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Ranking All Disney Princesses From Worst To Best

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Ignacio Weil

TV Shows & Movies - February 26th 2026, 15:30 GMT+1

Disney princesses in wreck it ralph 2 scene — About this list:

Keep in mind this ranking is totally subjective – so if your favorite ends up near the bottom, it’s not a verdict on her as a character… even if there are a couple of placements most people will probably nod along with.

And yes, Elsa and Anna are in the mix too. They may technically be queens rather than “princesses,” but they’re still Disney royalty through and through, and it felt wrong to leave them out. | © Disney

15. Raya – Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

Trust a Disney princess to show up with a blade, a chip on her shoulder, and a very specific reason not to trust anyone. Raya’s story runs on grit and paranoia as much as heroism – she isn’t chasing romance or a crown, she’s trying to stop her world from falling apart while learning (painfully) how to rely on other people again. What makes her click is how earned every softening moment feels; the movie lets her stay guarded, messy, and stubborn for a long stretch instead of rushing a “lesson learned” speech. Even her humor has an edge to it, which helps Raya stand out in a lineup full of sparkle and sing-alongs. | © Disney

14. Snow White – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

It’s wild how much of the Disney princess “language” starts here: the gentle optimism, the woodland friendships, the idea that kindness is its own superpower. Snow White can read as passive in a modern binge, but her role is more influential than it gets credit for – she sets the emotional temperature of the entire film, turning a nightmare situation into something warm enough to survive. There’s also a quiet toughness in how she keeps moving forward, even when the world is clearly trying to swallow her. And as a pop-culture cornerstone, she’s basically immortal; so many later heroines are written in conversation with her, whether they’re copying her softness or rebelling against it. | © Disney

13. Aurora – Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Pastel gowns, a legendary villain, and a princess who’s more atmosphere than main character – that’s Aurora’s whole deal, for better and worse. She’s remembered less for big choices and more for the dreamy tone around her: the music-box romance, the forest waltz vibe, the fairytale elegance that basically defines “classic Disney” in one look. The catch is that she spends most of the story being acted upon, which can make her feel like a pretty symbol rather than a driver of the plot. Still, as an icon, Aurora is untouchable: the silhouette, the color wars, the sheer storybook purity. Sometimes being the template is its own kind of power. | © Disney

12. Cinderella – Cinderella (1950)

The endurance factor here is underrated: Cinderella’s appeal isn’t that she’s fearless, it’s that she keeps her dignity when everything around her is designed to grind it down. There’s a gentle steel to how she navigates cruelty with patience, clinging to small joys and a sense of self even when she’s treated like furniture. The fantasy elements do a lot of heavy lifting – glass slippers, pumpkin coach, the whole wish-fulfillment glow – but the character works because she isn’t just waiting; she’s surviving. And yes, she’s one of Disney’s most copied princess templates, which sometimes makes her feel “basic,” but that’s only because her blueprint became the genre’s default setting. | © Disney

11. Anna – Frozen (2013)

Chaos-goblin energy in a ballroom is Anna’s natural habitat, and it’s a big reason *Frozen* doesn’t feel like a stiff fairy tale. She’s impulsive, chatty, and constantly overcommitting – yet the movie treats those traits like real personality, not just “quirky” window dressing. What elevates her is how emotionally direct she is: she doesn’t hide what she wants, she says it, chases it, then learns the hard way that love isn’t always what you imagined. Anna also carries the story’s most human beats, because her optimism gets tested repeatedly and she still keeps choosing compassion. Even her goofiest moments tend to circle back into something sincere, which makes her easy to root for. | © Disney

10. Elsa – Frozen (2013)

Instead of chasing a prince or a happily-ever-after, Elsa spends most of *Frozen* wrestling with herself – and that internal war is exactly why she hit such a nerve. She’s not “bad,” not “misunderstood” in a cute way; she’s terrified of what she can do and convinced isolation is the only responsible choice. That’s a heavy, relatable hook for a Disney princess, and the movie leans into it with style, turning her solitude into spectacle without pretending it’s healthy. Elsa’s also one of the rare heroines whose power feels genuinely intimidating, not just sparkly. When she finally stops shrinking herself, it reads less like a fairy-tale twist and more like a personal breakthrough, which is why fans latched on so hard. | © Disney

9. Ariel – The Little Mermaid (1989)

Underwater teen rebellion has rarely looked this vibrant, and Ariel’s curiosity is the engine that makes the whole movie fly. She’s headstrong in a way that feels specifically young: the obsession with the surface, the collecting, the “I know better than my parents” certainty that gets her into trouble fast. People love to reduce her to “gave up her voice,” but Ariel’s defining trait is actually obsession – she’s the kind of Disney princess who wants something so badly she’ll sprint straight into danger to get it. That makes her thrilling and frustrating in equal measure, which is why she sticks. Her story also kicked off a new era of Disney animation energy, and Ariel became the face of it overnight. | © Disney

8. Merida – Brave (2012)

Arrows first, apologies later – Merida’s whole vibe is refusing to be politely managed, and *Brave* lets that stubborn streak drive the drama instead of treating it like a phase. She isn’t dreaming about a ballroom or a soulmate; she’s fighting for the right to define her own future, even when tradition is basically the air everyone breathes. What makes her stand out is how the movie frames “growing up” as a two-way street: Merida has to mature, sure, but the adults around her also have to loosen their grip. The mother-daughter tension gives her story teeth, and it’s why Merida feels more personal than princessy – messy feelings, bad decisions, then the hard work of making things right. | © Pixar Animation Studios

