Abstract In the present work we study and compare the crystallization behavior of Fe- and Co-based good bulk glass formers with an exceptionally high glass-forming ability leading to the critical thickness of cast samples reaching 1 cm. For Fe-based alloys we also investigate the effect of opposite C/B content ratio on the glass-forming ability and the crystallization behavior. The structure and phase composition of the glassy samples were examined by conventional X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy while thermal stability and phase transformations were studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The reasons for high glass-forming ability are discussed. The glass-forming ability of the studied alloys depends on both factors: the type of crystallization reaction and characteristic temperatures.