Best cosplay wig sites!
Cosplay wigs are an important part of your overall cosplay. In my opinion, they’re the 2nd most important aspect of your cosplay, other than the costume itself. So you’re probably wondering, “Where the heck do I get myself a cosplay wig? There are so many websites!”
Well not to worry, I’m here to break it all down and make it easy for you. Unlike cosplay costumes where you have so many options, finding great cosplay wigs isn’t as difficult.
(PS if you’re interested in knowing where to get the best cosplay costumes online, click here to read my full guide about it).
What are good cosplay wig websites?
Unlike cosplay costumes, there are only a few cosplay wig websites that are very established and reputable. By far the most notable cosplay wig store is Arda Wigs, who’ve been selling quality wigs for several years and many cosplayers buy from them. The Five Wits and Epic Cosplay are also websites that are reputable as well. There are also many other places that can suit your needs such as AliExpress and eBay, depending on your situation.
In this article, I’ll go through the best cosplay wig sites and compare them to one another. Depending on your budget and your own cosplay wig styling skills, you’ll find the best site that suits you. I’ll show you the best places to get a cosplay wig at the best prices!
What is a cosplay wig?
Before we begin comparing, I wanted to differentiate what a cosplay wig is, by definition.
To start, a wig is an accessory worn on your head that’s supposed to resemble human hair. Because it’s not real hair, a cosplay wig can have lots of variety and different styles, from short realistic hair, all the way to extremely long exotic hair that’s meant to match your fantasy dream character.
While you can cosplay without a wig (click here to find out why), to put it shortly, a cosplay wig is one of the most essential parts of your cosplay. It’s the 2nd most important part of your cosplay, aside from the costume itself. So knowing where to get the best cosplay wigs is definitely important to making your overall cosplay look as good as possible. An amazing costume can be ruined by a crappy wig and on the flip side, an average costume can look much better with an awesome wig!
How do you pick a wig for cosplay?
Picking a wig is definitely not rocket science. You just need to make sure you have the right color, hair length and staying within your budget. That’s pretty much it. If you want more detail about these things, keep reading below.
What is the difference between a cosplay wig and a regular wig?
Most wigs are either made of natural (i.e. real) fibers or synthetic fibers. Natural fibers are used for everyday use for those looking to wear them in public, so while they’re more realistic, you cannot go crazy with the styling and if you do, it’s difficult to restyle…just like real human hair!
Meanwhile, almost all cosplay wigs are made of synthetic fibers in order to make it easy to style to your liking. Because fictional characters have quite exotic hair!
So in short, you want to make sure you buy a synthetic wig designed for cosplay.
There is a lot of nuances when it comes to cosplay wigs. If you want some helpful tips for cosplay wigs, click here to check out my guide on cosplay wigs!
Should you buy a pre-styled cosplay wig?
Unlike most cosplay wig sites that sell wigs that are brand new, some websites sell wigs that are already styled for a certain character. So depending on your situation, you may find that a pre-styled wig works much better for you. If you have no experience styling a cosplay wig, then buying a pre-styled wig can work well for you, since the styling is already done!
However, pre-styled wigs do tend to cost more, and there’s no guarantee that the wig will come ready out of the box. In my experience, sometimes I had to do additional styling when I ordered a pre-styled wig. So buying one can be hit or miss.
If you have no experience styling a wig but you have a friend or someone who knows how to, I recommend just buying a default wig and getting that person to style it for you, once it arrives in the mail!
Things to know when buying a cosplay wig off any website
Know your budget
While cosplay wigs probably won’t break your wallet like an actual costume potentially can, wigs can still be quite pricey. For example, a medium-length wig can be as high as $50 USD, which is a considerable amount if you’re trying to stay within your budget.
With that said, a cosplay wig is something you shouldn’t go cheap on. A tacky-looking wig can really make your cosplay look bad! It’s like having the most beautiful Zelda dress ever…but having a terrible wig for it. The bad wig will ruin the entire look. You’re probably better off having a tacky-looking dress; at least that goes well with a tacky-looking wig!
