The Magician's Guide to Buying Props on AliExpress (Without Getting Burned)
Internet Magic Tricks Editorial · 6 min read
Which magic props on AliExpress are worth your money, which are scams, and how to spot the difference. A working magician's buying guide.
AliExpress has become one of the largest sellers of magic props in the world. The pricing is unbeatable — the same prop that costs $40 at a U.S. magic shop often goes for $4 on AliExpress. But quality varies wildly. This is a working magician's guide to getting the good stuff and avoiding the junk.
What's Worth Buying on AliExpress
Some categories are genuinely excellent value:
- **Sponge balls** — sold cheap, usually identical quality to the $30 magic-shop versions.
- **Cups and balls (brass)** — modern brass sets in the $20 range are surprisingly good.
- **Invisible thread + wax** — magic-shop pricing on these is absurd. AliExpress versions work fine.
- **Magic coins (palming and shells)** — the milled half-dollars are usable for street and close-up.
- **Linking rings** — the inexpensive sets are perfectly serviceable.
- **Gimmicked card sets** — Stripper decks, marked decks, forcing decks — quality varies but usable.
- **Silks and thumb tips** — solid value.
- **Bicycle decks** — cheaper than a U.S. magic shop, often genuine.
What to Avoid
Some categories are notoriously bad on AliExpress:
- **Card pendant electronics** (where a phone "predicts" cards) — usually low-quality and break fast.
- **Fire-magic gimmicks** — safety concerns; buy from reputable magic shops only.
- **Anything labeled "Tagua DVDs included"** — DVDs are often pirated and the gimmick is cheap.
- **High-end electronic mentalism gimmicks** — counterfeits exist; only buy original from creator.
Read the Reviews
The most valuable signal on AliExpress is the review count combined with rating. Look for:
- **More than 200 reviews** — this means many magicians have already vetted the seller.
- **At least 4.6 stars** — anything below indicates inconsistent quality.
- **Recent reviews** — magic gimmicks change as factories cycle. Look at reviews from the last 6 months.
- **Photos in reviews** — a flood of customer photos almost always indicates a legit product.
Use AliExpress Affiliate Tracking
If you're a magician with a website or YouTube channel, AliExpress's Affiliate Program lets you earn commission on every prop you recommend. Sign up at [portals.aliexpress.com](https://portals.aliexpress.com).
The Magic Cafe Cross-Reference
The world's largest magic-discussion forum is *The Magic Cafe* (themagiccafe.com). Before buying any expensive AliExpress prop, search the Cafe for opinions. Working magicians have already vetted nearly everything worth owning.
Build a Starter Kit for Under $50
Here's a complete beginner kit that costs under $50 on AliExpress:
- 1 Bicycle Rider Back deck — $4
- 1 set of brass cups & balls — $20
- 1 set of professional sponge balls — $5
- 1 magicians' coin set (matched halves) — $8
- 1 invisible thread loops + wax kit — $4
- 1 set of magic rope (6 feet) — $3
- 1 thumb tip + colored silk — $5
Total: around $49. With this kit, you can perform 80% of the tricks on this site.
*Disclosure: links to AliExpress on this site include our affiliate tracking ID. If you make a purchase through one of our links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is how we keep the site free.*