Top 10 Best Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs have always sparked our imagination. Whether you grew up obsessing over fossils, watching movies like Jurassic Park, or reading about these prehistoric giants, dinosaurs are just plain fascinating. But let's be honest, not all dinosaurs are created equal in terms of sheer awesomeness. Some are huge and terrifying, others are strange and quirky, and a few are just downright cool to look at. So which ones stand out from the rest?

Do you think the towering, fierce Tyrannosaurus Rex deserves the top spot? Maybe you're a fan of the cunning and agile Velociraptor. Or perhaps the gentle, herbivorous giants like Triceratops or Stegosaurus are more your style.

The Top Ten

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Tyrannosaurus, meaning "tyrant lizard" from the Ancient Greek tyrannos ("tyrant") and sauros ("lizard"), is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur.
It had an extraordinary bite force, estimated at around 12,800 pounds (approximately 5,800 kilograms). This is considered the strongest known... read more

I believe, based on scientific facts, that the Tyrannosaurus Rex is what most people think of when someone mentions the ultimate predator. The Tyrannosaurus has every reason to be considered a predator.
First, its size suggests that it was a hunter. Why would it need such a huge size to be a scavenger? To scare off other scavengers? I think not. It is the only meat-eater of this size capable of fighting the prey living in the same region. Why would the Triceratops need its horns? Why did the Ankylosaurus need its tail club? Is it because of another mystery super predator that hasn't been discovered yet? Probably not.
A Tyrannosaur's jaws are not designed that way. Additionally, there is evidence of a Tyrannosaurus hunting a Triceratops. All of this establishes the Rex as the staple of the dinosaurs and the best, in my opinion. Happy reading!
Spinosaurus

Spinosaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now North Africa during the Lower Albian to Lower Cenomanian stages of the Cretaceous period, approximately 112 to 97 million years ago. It is notable for its distinctive sail-like structure on its back and semi-aquatic adaptations. Spinosaurus... read more

Spinosaurus is easily the ultimate carnivorous land animal. Tyrannosaurus is unfortunately prone to heaps of misinformation by its exuberant fanbase.
Spinosaurus had arms powerful enough to cut through the thick, scaly flesh of swordfish that could grow past 8 meters in length. It is also known to have shared its environment with Carcharodontosaurus, which is known to have easily rivaled Tyrannosaurus in size. Although not widely accepted, the upper weight range of Spinosaurus is over twice that of Tyrannosaurus, at 20 tonnes.
Despite being an undoubtedly formidable creature, the people who say Tyrannosaurus could win a confrontation with Spinosaurus are the exact same people who would say that their home football team is the ultimate football team. It's called cognitive bias.
Velociraptor

Velociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived about 75 to 71 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period. It is known for its agility and intelligence compared to other dinosaurs of its time. Velociraptors had sharp claws and teeth which they used to hunt prey.

Contrary to popular belief, the Velociraptor was not a sleek, door-opening creature. He was feathery, agile, and quick. However, the Jurassic Park version of Velociraptor is fake. Let's face it, Hollywood stretches the truth.
Trust me, Jurassic Park is one of my favorite movies, but it's not a Velociraptor. It's a Deinonychus. No dinosaur ever had the intelligence of a primate, either. Even the smartest dino, Troodon, was as smart as a newborn kitten. The so-called "Clever Girl" is still one of the most amazing dinosaurs. Speedy and vicious, Velociraptors were ferocious and could scare the daylights out of most people.

Velociraptors are the best! I have not only watched Jurassic Park and Jurassic World, but I have also done extensive research on them for assignments and also out of interest. I will never know as much about them as I want to, and I also want to make clear that I am in no way an expert. But that doesn't stop me loving them for being extremely smart and unique.
Triceratops

Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago in what is now North America. It is known for its large bony frill and three distinct facial horns. Triceratops was one of the last... read more

Triceratops is a dinosaur that gets upstaged by Spinosaurus. It's been around the same time as T. rex and is one of the few dinosaurs that might kill it. Triceratops also connected with audiences when one of them got sick. I think Triceratops should at least get 2nd place and Spinosaurus 5th because Spinosaurus lived most of its time in water.

This thing has three super-sharp, keratin-tipped horns! Scientists agree that they were probably for display, but if I had three-foot-long horns, I would not stop to think, "Wait, my horns are for display purposes only." Rather, I would gut whatever giant carnivore was trying to get at my insides.
Ankylosaurus

Ankylosaurus is a genus of armored dinosaur known for its distinctive club-like tail and body covered in bony plates. Fossils have been found in geological formations from the late Cretaceous Period, approximately 68 to 66 million years ago, in western North America. This places it among the last non-avian... read more

Ankylosaurus is a living tank. With armor plates harder than bone, the only way it could be killed is if it was struck on the leg and rolled over so its underbelly is showing (its only weak spot). Plus, it's got a tail that could literally break a T-Rex's leg. By far, it is the most balanced defensive and offensive dinosaur ever! Super cool and dope.

