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Gift buying can be tough. What’s a shopping-impaired person to do? Here’s one solution: Don’t shop. Subscribe.
Whether they offer clothes, food, experiences, or something unique, subscription services are a great way to give a gift that doesn’t necessarily need to be delivered before Christmas. We don’t just mean automatic ordering, either. Curated subscription boxes are like having a long-distance personal shopper. With some, you “interview,” tell them what you or a gift recipient would like, and then pay to get items delivered.
Fair warning, though: You might encounter some sticker shock with many of these services. Remember—some are putting in a little more work than the average shopping site that yanks items off a warehouse shelf. Plus, subscription services can provide hours of enjoyment, including extra joy into the new year as fresh items arrive.
The subscription boxes on this list are primarily for adults, so if you’re shopping for a child, check out The Best Subscription Boxes for Kids. If none of these services are weird enough for that certain loved one, maybe you’ll find what you need in The Oddest Subscription Boxes You Can Get.
For more on what to buy your friends and family, in any price range, take a look at PCMag’s One Stop Gift Shop and our full Holiday Gift Guide collection.
Subs for Techies
The ultimate geek crate, Creation Crate sends projects that teach you about electronics and coding in C++. Recent boxes included a mood lamp, an LED dice game, and an optical distance detector. It also offers courses in electronics, chemistry, and engineering. A monthly box typically starts at $39.99, but you can save money by getting longer subscriptions. The more high-end your subscription rate, the more goodies you get. Each project gets progressively harder, so you learn as you go. (This is recommended for ages 10 and older.)
Per Month, Starts at $39.99
Gadgets, life hacks, and wellness products: A Breo Box includes things such as gel soap, USB coffee warmers, wireless earbuds, smart plugs, and UV sanitizing wands. Plans start at one box per quarter for $89 per box, or you can pay ahead for four boxes to save. Shipping is free in the lower 48; it’ll cost you to ship internationally or to Hawaii and Alaska. You can either gift a box while supplies last or hit the Lifestyle Shop for individual products.
Starts at $175.00
A subscription club for iPhone cases? Well, why not? You can change your style every month or season with Casely’s iPhone skins. You pick styles you like to start or choose “surprise me” for something unexpected. When you have enough cases, skip a month (or a season, depending on your subscription). This sub costs $18 on up per a shipment depending on the style case; add a few bucks to get Bold Protection cases, which do more to keep your handset safe.
The average PCMag reader identifies as a techie, and Loot Crate is all about gear for gamers and nerds. Prices vary depending on the crate you select, but they start at $29.99 and go up to $49.99 a month. There are plenty of theme-specific Loot Crate options for fans of specific franchises or characters, and even unique apparel (Loot Tees are only $13.99 a month). You won’t know what’s in the box until you take it into your parents’ basement and open it.
Per Month, Starts at $29.99
Get this subscription box for that geek who’s so hardcore, they have a room full of spare PC parts and soldering tools. For $44 per month, the giftee gets projects, modules, tools, and documentation on previous boxes, in case they want to buy one of those.
Great Household Goods
A subscription box from MightyNest will help you embrace “sustainability your way” and reduce waste with a variety of eco-friendly items. These could be beauty products, kitchen gear, or stuff that works with your particular appliances. You can pick all this stuff yourself, or let MightyNest choose for you and keep it a surprise. The cost: $13 per month, or potentially less if you commit to a multi-month subscription plan.
The subscription we wish we’d had during the COVID-19 quarantine: Seattle-based Cloud Paper delivers toilet paper made of bamboo, which grows like a weed, so it’s sustainable. For a starter box with 12 rolls of TP, 3 paper towel rolls, and 2 tissue boxes the price is $49.99 per delivery. Other bundles can include multiples of one product type or try the $89.99 everything box that throws in cleaning “Swish Cloths.” Deliveries come every two, three, or four months, depending on how many people are in your home.
Per Month, Starts at $34.99
Know someone who loves flowers? A subscription to The Bouqs Co. gets them flowers and plants delivered directly from the farm. Choose the type of posies, how big the bouquet should be, and how often you want one sent. You can even shop directly on the site to test the quality before investing. Prices start at $48 for 10 to 16 stems per delivery, which can be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or bimonthly. All plans include free delivery.
Per Month, Starts at $44.00
Lola is the place to get what you need every month for that time of month: compact applicator tampons, ultra-thin liners, cramp care, and more. All products are made of organic cotton in Europe. Pick what you want each month or every other (they usually come in counts of 16 for $10), change or adjust the timing, and even skip weeks or months.
