Having a coffee subscription can be a life changer. Especially if it’s one that allows you to try many different coffees from all around the world. Not only do you get to taste coffee from many different regions, but you also get to try out various flavor profiles.
If you’re struggling to decide which subscription service might be right for you, there are some things to consider that might help you along.
That’s why we’ve broken down some of the best coffee subscription boxes out there, Bean Box Coffee and Trade Coffee. Hopefully, with this comparison, you have an easier time deciding on your coffee dealer!
What is Bean Box Coffee?
BEAN BOX SUBSCRIPTION
Think of us as your coffee sommelier. We sip thousands of coffees from the nation’s top roasters so you only get the very best.
The Bean Box Coffee subscription box is one of the most popular choices for a reason! Not only do they deliver you coffee from all around the world, but they also source it from top-rated, local Seattle roasters. Each bag is guaranteed to be freshly roasted to order, as well.
With Bean Box, you get the option of both whole bean and ground coffee, and varying choices in roasts. You also get to choose between a subscription that delivers a selection of beans in light roast, medium roast, dark roast, espresso, or decaf. More than that, you can change this preference at any time!
You might also be happy to know that Bean Box has many different options in the other boxes they sell. The decadent Deluxe Coffee + Chocolate Tasting Box, for starters, comes with eight different chocolates which pair together with 1.8-ounce bags of complementary coffees.
Meanwhile, the World Coffee Tour Box includes 16 of the 1.8-ounce bags, all of which come from different regions of the world. These regions can be further divulged with the included info sheets.
The US Road Trip Coffee Tour Box from Bean Box contains 16 of the 1.8-ounce bags, however, these are primarily focused on different regions within the US.
Finally, there’s the named Bean Box Sampler. This box is a popular choice among new subscribers due to the fact that it contains four of the 1.8-ounce bags, all of which are hand-crafted to your listed taste preferences.
What is Trade Coffee?
TRADE COFFEE SUBSCRIPTION
Fresh, ethically-sourced coffee from local roasters. Free and fast delivery. Pause or cancel at any time.
With a Trade Coffee subscription, there are over 400 different blends from top-rated small roasters around the country. While Trade does act almost as a middle-man, these bags of coffee are still roasted to order to guarantee freshness.
Trade will suggest different coffee selections for you after you take a short quiz to determine your coffee preferences. This quiz includes your roast preferences and whether you prefer coffee for cold brew, espresso, or whatever your heart desires.
Another cool feature is that you can also indicate how many cups of coffee you drink on a day-to-day basis. Trade will then give you different options regarding how often you receive your coffee, whether it’s every 10 days or longer.
Not only that, but the Trade Coffee website has a section for brewing equipment and accessories, a coffee queue that you can create, and two separate subscription options.
Bean Box vs Trade Coffee: How Are They Similar?
In the most simple way, Bean Box Coffee and Trade Coffee are similar in that they both provide delicious coffee from all around the world. The bags of beans that come in their subscription boxes are freshly roasted to order and come from small roasteries.
The coffee is based on your preferences regarding taste, roast, and brewing. Both subscription services have varying options regarding the type of monthly box you’re getting, as well.
How Are They Different?
However, Bean Box Coffee and Trade Coffee aren’t too similar. With Bean Box, the roasters are restricted to only local Seattle roasters. Meanwhile, Trade has direct connections with small roasters across the country and delivers freshly roasted coffee from them.
While the subscription services both work to provide you with coffee based on your tasting and roasting preferences, Trade allows for a bit more customization than Bean Box does.
The options of each website are also different, as Trade simply has a “Fan Favorites” option and a “Trade’s Top Shelf” option, while Bean Box has its original subscription box and a handful of “tour” options.
Bean Box Coffee Pricing
BEAN BOX SUBSCRIPTION
Think of us as your coffee sommelier. We sip thousands of coffees from the nation’s top roasters so you only get the very best.
NOTE: Prices can and do change over time. Please refer to your favorite company’s website for up-to-date pricing. All prices quoted are as of this article’s publication.
Of course, one of the most important things to consider when choosing which subscription box is right for you is the pricing.
When looking at Bean Box Coffee, the price of the subscription depends on which box you choose and the frequency at which you want it delivered to you. If you decide you want the standard subscription, there’s an option of either one or two 12-ounce bags in any roast preference that you’d like.
Furthermore, if you pick a delivery schedule of every week, the cost would be around $20. A delivery of every two weeks would be about $22, and one of every month runs about $24.
One of the best things about Bean Box is that the shipping is free with a standard subscription and you can even get a free tasting flight with it!
The prices for Bean Box’s other subscription options also vary, as they each have a different value comparatively. The Deluxe Chocolate + Coffee Tasting box starts at $68.99, the World Coffee Tour Box costs $89.99, the US Road Trip Coffee Tour Box is priced at $69, and the Bean Box Sampler will run you $24.
Trade Coffee Pricing
TRADE COFFEE SUBSCRIPTION
Fresh, ethically-sourced coffee from local roasters. Free and fast delivery. Pause or cancel at any time.
In comparison, Trade Coffee’s prices really depend on the type of subscription you choose to buy from them. If you wanted the Fan Favorites subscription box, which includes some popular, delicious beans from Trade, the cost would start out at $15.75.
However, the Trade’s Top Shelf subscription option, which has more of Trade’s select choices, made for the more adventurous coffee drinkers, starts out at $19.50.
No matter which subscription option you choose, you have the option to tell Trade how many cups of coffee you drink a day. This helps them to suggest to you different shipping frequencies according to your schedule.
The cool thing about Trade is that you can always pick directly which coffee you’d like to buy from them. If you choose to do this, the cost would then range anywhere from $15-$30, depending on the roaster that you buy from.
Regardless, the best part of Trade Coffee is that you can get free shipping on your subscriptions!
Which Box is the Right One For You?
While we’ve listed pretty much everything you need to know regarding the comparison of Bean Box Coffee and Trade Coffee, we also want to make it a bit easier for you, so we’ve crafted a table with all of the necessary information.
| Bean Box Coffee | Trade Coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Roasting | Roasted by top-rated Seattle roasters. | Roasted by top-rated roasters country-wide. |
| Small Business Support | Only uses local Seattle roasters. | Only uses small roastiers around the country. |
| Subscription Options | Standard, Chocolate Box, World Tour, US Tour, and Sampler. | Fan Favorites and Trade's Top Shelf. |
| Customization | They suggest options based on your preferences and you can choose what is sent. | They suggest options based on your preferences and you can choose what is sent. |
| Customization | $20-$24 plus free shipping and a tasting flight. | $16-$20 plus free shipping. |
We hope this helps you to find the perfect coffee subscription service so you can enjoy a new cup of joe every day! What we like about Bean Box Coffee and Trade Coffee is that both businesses support small roasteries, whether they be specified to one region, or across the country.
They may have some differences here and there, but overall Bean Box and Trade are both solid options for your next coffee adventure!
Happy Caffeinating!
