These days, it feels like there’s a subscription box out there for everything. With the click of a button, you can get anything from snacks to socks, nail polish to pet toys delivered to your door. But which programs offer the best products for the best value? We did some research and found 14 subscription boxes that have both.
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1) BARK BOX (available at barkbox.com)
Bark Box
What is it? A monthly box for pets that includes all-natural treats and high-quality toys (most of which can’t be found at typical big-box pet stores). Choose between a small, medium or large box depending on your dog’s breed. Ten percent of BarkBox proceeds benefit dog shelters and rescue organizations.
Bottom line: These boxes are packed with goodies for your furry friend. A recent box contained six items, including three toys and three snacks.
Cost: $29 for one box, $24 a month for three months or $19 a month for six months. Shipping is free. Bark Box is offering an exclusive deal for ALL YOU readers. Receive 10% off any Bark Box subscription by signing up through this link.
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2) BIKE LOOT (available at bikeloot.com)
Bike Loot
What is it? A monthly subscription box for cycling enthusiasts containing a mix of healthy snacks and fitness products designed to help you “ride faster, stronger and healthier,” according to the company’s “Chief Loot Officer” Brandon Bussell. Bonus: All items are designed and manufactured in the U.S.
Bottom line: This is a fairly inexpensive subscription program and if you’re a cyclist, a useful way to discover new products for a fraction of what they’d cost in stores.
Cost: $11 a month for a month-by-month subscription, $10 a month for a three-month subscription or $9 a month for a six-month subscription. Shipping is an additional $3.99 a month. Bike Loot is also offering an exclusive discount to ALL YOU readers for $5 off any subscription (excluding gift boxes). Use the code “ALLYOU” at checkout.
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3) BIRCHBOX (available at birchbox.com)
BirchBox
What is it? Chances are, you’re already pretty familiar with Birchbox, which was one of the first companies to popularize subscription boxes. Receive skincare and makeup samples each month, as well as non-beauty extras.
Bottom line: Most of the products are truly sample- or deluxe-sized, so if you’re looking for quantity, this may not be the subscription for you. But the price is among the lowest of the beauty boxes, and gaining membership to the Birchbox loyalty program is an additional incentive: Earn rewards when you shop, refer friends or give feedback on your samples, then redeem them for full-sized products.
Cost: $10 a month including shipping for women, $20 a month for men.
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4) BLUUM BOX (available at bluum.com)
Bluum
What is it? Receive a customized variety of goodies for children up to age five, such as lotion, food, clothing, toys and apps. All products are organic and responsibly manufactured.
Bottom line: “Customized” is an understatement here: “Every baby and mom’s situation is different, so we want to make sure moms receive the most relevant products at the best timing,” says Bluum co-founder and COO Sebastian Reichelt. “Each box we send out is literally differently customized by baby’s age, gender, developmental stages and lifestyle choices of the mother.”
Cost: $25 for one month, $23 a month for three months or $21 a month for six months. Shipping is free, and you can earn discounts for referring friends. Bluum is also offering an exclusive discount for ALL YOU readers for $10 off your first month (for new subscribers only). Get the deal by signing up through this link.
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5) CITRUS LANE (available at citruslane.com)
Citrus Lane
What is it? A monthly subscription box for children containing five to six toys and snacks from well-known brands like aden + anais and SkipHop. The products are selected by age (baby, toddler or pre-schooler).
Bottom line: This box is a great value for the products included, especially if you choose the annual subscription option.
Cost: $29 a month for a month-by-month subscription, $24 a month for three months, $21 a month for six months or $19 a month for a year. Shipping is included.
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6) E.L.F. BEAUTY BUNDLE (available at beautybundle.eyeslipsface.com)
e.l.f. Beauty Bundle
What is it? Receive 8-12 full-sized e.l.f. products every eight weeks. Each bundle contains at least $40 worth of products.
Bottom line: If you love and regularly use e.l.f. makeup, this subscription could be worth investing in. Unlike many other beauty boxes, e.l.f.’s Beauty Bundle frequently includes tools in addition to product such as makeup brushes or eyelash curlers.
Cost: $19.99 every eight weeks plus shipping.
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7) GLAM BOX (available at glamboxes.net)
GLAM Box
What is it? A monthly beauty box with a mix of makeup, spa products and edible treats, the majority of which are either organic, all-natural, cruelty-free and from small businesses. Each box contains a minimum of five products.
Bottom line: This company truly adds a personal touch. Boxes are hand-packed by owner Zerlina Bonner, who says that since she personally puts them together herself, she’s happy to fulfill subscriber requests (such as avoiding an ingredient they’re allergic to).
Cost: $10 a month plus $5 shipping in the U.S. One-time boxes are also available for $15 a month plus $5 shipping.
