Updated October 1, 2026 · LootCue Editorial Team
Character Online vs Museum Replicas
Character Online vs Museum Replicas: the differences
| Compare |  Character Online | Museum Replicas ReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Brand or store | Brand | Store |
| Price from | €6.95 | $34.95 |
| Return window | 28 days | 30 daysHigher |
| Markets | GB | US, CA |
| Pre-orders | Not confirmed | Yes |
Same on both: Officially licensed only (Yes).
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Key differences
- Character Online scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.9.
- Return window is higher at Museum Replicas: 30 days vs 28 days.
- Support channels: only Character Online offers Help centre.
- Founded is lower at Museum Replicas: 1985 vs 1991.
- Museum Replicas is available in 1 more country.
- Products: only Character Online offers Action figures, Prize figures, Plush.
- Products: only Museum Replicas offers Replicas.
- Franchises: only Character Online offers Disney.
- Franchises: only Museum Replicas offers Harry potter.
- Markets: only Character Online offers GB.
Our verdict on each
Character Online
Character Online suits fans who want officially licensed figures, plush and collectible surprise figures rather than copies, and collectables from €6.95 keep a first order easy to run. The catalogue, the delivery terms and the returns window all come from one long-established company, so the same rules apply to every order you place.
Museum Replicas
Museum Replicas suits fans of screen and science fiction properties who want licensed pieces and mystery boxes from one store. A listed piece, the European Boar Spear Head, is priced at $34.95, and anything unused comes back within 30 days if it disappoints.
Score breakdown
| Area | Character Online | Museum Replicas |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherDelivery in mainland UK adds nothing above £20, so a bigger basket costs no more to send. | 8.1A listed piece sits at $34.95, and unused items can come back within 30 days for a refund or an exchange. |
| Offer | 9.2HigherThe catalogue spans action figures, prize figures, plush and more, under licences drawn from disney and sci fi. | 9.1Officially licensed products, preorders on items not yet stocked, and a choice of refund or exchange inside 30 days. |
| Trust | 9.8A store run by Character Options Ltd, part of The Character Group plc, a business founded in 1991, rather than an unknown seller. | 9.9HigherServing since 1985 as Museum Replicas Ltd, a US business with a showroom in Georgia. |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Character Online | Museum Replicas |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United States |
Additional countries for Character Online: 1. Additional countries for Museum Replicas: 2.
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Character Online | Museum Replicas |
|---|---|---|
| Statues, action figures and collectibles | 21 of 64 | 4 of 64 |
| Blind boxes and designer toys | 11 of 48 | 4 of 48 |
If neither fits
Large has return window at 30 to 100 days, against 28 days for Character Online and 30 days for Museum Replicas.
Large reviewWhat we checked
Character Online
- character-online.com: 11 facts, checked October 1, 2026
Museum Replicas
- museumreplicas.com: 12 facts, checked October 1, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Character Online | Museum Replicas |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Action figures, Prize figures, Plush, Blind boxes | Replicas, Blind boxes |
| Franchises | Disney, Sci fi | Harry potter, Sci fi |
| Legal entity | Character Options Ltd, part of The Character Group plc | Museum Replicas Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United States |
| Founded | 1991 | 1985Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Phone |
Fandom merchandise stores
| Fact | Character Online | Museum Replicas |
|---|---|---|
| Departments | Figures, Game merch, Plush | Not confirmed |
| Free delivery threshold | £20 | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Character Online | Museum Replicas | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return window | 28 daysbelow the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 39 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Character Online
Pros
- Figures, plush and collectible surprise figures are officially licensed, made under agreement with the brand owners rather than copied.
- Collectables start at €6.95, so a first figure or a blind box is an easy first order.
- Unopened, non-defective items can go back within 28 days of delivery for a refund.
Cons
- The 28-day return route is written for unopened, non-defective items, so a figure you have already opened sits outside it.
- Published delivery terms are written for the United Kingdom, so orders to other destinations get a set charge decided at checkout.
- Below £20 of goods, a mainland UK order still carries a delivery charge, so one small piece costs more than its listed price.
Museum Replicas
Pros
- Museum Replicas sells officially licensed products, so the pieces follow artwork approved by the licence holder.
- Preorders are offered for items that have not reached the shelf, which lets you commit to a release before stock arrives.
- Anything unused can go back within 30 days, and you choose between a refund and an exchange.
Cons
- The $34.95 entry price belongs to one listed piece, so the licensed piece you actually want can sit well above it.
- A preorder lands unseen, which leaves the 30 day return window as your only check on a piece you could not hold first.
- The seller is a single US entity, Museum Replicas Ltd, so a buyer outside the country has no local address to settle a dispute.
Who each suits
Character Online
Who it suits
- Fans of characters from film, television, comics and games who want licensed merchandise.
- Collectors starting a shelf without a large first outlay, with collectables from €6.95.
- Gift buyers who want room to change their minds, since unopened items can go back within 28 days of delivery.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone hoping to send back a figure they have already opened, because the return route is for unopened, non-defective items.
- Collectors after limited or artist-edition pieces, as the offer centres on licensed mainstream lines.
- Shoppers planning a themed set who need every piece in a single order, as this is a single brand store.
Museum Replicas
Who it suits
- Collectors who want officially licensed pieces tied to a screen or science fiction property rather than an unbranded copy.
- Buyers happy to preorder a piece before stock lands and decide once it is at home.
- Shoppers who want a refund or an exchange inside 30 days when a piece does not suit the space.
Who should look elsewhere
- Collectors who want the whole hobby under one roof, since the range here runs to replicas and mystery boxes.
- Shoppers who want every piece on the shelf today, since some items are offered on preorder.
Country by country
| Country | Character Online | Museum Replicas |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | No | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Character Online
How much do the collectables cost?+
A collectible figure on the collectables pages is listed from €6.95, so a single piece is a modest commitment. Prices are shown per item, and larger boxed sets and playsets sit higher up the range, which makes the entry point the useful number when you are budgeting a first order.
How much is delivery, and is it included?+
Delivery inside mainland UK is charged at a set rate, and it costs nothing extra once an order passes £20. Orders heading elsewhere are given a set delivery charge at checkout, so the total only firms up in the basket. Buying a couple of small pieces together is enough to cross the threshold.
Museum Replicas
How much does a piece from Museum Replicas cost?+
Prices are set per item rather than by tier, so the figure depends on what you pick. A listed piece, the European Boar Spear Head, is priced at $34.95. A larger licensed piece from a screen property will sit above that entry point, so budget against the specific product page rather than the smallest number you see.
Are the products at Museum Replicas officially licensed?+
Yes. Museum Replicas sells under official licences, and the licensed range covers harry potter and sci fi. That means a piece follows artwork approved by the licence holder instead of a fan-made copy, so a collector tracking a screen property can match the piece to the on-screen design. The shop pages group pieces by franchise, which keeps browsing simple.