Places to buy beads online

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I hope you enjoy this list of the best places to buy beads online!  I usually do my bead and jewelry making supplies shopping online, and so I decided to share with you some of my favorite resources to go along with all my jewelry making tutorials (check out this wire wrap stone to start!). Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. This post was originally published August 2015 and was updated in 2019 to reflect current favorites.

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I prefer buying my beads and findings online for a few reasons:

• It’s more convenient and saves me lots of time
• I can sift through and decide what I’d like to buy more easily.
• I can budget more easily and see my subtotals as I shop. How many times have I shopped in-store, only to shocked at the register?!
• I can get cash back on some of my purchases via Rakuten. This often helps me justify when there are shipping costs, as it often covers all or most of it.
• You can also search f0r online coupons (Rakuten‘s browser extension is an amazing tool for this!)

These are my personal favorite suggestions, sifted out from among a vast array of retailers. Try each one separately, browse around, and then pick your favorite. I will update this list as my preferences change.

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Some of the Best Places to Buy Beads Online

BeeBeeCraft – Affordable rates and a fun selection make BeeBeeCraft a favorite spot to buy beads online. They’re a wonderful resource for stocking up on affordable basics, and their minimum for free shipping is low (for US-stocked items).

Kraftika – A Czech company, this brand sells high quality Czech glass beads for an international audience. Czech glass is a popular option, but they also have other jewelry making supplies and bead offerings. Their prices are affordable with good quality control, shipping is affordable, and their website is easy to browse.

Jewelry and Findings – Want options without the overwhelm? This is my favorite stop for fewer distractions, and for good prices for both small and large packages. You can get full spools of cord and large bead packages for amazing wholesale prices. Pay attention to the titles when buying “real” stuff, they have imitation gemstones in the same category as real, but they’re always clearly labeled in the title.

FireMountainGems.com – I use this for my bulk bead shopping, when I want a combination of reliability in quality, and good bulk discounts. My average orders from there are $250+, so these are my stock-up runs. You have to pay shipping and handling no matter what the order size, but they have an affordable flat rate. Their bulk discounts apply over your whole purchase, so you don’t need to buy a lot of a single item.

This is my recommended stop if you are shopping for “real” things as it’s a the most reliable. So get your sterling silver, gemstones, and crystals here.

Annie’s Simply Beads – If you are still new at jewelry making and want more specific instruction, Annie’s Simply Beads Kit-of-the-month features gorgeous jewelry making projects for you to try. The kits come with the materials you need and will help you explore new techniques. Your first kit comes with basic tools too!

Michaels.com – If you want  a limited, uncomplicated high-quality selection, Michaels is the place to shop! They are also great for smaller quantity packages. I love browsing their open-stock options, and I’ve gotten some really beautiful beads there.

PandaHall.com -If  frequents sales are important to you, PandaHall tends to have regular discounts. They are easy to shop and have a huge variety, but some things do come in larger quantities. Much of what you buy from Amazon is PandaHall brand, so I like to go right to the source when buying a lot.

Amazon.com – I use these for small orders and for items that I need quickly, since they ship free in 1-3 days. If you have Amazon Prime, like I do, many bead items ARE eligible. 

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Update: Moms & Crafters readers have contributed a huge database of recommendations! Here are some top picks:

• Etsy – support small businesses! The variety is enormous and quality/dependability varies by seller, so check seller reviews! I started buying from Etsy sellers when I need very specific items that are otherwise hard to find.
• Shipwreck Beads
• WireJewelry.com
• Rings & Things
• Scroll through the comments section for more!

What are your favorite places to buy beads online? Do you have an experiences to share?

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