Each year, Americans spend at least $72 billion on their pets. From premium pet food to dog subscription boxes, spoiling your pet is hard to resist, and we’ve got a few tips for showing your dog you love them. Why not surprise them with a goody box? Your doggie will be entertained and delighted with fun new treats, toys, and surprises. The two most popular companies, BarkBox and Chewy, both offer monthly boxes and provide different benefits, with a selection of toys, treats, and goodies designed to wow your best pal.
In this article, we will compare these two services based on their price, content, and subscription models plus take a look at their special features. In our BarkBox versus Chewy comparison, you’ll find everything you need to know about these goody box companies so you can choose the right one for your pet.
At a Glance
The idea of monthly subscription boxes for dogs is relatively new but has quickly become a popular alternative to the typical pet store. Usually, there are at least three items in each box with things like toys, treats, rawhide chews, and other similar dog necessities that many dog owners may find they need every month. Let’s look at the key points of each product.
- Dog goodies are delivered on a monthly schedule
- Each box tells a different story
- A mix of themed toys, treats, and photogenic props
- You’re able to tailor your box to fit your dog’s needs
- Subscription service for heavy chewers
- One-off boxes available
- You’re in control of the delivery date
- No need to customize the contents
- Ideal if you want a box specially for puppies
Overview of BarkBox:
BarkBox is a leading provider of dog subscription boxes. Carly Strife, Matt Meeker, and Henrik Werdelin founded the company in New York in 2011, and BarkBox was one of the first subscription services to deliver dog toys to dog owners’ doorsteps. It sends a monthly box filled with chew toys and treats for your dog. There are two BarkBox options: a standard box as well as a “Super Chewer” box for pooches who enjoy gnawing their toys to pieces. These themed boxes are perfect for creating a rotating collection of novelty goodies for your dog, and they’ll love the hand-picked toys and treats every month.
What’s Inside a BarkBox
- A set of two themed toys
- Two bags of treats (made in the United States and Canada)
- A natural chew toy
- You can choose between options for normal or heavy chewers
- There are lots of cute themes
- BarkBox is known for its excellent customer service
- You can specify if your dog has allergies
- You can save money on the subscription if you sign up for multiple months
- Annual subscriptions at an affordable price
- You can purchase one-off boxes in the BarkBox shop
- It includes a good mix of chew toys and treats
- You can tailor your BarkBox subscription after the first month to specify whether you’d like more toys or treats
- Shipping is included in the overall cost
- Costs more than Chewy
- You cannot specify the delivery date
- The boxes are not life-stage specific
- You never know exactly what you are going to get
Overview of Chewy:
Chewy also offers affordable boxes that are suitable for most breeds, but these might not be suitable for heavy-chewers. Chewy.com’s Goody Box is a new product from the popular online pet store. However, the Chewy subscription isn’t a subscription at all. You get to pick the boxes you want, and there are only nine options available at the time of writing. We appreciate that you know exactly what you get with this box and you can choose which box you want at a particular time. Although Chewy is more focused on treats than toys, your dog still gets something to play with, and they generally always receive a cool bandana!
What’s Inside a Chewy Goody Box
- One or two toys
- A single product (often a themed bandana)
- Three treat bags
- One natural chew
- There’s no subscription
- You can control the delivery date
- There are no surprises—you know exactly what you are getting
- Chewy is cheaper
- Nine different themes to choose from
- More treats per box
- The bandanas are cute!
- Savings of up to 30% per item per box
- Fewer variations in themes
- There are no options specifically for dogs who chew a lot
- You can’t tailor your box, what you see is what you get
- Shipping is not included in the overall cost
- There’s no bundling or discounts for buying multiple boxes
How Do They Compare?
We took a closer look at BarkBox and Chewy boxes to help you make your decision. We compared key factors such as ease of use, price, and the quality of the boxes to help you determine which is right for you.
Price
- Edge: Chewy
If you buy a one-off BarkBox, you pay $45 per box for the monthly subscription plan. For one Chewy box, it’s only $24.99 for a single box. With Chewy, it’s always under $30 for a box, no matter how often you order but with BarkBox, ordering more consecutive months brings the price down considerably. You can pay as little as $29 per box if you’re willing to sign up for a 12-month subscription plan. You can add an extra to each month for an additional $9 per month. When choosing a BarkBox plan, it’s best to opt for the annual package to save money. With a yearly subscription, you save nearly $200 off the monthly installments.
Contents
- Edge: BarkBox
Given the difference in cost, you’d expect BarkBox to edge out Chewy in quality, and you’d be right. There’s a $15 difference in cost per box and that is reflected in the variety and durability of what’s inside. Of course, if you pay more, you should get more, so this difference in quality makes sense.
Environmental Impact
- Edge: Chewy
Because Chewy provides a one-off box service at a low price, your dog will likely receive fewer boxes and fewer toys. Chewy is more focused on consumable treats. With BarkBox, the monthly savings for a 12-month subscription may tempt you into buying many more boxes and toys than you really need. Does your dog, your household, or for that matter, the planet, really need all of that stuff lying around?
Customization
- Edge: BarkBox
The Chewy boxes cannot be customized. However, if your dog has allergies or needs more or less treats, BarkBox can tailor your subscription.
Options for Puppies
- Edge: Chewy
Although BarkBox has more themes, they don’t have boxes for puppies (Chewy does). Baby doggies deserve unexpected treats and delights too!
- See Also: Chewy Promo Codes, Coupons, and Deals
The Verdict
So, which doggy goody box is better? That depends on what you’re looking for, of course. If you compare Chewy Goody Box versus BarkBox and weigh up the pros and cons, you can see that they are two very different products. The Chewy Box is perfect for those who would like to reward their pets with an occasional treat. However, if you are looking for something more customized, BarkBox might be the best option for you. BarkBox is focused on dog lovers who want to spoil their dogs monthly with new toys, treats, and more, while Chewy’s boxes are geared towards pet owners who want to save time and money by purchasing a one-off, off-the-shelf product, quickly and conveniently. BarkBox is more bespoke and full of surprises. Chewy is more predictable and convenient.
It also comes down to budget—Chewy is far cheaper over the short term, but if your goal is to regularly shower your dog with new toys and treats, the extra cost of BarkBox may be worth it for you.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we recommend thinking about your specific needs and lifestyle when choosing a dog subscription box. With BarkBox, in addition to the wide selection of toys the “Super Chewer” subscription gives an option for tough chewers. It may cost a few more dollars per month to subscribe to BarkBox, but we believe that the cost is well worth it. On the other hand, if you prefer a one-off box that focuses more on treats than toys, Chewy is the right choice for you. In thinking about how much stuff you want winding up in your house and ultimately in landfills, you may decide that less is more.
- Related Read: How Much Does Barkbox Cost?