Anyways, what I recommend is before you start your cosplay project; you should definitely consider the hair of your character. Generally speaking, the longer and more complicated the hairstyle, the more it’ll cost. A long Rapunzel wig is definitely going to cost more than a short Chloe Price wig.
So if you can’t afford an expensive wig, rather than trying to save a few bucks by buying a lower quality wig, you should just change the character you want to cosplay. Go for a character with shorter hair, which in turns will be cheaper to style their wig. That way, you don’t need to sacrifice the look of your cosplay.
How much does a good cosplay wig cost?
With that said, MOST cosplay wigs won’t break your wallet. A short-length wig will usually only cost $25 USD at most. A medium-length wig will about around $25-40 USD. If you’re going for a long-length, it could be $40 USD or more, depending on the complexity. For most characters, you’ll be happy to know you’ll only need a short or medium wig. Only Disney princesses and characters with exotic hair need the long wigs!
Of course, you can always opt for the cheaper websites like eBay or AliExpress, but it can be hit or miss. We’ll talk more about that later in this article.
Check the photos of the wig, especially the color
Whereas costumes generally only have one color selection, there are several different colors for cosplay wigs! So you want to make sure you’re buying the right color. Even for one color such as blue, there many slight variations of blue, from baby blue to violet blue.
I would recommend emailing the cosplay wig site and asking them which wig color would suit your character best. I actually did that myself when I wanted to cosplay Spike from Cowboy Bebop, because his hair color is either brown or green. So the wig website recommended me a specific color for him, and I managed to buy the right color.
Make sure the wig is heat-resistant
Many cosplayers use heating tools to style the cosplay wig to their liking. Fortunately, many synthetic cosplay wigs are heat-resistant up to a pretty high temperature, so you usually don’t have to worry about it. With that said, you’ll want to double-check that your wig has heat resistance if you plan using tools like a steamer to style it. Most of these cosplay wig sites will have information on how much heat their wigs can take.
It’s okay to ask for help!
In my experience, cosplay wig sites are more than happy to help you with your wig styling.
One time, when I had a complicated character I wanted to cosplay, the wig site told me which specific wig to buy and what materials I needed to style it, and how to style it as well. As someone who’s not an expert at wig styling, I appreciated all the help and support they gave me.
So don’t be afraid to reach out to these sites and ask how you can replicate the hair of your cosplay. They’ll make sure it happens! On top of that, you can also watch videos on YouTube on specific characters.
Can you check reviews for wigs? Sometimes
For the most part, there aren’t too many reviews for cosplay wigs, aside from the ones that are already pre-styled. I suppose that’s fair, because there’s not much to talk about for a wig.
So only check for reviews if it’s pre-styled and for a specific character.
List of best cosplay wig sites
Okay, the best part about this guide, here we go! Here are the best cosplay wig sites, in alphabetical order:
AliExpress
- Based in – China
- Price range – Low/Medium
- Refund/exchange policy – 14 days for refund/exchange after receiving item
- Wig selection – Many to choose from
- Other benefits – If you have any issues with your order, you can open a dispute with AliExpress to assist you
The Chinese version of Amazon in my opinion. You can get some great cosplay products off this site at amazing prices. So as long as you’re not con crunching (because shipping takes a long time), then AliExpress is a great site if you want to save money! However, you might not always find the wig you’re looking for; only the most popular characters and their wigs are sold on AliExpress. And since there are a lot of different sellers, the quality can be hit or miss. Fortunately, the customer reviews are reliable, so you can tell which merchants are good or not.
Amazon
- Based in – USA
- Price range – Low/Medium
- Refund/exchange policy – 30 days for refund/exchange after receiving item
- Wig selection – Many to choose from
- Other benefits – Generous return/exchange policy of 30 days after receiving the wig
And of course, there’s Amazon itself. You might think that Amazon is more suited for general items like tech stuff but surprisingly, they have a LOT of selection when it comes to cosplay wigs. You can order both brand new wigs, as well as ones that are pre-styled for a specific character. Like AliExpress, the price might be great but the quality can be good or bad. So be sure to check reviews of the seller before buying. A plus side is you get a generous 30 day return/exchange policy as soon as you receive the item, so you should be fine regardless.