7. Pocahontas – Pocahontas (1995)

A sweeping “prestige Disney” vibe hangs over Pocahontas from the first frame – lush visuals, big dramatic music, and a heroine written to feel almost mythic. She’s calm, perceptive, and unusually grounded for a Disney princess, the kind who seems to listen to the world before she speaks. As a character, she’s compelling because she’s defined by judgment and restraint rather than impulsiveness; her strength is in reading people, sensing danger, and trying to stop a disaster before it becomes inevitable. The film’s real-world context is complicated, and that weight sits on the story whether you want it to or not, but it also means Pocahontas gets framed as a symbol of conscience and consequence in a way few other princesses do. | © Disney

6. Moana – Moana (2016)

The ocean literally picks Moana, then dares her to earn it – no romance subplot, no royal wedding, just a kid with a mission and the kind of courage that shows up when nobody else can. She’s written with a refreshing mix of confidence and uncertainty, the sort of heroine who can rally a demigod and still admit she’s terrified five minutes later. Moana’s best quality is her stubborn empathy: she pushes forward, but she also listens, adapts, and refuses to give up on people who clearly don’t deserve the patience. The film gives her agency in every major turn, so her victories feel like choices, not destiny doing the heavy lifting. By the end, she doesn’t become “worthy” by changing who she is – she proves she already was. | © Disney

5. Jasmine – Aladdin (1992)

Jasmine walks into her movie already fed up, and that impatience is her secret superpower. While the plot swirls around street chases and genie fireworks, she’s the character most allergic to being treated like a prize – especially by people who think a palace automatically means a cage with better curtains. Her scenes crackle because she’s blunt, perceptive, and willing to call out nonsense in a story full of men making big decisions loudly. Even when the film doesn’t always give her as much control as it should, Jasmine’s presence changes the temperature of every conversation; she’s not there to be impressed, she’s there to challenge the rules. That defiance is why she remains one of the most instantly recognizable princess personalities. | © Disney

Cropped tangled rapunzel — 4. Rapunzel – Tangled (2010)

A frying pan as a weapon, a paintbrush as therapy, and enough bottled-up curiosity to power the whole movie – Rapunzel is basically sunshine with teeth. What could’ve been a simple “girl leaves tower” story turns into a surprisingly sharp character study of someone realizing her entire life has been controlled, then pushing through fear anyway. She’s funny in a real, awkward way, bouncing between excitement and guilt like a pinball, and that energy makes the adventure feel lived-in instead of staged. Rapunzel also gets one of Disney’s most satisfying arcs because she doesn’t just escape – she learns to trust her instincts over manipulation, even when it hurts. It’s hard not to root for a princess whose big power is finally believing herself. | © Disney

3. Tiana - The Princess and the Frog (2009)

No one in the princess lineup hustles like Tiana – she’s got a dream, a plan, and the kind of work ethic that doesn’t wait for magic to show up on schedule. Her story flips the usual fantasy because the “wish” isn’t a prince, it’s a business, and that grounded goal makes everything feel tangible: late nights, small savings, big ambition. Tiana’s also refreshingly practical, the friend who rolls her eyes at nonsense until she’s forced to admit life isn’t only spreadsheets and willpower. The romance works because it pushes her to rethink what she’s been sacrificing, not because it rescues her from anything. She’s proof Disney can do a princess whose main love story is with her own future. | © Disney

2. Belle – Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Books aren’t just a hobby for Belle – they’re an escape hatch, a way of insisting the world is bigger than the little box her town keeps trying to shove her into. That quiet refusal to settle is what makes her compelling: she’s polite, but she’s never small, and she has the rare Disney trait of calling people out without raising her voice. Belle’s intelligence feels active, not decorative; she problem-solves, negotiates, and slowly redefines a monster through empathy that doesn’t excuse bad behavior. The best part is that she stays herself the entire time – curious, stubborn, and unimpressed by superficial charm – so the romance reads like a transformation built on real connection. Even decades later, she still feels like the princess most likely to walk out of the story and write a better one. | © Disney

1. Mulan – Mulan (1998)

Mulan earns her place at the top because she doesn’t “fit” the role she’s assigned, then refuses to let that mismatch break her. The stakes are immediate and brutal – this isn’t a sparkle-and-song kind of journey – yet she navigates it with brains first, bravery second, and a stubborn refusal to quit when the rules aren’t built for her. What makes her iconic is the way she weaponizes observation: she watches, learns, adapts, and turns other people’s assumptions into her advantage. The emotional core lands hard too, because she isn’t chasing glory; she’s trying to protect her family and keep her identity intact at the same time. Plenty of princesses inspire admiration – Mulan inspires respect, and that’s a different level entirely. | © Disney

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Glass slippers, swords, frying pans, poisoned apples – Disney’s princess roster is basically a pop-culture relay race, where each heroine hands the crown to the next era. Some characters feel like the moment Disney changed forever; others feel like the blueprint still drying.

So let’s treat this list like a full package – personality that pops, choices that actually move the story, staying power on a rewatch, and whether the movie would still work if you took the tiara away. From the princesses that never fully escape their own trope to the ones who rewrite it, we’re going worst to best.

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Glass slippers, swords, frying pans, poisoned apples – Disney’s princess roster is basically a pop-culture relay race, where each heroine hands the crown to the next era. Some characters feel like the moment Disney changed forever; others feel like the blueprint still drying.

So let’s treat this list like a full package – personality that pops, choices that actually move the story, staying power on a rewatch, and whether the movie would still work if you took the tiara away. From the princesses that never fully escape their own trope to the ones who rewrite it, we’re going worst to best.