BJD Size Guide — SD, MSD, YOSD and other scales compared

BJD Size Guide

Size is the first thing a BJD beginner has to decide. It sets the price band, clothing compatibility, upkeep difficulty, and even which communities you’ll fit into. The table below lists the six size classes commonly used in the Korean BJD community; the same vocabulary is used almost everywhere else. Prices are approximate and converted from Korean won at a fixed reference rate of 1 USD = ₩1,500.

Pocket (21–25cm)

21–25cm

Weight: 250–350g
Price: $100–270
Pros: Easy to carry; active small-scale community
Cons: Scale conventions vary by brand; always verify compatibility

YOSD (26–30cm)

26–30cm

Weight: 350–500g
Price: $130–330
Pros: Most commonly recommended for beginners; wide selection of clothing, wigs, and eyes
Cons: Many adjacent sub-scales can be confusing (long USD, short USD)

MSD (40–45cm)

40–45cm

Weight: 800g–1.2kg
Price: $270–530
Pros: Balances detail and portability; lower budget pressure than SD
Cons: Not compatible with SD clothing; you need to source MSD-specific items

SD (55–65cm)

55–65cm

Weight: 1.5–2.5kg
Price: $470–1,330+
Pros: Best expression for faceup and makeup; largest selection of clothing and wigs
Cons: Price and storage demands; weight makes handling and photography harder

70/75cm

70–78cm

Weight: 3kg+
Price: $670–2,000+
Pros: Almost child-sized proportions; natural-looking clothing fit; deep male-body lineup
Cons: Requires dedicated clothing; joint tension is harder to manage

80cm+

Weight: 4kg+
Price: From $1,000+; varies by artist
Pros: Striking presence; used in fine-art and exhibition contexts
Cons: Requires custom engineering; shipping, storage, and photography are difficult

Class	Height	Weight	Pros	Cons	Price (doll only, USD)
Pocket (21–25cm)	21–25cm	250–350g	Easy to carry; active small-scale community	Scale conventions vary by brand; always verify compatibility	$100–270
YOSD (26–30cm)	26–30cm	350–500g	Most commonly recommended for beginners; wide selection of clothing, wigs, and eyes	Many adjacent sub-scales can be confusing (long USD, short USD)	$130–330
MSD (40–45cm)	40–45cm	800g–1.2kg	Balances detail and portability; lower budget pressure than SD	Not compatible with SD clothing; you need to source MSD-specific items	$270–530
SD (55–65cm)	55–65cm	1.5–2.5kg	Best expression for faceup and makeup; largest selection of clothing and wigs	Price and storage demands; weight makes handling and photography harder	$470–1,330+
70/75cm	70–78cm	3kg+	Almost child-sized proportions; natural-looking clothing fit; deep male-body lineup	Requires dedicated clothing; joint tension is harder to manage	$670–2,000+
80cm+	80cm+	4kg+	Striking presence; used in fine-art and exhibition contexts	Requires custom engineering; shipping, storage, and photography are difficult	From $1,000+; varies by artist

Which size should I start with?

The two most-recommended starter classes are YOSD (26–30cm) and MSD (40–45cm). YOSD keeps costs down and has a wide catalog of clothing and wigs; MSD offers a good balance between detail and portability and tends to be a long-term favorite. Starting directly with SD means a higher setup cost, but SD also has the richest expression and most active community.

Same class, but the clothes don’t fit?

Even within “MSD,” every brand uses its own body proportions. Chest, waist, hip, shoulder, and leg measurements all vary. When shopping for clothes, know the exact measurements of your specific body and check the compatibility list the seller publishes. Measurements can also change between seasons or product lines within the same brand.

Finding shops for your size

The size filter in the brand directory narrows dolls, clothing, and wigs to the class you want. Size tags aren’t yet complete across the full database, but major brands are covered first. Start from the full brand directory.

For terminology (SD, MSD, YOSD, USD, Unoa-class, etc.), see the BJD glossary.