20 Subscription Boxes That People Actually Swear By

Subscriptions for slime-lovers, bakers, crafters, Nintendo fans, kids who code, bacon aficionados, and much more.

1. Sugar Smart Box offers yummy snacks that are low in sugar so you'll have plenty of goodies to munch on without leaving the house to procure them!

Cratejoy

What you get: You'll get seven or more premium snacks that are low in sugar, diabetic-friendly, and Keto-friendly. Most snacks are full-sized and have 0-2 grams of sugar per serving. You can expect snacks like protein bars, seaweed snacks, drink mixes, pumpkin seeds, and healthy cookies!

Promising review: "Sugar Smart Box arrived with great packaging and a wide variety of all different snacks that were delicious! I especially enjoyed the different types of mixed nuts and seeds. It was great to read all of the healthy and natural ingredients. Great buy!" —Nall

Get it from Cratejoy for $27.95/month.

2. Green Up Box is ideal for anyone in need of eco-friendly and reusable products to reduce waste. Reviewers say they use the items in this subscription every day.

Cratejoy

What you get: You'll receive four to six items that'll help you reduce personal waste and plastic use. The products are made of bamboo, stainless steel, and biodegradable materials, and they are all cruelty-free and ethically sourced! Each box has a different theme such as kitchen items or a morning routine box.

Promising review: "Loved to discover so many beautiful products for my kitchen in my February box. It is such a hassle to find plastic-free products in my area or have them shipped without any plastic involved. This box is perfect." —Laura B.

Get it from Cratejoy for $38.33/two months.

3. Craftsman Crate will send you everything you need to create your very own DIY project each month, plus you can reuse the tools and *build up* your crafting and woodworking skills.

Cratejoy

What you get: This crate ships out a new DIY project for you to complete each month with clear instructions, reusable tools, and everything you need to create included in the box.

Promising review: "I think this product deserves a higher rating. There is nothing quite like it. I loved the origami crate, which came with lots of high-quality paper and tools that kept me busy for days. It was very soothing and mentally stimulating. I'm also impressed by the soapstone carving crate; pretty amazing that one of the stones is already roughed out to give you a head start while the other one is intact so that you can create one from scratch. It includes a complete set of tools you'll need, including a pencil and polishing cloth. There are lots of DIY crates, but this one is truly unique, and I hope they stay in business forever." —EUN C.

Get it from Cratejoy for $30.77/month.

4. Awakening in a Box offers a fun way to find new items for your spiritual or magic practice, and they have a box that includes Tarot cards as well as crystals and stones!

Cratejoy

What you get: You'll receive three crystals or stones per month, plus two products in the smallest box. The Oracle box includes Tarot cards as well as crystals, and the Crystal Pouch sized box includes two additional monthly crystals. The items included for your spiritual practice/learning range from energy sprays to natural soaps to jewelry.

Promising review: "Love everything in this box. The palo santo stick smells heavenly. My grandkids said my bedroom smells like peppermint hot cocoa. The wildflower bookmark is too pretty to plant. The wildflower tea is delish. Hoping this subscription will help me learn to utilize the gems to their best advantage." —Debra V.

Get it from Cratejoy for $13.33+/month.

5. Mix Box will have you whipping up baked goods like a professional baker in no-time with their premeasured ingredients and drool-worthy recipes.

Cratejoy

What you get: Every month you'll get a bakers box with pre-measured, fresh ingredients and easy-to-follow recipe cards, with enough supplies to make 12-32 mouth-watering servings!

Promising review: "My mother and I love getting the homemade-bakers box!! We take turns making the boxes, and it has been a great bonding experience during quarantine! Everything is set up for you to succeed in making each dessert, and they include very detailed and easy to follow instructions. We cannot wait for the fall and winter boxes! :)" —Rachel L.

Get it from Cratejoy for $24.95/month.

6. Cloth & Paper is the easiest way to stock up on high-quality stationery and/or fuel your obsession with fine-tipped pens!

Cratejoy

What you get: The Penspiration box sends out five to seven stylish pens, pencils, and/or writing tools; the Planner Stationery Box box sends out high-quality stationery, panning tools, and some writing utensils, and the Penspriation and Planner (largest) box sends out all of the above!

Promising review: "If you have a serious pen and stationery obsession then this is the box for you. I ordered the pen only box and was delighted by the five pens I received. All of the pens were very fine — which is how I prefer them and they were stable and easy to write smoothly with. Two of the pens even came with refills which delighted me as it means I will get double the use out of them. Currently, the UltraSimple is my favorite from this month — but it changes on a daily basis. Opening this box is a little piece of joy!" —Helen O.

Get it from Cratejoy for $16.33+/month (available in three sizes).