Per Month, Starts at $9.00
AllTrue delivers six to eight ethically made, cruelty-free products worth up to $250 every season; all are geared toward women. The products are handmade, and each empowers the makers and helps them get jobs, and maybe even just survive. You pay $69.95 per box by paying $279.80 upfront for the year or $74.95 per quarter paid in installments. Shipping is free only for the continental US.
The Anchor of Hope supports artisans who are “survivors of human trafficking, refugees, and others in vulnerable situations.” Purchase a subscription at a base price of $36 if you go month to month or $384 for 12 months (that’s $32 per month). The Hope Store/Market offers a few individual items for purchase.
Do you dread decorating for each upcoming holiday? ReadyFestive is here to send all the decorations you need to be less of a humbug. You get a minimum of three boxes a year, but you can pick the size: deluxe for $159 per box, standard for $99, and mini for $69 (all plus shipping). Then pick your seasons or holiday choices and customize the size box for each. The service also has a style questionnaire to ensure you get something that’s you, or them, depending on who you’re buying for.
More holiday décor: Holiday Haul Box claims it’s the original shipper of everything you need to keep each holiday festive. The Haul Box is $89.99 with shipping included, billed with each new holiday (there are seven on the service’s calendar).
Clothes & Wearables
Stitch Fix used to be just for women, but now men and kids are included too. Choose a clothing style profile, submit some measurements, and you’ll get five hand-picked items, which you can return as needed. There’s a $20 “styling fee” for the initial order, but that goes toward your first purchase, and you get 25% off if you keep all five items. The company accommodates petite and maternity sizes, too. If you’re giving it away, get a Stitch Fix gift card by email.
Monthly Tee Club is self-explanatory: It picks shirts based on your preferences, and you can opt to be surprised or use the Tee-Picker ahead of time to choose your next design. It costs $16.99 per month plus $2.99 shipping; you can cancel at any time. Official merch includes images from Marvel, DC, Harry Potter, and Rick and Morty.
Per Month, Starts at $17.98
Want new panties on a regular basis? Try Canada-based Panty by Post. This Panty of the Month Club offers an Everyday Basics line ($13.68 per month), Signature Line ($16.72 per month), Premium Luxe ($26.60 per month), and panty-and-bra matching sets ($41.80 per month), as well as the Naughty but Nice line ($18.24 per month). All start with a 3-month trial and have a significant sign-up fee. Shipping is free in North America. There are actually so many underwear subscription services that you could try a new one each month, but Panty By Post has a “happiness guarantee.”
Each seasonal—not monthly—$69.99 box from FabFitFun (you can also pay $219.99 annually to save $60) promises to contain six to eight full-size hand-picked beauty, wellness, and fashion products. Direct sales on the site may offer 70% savings for members. Gift options from $80 to $300 can be delivered by email.
Food & Drink
Fire Dept. Coffee is run by retired and active firefighters. Via the Fire Dept. Coffee Foundation, it gives 10% to help first responders. A coffee-of-the-month delivery starts at $18.99 for 12 ounces of whole beans or ground, and shipping is free. You can also order the coffee in pods. There’s a spirit-infused coffee club that starts at $14.99 per month for 8 ounces of coffee infused with flavors including vanilla bean bourbon, tequila, and Irish whiskey. And if you want entertainment, subscribe to its YouTube channel.
Per Month, Starts at $18.99
UrthBox is about more than your health; it’s also trying to save the world one box of GMO-free food at a time. Naturally, it offers gluten-free and vegan options. You’ll also receive beauty and health items. The mini box is $20.99 a month for six to seven snacks; there are discounts if you subscribe to get more snacks in the small, medium, and large (28 to 30 snacks!) options, or if you subscribe for a year at a time. Shipping is free in the US or $6.95 a box to Canada.
Per Month, Starts at $29.99
Subscribing to Winc goes well beyond just a wine-of-the-month club, though that is an option. Each month, it sends four bottles to your door. Either you pick them, or Winc curates them based on your taste profile. Specify mostly red, mostly white, or just one color. Skip or cancel as you desire; delivery is free. Buy it as a gift (there’s a $60 minimum), and Winc sends the recipient a code they can redeem anytime to set up a subscription. Be sure to enter a ZIP code first to make sure Winc is allowed to deliver to that location.
