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10 Subscription Services That Are More Convenient Than Shopping
These subscription services help keep your fridge full, toiletries replenished, and your mind — and body — in tip-top shape
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Leaving the house to go “pick up a few things” can be convenient, but you still have to brave the regular retail inconveniences — long lines, sold out products, not being able to find an employee to help you. If you’re living in a big city or near a superstore (like Walmart or Target), it may be a little easier — but even if you don’t, that doesn’t mean that getting important daily essentials needs to be a nuisance. That’s where a good subscription service comes in.
From vitamins to full meal kits, and even treats for your pet, these subscription sites deliver basic necessities and helpful everyday products to your door every month, ensuring that you are well-stocked, whether you’re still staying in, or heading back out.
1. Ritual
Launched in 2016, this cult-favorite vitamin brand makes it easy to start a daily “ritual” of taking vitamins. While most generic multivitamins contain ingredients you already get from food, Ritual focuses on nine essential ingredients that you may have trouble getting organically. The list includes Omega-3 (for immunity), Folate (to boost mood), Iron (for red blood cell formation), Magnesium (for heart health and bone function) and Vitamin B12 (for brain health), among others.
While it started as a vitamin brand for women, Ritual just introduced its Sleep & Stress Relief line last year. Ritual says its team of scientists has done extensive research to create a capsule that supports the body’s natural cortisol response, in “bioavailable forms” your body can actually digest and use. Their capsules are vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO and made without colorants, allergens or fillers. Ritual sends you a bottle of vitamins each month for just $30; they’ll send you an alert ahead of time in case you need to pause or cancel anytime.
What we like: Ritual is continuing its long-term partnership with Food Forward, a non-profit that fights hunger and prevents food waste by “rescuing” fresh surplus produce, and redistributes it to people in need across Southern California. The company says every new Ritual subscription will allow Food Forward to distribute 10 pounds of fresh, healthy produce to communities experiencing food insecurity across Southern California.
2. BarkBox
If you don’t want to take a trip to the pet store every time you want to get your fur babies some new treats, BarkBox is a lifesaver for any pet parent. BarkBox delivers pet toys and treats, without having to scroll through endless pages of stuff online you don’t really need. As a monthly subscription, it’s totally customizable to your dog’s unique needs and personality, with treats and chews that can even be tailored to allergies and picky palates. The site’s pet accessories are inspired by a different theme every month (past themes have included “Barkbuster Movie Night” with theater snack-inspired toys, and pop culture collabs like Spongebob and Harry Potter), so your furry friend won’t get bored.
The toys and treat recipes are all designed in-house, so you won’t find them anywhere else — bottom line? BarkBox has everything you need to keep your pets entertained and well-taken care of, and you don’t even have to lift a finger (unless it’s the play fetch).
$22+/month
3. Dollar Shave Club
Even if you’re growing out your facial hair, you’ll still want to keep your beard or mustache nicely groomed, and the rest of your body looking good too. That’s why we’re fans of Dollar Shave Club, which may have started as a great place to order razors and shaving cream, but has quickly become a one-stop-shop for some of the best men’s grooming tools and accessories in the market today.
Fill out your preferences on the Dollar Shave Club website, then pull from their online shop, which stocks everything from deodorant to hair products to moisturizer and cologne.
Add products to your box and have them shipped directly to your door. Switch out or remove items at any time.
4. Birchbox
Birchbox has gone from being a beauty subscription box, to an easy way to stock up on skincare essentials while discovering new faves. Answer a few questions about what you’re looking for (your skin type, hair type, etc.) and Birchbox will send you a customized package with a mix of deluxe makeup, hair, and skincare samples, along with tips on how to use them. Choose what you like to re-order or spin the figurative wheel to test out a whole new box of products next month.
Birchbox has been a great way for us to test out pricey and trendy products without committing to paying full price for the whole thing. It’s not just for women either; there are a ton of gender-neutral products available at Birchbox.com and they also launched Birchbox Grooming, which is stocked with more male-focused balms and creams and lotions.
5. Hims
Hims has quickly become a go-to site for men dealing with more sensitive issues that they’d rather not have to pick up products for in person. In particular, Hims’ line of hair loss and erectile dysfunction treatments, can be easily added to your cart for discreet home delivery. Sign up for a subscription so you never have to worry about running out of these hair and performance-boosting aids (everything is shipped in simple packaging that doesn’t reveal its contents).
