Coffee Club Comparison: Trade Vs. Bean Box

These days, it seems like you can't go online without seeing an ad for a new coffee subscription service. Because coffee is such a massive industry, more companies are starting to sell monthly subscriptions so customers can sample different roasts and beans from around the world. Two contenders for your morning cup are Trade and Bean Box.

Because so many of these services offer similar features and benefits, we're going to stack these two up side by side. This way, you can get a clear understanding of what to expect and can choose accordingly.

Trade vs. Bean Box: a Comparison Guide

To make things as objective as possible, we'll be evaluating each subscription service on the same factors, such as price, customization, and customer reviews. That said, because coffee enjoyment is subjective, it can be relatively difficult to determine a specific "winner" overall. Instead, our goal is to present the fundamental basics of each box, so you can decide based on your preferences.

Trade Coffee Club Overview

Trade is a relatively new company, founded in 2018. One thing that sets Trade apart from other coffee clubs is that it only works with US-based roasters. Typically, these services will source their roasts from small-batch farms from different parts of the world. However, Trade stays local, so you can support small American businesses instead. The company is also committed to providing sustainable business practices. For example, it switched to compostable packaging to save waste, and it donates some of its profits to local charities.

Although Trade Coffee is only roasted and packaged in the United States, there are over 450 varieties available, so you can keep your subscription active for a long time without repeating any blends. Also, while the roasters are local, most of the beans are sourced from places like Central America and Africa, so you still can experience a wide selection of different beans.

When signing up for Trade, you need to pick either the standard subscription or the Trade+ version. The upgraded version offers more variety and allows you to get beans from more parts of the globe.

One thing we like about Trade is that it asks you pointed questions, such as how you roast your coffee, whether you want whole or ground beans, and your skill level at brewing coffee. These questions ensure you get a more bespoke box that satisfies your taste preferences. You can also update your answers to adjust your subscription accordingly.

Bean Box Coffee Club Overview

Bean Box is a Seattle-based company founded in 2014. As with most coffee clubs, it was created to help coffee drinkers discover new flavors and roast varieties without having to do all the homework themselves. Bean Box wraps and ships each order from its Seattle warehouse. So, even though the beans may come from different places, each package looks the same.

If you're not much of a coffee aficionado, Bean Box is designed to be as simple as possible. While you still need to answer some questions about your taste preferences (i.e., light, dark, or medium roasts), the curators at Bean Box handle much of the details for you. So, on the one hand, you get to sample coffees that you may not have tried otherwise. On the other hand, some shipments may taste better than others, and it's hard to tell which type it will be until it arrives.

This service is also like most others because it sources coffee from around the world, using different farms and roasters for each bag. So, there's a ton of variety, and you can let Bean Box curate each of your bags, or you can select your favorite roast type for more consistency with each delivery.

Pricing

Both Trade and Bean Box allow you to purchase individual coffees and subscription plans. However, the way they've set up their pricing methods differs.

With Bean Box, you pay for each shipment, which can be one or two bags at a time. For one bag, it's as little as $18 per week if you choose a weekly shipment. However, if you choose the monthly option, you'll pay at least $20 per order. You pay double if you get two bags. If you're interested in buying individual bags outside of a subscription, the prices vary slightly, but they're all around $20, give or take a few bucks.

Trade sets up its subscription service a bit differently. The default option is to pre-pay for six shipments. That way you can save money overall and don't have to renew your plan each month. In this case, each bag is only $15.75, and you can often get a discount on your first order. Alternatively, you can order three bags or one bag at a time.

Although Bean Box and Trade offer free shipping, Trade doesn't do it for single bags. So, you have to buy three or six at a time to qualify. If you buy coffee outside of a subscription, most of it is below $20.

Winner: If we're talking about affordable coffee, Trade has lower prices overall. However, since you need to pre-pay for three or six bags to get free shipping, you'll pay more upfront. If you want a relatively cheap coffee service that only charges per shipment, Bean Box is the way to go.

Customization

Both Bean Box and Trade offer curated coffee selections, meaning you don't get to pick and choose which blend you receive with your order. However, you can customize your order based on the type of coffee you like to drink (e.g., light roasts or espressos). You can also choose whether you want whole beans or ground coffee.