This dinosaur is armored like a tank and had a massive tail club. No predator could kill it when it was fully grown, not even T. rex or other ankylosaurs.
Stegosaurus

Stegosaurus is a type of armored dinosaur. Fossil remains have been found in rocks dated to the Late Jurassic period, between 155 and 150 million years ago, in the western United States and Portugal. It is known for its distinctive double row of kite-shaped plates along its back and spiked tail, which... read more

I think Stegosaurus should be in the top 3. Just because it had a small brain doesn't mean it was stupid. You shouldn't mess with it because of the thagomizer.
The plates also helped show carnivores who's boss. So, I would suggest putting Stegosaurus in 3rd and Velociraptor in 4th.

Oh, damn, my boy Steggy over here. He was my favorite since I was a kid. Those spikes on his back and tail are just so badass, in my opinion.
Together with Styracosaurus in a well-deserved second place, these are probably my favorite herbivores ever.
Parasaurolophus

Parasaurolophus is a genus of herbivorous ornithopod dinosaurs that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, approximately 76.5 to 74.5 million years ago. It is known for its long, backward-curving cranial crest, which may have been used for visual display or sound production. Fossils... read more

It was always my favorite when I was a kid and it is still my favorite now. I've always loved herbivorous dinosaurs that had a unique quality, and the Parasaurolophus was no exception. If their awesome horn is filled with water, they can make a loud noise to warn the herd that a predator is coming. That, to me, is pretty amazing.

I've always loved this dinosaur! It was always my favorite, and it is still my favorite now, all because of that awesome horn. If it fills the horn with water, it can let out a loud yell to warn its herd that a predator is coming.
Also, after rewatching Jurassic Park III, I was reminded that Parasaurolophuses are a lot bigger than they're made out to be and excellent at herding.
Brachiosaurus

Brachiosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic, around 154 to 153 million years ago. It is notable for its long neck, which allowed it to reach vegetation high in trees, and its forelimbs, which were longer than its hind limbs, giving it a giraffe-like... read more

If I were to have a pet dinosaur, this is it. Yes, we know you would rather have a Raptor or Triceratops, but I'm going with Brachio because I can ride on his neck and get an awesome view.

This dinosaur is a vegetarian and has a long neck, but it can't fight.

I was amazed by this creature when I watched Jurassic Park.
Allosaurus

Allosaurus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived approximately 155 to 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period. It was one of the top predators of its time and is often found in the fossil-rich Morrison Formation in North America. Allosaurus had strong jaws and sharp teeth suited... read more

People who vote for Tyrannosaurus Rex annoy me because if they actually did their research, they'd probably vote for Allosaurus. I don't care how big Tyrannosaurus was - a healthy human could outrun it. But Allosaurus, although smaller, was still impressive at 1-3 tonnes and could (very easily) catch a human.
How do I know this? According to paleontologists, there is substantial evidence that, based on the skeletal design of Allosaurus, it could have possibly run at over 20 mph. We like to think of Tyrannosaurus as the ultimate predator, but it was slow and cumbersome. Meanwhile, Allosaurus was reasonably large and fast, making it a far more formidable predator in my opinion.
Carcharodontosaurus

Carcharodontosaurus is a genus of carnivorous carcharodontosaurid dinosaurs that lived approximately 100 to 94 million years ago, during the Cenomanian stage of the mid-Cretaceous Period. It was among the largest theropods, comparable in size to Tyrannosaurus rex. Fossils have been found in North Africa... read more

Carcharodontosaurus was the first dinosaur that only I knew about. I was the only kid who knew what a Carcharodontosaurus would have eaten, how tall it was, how much it weighed, everything. Even now, I love Carcharodontosaurus.
Oh, and I used to always complain that it wasn't in any Jurassic Park films. And even now, I still complain about how the Indominus Rex isn't part Carcharodontosaurus.

This dinosaur is super underrated. To any of the people saying Carcharodontosaurus is overrated (how?), this dinosaur hasn't been in a JP movie and hasn't been a main protagonist or antagonist. It hasn't been getting as much attention as T. Rex, Spino, Velociraptor, and Triceratops. This dinosaur needs more love. Definitely underrated.

The Newcomers

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Gallimimus

Despite their most famous moment in any movie being eaten by a T. rex, I still appreciate the chicken mimic.
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Deltadromeus

I'm surprised no one else knows this one. It might just be me being a bit of a dinosaur know-it-all, actually. Oh well. ;) This dino is from the same family as the Giganotosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus, but it also looks like a giant raptor.

