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Rolling Stone

Perk Up Your Morning Brew With The 10 Best Coffee Subscriptions Online

Sage Anderson
13 min read
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At a Glance: The Best Coffee Subscriptions:

There’s something particularly unifying about a good cup of coffee— it’s an important morning ritual for many of us, clearly, since more than 2.25 billion cups are brewed globally every day. As coffee is both a science and an art, and everyone has strong opinions about the best kettle, grinder, or machine necessary to make that perfect cup. But the star of the show when it comes to flavor is always good-quality coffee beans — and it’s never been easier to get your beans delivered straight to your front door.

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Especially if you find yourself running out of beans for your morning java fix, there are better ways to stock up than running out to the store uncaffeinated. Just like companies that deliver everything from booze to meal kits to your home, a coffee subscription service will let you choose how many times a month (or week, if you’re a real coffee fiend) you’d like fresh-roasted coffee beans delivered, so you never have to worry about running out of coffee again.

The best coffee subscriptions can also help you figure out the best beans for the way you like to prepare your cup in terms of flavor and strength (super milky? black as the night?). Over the years we’ve tested several coffee subscription services, and we’ve rounded up our favorites below. If you want a brew that will power you through your workday, or just want to try something slightly more global than what you’d find at your local supermarket, these coffee bean boxes have you covered.

What Are the Best Coffee Subscriptions?

Bored of your usual cup of joe, and looking to shake up your morning routine? Here are our top picks for the best coffee subscription services and boxes.

1. Atlas Coffee Club

Atlas Coffee Club
Atlas Coffee Club

subscribe at atlas coffee club $9+

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Atlas Coffee Club takes a global approach to its monthly subscription service, single-handedly curating some of the best single-origin coffees from around the world with an impressive roster of roasters. Every two or four weeks you’ll receive a half bag (6 oz; $9), single bag (12 oz; $14), or double bag (24 oz; $28) of coffee from a different region of the world from more than 50 countries (I had incredible roasts from Costa Rica and India). You can choose how often you’d like to receive your shipment, whether you prefer light/medium or medium/dark roasts (or like both!), whether you’d like whole or pre-ground beans. It’s also a pleasant surprise that they even offer Keurig- and Nespresso-compatible pods.

Each package also contains a postcard explaining the country of origin, brewing tips, and tasting notes. These are helpful, informative documents that help ensure you’ll have the best possible experience, like a mini java passport. By catering to both seasoned coffee experts and people who are curious about trying a new brew from regions unknown, Atlas Coffee Club is a subscription that’ll expand anyone’s coffee palate.

2. Trade

Trade Coffee Delivery Subscription
Trade Coffee Delivery Subscription

subscribe at trade $15.75+

Trade is like the world’s best coffee mentor, with an immense catalogue of more than 400 coffees, available from local craft roasters across the states. But you don’t have to be a coffee snob to enjoy their offerings: when you sign up, you can take a short quiz that will algorithmically hone in on what roast profiles you like, and which beans are best for the kind of coffee gear you’re actually going to use (pour-over gang, anyone?).

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Their unique coffee matching takes all the guesswork out of your morning cup of joe. But if you know what beans suit you best, you can buy an individual bag and have it delivered at any time. Trade also has decaf options, which is big plus if you want the same great flavors from premium coffee without the mid-day jitters.

Trade Coffee’s subscriptions start at $15.75 for a 12 oz. bag, but you can customize your order in a lot of ways, from adding your favorite picks, to choosing grind settings, and order frequency between 1-6 weeks. They also offer a Plus Subscription for real java aficionados that starts at $19.95 per bag with even more flavors, countries, and processing options.

3. Bean Box

bean box
bean box

subscribe at bean box $17.79+

Your guide to specialty coffee, Bean Box has an catalogue of 50+ plus roasters if you don’t know where to start. Think of Bean Box like a coffee sommelier, as they partner with the nation’s top roasters to bring you exclusive small-batch coffees with seemingly endless varieties. The best part? All your beans will be shipped straight to the comfort of your home for the ultimate coffee-drinking experience.

