decide is to compare each manufacturer's published, tested specifications for your specific opening and get an on-site measure from an authorized dealer of each.
How do I choose between V-Track Screens and MagnaTrack?
Compare them on the things that affect your specific project: the retention approach and what it means for your opening, each manufacturer's tested wind rating and maximum size for your span, the fabric and mesh options, the control and smart-home integration, the warranty, and which authorized dealer actually serves your area. Both systems are custom-built and dealer-quoted, so the most reliable comparison comes from an on-site measure and a written quote from an authorized dealer of each system.
How much do V-Track Screens and MagnaTrack cost?
Both are custom-manufactured, dealer-installed systems, so neither is sold from a fixed price list — pricing for either comes from an authorized dealer after an on-site measure of the specific opening. Across the motorized patio screen market generally, dealer-installed systems are often quoted in the $3,000–$6,000-per-opening range, with larger or multi-screen projects running higher. See the motorized patio screen cost guide for market ranges and cost drivers; exact pricing for V-Track Screens comes from an authorized dealer quote.
Compare V-Track Screens on your own patio
An authorized V-Track Screens dealer can measure your opening, walk through the options, and provide a quote.