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14 Subscription Gifts to Surprise and Delight All Year Long

Contributor

Updated August 26, 2020

A boy kisses his mom on the cheek after giving her a gift.

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Everyone loves getting presents, but most gifts can only be opened once.

Want a way to keep the thrill alive? Try giving subscription gifts or a specialty membership.

The subscriber — your giftee — will open a new package every month or two, extending their celebration all year.

Plus, if funds are tight, you’ll benefit from spending a little bit over the course of multiple months.

We found 14 reasonably priced subscription gifts we think just about anyone would love to get.

14 of the Best Subscription Gifts for Everyone on Your List

We’ve compiled this list of 14 smart subscription boxes for any personality on your shopping list — even those who are hard to buy for.

The Health Nut

Know someone who’s really health conscious? The vegan, gluten-free, organic, no-GMO type?

Your friend is probably spending tons of cash shopping at specialty grocery stores that sell those items.

With a Thrive Market membership, they can get all the goodies that usually pile into their cart delivered to their door — for just a fraction of the price.

Because Thrive Market’s organic goodies are 25-50% off retail price, they cost about the same as their conventional counterparts. A one-year membership is just $59.95 — less than $5 a month.

Plus, rather than receiving a monthly box of surprise goodies, the recipient does all their own shopping, so you know they’ll use everything!

The “OMG, Shoes!” Friend

Tired of being yanked into the nearest shoe store every time you go shopping with that one friend?

Surprise her with a VIP Membership to ShoeDazzle.

She’ll take a style quiz — then a stylist will put together a personalized showroom of shoes she can choose from to purchase each month.

The monthly fee is $39.95, which she can either use toward her next purchase or save if nothing catches her eye (unlikely).

Plus, there’s an option to skip any month as long as she logs in before the 6th of the month.

The Sommelier in Training

Mmm, wine.

We love wine so much. Robust reds, crisp whites, perfect-by-the-poolside dry rosé…

What were we talking about?

Oh, right! You probably know a wine lover too. Want a gift that’ll make her happier than a bottle of the good stuff?

Try three bottles delivered monthly and hand-picked to suit her tastes.

Winc starts at $39 plus $9 shipping for a monthly box of three wines. Plus, members get access to other steeply discounted bottles whenever they want — with free shipping on boxes of three or more.

If the savings mean bottles start stacking up, skipping a month is easy.

The Girl Who Wears Yoga Pants to the Office — and Pulls It Off

Do you know one of these women? Are you able to get over your (understandable) envy enough to buy her a gift?

Consider the FabFitFun subscription box. It comes filled with health, beauty and fitness products for the Instagram queen on your list.

It’s pricier at $49.99 per delivery, but only ships once per season. Because each box contains $200 worth of products, at four deliveries per year, you’re basically buying one box and getting three free!

The Coffee Snob

Remember when your uncle scoffed at the bag of ground Dunkin’ Donuts coffee you picked up at the grocery store while he was in town for Thanksgiving?

Whatever, man — you just need a way to get through the morning.

But your uncle might really enjoy a gift subscription to BeanBox, a gourmet coffee subscription that delivers fresh-roasted, whole bean Seattle coffee monthly.

And when I say “fresh,” I mean most beans are shipped within 48 hours of roasting. You can be sure there’ll be no scoffing at this gift.

Plus, it’s only $20 a month — even less if you buy a six-month or one-year package!

The Token Tea Drinker

A woman dips a bag of tea in and out of the hot, steaming water inside her cup. — Getty Images

The tea folk among us need their fix, too.

Tea Sparrow delivers a box of hand-picked, loose leaf teas from across the globe every month.

It’s just $20 per month and easy to stop and start. You can choose one-month, three-month or six-month options, or an ongoing subscription. Shipping’s also included for those in Canada or the continental U.S.

The Mom with Ambition — or the Kid Who Keeps Taking Stuff Apart

Know a mom who keeps talking about how her kid’s definitely going to be an astronaut — before they even hit kindergarten?

Check out subscription boxes from Kiwi Crate. There’s an option for kids ages 3-16 — or even older. They range in activities from art to engineering. Most subscriptions start at $19.95 per month and can last for three, six or twelve months. Shipping is free in the U.S.

The Wanderluster

One of the best-loved parts of traveling is trying exotic foreign foods. If you know someone who’s equal part foodie and footloose, keep reading.

Try the World will deliver a box filled with goodies from different countries every month. You’ll get to discover and appreciate exotic new cuisines. There is also an option for a snacks box instead of cooking ingredients.

Bonus: It features free shipping, and it’s easy to pause or cancel at any time.

Pay $39 for a month, or save by paying for three, six or 12 months at a time.

The Do-Gooder

Your friend who’s always too busy at the soup kitchen to hang out on weekends will really love this snack subscription box from Love With Food.

Subscriptions start at $7.99 a month, and boxes include food from around the world made with “real ingredients.” Every time a snack box is delivered, Love With Food donates a meal to feed a hungry child.

Talk about a feel-good gift!

Your recipient can buy any of their favorite snacks through Love With Food’s online portal.

The Busy Professional

Do you know someone who loves to make healthy, home-cooked meals — but spends too much time at the office (or freelancing or chauffeuring the kids from school to soccer to sleepovers) to hit the store, read the recipe and get dinner on the table before 8 p.m.?

Enter meal subscription plans like Plated, Hello Fresh and Blue Apron.

All of these services operate on a similar model. They put together healthy, delicious recipes and deliver the ingredients in exactly the correct amounts, as well as the instructions to subscribers’ homes.

This gift will save them time running to the store.

Plus, they’ll get to learn a new recipe to add to their repertoire.

Pricing for these services varies The services offer diet-friendly menus and the ability to swap meals based on taste preferences.

The Outdoor Adventurer

Got a friend who brings her hiking gear to work on Friday so she can get the earliest possible start on her weekend camping trip?

She might be an awesome candidate for a subscription to the Cairn box.

It’s $29.95 per month (different payment plans are available) and includes a variety of gear like compasses, cookware, portable foods, apparel like beanies and gloves and skin care/first aid products.

You’ll get the added satisfaction of knowing you’re helping your friend stay safe and comfortable out there in the wild.

The Pet Parent Who Never Shuts Up About Spot or Fluffy

Check out BarkBox (starting at $22 per month) for your dog-lover friends — or KitNipBox for the resident cat lady (no judgments, only purrs!).

The lucky recipient (and their furry friend) will receive a monthly box of treats and toys. BarkBox starts at $22 per month. KitNipBox starts at $19.99 per month for a single cat and $29.99 per month for multiple cats.

The Geek

Your favorite nerd — whether they be a gamer, anime fan, or pop culture lover — will enjoy a subscription to Loot Crate — a monthly delivery of four to eight geeky goods and collectables. Prices for different crate themes vary. You can choose to gift a single crate or pay for six crates over six months or 12 crates over 12 months.