Pet Subscription Boxes Compared: BarkBox vs Chewy vs Others

Pet Subscription boxes Compared: BarkBox vs Chewy vs Others

My golden retriever, Biscuit, destroyed three $15 squeaky toys in a single weekend last March. I stood in the pet store aisle adding up receipts in my head and realized I was spending nearly $80 a month on treats and toys he didn’t even care about. That’s when I finally gave pet subscription boxes a real try.

Here’s what I found after testing six different services over nine months. Some saved me money. Some were a total waste. And one genuinely changed how I shop for Biscuit.

What actually comes inside a pet subscription box

Most pet subscription boxes follow the same basic formula. You pay a monthly fee, and a curated box shows up at your door with toys, treats, and sometimes grooming products or accessories. The details vary a lot though.

BarkBox typically includes two toys, two bags of treats, and one chew. The standard plan runs $35 per month, though you can drop it to around $23 a month if you commit to a 12-month plan. The toys are mostly exclusive to BarkBox, which means your dog won’t find them at Target. That’s a nice touch if your pup gets bored with the same rubber Kong shapes everywhere.

Chewy doesn’t offer a traditional subscription box the same way. Instead, they have Autoship, which lets you schedule recurring orders of whatever you want. You pick the products, set the frequency, and save about 5% on each order. It’s less of a surprise and more of a convenience tool. For Biscuit, I use Autoship for his food and dental chews, which I know he’ll eat every time.

What surprised me about the whole category is how many smaller brands have popped up. PupBox, Loot Crate Pets, and the Honest Kitchen’s variety packs all offer different takes on the concept. Some focus on natural ingredients. Others lean into the toy factor. A few, like KitNipBox for cats, specialize entirely in one type of pet.

BarkBox review: Is it worth the price for your dog

BarkBox is probably the most recognized name in pet subscription boxes, and there’s a reason. The curation is genuinely fun. Each monthly box has a theme, like “Squeaky Sea Adventure” or “Backyard BBQ,” and the toys match that theme. My dog doesn’t care about themes, but I’ll admit I enjoy unboxing it with him.

The toys hold up reasonably well. In my experience, about 70% of them last at least two weeks with a medium-sized aggressive chewer. That’s better than the bargain bin toys I used to grab at Walmart. The treats are made in the USA, and BarkBox offers grain-free and made-without-grain options depending on your dog’s needs.

One thing to know: BarkBox sizes their boxes by weight. Plans start at “Small & Short” for dogs under 20 pounds and go up to “Extra Toy” for heavy chewers over 50 pounds. The extra toy plan costs more, around $49 per month on a month-to-month basis. For a 65-pound lab mix like Biscuit, the standard box was fine, but I upgraded after he chewed through two toys in the first three days of a single box.

According to the American Kennel Club, interactive toys that encourage problem-solving can reduce anxiety and destructive behavior in dogs. Several BarkBox toys fall into that category, like puzzle feeders and hide-and-squeak designs. That’s not just marketing. A 2019 study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science found that environmental enrichment, including novel toys, reduced stress-related behaviors in shelter dogs by up to 30%. If you’re trying to keep a bored dog busy while you work from home, a subscription box is one way to rotate new toys in regularly.

The downsides? You can’t fully customize what’s in each box. BarkBox lets you exclude certain toy types if your dog is a destructive chewer, but you can’t pick specific items. And if you already have a toy hoard at home, you’ll end up with a closet full of extras.

Chewy Autoship vs subscription boxes: Different tools for different needs

Chewy Autoship isn’t really a subscription box. It’s a recurring order system. And honestly, that might be exactly what you need instead.

With Autoship, I set up monthly deliveries of Biscuit’s food (Blue Buffalo Life Protection, about $54 for a 30-pound bag), his dental chews ($28 for a bag of 36), and a 12-pack of his favorite peanut butter biscuits ($19). The total comes to about $96 a month, but I save roughly 5% across the board, so it’s closer to $91. Compare that to the $70 or more I was spending making random pet store runs and impulse-buying things Biscuit wouldn’t touch.

Chewy’s real advantage is selection. They carry over 3,500 brands. If your dog needs a specific prescription diet, or you want to try a particular brand of frozen raw food, you can set it all up on Autoship. You can’t do that with BarkBox or any curated box.

The catch is that there’s no surprise factor. You’re not getting fun themed toys or new products you’d never think to try. It’s strictly practical. For some pet owners, that’s perfect. For others, the joy of opening a box with your dog is part of the appeal, and Autoship doesn’t deliver that.

Chewy also has something called Samples, where you can order try-sized portions of different foods and treats for a few dollars each. I’ve used this to test new treats before committing to a full bag, and it’s saved me from buying a $30 bag of treats Biscuit sniffed and walked away from.

How to compare pet subscription boxes before you commit

Before you hand over your credit card, here are the factors that matter most.

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Related: Essential Dog First Aid Kit: What to Include for Emergencies

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute veterinary advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian for medical concerns about your pet.