Best Coffee Subscription Services & Boxes: Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

In the face of the global pandemic, subscription coffee sales grew by 109%, and the number of vendors offering such services increased by 25%.

Each subscription service has a different assortment of coffee and different delivery frequencies, bonuses, and discounts.

It can take hours to explore and compare all the options. And after all that time you might choose a subscription that happens not to suit you for some reason.

But don’t worry!

We have been testing the best coffee subscription services for three months.

We’ve been taking the quizzes and polls the services offer. We’ve subscribed, monitored the speed of delivery, and tasted the coffees.

Let’s see which coffee subscriptions turned out to be the best.

What Is a Coffee Subscription?

A coffee subscription is a service that delivers top-rated coffee beans right to your home on your preferred schedule. You only need to subscribe once, and you’ll keep getting coffee deliveries at regular intervals.

It works like a newspaper subscription. However, unlike a newspaper subscription, you can customize your coffee delivery based on your needs.

A coffee bean subscription service offers a wide range of varieties, as well as the ability to buy premium varieties that are not sold in regular online shops or in physical stores.

This is a great option for many, from those with a busy schedule who simply don’t have time to buy coffee regularly to discerning coffee lovers who want nothing but the best coffee.

Why Choose a Coffee Subscription?

Coffee subscription services offer different terms and conditions and coffee choices, but they all share some common features. Here is why we love coffee subscriptions:

Always Fresh

Subscription service coffee is roasted just before shipment. This means that you get guaranteed fresh coffee and 100% taste matching with the selected blend.

Variety

Coffee subscription services offer a wide range of coffee varieties and blends. Some subscription companies use the services of different roasters, and you can choose your favorite or support a local one.

Convenience

Forget shopping and hassle. Subscription coffee services remember your schedule and the coffee arrives right on time. You can change your delivery dates at any time.

Unique Blends

The best coffee subscriptions provide exclusive coffees that you will not find in other markets.

Better Value

Subscribing provides bonuses or discounts. Getting coffee via a subscription is cheaper than constantly buying coffee at the store. Also, some subscription services provide free shipping.

How to Choose The Best Coffee Subscription

If you’ve never dealt with a coffee subscription, then it can be difficult to choose the one that suits you. To help you, we have compiled a list of what to look for when choosing a coffee subscription service. Here are our recommendations:

Coffee and coffee equipment choice

This is the most important factor. To choose the best coffee beans, pay attention to whether the coffee is Arabica, Robusta, or a blend of the two, and also to where the coffee is cultivated and to the type of roast. Watch for special offers like low acid coffee or decaf coffee.

If you are not well-versed in coffee, then choose a subscription service that provides flavor profiles or, even better, has a quiz that will help you select coffee based on your taste and brewing preferences.

Also, the variety of coffee is strongly influenced by whether the coffee subscription is a single- or multiple-roaster service.

Single vs. Multiple Roaster

There are many good roasters all over the country. And when it comes to coffee subscriptions, they can be divided into single-roaster and multiple-roaster services. As the names suggest, single-roaster services source their coffee from one specific roaster while multiple-roaster services source their coffee from multiple roasters. For example, Trade Coffee uses more than 100 roasters.

Multiple-roaster coffee subscriptions offer more coffee choices, so if you want variety, this type of subscription is for you. Also, such services allow you to find a roaster in your city or state.

Single-roaster subscriptions are suitable for those who love good coffee and don’t want to try many different flavors. The first advantage of such subscriptions is that you always get a stable taste since the roaster doesn’t change. The second advantage is that you can immediately tell if the roaster is Fair Trade or USDA Organic certified. This is also great if you want to support the roaster or just like their coffee.

Sampling

Some of the best coffee subscriptions let sample the coffee before subscribing. This allows you to make the right decision before choosing a bi-weekly or monthly subscription.

Delivery

First of all, pay attention to whether shipping is free or not. As a rule, shipping within the United States is free, but you will have to pay for shipping to other countries. Pay attention to whether the service delivers coffee to your region or country. Some services send coffee to both Canada and the USA, and some only to the USA.

Customization

All services offer different options, and it’s nice when you can change them or customize them as much as possible. Also, pay attention to whether you can change the terms of your subscription after subscribing.

Fair Trade and Organic

This is important for those who care about nature and the rights of workers on coffee plantations. You can read more about these certifications on the official websites of Fair Trade and USDA Organic. Not all subscription services have this certification, but singe-roaster subscription services are more likely to.

Customer service

Be sure to check the level of support for these offers, and look into how well the company communicates with customers over email, phone, or other means. Also, read reviews to see how much coffee lovers like the companies.

Cancellation

All coffee subscriptions can be canceled, but they all have different cancellation conditions. It is a good idea to review the subscription’s terms before signing up and to check if there are any cancellation fees.

The Best Coffee Subscriptions

Therefore, you might find it hard to choose only the best coffee subscription service from the crowded market, and this is where we come into play. Urban Bean Coffee has reviewed the top 8 best coffee subscriptions in the world today and has given you a buyer’s guide to help you out. Here they are:

1. Trade Coffee

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This service is suitable for both novice and experienced coffee lovers. There’s a huge selection of coffees here, but the friendly customization process will ensure you won’t get lost.