The Contenders

Giganotosaurus

Giganotosaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now Argentina during the early Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 99.6 to 97 million years ago. It was one of the largest known terrestrial carnivores and may have exceeded the size of Tyrannosaurus rex. Fossil... read more

Ever since I saw the "Walking with Dinosaurs" special "Land of Giants," I have loved Giganotosaurus. This was when I was in kindergarten, about 12 years ago. He is big. He is mean. He hunted the largest dinosaur of all time, as far as we know. Plus, if he wasn't cool enough already, it is believed that they hunted in packs.
Picture "Jurassic Park" with a T. Rex that is slightly bigger, slightly less bulky, and then add in anywhere from 2-5 more of them. That would be a hell of a movie.

Giganotosaurus is awesome! He makes T. Rex look puny and is more heavily built and has a stronger bite force than Spinosaurus. Giganotosaurus is, in my opinion, the most powerful theropod ever to walk the Earth.
Utahraptor

Utahraptor is a genus of large theropod dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Period. It includes the species Utahraptor ostrommaysorum, which is the largest known member of the family Dromaeosauridae. Fossils have been discovered in the Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah, and the species is estimated to... read more

The Utahraptor is so, so cool! They are by far my favorite dinosaur. I could talk about them all day!
I have always loved the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movies, even though I know they can be very inaccurate. Those movies got me interested in dinosaurs, and so I decided to start researching them. I read so many websites and books, and I LOVE all dinosaurs, but Utahraptor definitely remains my favorite.
It was the biggest raptor at about 20 feet, and it is thought to have been very fast and very intelligent as well. In addition, the sickle claw they are known for was nearly a foot long! They really were just killing machines, and if I ever had the chance to go see one, I would happily take it. I would die happy.
Carnotaurus

Carnotaurus, meaning "meat-eating bull" in Latin, is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now South America about 70 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. It is known for its distinctive horns above the eyes and extremely reduced forelimbs. Carnotaurus was one... read more

Like Carcharodontosaurus, this dinosaur was one of my favorites growing up. While it is my 5th favorite instead of number two behind Carcharodontosaurus, I still love this dinosaur.
Carnotaurus reminds me of myself, super fast, one of the fastest in my class and school.

Just like Carcharodontosaurus, it was one of my favorite childhood dinosaurs, behind Carcharodontosaurus. Although it's not in my top 5 favorite dinosaurs anymore due to my aging, I still love this dinosaur.

I find this guy to look cool, and he's a great hunter. He was great in the movie Dinosaur from 2000. Something I don't like about Jurassic Park is that they don't have a variety of dinosaurs, mainly just Tyrannosaurus and Spinosaurus.
Dilophosaurus

Dilophosaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur. It includes a single confirmed species, Dilophosaurus wetherilli, which lived during the Early Jurassic period. Fossils have been found in the Kayenta Formation of Arizona.

This guy is like a Velociraptor, but a little better. His frills make him look extra intimidating, and his venom can blind opponents!

Although it didn't have a frill, it's still an awesome dinosaur, with those crests and the fact that it didn't have binocular vision.

If you have seen Jurassic Park, it has misled you. It was 20 feet, not 5 feet. It also wasn't poisonous, but it was deadly.
Pachycephalosaurus

Pachycephalosaurus is a genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. Fossils of this genus have been found in North America, including in Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming. It is best known for its thick, dome-shaped skull, which may have been used in head-butting... read more

I don't really care if they used their domes for display or if they butted heads or flanks. It's still a really interesting animal.

I wish I were one of them so I could knock anything down. Plus, I wouldn't have gotten a concussion in the first place.

Great dino, should be in top ten.
Diplodocus

Diplodocus is a genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaurs whose fossils were first discovered in 1877 by S. W. Williston. It lived during the Late Jurassic period, about 154 to 152 million years ago, in what is now North America. Diplodocus is known for its long neck and tail, and it was one of the longest... read more

When I was a young boy, I mentioned this dinosaur to my friend's grandfather, who told me I had mispronounced its name. I proved him wrong and felt proud of myself. That incident, long ago, has endeared me to the creature.

Diplodocus was 100 - 180 feet long and had spikes all over the top of its body. It could swing its tail at 250 miles per hour.

Diplodocus is awesome! His tail had spikes like an iguana, and he used it like a whip to cut enemies!
Argentinosaurus

Argentinosaurus is a genus of giant titanosaur sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period. It is known from fragmentary remains discovered in the Huincul Formation of Neuquén Province in Argentina. The first fossils were found in 1987 by rancher Guillermo Heredia, and the dinosaur was formally... read more

This absolute goliath of an animal definitely needs a significantly higher placement on the list. Like, really? Microraptor? It's literally just a bird with four wings. And let's face it, all the options above it may be more popular, but in terms of size, Argentinosaurus dwarfs all of them.
Recent estimates clock in at 75-80 metric tons, with the closest being Brachiosaurus at 50-60 metric tons. It would be absolutely breathtaking to see this beast in person. Underrated by the general audience, no doubt.

