Best Fortnite Emotes: The Greatest Dances and Taunts, Ranked

How we ranked the best Fortnite emotes

This is an editorial ranking, not usage data. In October 2026 we read the main community vote rankings, including fortnite.gg's, and the editorial best-emote guides that rank for this search, from Dot Esports, Insider Gaming and Gamers Decide, and kept the emotes that show up across several of them. Ties were broken in favour of emotes you can still get.

Prices, first and last Item Shop dates and shop counts come from fnbr.co; rarity, sets, introduction seasons and the in-game descriptions from fortnite-api.com. Both were read on 28 October 2026. Where the two sources disagree on the season an emote was introduced, we print no season rather than pick one.

The best Fortnite emotes, ranked

1. Orange Justice

Orange Justice tops this ranking of the best Fortnite emotes because nobody mistakes it for anything else. The bouncing, arm-pumping routine began as a young fan's entry to Epic's 2018 Boogie Down contest and was added as the tier-26 Battle Pass reward of Chapter 1 Season 4. It has never been in the Item Shop, so the only owners are players who levelled that pass. It is short, loud and readable from across a build, community voters rank it first, and two editorial guides include it.

2. Take The L

Take the L is the original Fortnite taunt: an L on the forehead and a skipping leg kick over a knocked opponent. It was the tier-31 Battle Pass reward of Chapter 1 Season 3 and has never been sold, which makes it a badge of an account that dates back to early 2018. Its in-game description, "Savor the W.", sums up the attitude. Community voters put it second among the best emotes, and two editorial guides include it.

3. Get Griddy

Get Griddy brought a football touchdown celebration into the game. The dance was created by Allen "Griddy" Davis and made famous in the NFL by Justin Jefferson, and it arrived as an Icon Series emote in Chapter 2 Season 6. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 96 times since April 2021, most recently on 25 September 2026, so it is one of the easiest of the best Fortnite emotes to buy. The heel taps and goggle hands are simple to read, and the description is "Keep your eye on the end zone."

4. Floss

The Floss is probably the most recognisable dance Fortnite ever shipped. The hip-and-arm swing made famous by the Backpack Kid was the tier-49 reward of the Chapter 1 Season 2 Battle Pass, the first pass the game had, and it has never appeared in the Item Shop. In 2018 it spread far beyond the game, which is a big part of its staying power. As a dance it is simple and a little dated now, but community voters still rank it among the five best Fortnite dances.

5. Laugh It Up

Laugh It Up is the purest taunt in the locker: your character doubles over laughing and points. Two of the editorial guides we read put it first or near the top of their best emotes, mostly for how well it lands after an elimination. It cost 500 V-Bucks and was in the shop 39 times between June 2018 and 19 May 2022, but not since, more than four years ago. That makes it one of the harder classics to own today, and it is why it sits fifth rather than higher.

6. Boogie Down

Boogie Down is the winning entry from Epic's 2018 Boogie Down contest, and its description still credits the winner: "Boogie Down with Populotus." It is also the one emote in this top ten that every player can still get for free, by turning on two-factor authentication for an Epic account. It has never been sold. The routine is upbeat and smooth, it suits any outfit, and two editorial guides we read include it among the best emotes.

7. Scenario

Scenario is the choreography from iKON's K-pop hit "Love Scenario", and it came with the IKONIK outfit as a Samsung promotion for the Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e in Chapter 1 Season 8. It has never been sold in the Item Shop, so it is effectively locked to accounts that redeemed that 2019 offer. Community voters place it near the very top of the best Fortnite emotes: the moves are crisp, the song is catchy, and its description, "Make it happen.", suits a dance that works with almost any outfit.

8. Fresh

Fresh is the Carlton-style dance from Fortnite's first year: shoulder shimmy, swinging arms, big grin. It cost 800 V-Bucks and was in the shop 30 times between 16 December 2017 and 21 November 2018, and it has not been back since. That near-eight-year absence has made it one of the most recognisable emotes nobody can buy, which partly explains why community voters rate it among their five best dances. It still holds up: quick, playful and tied to Chapter 1 in a way few later emotes are.

9. Billy Bounce

Billy Bounce is one of the best Fortnite dances without a licence: a jaunty, bouncing two-step with one of the catchiest tunes in the emote wheel. It arrived in Chapter 1 Season 9 and costs 500 V-Bucks; it has been in the shop 84 times since May 2019, most recently on 2 October 2026, so it is easy to buy when it rotates. Its description, "You do you.", fits the loose movement. It ranks above newer licensed dances because it has kept its place among the best emotes for seven years without any celebrity attached.

10. Last Forever

Last Forever is the best-known synced emote: when one player starts it, nearby squadmates can join in and dance in step, even if they do not own it. The song and dance come from the duo Ayo & Teo, whose Rollie emote went on sale the same day. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 106 times since September 2020, most recently on 4 August 2026. Its description, "Who said love don't last forever?", sets the tone: this is a lobby and end-of-match emote more than a taunt.

