Brick Owl
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you hunt specific loose parts, minifigures, or bulk bricks . it is a legit, low-fee hobbyist marketplace.
New check
Comparison
Brick Owl vs Bricklink
Brick Owl lands on Depends, and Bricklink lands on Worth it.
Bricklink
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
If you buy LEGO beyond sealed retail sets . rare parts, minifigs, MOC building . this is the marketplace with no real rival at scale.
| Compare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Worth it |
| Best for | AFOLs hunting specific parts | LEGO hobbyists hunting rare or loose parts |
| Who it's not for | Sealed-set buyers wanting new retail boxes | Casual buyers who just want a new retail set |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.⁸ | Patchy: LEGO-owned and flaws get patched, but 2022 API bugs, a 2023 outage/hack, and recurring phishing.15 |
| Support quality | No direct support evidence in sources | No direct evidence in sources |
| Public sentiment | Hobbyists on Eurobricks, Reddit and Trustpilot generally find Brick Owl legit and useful for parts, though newcomers repeatedly ask whether it is safe and whether anyone still sells there.¹ | Reddit and Facebook users overwhelmingly vouch for BrickLink's legitimacy and prices while warning about its learning curve and occasional bad sellers. |
| Biggest gotcha | One order can ship from multiple independent stores, each with its own shipping cost | Use a unique password . 2022 API flaws put account data at risk; 2023 brought an outage and alleged breach.15 |
Pick Brick Owl when
- AFOLs hunting specific parts
- Minifigure collectors
- Sellers parting out sets
- Bulk brick buyers
When Brick Owl is not a fit
- Sealed-set buyers wanting new retail boxes
- Gift shoppers needing speed and simplicity
- Sellers wanting maximum buyer traffic
- Anyone expecting single-retailer buyer protection
Pick Bricklink when
- LEGO hobbyists hunting rare or loose parts
- MOC builders sourcing individual bricks
- Collectors replacing missing set pieces
- Resellers tracking part prices
When Bricklink is not a fit
- Casual buyers who just want a new retail set
- Anyone expecting Amazon-style simplicity or support
- Shoppers unwilling to vet individual sellers
- Time-pressed gift buyers who need guaranteed delivery
Sources
- How is BrickOwl.com? - Eurobrickseurobricks.comreview
review
- Brick Owl Trustpilot reviewstrustpilot.comreview
review
- Brick Owl Store Feesbrickowl.comofficial
- Become a Brick Owl Seller (2.65% commission)brickowl.comofficial
- Brick Owl Vulnerability Disclosure Policybrickowl.comofficial
security
- Is bricklink.com a legit site? : r/legoreddit.comreview
- Do NOT Buy From BL Seller “Set You Up”reddit.comreview
- Lego cost versus Bricklink cost : r/legoreddit.comreview
- A Noob's guide to Bricklink? : r/legoreddit.comreview
security
- psa: bricklink has been hacked : r/legoreddit.comsecurity