Magna-Tiles vs Connetix (2026): which magnetic tiles to buy
MAGNA-TILES and CONNETIX side by side for ages 3 to 8: how each holds its magnets, magnet strength, mixing the two brands, safety standards and where each ships.
Choose MAGNA-TILES if you are in the US and want the system with the longest record: the maker says each magnet is riveted inside a lattice frame, says it has never had a recall in more than 25 years, and picks magnets that small hands can pull apart easily. Choose CONNETIX if you are in the UK or Europe, or want windows and open squares in the box: it says its magnets are welded in and riveted, lists more toy standards, and ships from its own UK and EU warehouses. Both are rated for ages 3 and up, and the two brands can be mixed, with weaker joins.
How we chose these
1Magnet security: what each maker says holds the magnets in place, because a loose magnet is the main hazard with tiles
2Magnet strength: what each maker says about how hard the tiles hold and pull apart, which matters for small hands
3Mixing: what each maker claims about fitting its own sets and other brands
4Safety: the standards each maker lists, and recall searches in the US CPSC, UK product-safety and EU Safety Gate databases
5Where you can buy: the brand's own store and distributors in the US, the UK, Spain and Mexico
MAGNA-TILES: the US starter with the longest record
MAGNA-TILES Classic 32-Piece Set
MAGNA-TILESAges: 3+Price band: $$
Why we picked it
MAGNA-TILES says its ceramic magnets are held by fastening rivets inside a crisscross lattice, that it has never had a recall in more than 25 years, and that its magnets are chosen so children can pull tiles apart easily. Every MAGNA-TILES set fits every other. Its own store ships within the US only; elsewhere it sells through distributors and Amazon.
The original translucent magnetic tile set: 32 pieces (14 squares, 2 large squares and 16 triangles in three shapes) on a 3-inch base. MAGNA-TILES says each tile holds ceramic (ferrite) magnets secured by fastening rivets inside a lattice frame, and that every MAGNA-TILES set fits every other, including the smaller microMAGS. It is the brand's classic starter set.
Pieces
32: 16 squares (2 large) and 16 triangles
Magnets
Ceramic (ferrite), riveted inside a lattice frame (maker)
Works with
Every MAGNA-TILES set, including microMAGS; no cross-brand claim
Material
MABS plastic, free of BPA, phthalates and latex (maker); 3-inch base
Good to know
Maker states that rivets and an internal lattice hold the magnets and resist cracking
Fits every MAGNA-TILES set, so a collection can grow over the years
No recall notice for MAGNA-TILES in US, UK or EU recall databases on 2 October 2026
Food-grade MABS plastic that the maker describes as free of BPA, phthalates and latex
Watch out for
Costs more per tile than most alternatives
32 pieces run out quickly for big builds or two children
The official store ships within the US only; in Spain it is sold through Amazon and a distributor
The maker does not claim compatibility with other brands
Safety marks and recall checkListing last checked: October 2, 2026
Safety marks: CPSIA.
Maker guidance: for ages 3 and up; supervise young children who put toys in their mouths, check tiles regularly and stop using any damaged tile; get medical help at once if a magnet is swallowed. Under the mandatory US toy standard (ASTM F963-23, section 4.38), loose magnets that fit in the small-parts cylinder, as supplied or after use-and-abuse testing, must have a flux index under 50. No recall notice for MAGNA-TILES was found in CPSC, EU Safety Gate or UK product safety searches on 2 October 2026. The maker says it has never had a recall in more than 25 years.
No recall notices found in UK OPSS (October 2, 2026) and EU Safety Gate (October 2, 2026).
US CPSC, searched by hand on October 2, 2026: no recall found for "Magna-Tiles". See the search
2
CONNETIX: more shapes, stronger magnets, ships to the UK and Europe
CONNETIX Rainbow Starter Pack (60 pieces)
CONNETIXAges: 3+Price band: $$
Why we picked it
CONNETIX says its magnets are secured by ultrasonic welding and rivets, and lists Australian, US, Canadian and EU toy standards. The 60-piece starter adds window and open-square pieces that the MAGNA-TILES starter does not have. It ships from its own warehouses in the US, the UK and the Netherlands, and its stronger magnets mean joins with other brands may feel weaker, the maker says.
An Australian-designed starter pack of 60 bevelled ABS tiles: 24 standard squares, 6 large squares, 18 triangles in three shapes, 6 square windows and 6 open squares, plus an idea book. CONNETIX says its tiles are ultrasonically welded and secured with metal rivets, that its magnets are stronger than most, and that it ships from warehouses in the US, the UK, the Netherlands (for the rest of Europe) and Australia.