11. Gangnam Style

Gangnam Style is PSY's horse-riding dance, licensed as an Icon Series emote in Chapter 2 Season 5. Its description, "Pony up and ride.", is the whole idea: the hop, the crossed wrists, a song everyone already knows. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 118 times since January 2021, more than any other emote in this ranking, most recently on 6 August 2026. It showed how well an old pop moment could work in a lobby, which is why it still makes lists of the best Fortnite emotes.

12. The Renegade

The Renegade is the TikTok dance created by Jalaiah Harmon, brought to Fortnite as an Icon Series emote in Chapter 2 Season 3. It is a fast run of arm waves, hip moves and hand gestures that looks busy in the best way, and it was one of the first viral TikTok dances to get an official emote. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 93 times since July 2020, most recently on 10 August 2026. Its two-word description, "Win big.", is the right mood for one of the best dances of that era.

13. Phone It In

Phone It In is the saxophone emote: your character pulls out a sax and plays a smooth solo, which the description sums up as "Lay down a saxy groove." It arrived in Chapter 1 Season 6 at 800 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 63 times since December 2018, most recently on 21 June 2026. The sound is the selling point. It is one of the few emotes that works as a joke in almost any situation, from a lobby wait to a final-circle win, and an editorial list of the best emotes includes it for that reason.

14. Dance Moves

Dance Moves is the default emote every account has owned since launch, and that is exactly why it belongs among the best Fortnite emotes. The goofy, flailing routine was the Fortnite dance of the game's first year, and two of the editorial lists we read still include it. It costs nothing, cannot be lost and is recognised by anyone who has played even once. As a taunt it has a self-aware quality paid emotes cannot copy: using the free dance after a win says the skill did the talking.

15. Rollie

Rollie is Ayo & Teo's dance to their song "Rolex", released alongside Last Forever as an Icon Series emote in Chapter 2 Season 4. The arm rolls and footwork are smooth and quick, and its description, "Dab of ranch not included.", is one of the better jokes in the locker. At 500 V-Bucks, it has been in the shop 110 times since September 2020, most recently on 26 August 2026. It is a good pick if you want one of the best dances of the TikTok era that still looks current.

16. Crowning Achievement

Crowning Achievement is the emote you earn rather than buy. It arrived with Victory Crowns in Chapter 3 Season 1, and it shows a crown along with the number of crowned wins you have earned in the current season, as Epic's help centre describes. That turns a simple flourish into a statement, which is why it appears among the best emotes despite never being sold. Its description is just "Oooh, sparkly.", and that is the right tone: it is a brag, and everyone in the lobby knows what it means.

17. Bye Bye Bye

Bye Bye Bye brings the *NSYNC hit into the lobby, and community voters rate it among the ten best emotes in the game. The catch is availability: it cost 500 V-Bucks and was in the shop only six times, from 24 to 29 September 2024, and it has not been back in more than two years. That is why it ranks lower here than its popularity alone would suggest. The sharp choreography and farewell wave make it a natural end-of-fight emote; the description reads "Ciao, au revoir, sayonara... you get the idea."

18. Go Mufasa

Go Mufasa is one of a pair of Icon Series dances that arrived together in November 2020, alongside Jabba Switchway, and it has stayed a fixture of community rankings of the best Fortnite emotes ever since. Its description, "I did it legit-ly.", hints at the swagger of the routine. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 37 times since then, most recently on 2 August 2026. Without a huge pop licence behind it, it relies on the dance itself, and voters rate it above several far better-known collaborations.

19. Jabba Switchway

Jabba Switchway is Go Mufasa's same-day stablemate and the more frequent of the two in the shop: 51 times since November 2020, most recently on 22 August 2026, at 500 V-Bucks. Its description, "I'm a little bit different. They get it.", fits an emote whose appeal is the dance rather than a celebrity name. Community voters place it in their top 20 of all emotes, notable for a routine with no major licence. If you want one of the best dances that comes back regularly, it is one of the safer buys.

20. Real Slim Shady

Real Slim Shady turns Eminem's 2000 hit into an emote. It went on sale on 30 November 2023, during Fortnite OG, as part of the Eminem set that arrived with the rapper's Big Bang concert. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 88 times since, most recently on 10 October 2026, which makes it one of the most available licensed emotes in this ranking. The description, "Be the Realest.", plays on the chorus, and the emote delivers what the best emotes need: instant recognition.

21. Electro Swing

Electro Swing mixes an old-school swing dance with an electronic beat, which is exactly what its description promises: "Brand new groove, old school swing." It arrived in Chapter 1 Season 6 at 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 83 times since October 2018, most recently on 1 September 2026. It is light and bouncy with a strong melody, and like Billy Bounce it has lasted without any licence. If you want an older non-collab emote that still feels fresh, this is one of the best Fortnite emotes and one of the easiest to find.