The main feature is a quiz. Answer 7 questions and you will receive a recommendation for a coffee that suits your tastes and brewing method. This is handy if you don’t understand coffee at all. In addition, each question has an explanation of how a particular parameter affects the coffee.

Plus, if you have a capsule coffee machine, Trade Coffee can help you choose coffee for refillable pods.

Trade Coffee claims to have the largest selection of beans on the internet. And it’s easy to believe—you can choose from more than 400 coffees with even more flavor notes.

This is possible because Trade Coffee is a multiple-roaster subscription. Trade Coffee has partnered with roasters ranked in the top 50 in the US. It’s great that you can select a roaster on their website and see information about that roaster and the coffee they supply.

According to Trade Coffee, all roasters signed the Trade’s Roaster Pledge, which indicates that they respect the rights of plantation workers.

Trade Coffee’s personalized coffee subscription does not provide samples, but they do offer a 30% discount on the first subscription coffee box and there’s always free shipping if you subscribe.

It should be added that Trade Coffee has excellent customer service. They have answered many questions in the FAQ section and are always ready to answer you if you want to contact them.

Overview:

• Quiz to personalize coffee subscription
• Delivery frequency: once every 1, 2, or 3 weeks
• Free US shipping
• More than 400 coffee flavor profiles
• Collaborates with 50 of the best roasters in the USA
• Coffee for refillable Keurig pods

2. Lifeboost

[img_block amz_url=”https://lifeboostcoffee.com/pages/subscription?oid=1&affid=416&sub1=subscription” img_url=”https://urbanbeancoffee.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Lifeboost-Dark-Roast-Coffee.jpg” prod_name=”Lifeboost”]

If you want premium organic coffee at an affordable price, then Lifeboost is for you.

Lifeboost sells a single-origin coffee that is grown in the mountains of Nicaragua, at an altitude of 5700 feet on the summit of Mount Kilambé. Organic soil, unspoiled nature, and the ability to produce shade-grown whole bean coffee are the first steps towards a great coffee.

Pesticides are not used to grow Lifeboost coffee. Since pests are present, all coffee beans must be hand-picked. This is the only way to prevent spoiled coffee beans from entering the batch. Manual labor is not easy, and Lifeboost supports farmers and workers in accordance with Fair Trade standards.

Their subscription offers a choice of 3 types of roasts, and there is also decaf coffee in stock. You can choose the frequency of delivery—between every two and every eight weeks.

Overview:

• Single-origin coffee of high quality
• Delivery frequency: once every 2, 4, or 8 weeks
• Low-acid coffee
• Shade-grown in the Nicaraguan mountains
• Certified organic
• Free US shipping
• Light, medium, and dark roast available
• Decaf available

3. Driftaway Coffee

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Driftaway Coffee’s subscription is suitable for those who just want to get good coffee and don’t want to get lost in a wide variety. It’s a small business that roasts its own coffee beans. It’s a single-roaster subscription with all the advantages that come with that.

Yes, the selection is small. However, the high quality of the beans will always be the same. What’s most interesting is that on their website you can find a video that tells about each coffee from their range. It tells about the region of cultivation, flavor profile, processing steps, and more.

In addition to single-origin coffee beans, Driftaway focuses on decaf coffee beans and coffee for cold brew. You can specify all your preferences when you subscribe.

Upon registration, you will receive an excellent sample of 4 types of coffee. In addition, the Driftaway subscription has very advantageous offers that differ in price from other services.

Another feature is that it is one of the greenest subscription services. Driftaway Coffee does everything it can to reduce harmful effects on nature. For example, they use 100% compostable coffee bags.

Also, Driftaway Coffee adheres to Fair Trade values. They support farmers and plantation workers. The Fair Trade coffee subscription pays a fair and generous price for coffee, publishes producer stories every month, and also features coffee from women-led cooperatives.

Overview:

• Single roaster service with consistently high-quality results
• Delivery Frequency: once every 1 or 2 weeks, or once a month
• Upon registration, you will receive a sample of 4 types of coffee
• Large list of countries for delivery, including Canada
• Adheres to Fair Trade views
• Has coffee for cold brew and decaf

4. Bean Box

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If you love brewing a different kind of coffee every day, then the Bean Box subscription is for you. The peculiarity of this subscription service is that they supply 4 different coffees at once in the subscription box. Each contains 1.8 oz of coffee, so you end up with 16-24 cups of coffee.

Bean Box is a multiple-roaster coffee subscription that works with 35 of the leading coffee roasters in the Pacific Northwest. This company uses coffee beans that are famous for their special qualities. There are quite a few premium Kona coffees from Hawaii among them.

The convenience of the service is worth mentioning. You can place an order or subscribe via web, app, or text.

It’s also easy to change your subscription terms. You can customize the Bean Box at any time and to your liking: light and fruity, medium and chocolate, dark and roasted, full-bodied and creamy, espresso, and decaffeinated coffee.