Try the World offers a curated selection of seven or eight gourmet foods from—you guessed it—around the world. You can start with a box for $40 per month with 7 to 9 snacks, and scale up with either more snacks, or pay ahead by 3, 6, or 12 months to save money. Shipping is free in the lower 48 states.
Per Month, Starts at $29.99
There are plenty of subscription options for coffee people. With MistoBox, a 12-ounce bag (24 cups) is $15.26 plus shipping. Take the service’s quiz to specify the roast level you like, whether you want decaf, the types of beans you favor (espresso, blends), and how often you’d like it. There are gift options because buying someone a coffee is the most humane thing one can do.
If you’re not a “foodie,” but you do like to eat, meal-kit delivery services send you the ingredients you need to create splendid meals. Perhaps the best known is Blue Apron, with a base price of $10.99 per meal when you subscribe for three meals for two people in each shipment, plus $10.99 for shipping. The price per serving goes up or down as you add or subtract more servings or meals per week. You can choose vegetarian and family-friendly options. They even sell wine! You can skip a week or multiple weeks at a time.
Starts at $9.99
HelloFresh meal subscription-box service has a base price of $10.82 per serving (plus shipping) when you get three meals for two people; prices change when you change the count of people or recipes. It packages each meal separately in the box—all ingredients for each meal in separate paper bags—rather than the CSA-type method Blue Apron favors. How you feel about packaging may influence which one you go for. You pick the meals but can set preferences to see veggie-only or low-calorie options. Customer service is stellar, you can skip as many weeks at a time as you like, and you won’t go hungry with the sizable portions.
Starts at $9.99
Is your giftee not a coffee drinker? Atlas Tea Club sends teas from around the world. Teas are sent as loose leaf with reusable muslin-pouch filters for steeping, from a new country every month. You pick from caffeinated or herbal, and green or black or a mix. The fee is $14 per shipment every four weeks.
Per Month, Starts at $14.99
Nothing says “I love you” like a care package. But sometimes you don’t have time to put in the work to show you care. The Care Crate Co. can do it for you, sending surprise snacks and gifts to loved ones around the globe. Prices start at $44.99 a month with free shipping, or you can order the previous month’s crates at higher or lower prices, when they’re in stock.
Per Month, Starts at $44.99
You could just do a one-time purchase of a box of goodies at eat2explore, but the adventure comes in getting a new box regularly, so the whole family can give a new cultural cuisine a try, with all the ingredients needed. And don’t worry—you can adjust your subscription for dietary restrictions or allergies so that the boxes arrive tailored to your preferences. The Explorer Box Subscription starts at $29.95 a month and drops if you get 3, 6, or 12 months pre-paid plans.
Top Gear
The Apocabox is geared toward “survivalists” and ships every two months for $50 (plus $10.95 shipping). You can sub ahead to get all 7 boxes for the year; after that, the subscription expires. Past boxes had themes such as blackouts, tobacco, and surviving the 1800s. Each box also includes a skills challenge, so you’ll learn how to cope when everything goes sideways. A two-box gift plan expires after the second box is sent unless you fully subscribe.
Per Month, Starts at $60.95
Battlbox is a survival- and tactical-gear provider, with a basic box starting at $34.99 plus shipping; each box has four to seven items. The Basic box starts you off with survival tools, tactical pens, EDC (everyday carry) gear, and more. Advanced is $64.99, Pro is $119.99, and Pro Plus is $169.99, each one with exponentially more stuff inside of higher value and quality. You can also send a BattlBox as a gift or just shop the store.
Per Month, Starts at $34.99
The Fantasy Box provides gift sets for couples to add a little spice and surprise in the bedroom. Boxes are discreetly packaged, so neighbors won’t give you odd looks. Subscriptions can be monthly or bimonthly and start at $99 per month or $109 every other month, both with free shipping.
Per Month, Starts at $49.00
Maybe you live in a place in the US where ganja is legal. Or not. Either way, if you’re smoking up and want some extras each month, subscribe to Cannabox for one month ($37.99), three months ($110.97), or six months ($215.94). Or get one box for $44.99 as a gift. Each box has six to nine novelties or accessories that make every toke more fun.
Per Month, Starts at $34.99
Embrace the Arts
Stop holding out for the return of 8-Tracks; vinyl is back and here to stay! With this subscription from VMP, analog audio lovers will get a curated selection of vinyl records every month. Gift subs are 3 months at a time ($149), 6 months ($279), or a full year for $529—each includes a few bonus records. One month costs $54. Recipients pick the type of music they want from Essentials, Classics, Hip-Hop, Rock, or Country. If you’re buying for yourself, check out their Record of the Month Club for the same prices.