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8) GLOSSYBOX (available at glossybox.com)
GLOSSYBOX
What is it? Receive 5-6 deluxe-sized luxury beauty products a month.
Bottom line: The fact that the featured products are from normally-pricey luxury brands makes Glossybox a steal. The retail value of the February box (above) is about $100.
Cost: $21 month-by-month, $20 a month for three months, $19 a month for six months or $18 a month for a year. Shipping is included.
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9) HAMMOCK PACK (available at hammockpack.com)
Hammock Pack
What is it? A monthly box filled with products to help you relax and take a “vacation” without leaving home. Each box contains a mix of food, accessories, home or beauty products from small businesses around the world. Previous monthly themes have included the Hudson Valley and Colorado. The January 2014 box contained products from South Carolina, such as Grey Ghost Cinnamon Pecan Cookies, Deep Steep Body Wash and Haypenny Confections Bourbon Praline Mallows.
Bottom line: There’s a wide variety of products in this program, so it would be a good option for someone who likes being surprised and isn’t hoping to receive any particular item.
Cost: $25 a month plus $5 shipping.
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10) FABFITFUN (available at vip.fabfitfun.com)
FabFitFun
What is it? A quarterly subscription box curated by Giuliana Rancic containing full-size products with a mix of fashion accessories, beauty products, fitness tools (such as workout videos or fitness class passes) and healthy snacks.
Bottom line: The value of this box is amazing. The Winter 2014 box contained $271 worth of items, including earbuds valued at $40, eye cream that retails for $45, a necklace worth $55 and much more. We loved that it also included practical drugstore buys, like Simple Foaming Facial Cleanser and NYX Eye Shadow.
Cost: $49.99 a season (four times a year) including shipping.
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11) IPSY (available at ipsy.com)
Ipsy
What is it? A monthly beauty subscription box founded by YouTube vlogger Michelle Phan that includes 4-5 products to help you create a complete beauty look. The products are sent in a different makeup bag every month. Past monthly themes have included “Glam It Up” in November 2013 (above) and “Look of Love” in February.
Bottom line: Each bag contains a mix of products from both well-known brands (Urban Decay, Benefit and Josie Maran, to name a few) along with some lesser-known ones. The combination of the deluxe- and full-sized products and the new makeup bag every month makes this subscription a particularly great deal. The value of the products varies from month to month, from $45 in January 2014 to $55 in February 2013.
Cost: $10 a month including shipping.
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12) JULEP MAVEN (available at julep.com)
Julep Maven
What is it? Receive three full-size Julep beauty products each month. When you sign up, you’ll take a quiz that determines your Style Profile that influences the products that are chosen for you. A recent box for the “Boho Glam” style included lip gloss and two polishes, a $48 value.
Bottom line: This membership offers lots of flexibility. You can log into your account between the 20th-24th each month to preview your box, add extra products or change the “style.” You have the ability to skip a box once every six months, although there’s an incentive not to: For every three boxes you receive, you’ll earn a coupon code redeemable for one additional free polish on Julep’s online store.
Cost: $19.99 a month for at least $40 worth of products. As a Julep Maven, you also receive free shipping and 20% off all orders on julep.com. Julep is also currently offering an exclusive coupon code to ALL YOU readers to get your first box for free. Use the code “ALLYOU” at checkout (expires 4/1/14).
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13) SOCK PANDA (available at sockpanda.com)
Sock Panda
What is it? Get one pair of socks each month from high-quality brands and Sock Panda’s own label. Subscriptions are available in two style options, Cool (which tends to be something fun, like animal prints or stripes) and Bold (which Sock Panda founder David Peck describes as “a super out-there pattern”). Sock Panda gives one pair of socks to those in need for every new subscription.
Bottom line: If you’re the type of person who never has enough matching socks, this a fun way to start updating your collection–and the designs are seriously cute.
Cost: $11 per month. Sock Panda is offering an exclusive coupon code for ALL YOU readers: Use “ALLYOU” at checkout to get 10% off your first month.
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14) TASTE GURU (available at tasteguru.com)
Taste Guru
What is it? Receive six to eight full-size gluten free food products each month, including snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner items. The Taste Guru “tasting team” selects its favorite gluten-free products each month and curates a brand-new box of surprise items–nothing is repeated.
Bottom line: If you’re following a gluten-free diet, this is a terrific way to discover new products on a monthly basis.
Cost: $34 a month for three months, $29 a month for six months or $25 a month for a year. Shipping is included. Taste Guru is also offering an exclusive discount to ALL YOU readers for 20% off any three, six or one-year subscription. Use the coupon code “tgallyou20” at checkout.
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Do you subscribe to any monthly subscription boxes? Are there any we forgot to include in this list?