Faster, Cheaper, Better Options
For Canadian LEGO fans, LEGO Pick a Brick is often the first place people look when they need extra pieces. Whether you’re topping up parts for a MOC, replacing a missing element, or hunting for a specific colour, Pick a Brick feels like the natural choice, after all, it’s officially run by LEGO.
But once you start building seriously, you realize that LEGO Pick a Brick Canada has real limitations: slow shipping, limited colour selection, no discontinued parts, and higher pricing. This is exactly why thousands of Canadian builders turn to BrickLink, and particularly to large Canadian shops like Canada First Bricks, for faster, cheaper, and far more detailed options.
This guide breaks down Pick a Brick Canada vs BrickLink, what each platform offers, and why BrickLink is widely considered the best alternative for speed, variety, rare parts, and overall value.
What LEGO Pick a Brick Does Well
Before we compare alternatives, let’s give credit where it’s due. Pick a Brick absolutely has strengths, especially for newer builders and parents.
- 100% official LEGO parts
Everything is brand new, from the source, with no risk of knockoffs. - Easy for beginners
Pick a Brick is simple to browse, with common pieces in common colours. - Good for standard modern elements
If you need:- basic plates
- common tiles
- standard slopes
- typical colours like red, yellow, blue, black
Pick a Brick is perfectly fine.
- Great for teaching kids to build
Parents like the simplicity: browse, click, buy.
But… that’s where the strengths stop. Once you build more than a handful of sets, the platform’s limitations start to show.
The Downsides of LEGO Pick a Brick
Canadian builders often run into the same issues:
- Long shipping times
Pick a Brick often dispatches from Europe, with shipping delays ranging from 2–6 weeks. - Higher prices
Many elements are significantly more expensive than on third-party marketplaces. - Limited colour range
Popular colours like dark tan, sand green, nougat, pearl gold, and trans colours often disappear for months. - No retired or discontinued pieces
Pick a Brick only carries currently produced molds and colours. - No bulk pricing
Buying 100, 300, or 1,000 of a part? The price stays the same. - No used parts option
If all you need is a filler-brick or internal Technic element, Pick a Brick doesn’t offer a cheap “used” tier.
This is why AFOLs, MOC builders, collectors, and restoration hobbyists tend to shift to BrickLink, especially once they need rare pieces, large quantities, or anything lightly specialized.
Why BrickLink Is the Best LEGO Pick a Brick Canada Alternative
BrickLink is the world’s largest LEGO marketplace, with millions of unique pieces listed across tens of thousands of sellers.
Let’s break down why it outperforms Pick a Brick for most Canadians.
1. Huge Selection, Including Rare & Discontinued Parts
Pick a Brick only offers parts from current production cycles. BrickLink offers:
- retired colors
- discontinued molds
- unique printed elements
- older Technic pieces
- special minifigure parts
- variations from 20+ years of production
If you’re restoring a 2005 Star Wars set or a 1990s castle, you need BrickLink. Pick a Brick simply can’t help.
2. Canadian Sellers = Fast Shipping
Here’s the biggest advantage for Canadians:
When you shop from a Canadian BrickLink store, your order ships from within the country.
No customs.
No duties.
No surprise fees.
No border delays.
A store like Canada First Bricks ships orders in days, not weeks.
For builders on a deadline – conventions, commissions, MOCs, or simply eager kids – this makes all the difference.
3. Better Prices Across Most Parts
Because BrickLink operates like a competitive marketplace, prices trend lower than Pick a Brick. You can often find:
- rare tiles for half the price
- slopes and wedge plates far cheaper
- older colours at market value
- bulk discounts for large quantities
Even better: you can choose used instead of new, which is usually 40–70% cheaper for internal elements.
4. Both New AND Used Parts Available
Pick a Brick only sells new pieces. BrickLink lets you choose:
- New
For display builds, mosaics, or pristine sets. - Used
Perfect for:- filler bricks
- internal Technic elements
- kids doing heavy play builds
- large MOCs where the inside will never show
5. Colour Variants You Can’t Get Anywhere Else
Pick a Brick might have 20–30 colours available at any moment. BrickLink has everything LEGO has ever made:
- Light Gray vs Light Bluish Gray
- Old Dark Gray vs New Dark Bluish Gray
- Multiple shades of tan
- Long-retired greens
- Trans-neon colours
- Chrome and metallic colours
- Odd mould variants
- “Weird” colours like medium lavender or coral
If you’re a MOC builder chasing accuracy, BrickLink is the only realistic source.
6. Inventory Depth = More Pieces Available at Once
Pick a Brick frequently runs into low stock or seasonal gaps.
BrickLink sellers – especially large ones like Canada First Bricks – often have thousands of each piece in a given colour.
This makes BrickLink the best option for:
- mosaics
- architecture builds
- large-scale MOCs
- army building
- GBC modules
- repeated structural pieces
BrickLink vs Pick a Brick Canada: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | LEGO Pick a Brick Canada | BrickLink (Canada First Bricks) |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping Speed | Slow (2–6 weeks) | Fast (2–7 days) |
| Price | Higher | Competitive |
| Used Parts | No | Yes |
| Rare/Retired Parts | No | Yes |
| Colour Variants | Limited | Extensive (all historical colours) |
| Inventory Size | Small | Massive |
| Bulk Quantity Options | Limited | Excellent |
| Canadian Shipping | Sometimes international | Always domestic |
| Part Identification Tools | Basic | Advanced BrickLink catalog |
BrickLink wins in almost every category, and when you buy from a Canadian seller, that advantage multiplies.
Why Canada First Bricks Is the Best BrickLink Seller for Canadian Builders
BrickLink is amazing, but not all stores are equal.
Canada First Bricks stands out as one of the largest and most organized BrickLink stores in the country, and one of the largest in the world.
With CFB, you get:
- Massive inventory (millions of parts)
You’ll almost always find what you’re looking for. - Fast Canadian shipping
No border delays, duties, or international fees. - Both new and used parts
Perfect for every type of builder. - Fair pricing
Competitive rates across rare, common, and bulk parts. - Colour depth
Access to rare colours you won’t find on Pick a Brick. - AFOL-friendly service
This shop was built by LEGO fans for LEGO fans.
When Canadians look for LEGO Pick a Brick alternatives, CFB consistently comes out on top.
Final Verdict: Pick a Brick is Fine but BrickLink Is Better for Almost Everything
Here’s the simple truth:
If you only need a few modern, common pieces, Pick a Brick is okay.
But if you need:
- faster shipping
- better prices
- discontinued pieces
- more colour options
- large quantities
- specialized parts
- used bricks
- Canadian delivery
Then BrickLink – especially Canada First Bricks – is the ultimate alternative.
For AFOLs, collectors, restorers, and MOC builders across the country, BrickLink is the platform that unlocks LEGO building’s full potential.