22. I'm a Mystery

I'm a Mystery comes from page 1 of the Chapter 5 Season 1 Battle Pass, part of The Underground set, and it has never been sold. Community voters rank it far above most pass emotes of its era, which is the main reason it is here; its description, "You don't know me.", sets the teasing tone. It is likely to stay hard to get: per Epic's stated policy as reported, only pass items from Chapter 5 Season 4 onward can return after 18 months, and this one predates that window.

23. Best Mates

Best Mates is a Chapter 1 Season 3 Battle Pass emote, from tier 63, that has never appeared in the Item Shop. The goofy routine became a meme in early Fortnite, and its description, "Who's your best mate?", keeps it friendly rather than toxic. It still marks an account that was active in early 2018. It is less useful as a taunt than Take the L, but as a nostalgia pick it is one of the best emotes there is, and community voters keep it in their top 40.

24. The Worm

The Worm is exactly what it sounds like: your character drops to the floor and ripples along it. It was the tier-28 reward of the Chapter 1 Season 2 Battle Pass and has never been sold, so it belongs to accounts that date back to the winter of 2017–18. On the ground it is surprisingly readable, and committing to a full floor routine in the middle of a match is part of the joke. With the Floss, it is one of the best dances from that first pass.

25. Starlit

Starlit is a more recent Icon Series emote, first sold on 2 October 2023 in Chapter 4 Season 4, and it has become a community favourite since. "Bust a move by moonlight." is its description, and its appeal is a routine that suits the lobby more than the battlefield. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 41 times, most recently on 3 October 2026, so it is easy to get. It is one of the highest-rated Chapter 4 dances in community voting, ahead of many bigger licences.

26. Rushin' Around

Rushin' Around sets a high-energy dance to "Rasputin", the Boney M. disco classic, and its description quotes the song's opening line: "There lived a certain man..." It became an Icon Series emote in Chapter 2 Season 8 and costs 500 V-Bucks. It has been in the shop 34 times since September 2021, most recently on 5 July 2026. The song is a reliable crowd-pleaser in a squad lobby, which explains its steady place in community rankings of the best emotes, and it is one of the funnier ways to celebrate a win.

27. Get Lucky

Get Lucky is part of the Daft Punk set added in Chapter 6 Season 5, and its icon shows a full band on stage behind the dancer, which sets it apart from most emotes. It costs 500 V-Bucks, first went on sale on 26 September 2025 alongside its set-mate Around the World, and has been in the shop 23 times since, most recently on 6 July 2026. The song needs no introduction, and community voters rank both Daft Punk emotes in their top 15. Get Lucky is the more versatile of the two.

28. T-Pose

T-Pose is the cheapest meme in the shop: a rigid, arms-out stance that copies the default pose of an unanimated 3D model. Its description, "Chin up, arms straight!", is as dry as the emote. At 200 V-Bucks, it has been in the shop 55 times since October 2018, most recently on 25 June 2026, which makes it the best-value pick among the best Fortnite emotes. It is funny precisely because it does nothing, it reads clearly from any distance, and one of the editorial guides we read includes it.

29. Stay Afloat

Stay Afloat is the floating emote from The Kid LAROI set: your character leans back and drifts, which its description puts as "Just relax and let it carry you away..." It cost 300 V-Bucks and was in the shop 48 times between 1 February and 29 November 2023, and it has not been back since. The effect is unusual and looks great in screenshots, which is why one editorial list of the best emotes included it, but almost three years out of the shop keep it near the bottom of this ranking.

30. Rambunctious

Rambunctious closes the list of the best Fortnite emotes as a strong pick that is hard to buy. It is a high-energy Chapter 1 Season 4 dance, "The embodiment of boundless energy." in Epic's words, and community voters still rate it in their top 20 alongside far newer emotes. It cost 500 V-Bucks, but it was in the shop only eight times, from 9 June 2018 to 7 December 2022. If it returns, it is worth grabbing; until then it is a reminder of how good some early Item Shop emotes were.

Which of the best Fortnite emotes can you still get?

The emotes here that have been sold in the Item Shop can only be bought when they rotate in: the shop resets every day at 00:00 UTC, and the dates above are history, not a schedule. Most cost 500 V-Bucks. Several have not been back for years, among them Fresh (November 2018), Laugh It Up (May 2022), Stay Afloat (November 2023) and Bye Bye Bye (September 2024), so a past price is no promise of a return.

Some are free today: Dance Moves is the default, Boogie Down is the reward for turning on two-factor authentication, and Crowning Achievement comes with the Victory Crown. The free skins guide lists the other free rewards that can still be claimed, and the V-Bucks price guide shows what 500 V-Bucks costs in real money.

Pairing an emote with an outfit

A taunt reads best on a clean silhouette, which is why competitive players pair Take the L or Laugh It Up with slim outfits; the sweaty skins guide covers that loadout. For the outfits themselves, see our ranking of the best Fortnite skins.