Are LEGO Sets Cheaper at Walmart or Target?
BrickThrift is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this page we may earn an affiliate commission from eBay, at no additional cost to you. Read our affiliate disclosure.
It’s one of the most common questions LEGO shoppers ask: is it cheaper to buy at Walmart or Target? The honest answer is that neither is reliably cheaper than the other — both sell most current sets at or near the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), and which one wins on any given day comes down to sales, clearance, and the perks you stack on top.
The short answer
For everyday pricing, Walmart and Target are usually within a dollar or two of each other on in-stock current sets, because both anchor to the same MSRP. The real differences show up at the edges:
- Target rewards loyalty: its store card and the occasional toy-sale events (buy-one-get-one or percentage-off weekends) can make it the cheaper option for a stretch.
- Walmart leans on everyday-low pricing and a price-match-style approach to online deals, so it can quietly beat MSRP on popular sets without a big sale banner.
Neither has a permanent edge. If you’re buying a specific current set, it pays to check both the same week.
When Target tends to win
Target’s periodic toy promotions and its loyalty discount are the main reasons to start there. During a sale weekend, a 5% loyalty discount plus a promotional gift card can push the effective price below Walmart’s shelf price. If you’re a regular Target shopper, the math often favors them.
When Walmart tends to win
Walmart’s strength is the unglamorous everyday price and frequent rollbacks on best-sellers. If a set isn’t on a Target promo that week, Walmart is just as likely to be a few dollars cheaper — and its broad online selection means you can compare and ship-to-store easily.
The bigger truth: retail rarely beats the secondary market on value
Here’s what the Walmart-vs-Target debate misses. Both stores only sell current sets near MSRP. The best value in LEGO is usually found on:
- Retired sets, which leave shelves and then climb in price — but turn up used and complete from sellers for less than you’d expect. Browse complete sets and packs to see what’s around.
- Used and bulk lots, where you pay a fraction of retail per piece. If you just need parts or want to build cheaply, bricks, pieces and parts and individual minifigures are where the savings are.
When a set is still on shelves, retail is fine — buy wherever’s cheaper that week. When it’s retired, sold out, or you’re chasing value rather than a specific brand-new box, the second-hand market almost always wins.
How to actually get the lowest price
- Check both retailers the same week — prices and promos rotate.
- Stack loyalty perks (store cards, gift-card promos) rather than chasing a headline discount.
- Wait for clearance on sets nearing retirement if you can — that’s retail’s one real bargain window.
- Compare against second-hand before paying full MSRP, especially for older or sold-out sets.
So: Walmart or Target? Buy whichever is cheaper the week you’re shopping — but don’t assume the store shelf is the cheapest option. For more on this, see our guide to the cheapest place to buy LEGO, and remember that prices and availability change constantly, so always confirm before you buy.
BrickThrift is independent and not affiliated with the LEGO Group, Walmart, or Target.