Pieces
60: 30 squares (6 large), 18 triangles, 12 windows and open squares, idea book
Magnets
Ultrasonically welded and riveted (maker)
Works with
Most leading brands, though joins may feel weaker because its magnets are stronger (maker)
Material
ABS free of BPA, phthalates and PFAS; EN 71 and ASTM F963 listed by the maker
Good to know
Maker claims two layers of magnet security: ultrasonic welding plus metal rivets
Lists US, EU and Australian toy standards it tests to
Window and open-square pieces add variety a basic set lacks
Ships to Spain from an EU warehouse in the Netherlands
Watch out for
CONNETIX says connections with other brands may feel weaker because its magnets are stronger
Costs more per tile than mass-market brands
A 62-piece Rainbow Starter Pack is being cleared at the same time, so check the piece count when buying
Not waterproof: the maker says not to submerge tiles
Safety marks and recall checkListing last checked: October 2, 2026
Safety marks: ASTM F963-17, CPSIA, EN 71-1, EN 71-2, EN 71-3, AS/NZS ISO 8124-1.
Maker guidance: recommended for ages 3 and up; supervise younger children; clean with a damp cloth and never submerge, as moisture can damage the magnets. No recall notice for CONNETIX was found in CPSC, EU Safety Gate or UK product safety searches on 2 October 2026.
No recall notices found in UK OPSS (October 2, 2026) and EU Safety Gate (October 2, 2026).
US CPSC, searched by hand on October 2, 2026: no recall found for "Connetix". See the search
3
If one starter set will not be enough
MAGNA-TILES Classic 100-Piece Set
MAGNA-TILESAges: 3+Price band: $$$
Why we picked it
The same riveted construction as the 32-piece set in a 100-piece box, which costs less per tile at the brand's own prices and is enough for two children building at once. It is heavy (about 3.4 kg) and, like every MAGNA-TILES set, sold by the brand's own store in the US only.
The large classic set: 100 translucent tiles (50 squares, 4 large squares and 46 triangles in three shapes) with the same riveted ferrite-magnet construction and 3-inch base as the 32-piece set. MAGNA-TILES lists it at 7.4 lb and made in the Philippines, and pitches it at siblings, larger builds and classrooms.
Pieces
100: 54 squares (4 large) and 46 triangles
Magnets
Ceramic (ferrite), riveted inside a lattice frame (maker)
Works with
Every MAGNA-TILES set, including microMAGS; no cross-brand claim
Material
MABS plastic, free of BPA, phthalates and latex (maker); 3-inch base
Good to know
Lower cost per tile than the 32-piece set
Enough pieces for two builders or tall structures
Same rivet and lattice construction the maker uses across the range
No recall notice for MAGNA-TILES in US, UK or EU recall databases on 2 October 2026
Watch out for
High upfront price
Heavy box (about 3.4 kg) and needs a storage bin
The official store ships within the US only
Still only translucent squares and triangles; no windows, doors or rectangles
Safety marks and recall checkListing last checked: October 2, 2026
Safety marks: CPSIA.
Maker guidance: for ages 3 and up; supervise young children who put toys in their mouths, check tiles regularly and stop using any damaged tile; get medical help at once if a magnet is swallowed. Under the mandatory US toy standard (ASTM F963-23, section 4.38), loose magnets that fit in the small-parts cylinder, as supplied or after use-and-abuse testing, must have a flux index under 50. No recall notice for MAGNA-TILES was found in CPSC, EU Safety Gate or UK product safety searches on 2 October 2026. The maker says it has never had a recall in more than 25 years.
No recall notices found in UK OPSS (October 2, 2026) and EU Safety Gate (October 2, 2026).
US CPSC, searched by hand on October 2, 2026: no recall found for "Magna-Tiles". See the search
The short version
These are the two brands parents compare most once they decide to spend more than a budget set. They solve the same problem the same way (translucent plastic tiles with magnets along the edges) and differ in four places that matter: how hard the magnets hold, what comes in the box, which standards the maker lists, and where the brand will ship to you. For the wider field, including PicassoTiles and Coodoo, see our guide to the best magnetic tiles.
Food-grade MABS, free of BPA, phthalates and latex
ABS, free of BPA, phthalates and PFAS
Standards the maker lists
CPSIA; says it meets US, EU and other international rules
ASTM F963-17, EN 71, Australian and Canadian toy rules
Recall notices, US, UK, EU (2 Oct 2026)
None
None
Maker’s age
3+
3+
Brand store ships to
US only
US, UK, Europe and other countries
Price band
$$
$$
Magnets: held in, and how hard they hold
A tile is only as safe as its seams. If a tile cracks, a small magnet can come out, and loose magnets small enough to swallow are exactly what the toy rules below are written to limit. Both makers describe rivets that hold the magnets in place. MAGNA-TILES adds an internal lattice that it says resists cracking; CONNETIX adds ultrasonic welding of the two halves of each tile.
