Custom Medallions and Beads vs Medals: Which Should You Print?

Medals are the better choice when you need formal recognition with a presentation moment, while medallions and beads are the better choice for wearable crowd visibility and festival-style giveaways.

Above-the-fold links to shop:

• Medallions and Beads
• Medals

Quick comparison table

Choose Medallions and Beads if…

• You need instant, wearable brand visibility across a crowd (not just the winners).
• Your distribution is high volume (attendees, street teams, sponsor zones) and adoption must be low-friction.
• The event is a festival, parade, pep rally, or sponsor activation inside Events & Festivals where a fun wearable is expected.
• Your artwork can be simplified to one bold mark plus short supporting text.

Shop Medallions and Beads

Numeric qualifiers that change the recommendation (Medallions & Beads):

• If your distribution plan is hundreds to thousands, a wearable “slip-on” format typically scales better than an award-style presentation.
• If you want the logo to read in motion and casual photos from 2–6 feet, keep text minimal and contrast high.

Choose Medals if…

• You need an item that clearly communicates achievement, placement, or recognition (winner, finalist, participant award).
• Distribution is list-based (teams, honorees, placements), and you’re planning around a defined headcount.
• Your event includes a presentation moment (stage, podium, photo line) where medals reinforce the ceremony.
• You need room for structured information (event name/year/placement) while keeping the design readable.

Primary CTA: Shop Medals

Numeric qualifiers that change the recommendation (Medals):

• If the recipient list is 50–500 honorees and the item must function as an award, medals outperform casual wearables on “earned” perception.
• If you need placement hierarchy (1st/2nd/3rd or divisions), medals give you a clearer system than festival beads.

Best use cases (where the winner changes due to constraints)

• Awards ceremonies, competitions, tournaments: Medals
• Constraint: recognition symbolism + structured messaging.
• Parades, street festivals, sponsor activations: Medallions & Beads
• Constraint: immediate crowd visibility and fast handout.
• School spirit days and pep rallies: Medallions & Beads
• Constraint: fun wearable adoption across the whole student body.
• Corporate recognition (service, milestones, internal contests): Medals (or coins, depending on culture)
• If you prefer a pocketable keepsake, compare to Challenge Coins.
• Uniformed affiliation (clubs, committees): Lapel pins
• If the “award” is really an affiliation marker, see Lapel Pins.
• Role labeling during an event (“Staff”, “Volunteer”): buttons
• For readable text at conversational distance, see Custom Buttons.

Branding & imprint considerations (what to design for)

Medallions & Beads: design for motion and distance

• Treat the medallion face like a mini sign: big shapes, strong contrast, minimal copy.
• Avoid tiny text and thin lines; they disappear in crowd photos and movement.

Medals: design for structured recognition

• Build a clear hierarchy:
• Placement/award title (largest)
• Event name (secondary)
• Year and/or division (supporting)
• Sponsor/brand mark (clean and unobtrusive)
• Keep “award text” short enough to remain readable in presentation photos.

Operational factors (planning, staging, and day-of flow)

Planning model

• Medallions & beads: plan by attendance or distribution stream (crowd-facing logistics).
• Medals: plan by honoree list (role-based logistics) and ensure you have a clean handoff flow.

Day-of handling

• Medallions & beads: pre-stage in small bundles to prevent tangles and speed distribution.
• Medals: pre-sort by award type/placement to prevent podium delays and mis-assignments.

Environment fit

• If dangling wearables are impractical for the setting (machinery, sports safety rules, dress constraints), medals or pocketable recognition may be the safer operational choice.

How to choose between Medallions & Beads and Medals (fast checklist)

1. Decide if the item is for everyone or for earners.
2. If it’s for everyone and you want crowd visibility, choose medallions & beads.
3. If it’s for earners and you need an award symbol, choose medals.
4. If you need role text (staff/volunteer), add buttons; don’t force long text onto wearables.
5. If you want a pocketable recognition keepsake, compare to challenge coins.

FAQs

Which one looks more “official” on stage?

Medals look more official on stage because they’re culturally recognized as awards and photograph well in presentation moments.

Which one is better for festival giveaways?

Medallions and beads are better for festival giveaways because people can wear them immediately and they create crowd-level brand visibility.

If I need “1st / 2nd / 3rd” recognition, what should I use?

Use medals for placement recognition because they support a clear hierarchy and a formal presentation.

If my goal is sponsor visibility across the whole crowd, which wins?

Medallions and beads usually win for sponsor visibility because they’re distributed broadly and show in crowd photos.

What if I want a recognition item that people keep but don’t wear?

Challenge coins are a strong alternative when you want a pocketable keepsake rather than a worn award: see Challenge Coins.

What if the event needs both crowd hype and awards?

Use medallions and beads for general attendees and medals for winners. This cleanly separates “everyone gets one” from “earned recognition.”

Where should I start if I’m unsure about wearable sizing and artwork limits?

Start with the Medallions and Beads buyer guide to match event type, wear behavior, and print constraints:

Are lapel pins a better alternative for membership/affiliation than medals?

Often yes lapel pins can signal affiliation without implying a competition win. See Lapel Pins.