Abstract The paper presents a comparative approach concerning the properties of TiO2 thin layers obtained via spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) using hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers as additives. The influences of composition (X-ray diffraction), morphology (Atomic Force Mycroscopy, Contact angle) and optoelectric (electrical conductivity, absorption, band gap and photocurrent) properties on the photocatalytic activity of the layers were studied.