GoBricks vs LEGO

Quality, Compatibility & Why I Use GoBricks in My MOC Kits

If you’ve purchased one of my custom LEGO-style kits (called MOC kits) or are thinking about it, you might notice that the bricks aren’t made by LEGO® but by a company called GoBricks. You may be wondering: Are they compatible? Are they lower quality? Why not use LEGO pieces directly?

In this post, I’ll explain what GoBricks is, how it compares to LEGO in terms of quality, colour, and fit, and why I currently choose to use GoBricks parts in my MOC kits.

What Is a MOC?

Before we dive in, let me quickly explain the term MOC. It stands for "My Own Creation". This means it is a fan-made LEGO model designed outside of official LEGO sets. MOCs are created by builders who want to make something unique, like a real-life ship, a building, or a vehicle that LEGO hasn’t officially made. Most of the time, these are things LEGO would never make due to their strict brand policy (military themed models for example).

The Bobby Brix Channel creates these kinds of designs and offers both digital building instructions and physical kits that let you build them at home.

Brick Quality: Materials Used and Finish

Let’s start with the question on everyone’s mind: How do GoBricks bricks feel compared to LEGO bricks?

GoBricks bricks are made from ABS plastic, the same material used by LEGO. They use the same manufacturing process to make these bricks. This ensures they stay durable, resistant to cracking, and have a similar overall feel (in color, sheen and structure). The surface finish on GoBricks parts is also smooth and clean, not too shiny or too dull, which gives them the same professional, polished look you'd find on your LEGO bricks.

From a builder’s point of view, GoBricks offers high-quality molds with sharp edges and excellent brick consistency. They don’t feel cheap or brittle like some knock-off brands out there and remain among the best third-party alternatives to LEGO when it comes to cost and color availability.

One key difference you'll notice is the absence of any brand logo on Gobricks compared to LEGO. To some this might seem like an inconvenience, however for the MOC designing community this opens up a lot of options if you're into using special "illegal" (or damaging) techniques on your designs which would otherwise collide, weaken or even break your model if you were to use the same techniques with LEGO bricks. 

Colour Matching: How Close GoBricks Gets to LEGO Colours

Colour is a big deal when building with bricks especially if you’re trying to match your collection or blend GoBricks with LEGO pieces.

GoBricks offers a wide range of colours that are very close to official LEGO colours. While not 100% identical, many of their colours are nearly indistinguishable unless you’re doing a side-by-side comparison in strong light.

Some colours like black, white, grey, red, and blue match extremely well. A few rare or retired LEGO colours may have slight tone differences, but overall, GoBricks does a great job of staying close to LEGO’s palette.

Another advantage gobricks has is having a wider palette of unique colours which allows MOC builders to make more realistic designs of their models. Colors such as Army Green, Bright Gold or Greyish White are unique to Gobricks and can help improve your designs when LEGO bricks don't have the shades you need.

You can check the full list of available Gobricks colours here.

Clutch Power: How Tight or Loose the Bricks Feel

Clutch power is a term LEGO fans use to describe how well bricks stick together. Good clutch power means the pieces stay together firmly during building and handling, but they’re not so tight that they’re impossible to take apart. A strong clutch power ensures your model will stay attached together for a long time.

GoBricks has excellent clutch power that does not wear out over time: not too loose and not too tight. In fact, many builders say that GoBricks bricks feel more consistent than some LEGO batches, especially newer ones where clutch power can vary slightly between pieces.

Compatibility with LEGO: Can You Mix Them?

Yes, you can absolutely mix GoBricks and LEGO pieces together. The dimensions, connection points, and design are 100% compatible. You can use LEGO plates with GoBricks bricks, or combine elements from both brands in one model.

That said, if you're picky about colour consistency or surface texture, you might notice slight differences. But functionally and structurally, they work together seamlessly.

Why GoBricks? (Availability, Price, Consistency)

Now the big question: Why don’t I just use LEGO bricks in all of my kits?

The short answer is: cost, availability, and control.

• Availability: LEGO doesn’t sell every part in every colour through official channels, and many rare pieces can be hard to find in large quantities. Some parts become rare in a matter of months or sold out for weeks on the official Pick-and-Build service they offer. GoBricks gives me more flexibility when choosing parts for a model and ensures that they are always available.
• Price: LEGO bricks are expensive and expensive to sell. Especially when buying in bulk or sourcing from third-party sellers. Using LEGO parts would increase the kit prices significantly (between 2 and 4x the current prices)
• Consistency: GoBricks provides consistent part quality and quantity for every order, which helps me pack reliable kits for all buyers. The Bobby Brix Channel works with Wobrick which provides Gobricks to buyers outside China and works in helping with the packaging and delivery. Thus ensuring delivery of high quality MOC Kits to anyone around the world.

Final Thoughts: I Design with LEGO, but Kits Use GoBricks (for Now)

When I create new MOCs, I use LEGO® software and design tools (Bricklink Studio), and I build prototypes using LEGO bricks from my own collection. But when it comes time to shipping physical kits, I currently use GoBricks parts because they offer a practical balance of quality, affordability, and availability.

If you're a LEGO fan, rest assured that GoBricks bricks will feel familiar and reliable. And if you're new to this world, you’ll be able to enjoy a high-quality building experience without needing to worry about brand names.

As always, feel free to reach out if you have questions or concerns about the bricks used in your kit!