The short answer: yes, they are the same product. Perler is a brand; fuse beads is the generic name. You will also see them called melty beads, iron beads, or hama beads. All of them are 5 mm plastic tubes that fuse when ironed, and they fit the same pegboards.
Searching for patterns can get confusing when the same craft has four different names. Here is the naming map so you always find what you need.
The names explained
- Perler beads: named after Perler, the biggest brand in the US.
- Fuse beads: the generic term, most common in the US.
- Melty beads: the same thing, popular in UK and Australia.
- Hama beads: named after Hama, the big European brand.
- Iron beads: translation of the German term Buegelperlen.
All of these describe the same craft: 5 mm plastic beads arranged on a pegboard and melted with an iron. Patterns are interchangeable between names. Our free pattern library works with any brand, and our Perler vs Hama guide explains the small differences between the two biggest brands, like color ranges and availability.