Worst Subscription Boxes: 12 Not Worth the Money

Updated February 2025 · 9 min read

Subscription boxes are a $32 billion industry built on the thrill of unboxing something new. But the dirty secret? Most boxes give you products worth less than what you paid — and they count on you forgetting to cancel.

We analyzed customer reviews, compared retail values, and tracked cancellation difficulty to find the boxes that consistently disappoint. Here are the 12 worst offenders.

1. FabFitFun — $55/quarter

The pitch: Full-size beauty, fitness, and lifestyle products "worth $200+"

The reality: The "retail value" is inflated by brands nobody has heard of. You'll get a $40 face cream from a brand that sells the same cream for $12 on Amazon. The customization options are limited and the best items sell out instantly for non-annual members.

Cancel difficulty: Medium — how to cancel FabFitFun

2. Ipsy — $14-28/month

The pitch: Personalized beauty samples based on your profile

The reality: The "personalization" is loose at best — you'll still get products that don't match your skin tone, type, or preferences. The samples are tiny and often from lesser-known brands. After a few months, you'll have a drawer full of products you never use.

Cancel difficulty: Medium — how to cancel Ipsy

3. BarkBox — $23-35/month

The pitch: Monthly dog toys and treats

The reality: The toys are cute but most dogs destroy them in minutes. You can buy similar quality toys at TJ Maxx for $3-5 each. The treats are decent but way overpriced per ounce compared to buying quality treats in bulk. Plus, they lock you into 6 or 12-month commitments.

Cancel difficulty: Hard (commitment plan) — how to cancel BarkBox

4. Savage X Fenty (Xtra VIP) — $49.95/month

The pitch: Monthly VIP member credit for Rihanna's lingerie brand

The reality: This is the most complained-about subscription in our data. You get charged $49.95/month as "member credit" whether you shop or not. If you don't skip by the 5th of each month, you're charged automatically. Many customers don't even realize they signed up — it's bundled into the checkout flow with dark patterns.

Cancel difficulty: Hard — hidden cancel button, credits are non-refundable

5. Dollar Shave Club — $5-10/month

The pitch: Cheap razors delivered monthly

The reality: Dollar Shave Club was revolutionary in 2012. In 2025, store-brand razors at Costco or Amazon are just as cheap without the subscription. Harry's razors at Target are $2/cartridge. DSC also upsells aggressively — shave butter, face wash, body wash — and your monthly spend creeps up.

Cancel difficulty: Easy — how to cancel Dollar Shave Club

6. HelloFresh — $60-80/week

The pitch: Pre-portioned meal kits with recipes

The reality: $60-80/week for 3 meals for 2 people works out to $10-13 per serving — more expensive than most takeout. The portions are small. The packaging waste is enormous. And the cancellation process is deliberately confusing with multiple guilt-trip screens.

Better alternative: Buy groceries and follow free recipes from YouTube or Budget Bytes.

7. Blue Apron — $50-80/week

The pitch: Premium meal kits with chef-designed recipes

The reality: Same problems as HelloFresh but with even less flexibility. Fewer recipe options, more expensive per serving, and the company has been struggling financially — meaning ingredient quality has declined. Their stock dropped 99% from IPO.

Cancel difficulty: Medium — how to cancel Blue Apron

8. Fabletics — $49.95/month

The pitch: Affordable athletic wear from Kate Hudson

The reality: Same model as Savage X Fenty — you're auto-charged $49.95/month as "member credit" if you don't skip by the 5th. The quality has declined significantly, with many reviews citing pilling, see-through fabric, and inconsistent sizing. Lululemon dupes from Amazon are better quality for less.

Cancel difficulty: Hard — how to cancel Fabletics

9. Noom — $32-59/month

The pitch: Psychology-based weight loss coaching

The reality: The "coaching" is largely automated — you get generic messages and food logging that any free app (MyFitnessPal, Lose It!) does just as well. The biggest complaint: the sneaky billing. What looks like a "trial" is often a multi-month commitment, and canceling Noom requires navigating a maze of screens designed to keep you paying.

Better alternative: MyFitnessPal (free) + YouTube workouts

10. Birchbox — $15/month

The pitch: Monthly beauty samples customized to you

The reality: Birchbox was the original beauty box (2010), but the concept has aged poorly. Samples are tiny — we're talking single-use packets. The "customization" barely works. You end up with a pile of products you'll never buy full-size. At $15/month, that's $180/year on sample-size products.

11. Loot Crate — $30-50/month

The pitch: Monthly geek/gaming merchandise

The reality: Loot Crate filed for bankruptcy, was acquired, and has never fully recovered. Shipping delays of weeks to months, declining item quality, and difficulty getting refunds. The items are mostly cheap licensed merchandise you'd find at Five Below.

12. Stitch Fix — $20/month styling fee

The pitch: Personal stylist picks clothes for you

The reality: The $20 styling fee is credited toward purchases, but the clothes are marked up 20-40% compared to buying the same brands elsewhere. The "personal styling" has become increasingly algorithmic, often missing the mark entirely. You end up keeping items just to justify the styling fee.

The Subscription Box Trap

All subscription boxes exploit the same psychology:

• The "surprise" dopamine hit — unboxing feels exciting even when the contents are mediocre
• Sunk cost fallacy — "I already paid, so I should keep it"
• Inflated "retail value" — a $3 lip gloss listed as "$18 value"
• Inertia billing — they know most people forget to cancel
• Commitment pricing — lower monthly rate requires 6-12 month commitment

Before You Subscribe to Any Box

Ask yourself:

1. Would I buy these products myself? If you wouldn't buy them individually, a box doesn't make them worth it.
2. Am I paying a "convenience premium"? Could I buy similar products cheaper elsewhere?
3. Can I cancel easily? Check the cancellation difficulty before you sign up.
4. Is there a commitment period? Monthly is always better than locked-in annual.
5. What happens to the stuff? If previous boxes are collecting dust, you don't need more.