It is no secret to anyone that LEGO® is one of the largest toy companies in the world. As a result, the company name is synonymous with building blocks. The problem with this is that the price of the Danish giant's sets is usually quite high, causing many of its audience to opt for LEGO® compatible building blocks.
If you have sets with missing pieces, like to create your own MOC designs, or just want to have fun with your family with construction toys on a budget, here's what you need to know about LEGO® compatible bricks.
The standard size of LEGO® blocks
LEGO® uses a measurement for its building blocks that over time became the market standard, which from the beginning has been 7.8 x 7.8 mm, with a height of 9.6 mm. It has remained this way since 1958.
Over the years, new versions and sizes were added to the LEGO® sets.
When the patents on the Lego Group's blocks expired, many LEGO® alternative brands (alt bricks) began to manufacture their own construction sets, using the same LEGO® measurements so that their pieces were compatible and fit perfectly with the Danish brand.
This allows MOCers to create their own designs at a much lower price, and is also beneficial for LEGO® lovers as they can replace missing pieces that are rare or impossible to find on second-hand markets.
In short, all this benefits the consumer, since alternative blocks compatible with LEGO® are usually much more affordable, as well as the Danish brand itself, which, despite being very aggressive with competitors who abuse their trademark rights, can only get bigger as more people become interested in building blocks.
High-quality LEGO® compatible brands
Nowadays there are many LEGO®-compatible brands with quality, affordable, and compatible blocks, a property that many MOCers take advantage of to unleash their creativity by combining and mixing pieces. Some of the best options are:
CaDA
CaDa is a Chinese building block brand specializing in Technic sets. Its catalog includes everything from heavy machinery to licensed luxury, sports or historical cars, remote-controlled Technic vehicles, and even reproductions of famous buildings, all made with LEGO® compatible parts.
CaDA is one of the best alternatives when it comes to quality-price and, despite being very new to the market (2016), it has achieved significant popularity. The company makes it's own branded bricks (with CADA on the studs), and they compare very favorably to LEGO®.
Check out our collection of CaDA sets to learn more and get quick shipping in Europe. If you're in the US, the best place to shop is the official CADA website.
Mould King
Mould King is a Chinese company that has been in the building block market for almost a decade and a half.
The company uses the highest quality generic LEGO® compatible building blocks on the market, called Gobricks. Apart from the logo on the studs, they're virtually indistinguishable.
Mould King's makes a wide variety of sets, but some highlights are their spaceships, vehicles, and themed cities. But be careful, they're not always licensed and may run into trademark issues in the future.
Head over to the official Mould King website to browse the full catalog.
Pantasy
Pantasy is a brand that pays true tribute to nostalgia. It is an excellent alternative since they have sets with licenses such as Astro Boy, Little Prince, Popeye, Metal Slug, and more that are entirely unique to the company.
Like Mould King, they don't make their own bricks; Instead, they use the highly respected Gobricks, which are unbeatable terms of quality.
Check out our catalog of Pantasy sets for quick shipping in Europe, or head over to the official Pantasy website for shipping to the US.
Mork
Mork makes some excellent buildings and structure sets, and will be one of your first options if you want to introduce a variant to one of your LEGO® City buildings. But the biggest advantage of Mork bricks is the price.
While all of the company's sets contain fully LEGO® compatible building blocks, they are produced in-house. The quality of the bricks isn't as good as Gobricks, but they don't have any problems with fit or finish.
The creations of Mork (or xMork, as it is also known) are very detailed, with many pieces expressly designed for each set, which is ideal for using in other sets and creating your own MOCs.
Check out our collection of Mork sets to learn more.
Sluban
Sluban is a great source of LEGO® compatible parts if you like military sets, vehicles, ships and boats.
Many of their sets often include minifigures that are noticeably different from LEGO®'s and can be used creatively by mixing them with other sets.
Check out our collection of Sluban sets to learn more.
Cobi
With block quality as good as LEGO®, Cobi is another great option to have on hand. Unlike LEGO®, Cobi sets always feature printed pieces, with no stickers to be found.
In its catalog we find licensed historical replicas of European cars, warships, spaceships, ferries, or airplanes. If you've ever wanted LEGO® military sets, this is the brand to know.
Check out our collection of Cobi sets to learn more.
Mega
Mega is another well-known company creating LEGO® compatible bricks, and it's sets are similar in quality and scope to the Danish brand (so similar that it had several legal challenges in Canada, which it won with ease).
Their blocks are highly compatible and have very varied themes, especially those that come with special licenses such as Pokémon and Halo. That said, prices are similar to those of LEGO®, so you won't save much by switching to Mega.
We hope this guide has been useful to you to complete your Lego collection. Tell us about your experience using LEGO® compatible blocks from other brands.