I think it was like, I don't know, 35 to 50 meters long. Easily the biggest dino ever discovered so far. But I don't know why it's not popular.
I went to a museum and it had an Argentinosaurus bone. But there was nobody near it. When I looked down from the mammoth skull on the second floor, still no one near it. Why does the biggest carnivore (the Spinosaurus) get second, but the biggest dino and the biggest herbivore get less than 30 votes?
Corythosaurus

Corythosaurus is a genus of hadrosaurid "duck-billed" dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous Period, about 77 to 75.7 million years ago. It lived in what is now North America. Its name means "helmet lizard," derived from Greek.
Troodon

Troodon is a dubious genus of relatively small, bird-like dinosaurs known from the Campanian age of the Cretaceous period. The best-known species, Troodon formosus, is based on fossils found in Montana. However, its classification remains uncertain due to the limited and fragmentary nature of the fossil... read more

Troodon, just like it did 65 million years ago, lurks in the shadows of society. But eventually, there is no hiding from this killing machine. It possesses everything Velociraptor was famous for, taken to the extreme. Bigger, smarter, and even more deadly, these little demons were survivors.
While they did go extinct (we hope), they were improvisational and clever, even feeding on the fruit of plants if nothing else was available. But don't let that fool you. Troodon would still be much happier to rip off your face and snack on your heart than chew on leaves. It is only a matter of time before this crafty killer comes out of hiding and gets the credit it deserves from society.
Deinonychus

If your favorite dinosaur is the Velociraptor from Jurassic Park, then vote for Deinonychus! Real raptors were small, feathered, probably hunted alone, and were not intelligent. They appear that way in the books and movies due to a misclassification of the Deinonychus as a subspecies of Velociraptor.
The Deinonychus is what you saw in Jurassic Park. They still weren't the smartest dinosaurs (that's the Troodon), but they were smart enough to hunt together.

Deinonychus has a big curved claw on each toe for injuring its prey, like in Jurassic Park. Velociraptors were smaller, half the size of Deinonychus. Deinonychus is one of my favorite raptors.
Brontosaurus/Apatosaurus

I liked these dinos, but recently in 2015, Brontosaurus was officially made valid again thanks to extensive research in April 2015 after the people who did the research found differences between it and Apatosaurus in the original bones. But despite the research and the differences found in the bones, which are the neck, shoulder blade, and, of course, the ankles, some people don't agree with the research and still decide to keep Brontosaurus as a synonym of Apatosaurus.

It was 70-80 feet long and 23-26 feet tall, and weighed 30-34 tons.
Oviraptor

Oviraptor is a genus of small theropod dinosaurs that lived in what is now Mongolia. It was discovered by technician George Olsen during an expedition led by Roy Chapman Andrews and was described by Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1924.... read more

Babies are cute, but adults would shriek at you, so you would be irritated.

It is cute. One of the cutest dinosaurs I've ever seen.
Monolophosaurus

This is one of the most lit things ever on Earth. It looks kind of like a raptor.

It ate almost anything. It was super strong and super fast.

Mindset of a psycho, speed and body of a raptor, and epic teeth like a T. rex. This deserves more love.
Therizinosaurus

Therizinosaurus is a genus of giant therizinosaurid dinosaurs that lived in what is now Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous period, around 70 million years ago. It was discovered in the Nemegt Formation and is especially known for its extremely long claws, which could grow up to three feet in length... read more

This is my favorite dinosaur. I don't care if it isn't a carnivore. This thing is awesome! It's armed with claws that can easily rip other dinosaurs open, and it is much bigger than your fan-favorite Tyrannosaurus rex.
So yeah, that's why I love this thing.

Well, duh. They are my favorite dinosaur! Those huge claws weren't used for nothing. They were used to cut plants for food and also to kill others. They weren't carnivores, but they were just as vicious.

The Joe Frazier of the dinosaur world. If I were a tyrannosaur, I would not want to try to kill one of these.
Dakotaraptor

Dakotaraptor is a genus of large carnivorous theropod dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of North America. It was discovered in the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota and formally described in 2015. Dakotaraptor is notable for being one of the largest known dromaeosaurids.

I like Utahraptor and Deinonychus too, but Dakotaraptor appeals just a bit more to me. It's bigger than Deinonychus, but with a more agile build than Utahraptor. Plus, it's from Hell Creek, meaning it rubbed shoulders with such dino celebrities as Ankylosaurus, Triceratops, and T-Rex!
(By the way, Velociraptor is overhyped - only about the size of a coyote.)

This guy competes with the more popular Utahraptor for the title of "world's biggest raptor."

Looks like a hawk. A dinosaur variant of a hawk?