7. Vinyl Moon just may make you love music and vinyl records more than you already do with their one-of-a-kind monthly vinyl mixes.

Cratejoy

What you get: A monthly vinyl independently curated by vinyl lovers with a mix of 10 up-and-coming musical artists. Your tunes are pressed onto a high-quality colored vinyl, which comes in a custom-designed jacket.

Promising review: "GORGEOUS! I bought this for my partner who loves indie rock and chill indie. He is pretty well-versed in music knowledge and upcoming artists. However, he had not heard of any of the artists that were on this album, which is awesome! It goes to show the time and effort the team put into giving new bands a head start. As well, the art is just breathtaking. I love that it is a new artist every month. I was able to find the artist and buy a piece to help support their art further. Another fun thing is that they sent a welcome postcard with a secret message on it you can play on your turntable. I'm a physics teacher and this technology is always surprising me :). Honestly, I am so happy to have bought this." —Gail L.

Get it from Cratejoy for $26/month.

8. Modern Skyn Apothecary makes full-sized skincare products in small batches and boasts $100+ in retail value in every box. Reviewers swear by this subscription over similar boxes!

Cratejoy

What you get: You'll get five to eight full-sized natural skincare products that were created in small batches to ensure quality. Each item is handcrafted and made with organic ingredients, and you can expect products such as facial cleansers, hydrating elixirs, body butters, and more!

Promising review: "I subscribe to probably close to 10 boxes (I know but it’s 2020 and the world is possibly ending so just give me this). This box is my 'luxury' box AND the one I plan to continue renewing. Products are BIG — no wimpy samplers here. And it is thoughtfully curated. There hasn’t been one product I haven’t loved. The packaging is super nice, the kind of thing you’d feel good about displaying on your bathroom vanity. Love, love, love this box!!" —Carol A.

Get it from Cratejoy for $31/every two months.

9. Toy Box Monthly will give your kids plenty of toys they'll adore and hours of playtime each month.

Cratejoy

What you get: This box is for kids ages 4 to 8. Your little one(s) will get four to six toys per box each month, featuring brands like Star Wars, Disney, My Little Pony, LEGO, Marvel, and DC Comics.

Promising review: "My little girl went absolutely crazy with her package. She was so happy! It was like a Christmas morning. It had all kinds of neat things that captured her interest. When they complete all their homeschool work, their reward is this box. Thank you for having this service!" —Reina Y.

Get it from Cratejoy for $24/month (for kids ages four to eight).

10. Underclub is a luxury underwear subscription people love for their high-quality, true-to-size undies.

Underclub

What you get: You'll fill out your profile to determine your sizing, cut, color, and style preferences, and then your stylist sends you one or two pairs of curated underwear per month!

Promising review: "My friends surprised me with a membership and it has been so fun getting unexpected sexy underwear each month. I’ve received two so far and they have both been beautiful, well made, and make me feel great while wearing (fit is perfect)." —T

Get it from Underclub for $15+/month (available in two sizes).

11. Introverts Retreat gives you a novel, wellness goodies, and treats so you have the perfect excuse to carve out some "me time" when you receive a box.

Cratejoy

What you get: Each box features a novel written by a female author in your choice of genre: fiction, romance, mystery/thriller, YA, or a surprise genre each month. You can pick a specific book from their collection as well. You'll also get bath and body products, chocolates and other goodies, a bookmark, and your choice of warm beverage (hot cocoa, tea, of coffee) with each box!

Promising review: "This box was so thoughtful! Receiving it in the mail (very fast shipping and great packaging) was such a treat. The items are all high-quality and the candle, soap, and body scrub I received smell amazing. Thank you for the treat!" —Danielle R.

Get it from Cratejoy for $14.99+/month.

12. Desk Stash is a quarterly box that'll keep your desk stocked with whimsical and useful office supplies.

Cratejoy

What you get: Each month you'll receive five to seven office supplies, whimsical desk accessories, and stationery items.

Promising review: "Probably my favorite subscription box. I had to subscribe through customer service in order to get delivery to Canada but I’m really pleased that I did. The items inside were fun and useful! My favorites include erasable highlighters, the most adorable metal (strong!!!) animal magnets, and the cutest little cassette tape-shaped voice recorder to pass along little messages, but there were several other awesome pieces." —Samantha C.

Get it from Cratejoy for $42.50/every three months.

13. Pig of the Month offers new savory, delicious bacon flavors for you and the whole family to try each month.

Pig of the Month

What you get: You'll receive two pounds of bacon per month, with a pound of each flavor and new flavors each month! You can check out past and upcoming bacon flavors here.