Arda Wigs
- Based in – USA (with a warehouse also in Canada and Ireland)
- Price range – Medium/High
- Refund/exchange policy – 14 days for refund/exchange after receiving item
- Wig selection – Over 100 different wig colors
- Other benefits – Arda has a warehouse in Canada, United States and Europe. So if you happen to live in one of these areas, you can potentially get faster/cheaper shipping!
Arda Wigs is by far the most well-known cosplay wig site out there, and for good reason. They’ve been providing the best and highest quality wigs for all these years and beyond. Their wig selection is unmatched, and their passion for helping cosplayers match their character is unparalleled. Even if their prices aren’t going to be a discount all the time, you can always expect great quality wigs from Arda.
Cactus Mafia
- Based in – Canada
- Price range – Medium
- Refund/exchange policy – 14 days for refund/exchange after receiving item
- Wig selection – Over 100 different wig colors
- Other benefits – Huge selection of custom prestyled wigs, can pick up wig at their location near Toronto
While I personally haven’t shopped at Cactus Mafia, a lot of my Canadian cosplay friends have and I can see why. Cactus Mafia is a wig store from the Greater Toronto Area with a huge catalog of wigs! They have a variety of custom pre-styled wigs to choose, including current characters such as from Genshin Impact. What’s nice is you can pick up your order at their location in Markham, which is a suburb beside Toronto. The Cactus Mafia team also travels to local conventions in and around Toronto, so you can also order or pick up your wig at the convention as well. Overall, Cactus Mafia is affordable and convenient for those who live in the Toronto area.
Cosplay Station
- Based in – Canada
- Price range – High
- Refund/exchange policy – 14 days for refund/exchange after receiving item
- Wig selection – Small (but you can commission for specific wig)
- Other benefits – Can drop off and pick up wig at their location near Toronto
I personally have met the owner of the website and she’s wonderful! When it comes to styling those complex wigs, I always go to Cosplay Station to get it done. Their prices are a little higher but they’re totally worth it in my opinion!
eBay
- Based in – USA (but sellers are based all around the world)
- Price range – Low
- Refund/exchange policy – Refund/exchange only if something is wrong with item
- Wig selection – Varies between merchants
- Other benefits – Cheapest option available but not always the best quality
Oh eBay, the site that we all love and hate at the same time. Sometimes you’ll get lucky and save tons of money on cosplay products because of the lower price. However, there are a lot of questionable merchants with questionable costume quality on top of even more questionable return/shipping policies. This definitely applies to cosplay wigs. In my experience, I’ve gotten some good deals and also have been burned as well. So my advice; if your character’s hair isn’t too complicated, then go for it. But if you’re cosplaying someone with long and complex hair (e.g. Disney princess), then don’t risk using eBay!
Epic Cosplay Wigs
- Based in – USA
- Price range – Medium
- Refund/exchange policy – Store credit if returned unopened within 30 days
- Wig selection – Large
- Other benefits – Free shipping within the US
Epic Cosplay Wigs is another big cosplay wig site that’s been around for a long time. They sell high-quality wigs that many cosplayers love. You can buy both brand new wigs and ones that are prestyled, both of which are great. If you live within the United States, Epic Cosplay Wigs offers free shipping for you guys! You can also order and pick up from their office in Tustin, California, which is a city near Los Angeles.
Etsy
- Based in – USA
- Price range – High
- Refund/exchange policy – Depends on merchants, but if your case isn’t resolved with the seller, you can ask Etsy to resolve and mediate the case
- Wig selection – Large
- Other benefits – Top quality products from independent merchants (for the most part)
Etsy is all about local and independent manufacturers, artists and crafters. If you’re looking for a specific cosplay costume, prop or accessory, then Etsy is a great website to check out. But by far it’s the most expensive. To be fair, costume commissioners aren’t extorting you for money; the high prices barely factor in the time, labour and material costs to make your item. Now when it comes to cosplay wigs on Etsy, you’re likely looking for prestyled wigs. Be sure to check reviews first before buying.
