One of the many franchises Disney created to keep merchandising sales high is the Disney Princess brand. From toys, to beach towels, and even to shampoo bottles, Disney Princesses are everywhere. The massive success of the Princesses is no surprise, as characters from beloved films dating all the way back to 1937 with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and as recent as 2021’s Raya and the Last Dragon are on the lineup. 

Each Princess stands out in their own way, whether it be how they interact with characters around them, whatever unique abilities or skills they possess, or how they overcome obstacles. However, some are presented as more interesting, more relatable, or overall cooler than others. Because of this, here are just the top ten Disney Princesses ranked. 

Of course, there are plenty who did not make this list, but that does not mean that they are bad or unlikeable by any means. There are some characters who are considered by Disney to be “official Disney Princesses” while others don’t meet their standards for vague or arbitrary reasons. For the sake of this list, Princesses must be animated characters who were created for movies made by Disney, who are women, and who are either actual royalty through birth or marriage or, as Disney puts it, “considered a Princess due to their heroic acts in their films.”  

10) Ariel (The Little Mermaid)

Ariel is a mermaid princess of the kingdom known as Atlantica. Despite being royalty, she genuinely cares about those she rules over. Instead of being a royal snob, she looks for the kindness in everyone and looks at the world with hopeful, rose-colored glasses. She defied her strict father and helped defeat an evil sea witch for the sake of love. Most importantly, she’s willing to learn some valuable lessons and grow as a person, making her relatable and worth looking up to.

9) Tiana (The Princess and the Frog)

Tiana is a truly fascinating Disney Princess because she actually doesn’t want to be a princess. She just wants to run a restaurant and work hard for it. She wants to be a regular (yet successful) person. She eventually marries into royalty but only because she loves Prince Naveen. The two also fall in love organically over time, unlike many other Disney characters. Tiana is probably the most grounded of the Princesses even though she’s in a fantasy film with magic and talking animals. 

8) Cinderella (Cinderella)

As the protagonist of the classic rags-to-riches tale, Cinderella has endured a lot of torment from her stepmother and stepsisters. She never breaks or does anything to harm them. Even after becoming a princess, she never loses who she is. She always chooses kindness despite everything she was put through, which is admirable.

7) Raya (Raya and the Last Dragon)

Raya is an absolute badass. She’s a skilled swordfighter who befriends a dragon and leads what is essentially a Dungeons & Dragons party of characters on a quest to save their world. Throughout her adventure, she learns an important lesson about trusting others. She fights to reunite people with their lost loved ones, which is an exceptionally heroic deed.

6) Kida (Atlantis: the Lost Empire)

As the princess of the lost empire of Atlantis, Kida is easily one of the most underrated Disney Princesses. She’s willing to risk her life to defend the people of her empire. She welcomes the opportunity to learn more about the history of her home and seems to value education in those moments. For better or worse, she looks for the good in others. Sometimes it blows up in her face, but other times it pays off and even leads to her finding love. She’s also able to merge with a magic crystal to awaken ancient stone guardians, which is just plain cool.

5) Moana (Moana)

In her movie, Moana pokes fun at the idea of being a Disney Princess while also being a Disney Princess, which is rather fun. She’s chosen by the ocean itself to restore the Heart of Te Fiti, which obviously makes her pretty special. Her parents want her to take on the responsibility of learning how to lead her island, but she prefers exploring, which results in her leading them as the voyagers they once were. While Maui wishes to fight Te Ka, Moana takes a more peaceful approach which results in her saving the day. She proves herself to be a great leader, chooses peace over violence, and isn’t afraid to tell off a demigod.

4) Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

Unlike many of her Disney Princess predecessors, Belle encourages reading and learning rather than marrying rich or being a beauty queen. Upon meeting the residents of the Beast’s castle, she treats them with much more goodwill than the Beast ever has. She doesn’t let what the villagers say about her bother her. She also is willing to teach the Beast to be a better person. Belle is overall one of the best role models among the roster of Disney Princesses.

3) Jasmine (Aladdin)

First of all, Jasmine has a pet tiger, which is pretty awesome. She also wants what’s best for the people of Agrabah and is a much better and more level-headed leader than her father. She disguises herself so she can walk among her people and actually feel like she’s a part of them. She’s told she’s supposed to act a certain way, but ignores that and always speaks her mind. She stands up to the nefarious Jafar to save those she cares about. She’s a shining example of what makes a great princess. However, she’s slightly held back by the fact that Aladdin is the one doing most of the hero work.

2) Mulan (Mulan)

Mulan pretends to be a man so that she can go to war in place of her father, therefore protecting him. She becomes a skilled fighter and defeats the Huns before they could take over China. She teaches fellow soldiers to use their brains and their hearts rather than just their muscles and weapons. She fights for what’s right even when those around her don’t want her fighting at all. Mulan may technically not be a princess in her movies, but she does serve as a leader of sorts and has her fair share of animal sidekicks.

1) Vanellope Von Schweetz (Wreck-It Ralph)

Vanellope may be an unorthodox choice for the best Disney Princess, but it’s hard to deny. She was the princess of a candy kingdom in the arcade game Sugar Rush, but later declared herself president so that democracy could prosper and everyone could get a say. She’s extremely forgiving of those who have wronged her. Vanellope is also a masterclass racecar driver and can even win against the evil Turbo. She also has cool glitch-based superpowers. It’s also worth noting that Vanellope is easily the funniest of the Disney Princesses. Plus, her emotional journey between both Wreck-It Ralph and Ralph Breaks the Internet is both relatable and much more complex than that of just about any other Princess. On top of all that, she’s one of the the only characters who allows the target audience of the Disney Princesses to see a Princess their age, which is important.