Top 9 Lego Competitors

Lego A/S, famously known as Lego, is a toy production company headquartered in Billund, Denmark. Its flagship toy, the interlocking plastic bricks, has been entertaining kids of all ages for generations. Apart from toys, the company is also known for its amusement park called Legoland. Additionally, it has a few good movies and TV shows to its name.

Name	Lego A/S
Founded	1932
Headquarters	Billund, Denmark
SIC Code	5099
Status	Private, Independent Company
Industry Sector	Toys
Employees	20,468
Trading Symbol	None

Lego was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen. Did you know that the word, Lego, roughly translates to “play well”? It is among the largest toy companies in the world with a revenue of $4.72 billion. Niels B. Christiansen is its current CEO, and the company has more than 42 offices around the world.

Lego Similar Companies

Hasbro, Mattel, MGA Entertainment, Bandai Namco, Spin Master, Playmobil, Funko, Jakks Pacific, Vivid Imaginations.

Who is Lego’s Biggest Competitor?

The biggest competitor of Lego is Hasbro. A short form of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers, Hasbro has been in the toy business for nearly a century. It is currently based in Pawtucket, RI. Entertainment One, a film and television company, is a subsidiary of Hasbro.

How Lego makes Money

Lego’s business model is very easy to understand. The company makes money by manufacturing toy bricks and parts and selling those in the form of themed games or objects. Customers can purchase Legos either online or via their numerous physical stores. Another rapidly growing business model of the company is Legoland, the amusement park.

Toys

Producing and selling interlocking plastic bricks is Lego’s only toy offering, but needless to say, it is hugely in demand. Customers are even known to make money by selling individual bricks to other customers!

Hasbro

Hasbro was founded in 1923, making it the oldest toy company on this list. It was established by three brothers, Henry, Hillel, and Herman Hassenfeld. The company owns several famous toy brands like Monopoly, Playskool, Transformers, etc.

Toys / Entertainment

A few of Hasbro’s famous toy products include G.I. Joe action figures, Power Rangers, M.A.S.K., Twister, etc. Apart from regular and electronic toys, the company also produces TV shows to promote its products. Hasbro’s revenue is a cool $5.1 billion.

Mattel

Mattel and Lego have been battling it out for quite a few years now. No clear winner has been declared yet since both their revenues are pretty close – $4.58 billion of Mattel and $4.72 of Lego. Mega Bloks (Mega Brands), Mattel’s interlocking bricks division, isn’t as popular as Lego, but its other toy categories cover up the lack.

Toys

Mattel was founded in 1945 by Harold Matson, and Elliot and Ruth Handler. The company name is a combination of “Mat” from Matson and “El” from Elliot. It has several popular brands under its wing like Hot Wheels, Barbie, Fisher-Price, and UNO.

MGA Entertainment

Micro-Games America (MGA) Entertainment, Inc. is a children’s toy manufacturer based in Chatsworth, CA. It was founded in 1979 by Isaac Larian who is still running the company as its CEO. Its employee number may be low (around 1100), but its revenue is the highest on the list ($9.15 billion).

Toys

You might have never heard of MGA, but you would definitely know about its brands like L.O.L. Surprise!, Bratz, and Little Tykes. MGA has also dabbled in the entertainment industry with movies based on its toys. Remember the recently released L.O.L. Surprise! The Movie?

Bandai Namco

Bandai Namco is known more for its range of video games on various platforms than for its toys. The company is based in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The toy-making division, Bandai, was founded in 1950, but the entire entertainment company was established in 2006.

Toys / Entertainment

Bandai Namco is a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings. More than half of the latter’s revenue comes from Bandai Namco, which is saying something since it generates revenue of $2.1 billion.

Spin Master

Spin Master is a multinational toy manufacturer headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. You may have tried and solved the Rubik’s Cube a number of times, but did you know that it is officially owned and produced by Spin Master? The company was founded in 1994 by Ronnen Harary, Anton Rabie, and Ben Varadi.

Toys

Spin Master owns many brands other than Rubik’s Cube like Etch A Sketch, Air Hogs, Gund, PAW Patrol, etc. The company generates revenue of around $2 billion.

Playmobil

Anyone who has heard about Lego is bound to know Playmobil. It was launched in direct competition to the interlocking bricks giant. The company was founded in 1974 by the German inventor, Hans Beck.

Toys

Playmobil produces themed sets like the reigning city and country life series. But their main feature is the plastic figurines that come with the set. Despite its popularity, Playmobil is nowhere near Lego in terms of revenue ($700 million).

Funko

Funko is a toy-making company based in Everett, WA. It was founded by Mike Becker in 1998. It is famous for its licensed vinyl figurines and bobbleheads. The company has also recently started its range of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) called Funko Digital Pop!

Toys

Funko is quite unique in the toy industry. It manufactures only limited pop culture collectibles which are officially licensed by the relevant party. Its revenue through its limited range of toys and other products amounts to $653 million.

Jakks Pacific

A US-based company that designs toys and markets other consumer collectibles as well, Jakks Pacific has been in business since 1995. Its founder, Jack Friedman, recently retired to be replaced by Stephen Berman, co-founder and CEO.

Toys

Jakks Pacific once directly competed with the likes of Lego and Mattel. Today, however, its sales have come down, probably due to poor marketing. Its revenue has come down as well, from $800 million in 2010 to $560 million.

Vivid Imaginations

Vivid Imaginations was established as a toy company in 1992 by Nick Austin and Alan Bennie. Captain Scarlet was the company’s first toy offering. They later expanded their range to the Thunderbirds and The Simpsons. The company is presently headquartered in Guildford, Surrey, UK.

Toys

When Vivid Imaginations’ American competitors arrived in the UK, it secured wholesale and retail distribution rights with them. Vivid once worked for hand in hand with huge firms like The Walt Disney Company, MGA Entertainment, and Jakks Pacific. Its revenue currently stands at $58 million.

Conclusion

The Top 9 Lego Competitors: Hasbro, Mattel, MGA Entertainment, Bandai Namco, Spin Master, Playmobil, Funko, Jakks Pacific, Vivid Imaginations. Lego ranks third among its competitors. Their cumulative revenue amounts to around $29.62 billion. And their total employee number has risen to 63,748.

Competitor’s Stats:

Name	Founded	Headquarters	Employees
Hasbro	1923	Pawtucket, RI, US	5600
Mattel	1945	El Segundo, CA, US	32,100
MGA Entertainment	1979	Los Angeles, CA, US	1100
Bandai Namco	2006	Minato City, Tokyo, Japan	934
Spin Master	1994	Toronto, Canada	1800
Playmobil	1974	Zirndorf, Germany	438
Funko	1998	Everett, WA, US	777
Jakks Pacific	1995	Santa Monica, CA, US	477
Vivid Imaginations	1992	Guildford, Surrey, UK	54