The name sounds like you’re opening a Pandora’s box of boredom, but it’s actually the opposite—a subscription box for board games that’ll keep you and your friends/family entertained for hours. You can get UnboxBoardom monthly, every two months, or quarterly. The base price is $33.99 per shipment, but that goes down with extended, pre-paid subs up to a full year ($359.88 for 12 boxes). You can also get bi-monthly or quarterly.
Since 1926, Book of the Month Club has provided voracious readers with new material to devour. It selected Gone with the Wind and The Sun Also Rises, among other classics. With the online version, you can choose each month from five selections the club provides, and one or more are sent to you. The cost is between $12.50 to $16.99 per month, depending on your plan, and usually, there’s a discount for the first one. Add extra books from the month’s selection for $9.99 each. Shipping is always free. Cancel at any time or skip a month if you don’t see a book you like. Give a gift purchase to someone for three to 12 months ($59.99 up to $199.99); if they’re already a member, they can apply it to their account.
Per Month, Starts at $16.99
A unique book club experience: Once Upon a Book Club sends gifts with each book shipped; once you arrive at a certain page, you open the gift associated with it. Surprise! It offers subscriptions for adults, young adults, and middle grade readers; Each is $59.99 per month for month to month, with prices going down if you pay ahead for 3, 6, or 12-month subscriptions ($690).
Per Month, Starts at $49.00
Rad and Hungry’s The Something Mighty (STMT) Collection sends arty office supplies, from pencils to ink wells. Each kit has a writing instrument or paper good, a poster, info on the country of origin, and more. The cost is $69 for three kits over three months and goes down for 6-kit and 10-kit subs (plus $7 shipping on each box). It ships only 10 boxes a year, skipping June and December. Shop for $25 single kits as gifts.
Per Month, Starts at $30.00
Perfect for Pets
Of course there’s a monthly subscription box for dogs! BarkBox (now part of The Original BARK Company) is available for subscriptions or as a single gift. Share the size of the dog who will enjoy the contents, so BarkBox can send the appropriate chewies, cookies, and toys. The base price is $45 per month for one box, even one for the “super-chewers” who destroy most toys, but you can get the price down with a year-long subscription. Send a gift card to your favorite pooch.
A kitty equivalent to BarkBox, KitNipBox starts at $19.99 per month for one to two items; a multi-cat box is $29.99 per month. Inside, you’ll find toys, treats, hygiene products, and even cat gadgets. Shipping is free in the continental US, $6.95 per box for Canada.
Per Month, Starts at $22.99
Here’s a subscription every apartment-dwelling dog owner should consider. You don’t get anything different each month when you subscribe to Doggie Lawn: Starting at $32.20 per week and depending on the size of their dog, recipients get a piece of perfectly manicured, hydroponically grown sod, up to 24 by 48 inches—for that one job your beloved canine should perform only on grass. (I’m talking about pooping and peeing.) Shipping is free, but sales tax may apply. What you do with the dog’s deposits is up to you. I suggest compostable, biodegradable poop bags. But don’t flush them.
Starts at $32.20
Good Grooming
Your loved one’s personalized beauty subscription awaits. With Ipsy, they get about five products a month, starting at $14 per month. The services asks them for their skin tone, eye color, and hair color, and checks their comfort level with certain types of makeup, favorite brands, and how often they want to receive certain types of products. Ipsy personalizes their “Glam Bag” for a few bucks more.
Per Month, Starts at $13.00
For someone who’s into smelling good, Scentbird can hook them up. For $16.95 a month (with a discount for the first month), they’ll receive a 30-day supply of a designer fragrance. It’s a great way to test out a new smell before jumping in. Even better, they can choose from over 450 designers each month, and the scents come in reusable bottles. There are gift options galore, including gift subs for up to a year, cards, and standalone gifts under $50.
Per Month, Starts at $16.95
More Great Gift Ideas
For more on what to buy your friends and family, in any price range, take a look at PCMag’s One Stop Gift Shop and the full Holiday Gift Guide collection.
Cratejoy provides all the middleman tools to start a box-a-month (or whatever time frame) of your choosing. Is your loved one making widgets by the handful? Knitting up a storm? This could be the way to jump-start their sales. They can set up a page on Cratejoy or assist with crate sales on their own website. You can also browse the existing gift-box options already available; there are hundreds.