Bean Box offers free shipping if you subscribe.

Overview:

• You get 4 different coffees in each box
• Works with the 35 best roasters from the Pacific Northwest
• Delivery frequency: once every 1 or 2 weeks, or once a month
• Free US shipping
• No international shipments, unfortunately
• Easy to change subscription terms

5. Tayst Coffee

[img_block amz_url=”https://www.tayst.com/products/pods-for-keurig” img_url=”https://urbanbeancoffee.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Tayst-Coffee-Subscription.png” prod_name=”Tayst Coffee”]

Do you have a Keurig coffee maker at home? Then try the best coffee subscription for Keurig.

Tayst Coffee offers a large selection of the best K-cup coffee pods. Here you will find pods for all tastes, from light to dark roasts.

The best part?

You can customize which K-cups you get in your subscription box. You can choose from different roasts and even flavored K-cups.

The K-cups themselves are made from eco-friendly material. These 100% compostable pods promise no harm to nature when you throw them away.

Tayst Coffee is certified by the Rainforest Alliance. This means that they are investing not only in decent working conditions for plantation workers but also in the conservation of biodiversity.

Overview:

• Perfect choice for Keurig lovers
• Delivery frequency: once a month
• Flexible choices
• 100% compostable pods
• Free US shipping
• Rainforest Alliance certified

6. Purity Coffee

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Purity Coffee is for those looking for an organic coffee subscription. Purity is USDA Organic certified. This means that the coffee is grown in environmentally friendly soils without the use of GMOs.

Purity Coffee sources beans from Indonesia, Costa Rico, Ethiopia, and Brazil. The company tries to ensure that coffee is the least harmful and even beneficial. This is how they oversee the harvesting, processing, and roasting of the coffee beans. Purity Coffee strives to maximize its products’ health benefits.

You don’t get much variety here, but you get consistent quality. Purity Coffee supplies whole and ground coffee as well as Keurig pods. If you are looking for decaf coffee, then you will find it here too.

When you subscribe, you will receive your coffee once a month. Delivery to your home is be free.

In Short:

• USDA Organic certified
• Coffee from Indonesia, Costa Rico, Ethiopia, and Brazil
• Delivery frequency: once a month
• Free US shipping

7. Angel’s Cup

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This is the choice for those who want maximum variety.

Angel’s Cup delivers over 200 new coffees every year. Most importantly, they never ship the same beans twice.

This service offers 3 types of subscriptions. Each has its own terms and price. One is a package of the best coffee that Angel’s Cup collects based on the reviews of people who’ve tried it.

You cannot choose coffee with this subscription; Angel’s Cup uses blind tasting. You get four coffee samples, each with a corresponding roast date and number. You can then match the number on the sample to the card that came with the package, allowing you to find out the roaster, lineage, tasting notes, and other information. Most interestingly, you can try to figure out the flavor profile before you check it against the card. It’s a great subscription for those who are interested in coffee tasting.

You can choose whole beans or grounds, delivery frequency, and roast. You can also change your preferences or end the subscription at any time.

Delivery within the USA is free, and delivery to Canada costs extra.

Overview:

• Great for those who love surprises
• Delivery frequency: once every 1 or two weeks, or once a month
• More than 200 new varieties of coffee every year
• 3 types of subscription to choose from
• Free US shipping
• Delivery to Canada from $6

8. Atlas Coffee Club

[img_block amz_url=”https://atlascoffeeclub.com” img_url=”https://urbanbeancoffee.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Atlas-Coffee-Subscription.jpg” prod_name=”Atlas Coffee”]

For people who love premium coffee, Atlas Coffee Club is a great option. This subscription service sets itself apart by providing its members with unique micro-lots of craft coffee every month.

Atlas Coffee explores a new country every month, so your subscription is an exotic coffee journey. The company oversees only the best suppliers and roasts each batch to highlight flavor characteristics that closely match the regions in which the beans were cultivated.

Each coffee subscription box comes monthly with the best single-origin coffee, a postcard from that month’s region of interest, beans from a new country, brewing tips, and tasting notes, and of course your personalized preferences.

Atlas Coffee Club subscriptions have been featured in leading publications including The Boston Globe, Food & Wine, USA Today, and Coffee Talk, which speaks volumes about the quality and service you can count on. And the company even has a dedicated coffee subscription gifts section where you can buy a subscription for the coffee lovers in your life.

Atlas Coffee Club doesn’t have free shipping, but their prices are lower than competitors to make up for this. The company ships to the US and Canada.

Overview:

• Unique micro-lots of craft coffee every month
• Delivery: once every 2 or 4 weeks
• Featured in leading publications including The Boston Globe, Food & Wine, USA Today, and Coffee Talk
• Free US shipping
• Delivery to Canada from $ 6

FAQ

Sources:

1. How to Choose the Best Subscription Box Services – highya
2. Are Monthly Subscription Boxes Worth It? – Money Crashers
3. The Benefits Of A Coffee Subscription For Coffee Lovers – Times Square Chronicles