Hims offers a wide variety of treatment options too, from supplements and shampoos (say for thinning hair), to premature ejaculation sprays and pills that promise to get rid of cold sores in as little as 24 hours. Hims also offers skincare hacks, vitamins and can even arrange primary care consultations too, all done securely and conveniently online.
6. DrnxMyth
DrnxMyth is one of the easiest ways to get ready-to-drink craft cocktails, essentially bringing the whole bar menu straight to your door. Using specialized and patented “Twist-to-Mix” tech, the bottles have separate chambers for the juices and spirits to ensure peak taste and freshness for cocktail favorites like Margaritas, Rum Punch, and Bourbon Sours (although they feature master mixologist-level drinks too, like their smoky mezcal-based Hibiscus Haze).
Speaking of juices — everything is cold-pressed, with ingredients batched and mixed same-day from local California farms. In the spirit of drink innovation, DrnxMyth’s website also allows you to submit your own cocktail recipes for a change that it’ll get made. If you can’t get to your favorite local bar, or are just hyped up to host dinner parties again, DrynxMyth is a great way to shake things up.
7. Sun Basket
Even as restaurants open up again, for everyday weeknight meals, it’s still a great time to subscribe to a good meal delivery service. We’re big fans of Sun Basket, which offers home delivery of both full meals, and individual items for “all-day healthy eating” (think: protein bars, jerky, nuts and crackers).
Sun Basket, and other meal delivery services like it, have become an easy way for people who may not be able to get to a grocery store to access fresh meats and produce. It’s also a fun roommate or date night activity, with all the ingredients pre-portioned and recipes easily laid out for you to follow.
In my household of three people, Sun Basket had meals for someone who was gluten-free, a vegan and someone on the paleo diet, too. The site also offers a number of diabetic-friendly meals, in association with the American Diabetes Association. There was more than enough variety for us (we made everything from Malaysian noodles, to chicken, to a jambalaya-style shrimp) and the dishes were all ready in 30-40 minutes (including prep time). Oh: they were pretty tasty too.
8. Winc
If there’s one thing we could all use right now, it’s a stiff drink, and there are a number of sites that offer alcohol delivery these days. For convenience and variety, we like Winc, an online wine club that sends you a box of wine every month according to your preferences. Choose from red, whites, rosé and bubbly; mix and match from hundreds of fun, unique offerings on the Winc website (they have vegan, organic and natural wines too).
Swap out your order at anytime (say, if you want to switch your full-bodied reds for a fun rosé). Winc offers a ton of wines that you won’t find anywhere else, so we recommend mixing it up to try a bit of everything.
Don’t want to subscribe? Winc lets you order individual bottles as well, and they offer custom baskets for a great gift delivery option too.
9. The Bouqs Co.
Nothing brightens up someone’s day like a bouquet of fresh flowers, and we like ordering our stems from Bouqs. The first time I used Bouqs, it was to send a gift subscription to a friend who had just started a new business. Every two weeks, Bouqs would send a big flower arrangement to his shop, ensuring that he always had fresh blooms for his window display and counter.
I’ve used Bouqs to send a flower subscription to my parents too, and for a much-loved housewarming gift. The great thing about a Bouqs subscription? They don’t all have to be sent to the same person. You can sign up for a personal subscription and use it to get flowers for mom one month, a friend’s birthday the next, and for yourself the month after that.
Choose from a variety of classic bouquets and hip “farmers market” favorites. You can also choose the frequency of deliveries and the size of each arrangement. Not looking for a subscription? Bouqs also offers single orders on hundreds of beautiful florals, plants and succulents — many of which can be delivered the next day. The site has an extensive $50 and under section too, with a ton of great blooms that you can order for yourself or as a gift.
10. Brodo
Feeling under the weather, or just looking for a little extra immune boost? Brodo delivers bone broth (yes, just broth) straight to your door that you can either heat and sip by itself, or use in any recipe for an extra hit of flavor. Build your box online with selections ranging from classic meats, to broth blends like their chicken, roasted garlic, and chili paste dubbed the “Spicy Nona.” There’s even a vegan broth made from mushrooms and seaweed.
Not only do they use no concentrates or preservatives (unlike shelf-stable broths), but they’re also a great protein boost if you’re on a Keto, Paleo, or Whole30 plan. Like the best comfort food in a cup, each container has 22 ounces of broth shipped in frozen so you can enjoy a warm sip of nutrient-dense broth whenever you need a pick-me-up.