Promising review: "I gave this to my husband for Christmas and he now spends every month anxiously waiting for the FedEx man. Thank you for a perfect gift for a hard-to-buy-for kind of guy!" —Alycia Forseth

Get it from Pig of the Month for $129+/month.

14. Slime Box sends out high-quality slimes that people of all ages find soothing and fun to play with. The slimes are scented and themed.

Cratejoy

What you get: You'll get new themed slimes each month that are high-quality, stretchy, and safe to play with! Plus an array of other goodies such as candy and small plushies.

Promising review: "Watching my 20-year-old daughter and my 4-year-old grandson enjoy this box together made me so happy! I loved that it came with some candy as well — that helped keep my grandson happy when it was time to put away the slime!" —Karen K.

Get it from Cratejoy for $13/month.

15. Fire and Nice is an ideal box for anyone who lives for lighting up the bathroom with candles and melts in preparation for a nice long bath.

Cratejoy

What you get: Your box comes packed with themed self-care items such as candles and melts, soaps and bath bombs, and heavenly-scented scrubs.

Promising review: "I literally love this box. This past month I did a 'bucket list' thing where I subscribed to like 10 various subscriptions and I have got to say, this box is really a tie for my first favorite. This is the first review I've left. Everything in this box smells SO DANG GOOD. The packaging is ADORABLE. Everything was so cute, organized, and well-shipped. I haven't kept many of my subscriptions. I'm keeping this one FOR SURE. I LOVE IT!" —Kali W.

Get it from Cratejoy for $34.92/month.

16. Bitsbox offers kids ages 6–12 beginner-level coding projects so they can learn to code from the comfort of home!

Cratejoy

What you get: Your child will receive monthly coding projects that'll teach them how to make video games, greeting cards, apps, and simulations. Kids start coding from provided examples, and they can also build apps on the Bitsbox website and test the apps out on any smartphone.

Promising review: "We were paying $250/month for coding classes for our 7-year-old. He enjoyed them and was learning a lot, but we really couldn't afford it. Hence, Bitbox. It is SUPER easy to use and my son loves it. Each box comes with about 10 coding projects. Totally worth the money!!!" —Jennifer T.

Get it from Cratejoy for $24.95+/month (available in two sizes).

17. Poppy's Hobbies sends all the supplies you need to create seasonal and adorable home decor. Reviewers swear by it for easy-to-follow instructions and projects the whole family can enjoy.

Cratejoy

What you get: A seasonal box filled with everything you need (such as paint, ribbons, and other accessories) to create beginner-level crafts you can display as part of your home decor. Hot glue gun and scissors are not included but may be needed FYI!

Promising review: "They put together some amazing boxes! I have loved each of my boxes. They think of everything. The crafts are so fun and easy to do and always turn out absolutely adorable! You do not have to be a pro at DIY's or crafting to do these projects. They always include everything you need and an easy to follow booklet for each step. This subscription would make a wonderful gift as well as to treat yourself to something fun to do. They are great projects for kids to help with as well. You will not be disappointed with this subscription! They are a wonderful company!" —Carrie S.

Get it from Cratejoy for $37.92/month.

18. Birchbox is ideal for beauty subscription newbies, or people looking for help building their beauty routine. They'll start you out with new samplers to try each month, so you can find expertly curated skincare and grooming products without an overwhelming (and expensive) shopping experience.

Birchbox

What you get: You'll get expertly handpicked samples of makeup, beauty tools, skincare products, and grooming accessories to help you find the right stuff for your beauty routine. Each box comes with five samples and you can earn loyalty points if you find something you like and want to buy the full-sized version!

Promising review: "I received my Birchbox products yesterday, and I saw that I also received tea as a bonus (in addition to my mystery sample pack). Thank you so much! I'm really excited to try it. You guys are so awesome! Your products, combined with your excellent customer service and generous reward system, make you the best subscription company I have dealt with." —Amy

Get it from Birchbox for $13+/month (available in month-to-month, six-month, and 12-month plans).

And check out BuzzFeed's Splurge-Worthy beauty box, curated with some of our favorite products.

19. And Mario's Mystery Block offers Mario and Nintendo-themed products reviewers say they've never seen in stores before, so you or the Nintendo fan in your life can look forward to this gem with glee!

Cratejoy

What you get: You will receive a monthly themed box packed with Mario and Nintendo-related goodies, such as sticker books, plushies, T-shirts, and more!

Promising review: "Loved this box!!! Lots of value and items I never see in stores. Nintendo fans, in general, would love this box." —Alison T.

Get it from Cratejoy for $23.49/month.

Me waiting patiently for my subscription to come in the mail:

Nickelodeon / Via Giphy

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides!

BuzzFeed