They differ on strength. MAGNA-TILES says its magnets are selected so children can pull tiles apart easily and without frustration. CONNETIX says its magnets are stronger than most. Stronger magnets hold tall towers and ramps better; easier release can suit a three-year-old who is still learning to separate pieces. Neither claim was measured by us, so treat both as the makers’ descriptions.
Mixing the two brands
Many families end up with both. MAGNA-TILES only promises that its own sets, including the smaller microMAGS travel tiles, fit each other. CONNETIX says its tiles work with most leading brands, but that joins with other brands may not feel as strong because its magnets are stronger. So mixing works, with the mixed joins as the weak point of a tall build.
Safety standards and recalls
In the US, toys made after 20 April 2024 must meet ASTM F963-23, whose magnet section limits how strong a loose magnet small enough to swallow may be, according to the CPSC. CONNETIX lists ASTM F963-17, the earlier edition, among its standards, alongside EN 71 for Europe; MAGNA-TILES states CPSIA compliance, the US law that makes ASTM F963 mandatory, and says its tiles meet US, EU and other international rules. Neither maker publishes its test reports on the pages we read.
On 2 October 2026 we searched the US CPSC (by hand on cpsc.gov, because its data service was down), the UK’s product-safety notices and the EU’s Safety Gate. None lists a recall of either brand. MAGNA-TILES also says it has never had a product recall in more than 25 years.
Where each one is sold
United States: both brands sell through their own stores, and MAGNA-TILES is also widely sold on Amazon.
United Kingdom: CONNETIX ships from its own UK warehouse. MAGNA-TILES lists Wow! Stuff as its UK distributor.
Spain and the rest of Europe: CONNETIX ships from the Netherlands. MAGNA-TILES lists Juegaconmigo for Spain and Portugal, and the Classic sets are sold on Amazon Spain. Our Spanish version of this comparison covers Spain in more detail.
Mexico: MAGNA-TILES lists Megadidactica as its distributor. CONNETIX does not list a warehouse for Mexico and says such orders ship from the closest one.
Which one to buy
Pick MAGNA-TILES if you are in the US, your child is at the younger end of the 3+ range, or you want a system you can keep adding to from one maker. Pick CONNETIX if you are in the UK or Europe, want windows and open squares from the first box, or your child builds tall and wants joins that hold. If you already own one brand, buying more of the same keeps every join at full strength.
Frequently asked questions
Can you mix Magna-Tiles and Connetix?
Yes, with a catch. CONNETIX says its tiles are compatible with most leading brands, but because its magnets are stronger than most, connections with other brands may not feel as strong. MAGNA-TILES only promises that its own sets fit each other. If you start one brand and add the other, expect mixed joins to hold less firmly.
Which is safer, Magna-Tiles or Connetix?
Neither has a recall in the US CPSC, UK product-safety or EU Safety Gate databases (searched 2 October 2026). Both makers describe riveted magnets; CONNETIX adds ultrasonic welding. CONNETIX lists more standards, including EN 71 for Europe, while MAGNA-TILES states CPSIA compliance and says it meets US, EU and other international rules. Both rate their tiles for ages 3 and up.
Which is better for a 3-year-old?
Both makers say 3 and up. MAGNA-TILES says it selects magnets that let children pull tiles apart easily, which can suit small hands. CONNETIX says its magnets are stronger than most, which helps tall builds hold. Either way, supervise young children and stop using any tile that is cracked.
Are they waterproof?
No. Both makers say their tiles are not waterproof and should never be submerged: wipe them with a damp cloth instead.
Where do I buy them in the UK, Spain or Mexico?
CONNETIX ships from its own warehouses in the UK and the Netherlands (for the rest of Europe); for countries without a listed warehouse, it ships from the closest one. MAGNA-TILES' own store ships within the US only and lists distributors instead: Wow! Stuff in the UK, Juegaconmigo in Spain and Portugal, and Megadidactica in Mexico.
Researched and drafted with AI assistance, checked line by line against the sources listed on this page, and published under the editorial responsibility of Idan Yehuda. We did not test these products ourselves.
IY
Idan Yehuda
Editor, co-creator of the WonderPad
Idan co-founded GoWonderia and helped design the WonderPad, a Montessori-inspired tracing tablet sold on Amazon in Spain and the UK, which took him through toy-safety certification first-hand. He is a product manager and a dad, and he edits every GoWonderia guide.
