Ask this question on any car forum and you'll get people arguing past each other. The confusion comes from treating them as two options for the same job. They aren't.
The short version
Paint protection film is physical. It's a thick, clear layer that absorbs impact. It stops stone chips.
Ceramic coating is chemical. It's a thin, hard layer that bonds to the surface, repels water and contamination, and makes cleaning easier. It does almost nothing against stone chips.
If your priority is stopping physical damage to the front end, that's film. If your priority is gloss and easier washing, that's coating.
Side by side
| Paint protection film | Ceramic coating | |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | ~150–200 microns | ~2–5 microns |
| Stops stone chips | Yes | No |
| Self-healing | Most films, yes | No |
| Water beading | Modest | Excellent |
| Easier cleaning | Some | Significant |
| Typical life | 7–10 years | 2–5 years |
| Reversible | Yes, professionally removable | Wears off / polished off |
Why people have both
The two layer well. Film goes on first, protecting the paint. Coating goes over the top of the film, making the film itself easier to clean and adding gloss. You get impact protection and low-maintenance surface behaviour together.
This is the most common setup on higher-value cars, and it's worth knowing that coating applied over film also helps the film last longer — contamination sits on the coating rather than working into the film surface.
Worth asking your installer: whether the coating they use is specifically formulated for application over PPF. Some aren't, and bonding behaviour differs between paint and urethane film.
If you're only doing one
Think about where the damage you actually care about comes from.
If your car does motorway miles and the front end is peppered with chips, coating won't help you and film will. If your car is garaged, lightly used, and your frustration is water spotting and washing effort, coating is the better spend.
For most people driving a car they care about on British roads, film on the front end deals with the damage that's actually accumulating.