Trade does ask how you brew your coffee, so presumably the blends you receive will be suited to your preferred method. For example, if you mostly use a French press, you might receive coffee that's easier to brew that way instead of via a drip or pour-over coffee maker.

When it comes to shipment times, Trade allows you to get your subscription every week, every 10 days, or every two weeks. There's not an option to receive coffee monthly. Bean Box gives you the option to set your subscription to one, two, or four weeks between shipments. Both services allow you to pause or cancel your orders at any time.

One element to point out is that neither subscription service offers coffee pods. So, if you use a pod machine to brew your favorite beverage, you won't be able to take advantage of these services. Although there's no specific reason listed on either website, the decision is presumably to help reduce plastic waste from used pods.

Winner: It's really a tie since both coffee clubs offer similar levels of customization. However, Bean Box allows you to space out your shipments more, which may be better for your needs.

Variety

According to Trade, there are over 450 coffee varieties available from roasters around the US. Bean Box doesn't stipulate how many varieties it has, but since you're getting coffee from around the world, the number is likely comparable to Trade.

Because both subscriptions are curated, you can't build your own box with coffees that you like. However, you can buy bags of coffee individually, so you can technically create a customized order and just buy shipments as needed, rather than setting up a weekly or bi-weekly subscription.

Trade has a little bit of an edge because you can buy coffee-making equipment to go with your coffee. So, if you need a grinder, a coffee maker, or filters, you can order through Trade. That said, the selection is relatively limited when compared to other stores, so plan accordingly.

Winner: It's hard to tell whether one service has more of a variety of coffee, so they're tied in this category. However, Trade does sell coffee equipment if you need it.

Customer Service

Both Bean Box and Trade offer multiple ways to get in contact with the company, so if you have any questions or issues with your subscription, you can likely get help right away. Trade puts its contact information at the bottom of its main page, so you can give them a call, send an email, or browse through its FAQ page for immediate answers. Trade is also only available from 9am to 5pm EST, Monday through Friday. So, if you need assistance outside of those hours (or you're in a different time zone), you may have to wait longer for a response.

Bean Box has a slight edge because it offers a live chat feature. Also, instead of a single email address, you can send your query to a customer-service-specific email address so you can hear back faster. Bean Box also has a phone number you can call for any reason. There aren't any hours listed on the website, so presumably you can call anytime.

Both companies offer a FAQ page, where you can find answers to questions like how to cancel a subscription, what to do if there's a problem with your order, and more. Each FAQ page is organized by question type, so it's easier to find what you're looking for.

Winner: Bean Box wins because there are more options to contact the company, and it seems to have more extensive hours of operation than Trade.

Ratings and Recommendations

When visiting either Trade's or Bean Box's websites, you'll notice reviews and ratings toward the bottom of the page. You'll also see how each box was featured on a particular website or magazine, like Esquire or Forbes.

Trade claims to have over 300,000 positive reviews, but it only shows a curated list of six, and none of them show the date of the review. So, you have to take Trade's word that it has made over 300,000 people happy with its coffee service.

Bean Box is more transparent with its reviews, so you can see what people really think, even if they're less than satisfied with the service. The reviews are listed with the most recent on top, so the list is updated regularly. According to the site, there are over 1,600 reviews, and you can see most of them, not just a curated few.

Winner: We like that Bean Box shows you all of their reviews, even the negative ones. This way, you can make a more informed decision and see what people are saying. Although Trade claims to have more reviews, it's a bit suspicious that you can only read so few of them.

The Bottom Line: Which Coffee Club is Better? Trade or Bean Box?

Both of these coffee subscriptions are very similar, so it's hard to pick one over the other. However, some defining characteristics can potentially make one more appealing.

For example, Trade Coffee offers more stable pricing, as each bag is $15.75 when you order a subscription plan. Also, individual bags are almost all the same price, so there's less fluctuation and you don't have to pay more for different types of roasts. Since Trade only works with US-based companies, it can maintain this stability better than other services.

When it comes to customer service and recommendations, Bean Box makes it easier to contact them, and they have more reviews you can read. So, even though some of these reviews say the coffee isn't that great, you can make a more informed decision.

Overall, we tend to lean toward Trade's coffee subscription service, especially because it supports small businesses throughout the country.