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Competitors

Top 14 Lego Competitors & Alternatives

Kevin Johnson
January 24, 2023
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8 min read

Lego is undoubtedly considered one of the most cherished and well-renowned children’s toy companies across the globe. And there are some solid reasons why this is true.

Lego is widely reputed for its creative and recognizable construction bricks. The most exciting thing about the Lego build set is that both children and adults can construct a variety of different things and have fun doing so!

With a total of 833 Lego stores worldwide, the company has 24,484 employees in multiple destinations.

List of the Top Lego Competitors You Should Consider

1. K’Nex

Year founded: 1992
Headquarter: Pennsylvania, USA

If you’re looking for something that provides your kids with a splash of variety and versatility, it doesn’t get any better than K’Nex.

As one of the best alternatives to Lego, K’Nex kits provide children with various fun and exciting builds, including skyscrapers, vehicles, houses, gardens, and much more.

Moreover, you can combine kits from other brands to make your K’Nex sets flexible and enjoyable. K’Nex kits come with rods and connectors and enable kids to build a variety of replicas of different types of machines.

2. KRE-O

Year founded: 2011
Headquarter: Rhode Island, USA

KRE-O is one of the top alternatives to Lego. It is another affordable company offering a wide range of toys, including exciting block kits.

The primary reason why you should consider KRE-O is that replacing missing block pieces is less expensive than Lego pieces. However, it is essential to understand that KRE-O blocks are incompatible with Legos.

KRE-O is also popular because kids can build popular Transformers models, trucks, and an entire battle pavilion using the blocks. It’s a lot of fun!

The creative construction kits of KRE-O are manufactured by Oxford, based in South Korea, and marketed by Hasbro.

3. Magna-Tiles

Year founded: 1997
Headquarter: Illinois, USA

Magna-Tiles creates delightful and diverse construction kits for kids. As one of the best alternatives to Lego, Magna-Tiles has kept its streak of manufacturing bestseller building block sets every year at Christmas.

One of the primary reasons why the company is considered a cutting-edge alternative to Lego is its use of 3D magnetic blocks and tiles. This makes it infinitely easy for children to join each piece together, allowing them to virtually create anything they want, including castles, dragons, rockets, and much more.

Founded in 1997, Magna-Tiles is a reputable company with up to 16 employees throughout the US.

4. Battat Bristle

Year founded: 1981
Headquarter: Quebec, Canada

Battat Bristle can be a bit expensive compared to many companies we’ve mentioned here, but it is still one of the top Lego competitors. Why?

Well, regarding child safety, Battat Bristle manufactures BPA-free construction kits that are flexible, safe, and easy to join together. Overall, the company makes high-quality and durable products.

5. Fun Little Toys

Year founded: 2015
Headquarter: California, USA

Fun Little Toys can be a great consideration when it comes to the best Lego alternatives. That is because the company manufactures very simple construction kit collections.

It is especially recommended for kids who may use the product less frequently. In addition, Fun Little Toy kits are also compatible with Lego sets. 

Founded in 2015, Fun Little Toys offers a diverse range of children’s toys and operates with 11-50 employees in the US.

6. IQ Builder STEM

Year founded: 2014
Headquarter: New York, USA

IQ Builder STEM is reputed for manufacturing safe (ABS plastic) construction kits that allow kids to build various things, including shapes and replicas of real-world objects.

However, since the building kits come with 164 pieces, getting two boxes of the product is strongly recommended. The company can easily be one of the top Lego competitors in terms of value and quality.

7. LeapFrog LeapBuilders

Year founded: 1995
Headquarter: California, USA

As one of the best alternatives to Lego, LeapFrog LeapBuilders is a popular kids’ construction kit and toy company. The kits help toddlers learn to create different things, including real-world objects such as cars, trains, pets, and much more.

Another reason to consider LeapFrog Toys is that its building sets come with larger pieces, eliminating any choking hazard. The pieces are easy to put together and equally simple to take apart.

Founded in 1995, LeapFrog LeapBuilders operates with 407 employees throughout the US.

8. Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks

Year founded: 1988
Headquarter: Connecticut, USA

If you want something perfectly suited for toddlers, it doesn’t get any better than the Melissa & Doug construction kits. They’re designed as safe and flexible building sets for toddlers with a focus on helping them learn.

From trains to barn animals, your kids can make anything they want. Founded in 1988, the company has 455 employees across the US.

9. Tinkertoy

Year founded: 1914
Headquarter: New York, USA

Tinkertoy is an innovative kids’ toy company over 100 years old. Considered one of the top Lego competitors, Tinkertoy designs safe and flexible building kits that are simple enough to put together and take apart.

The products are made with versatile materials fit for rough use. The quality of their products can easily be likened to some of the best companies in the world, including Lego. 

10. Brain Flakes by Viahart

Year founded: 2010
Headquarter: Texas, USA

When it comes to top-notch alternatives to Lego, Viahart is a top contender. That is because the company manufactures some of the best construction kits that closely resemble Lego sets.

Brain Flakes are some of the most celebrated products of the company, and kids can make absolutely anything they want using the interconnecting disks. They are also an excellent way to keep kids and toddlers busy, allowing them to tap into their imagination.

In addition, the company operates with up to 10 employees.

11. Lincoln Logs

Year founded: 1916
Headquarter: Maine, USA

The second oldest company on this list, Lincoln Logs, is also one of the best alternatives to Lego in terms of quality and affordability.

Moreover, Lincoln Logs construction kits allow kids and toddlers to build anything they want using their imagination, including farm animals, houses, and farms.

Being a timeless American toy company and still alive and kicking, Lincoln Logs was also named the most popular company in the US and was drafted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1999.

12. Mega Brands

Year founded: 1967
Headquarter: Montreal, Canada

Mega Brands is a reputed North American company that manufactures a diverse range of kids’ construction kits and is one of the best alternatives to Lego.

Two of the most popular products of Mega Brands include Mega Bloks and Construx. While the Construx building kits are for kids aged 2-3, Mega Bloks is for younger children and toddlers.

The company’s construction kits allow children to build a variety of characters from popular cartoon shows such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Trek, and American Girl.

Mega Brands has more than 1,000 employees throughout Canada.

13. Cobi

Year founded: 1987
Headquarter: Warsaw, Poland

If you’re looking for a genuine alternative to Lego, it doesn’t get any better than Cobi. The company builds some of the best-looking construction kits in the market.

Because Cobi kits come with smoother, flexible, and larger blocks, the overall build looks even more streamlined. While your kids can truly build unique things using Cobi, it is essential to understand that more extensive construction will make the final form a bit difficult to repurpose.

Cobi is excellent for kids who love building cars and planes. Also, in 2006, the company merged with Best-Lock to expand its market reach.

14. Sluban

Year founded: 2004
Headquarter: Hong Kong, China

Sluban is undoubtedly considered one of the top Lego competitors in terms of affordability. Moreover, the company offers a diverse range of block kits that kids can use to construct various things.

However, one of the main reasons kids cherish Sluban is because of its helicopter builds. Other than that, if your kids love building military things such as Humvees and helicopters, Sluban kits are definitely something you should consider.

In addition, the company operates with more than 35 employees throughout China and other destinations worldwide.

Bottom Line

In all, if you’re looking for creative alternatives to Lego, it doesn’t get any better than these companies.

 References & more information

 Tell us what you think? Did you find this article interesting? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.

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