L-email Wig
- Based in – China
- Price range – Medium
- Refund/exchange policy – Returnable within 30 days if unopened/not used
- Wig selection – Large
- Other benefits – Very detailed information about each wig!
L-email Wig has been around since 2010 providing great cosplay wigs. They have a wide selection of basic and prestyled wigs. The prices and styling can vary for each wig, so be sure to thoroughly check the photos and reviews before buying. What’s nice about L-email Wig is each wig has very detailed information regarding things such as the type of material of the wig, the length, the color and the heat resistance. Very cool!
The Five Wits
- Based in – USA
- Price range – Medium/High
- Refund/exchange policy – Returnable within 30 days if unopened/not used
- Wig selection – Large
- Other benefits – Large selection of pre-styled wigs
The Five Wits is another cosplay wig sites that’s been around for a long time. They sell mainly pre-styled wigs that look awesome and many of the characters are ones that are popular right now. They also travel to many Anime conventions in the US, so you can pick up your wig during the con if you happen to be there.
Taobao
- Based in – China
- Price range – Low
- Refund/exchange policy – From my experience, there is no refund or exchange unless they really screwed up your order. But it’s cheap anyways, so no big deal.
- Processing – Way too long
- Plus size options – Varies between merchants, but highly doubt it
- Costume selection – Based on my experience, I only found the most popular characters sold on Taobao. So as long as you’re not going for a niche or obscure character, you’ll find costumes from series like MHA or Demon Slayer.
- Other benefits – If you manage to go through the hassle of buying from Taobao, you’ll save a LOT of money!
OH TAOBAO. If you’ve been in the cosplay community long enough, I can guarantee you that one of your friend is living off Taobao’s dirt cheap prices. But because the website is not in English and requires you to find an agent to pick up and ship the actual costume to you, using Taobao can be a HUGE hassle. I made an entire article explaining my experience with them. In short, it took almost 4 months to get my Dabi cosplay that was the wrong size…that I couldn’t get refunded or exchanged. But on the plus side, it was only $30 CAD, so I didn’t care either way.
Basically, if you’re tight on money and don’t mind going through a somewhat annoying process, then you’ll love Taobao. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t really need to know Chinese; you can just use Google Translate on Chrome to translate. But if you’re the type of person who just wants to click “BUY” and be done with it, then skip Taobao altogether.
Other places to get wigs
Okay so I covered the main websites on where to get a cosplay wig. Are there other places you can get them? Of course, but I don’t recommend some of them. Here are a few examples:
Halloween stores
Halloween stores sell a bunch of stuff, including wigs. But in general, unless there’s a specific character you want to do, I don’t recommend buying any sort of wig from a Halloween store. For one, Halloween stuff in general is meant to worn only once or twice during Halloween. When it comes to cosplay, you want your wig to last a long time. So you’re not going to find the right wig at a Halloween shop.
Online stores that sell regular wigs
Regular wig shops usually sell wigs that are meant for everyday use and to mimic human hair. As mentioned earlier, you want to buy wigs that are specifically tailored for cosplay, as human hair wigs have characteristics that are not conductive to cosplay, such as being more difficult to style, having far less heat resistance and having much more limited color options.
Although you might get lucky and find a nice deal on a decent cosplay wig at a regular store, you’ll probably have better luck with a cosplay wig site in terms of finding the wig you want.
Summary
To summarize, here are the best cosplay wig sites at the moment:
- Amazon
- Arda Wigs
- CactusMafia
- CosplayStation
- eBay
- Epic Cosplay
- Etsy
- Hello Cosplay
- L-email Wig
- The Five Wits
And there you have it; all the best cosplay wig sites to buy from!
Hopefully this guide has helped you make the right choice on which wigs to buy and how to shop for the best one. Fortunately, purchasing a wig is not as complicated or as expensive as buying a costume, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find what you’re looking for.
Which cosplay wig sites do you buy from? Let me know in the comments!
My name is Roger Senpai. I’m a cosplayer that’s been in the community for well over a decade now. I’ve traveled all over the world to Anime and Comic conventions and hosted my own cosplay events. Now I’m writing articles for new and experienced cosplayers like you to help inspire, save you money and improve your cosplays!
