Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Flexible, lightweight transparent conducting oxide-free dye-sensitized solar cells were assembled by using metal foils for constructing both electrodes. Because of the opacity of metal foils, a different architecture was employed to allow the illumination of the photoelectrode (PE). Thousands of micrometer-sized through holes were laser-drilled into one of the metal foils employed as PE substrate, providing an ionic pathway to the counter-electrode (CE). Larger hole diameters provided higher fill factor (FF) values. Higher performances were achieved by improving porous TiO2 layer deposition and electrolyte injection, along with a TiO2 blocking layer (BL) and metal foil surface treatment.512897009703Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP [09/53726-3, 10/1682-3, 11/080304-6]