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Brew better mornings with your choice of one or two 12 oz. bags of ground or whole bean coffees, hand-selected by Bean Box’s coffee curation team and delivered on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis starting at $17.79. Right now, when you subscribe you can get a bonus Coffee Tasting Flight for free, no promo code needed. Bean Box also offers a “World Tour” of 16 curated coffees from the world’s top coffee-producing regions, as well as a coffee and artisanal chocolate bar tasting box, and even Seinfeld-inspired brews. With Bean Box, you’ll never be bored of your brew.

4. Jot

Jot Ultra Coffee Subscription
Jot Ultra Coffee Subscription

subscribe at jot $19.50

For those who want no frills, and no taste tests, Jot is the simplest way to get your caffeine buzz. Jot says their Ultra Coffee is the “purest, most concentrated form of liquid coffee in the world”, since a tablespoon is all you need to transform any liquid into a remarkable latte, iced coffee, or straight-up cup of joe.

Jot’s Ultra Coffee is uncommonly smooth, with a bold coffee flavor that we recommend those who enjoy a very intense taste. Each 200ml bottle holds about 14 cups worth of coffee, and it’s 20 times more concentrated than regular concentrated than regular coffee. You might not get the range of roasting profiles or blends like you would from other subscriptions, but that doesn’t mean the beans used aren’t quality — Jot only uses organic, Fair Trade, and sustainable coffee beans from Central and South America.

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Once subscribed, you can fine tune your settings, add an extra bottle, or skip a week at any time. You can get Single, Double, or Triple bottles depending on how many cups a day you drink and how many people are going to be drinking.

5. Blue Bottle Coffee

Blue Bottle Coffee Subscription
Blue Bottle Coffee Subscription

subscribe at blue bottle coffee $13+

Nobody loves a stale bag of beans, so if you want your coffee at its peak flavor there’s no better choice than Blue Bottle Coffee‘s subscription service — the company promises to ship your coffee within 24 hours of roasting. While they don’t have the most extensive menu of options (they only feature eight blends at a time, not including their Single Origin assortment), you’ll get the freshest beans fast.

Blue Bottle also has a quick quiz they use to pair you with coffees you’ll love, but even if you commit to their pick, you always have the option to go with a slightly reduced six-ounce bags as opposed to the larger 12-ounce normally offered. The questionnaire might not be as thorough, but less is more here — they’re dedicated to showcasing the versatility of the coffees they do have, listing the flavor notes on each featured blend.

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Nothing shows their dedication to coffee culture more than their team of experts, which you can email if you have any questions about proper brewing methods and equipment. Blue Bottle Coffee starts at $13 for a 6 oz. half bag and $21 for a 12 oz. bag, and you can weekly or monthly deliveries of your favorite blends.

6. Driftaway Coffee

Driftaway Coffee Subscription
Driftaway Coffee Subscription

subscribe at driftaway coffee $19+

Brooklyn-based Driftaway Coffee will make your morning cup of mud feel like an elegant coffee flight. If you’re new to coffee subscriptions, Driftaway starts you off with the Explorer Box, a blind “tasting kit” of four different coffee profiles you can do self-guided or over Zoom. Rate the beans based on what you like and don’t like, and subsequent deliveries will be calibrated to your preferences.

You’ll get convenient home delivery of both whole bean coffee and cold brew each month, though you can always add more if needed. Everything roasted and batched to order, with all orders shipping within 12 hours of roasting from their Red Hook facilities. But they’re also incredibly dedicated to sustainability, donating to World Coffee Research for each pound of coffee they roast, as well as packaging and mailing your beans in plastic-free, compostable material.

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After the Explorer Box ($36), there’s new coffees available each month starting at $19 for a 12 oz. bag, so you can continue to personalize your experience as you reorder. If you’re looking for an expertly-curated coffee experience, this coffee service will give you exactly what you never knew you needed from your coffee.

7. MistoBox

MistoBox Coffee Subscription
MistoBox Coffee Subscription

subscribe at mistobox $12.71+

With a selection of 600+ coffees from a whopping 60+ award-winning roasters, Mistobox makes for a seriously stellar gift subscription for the coffee fiend in your life, especially if you’re not sure what kind of coffee to get them and don’t want to risk choosing wrong.

But you don’t have to dig through the bean barrels yourself to find something that will please their palette — they’ll be able complete a quiz on their coffee preferences and then get matched with a coffee “curator”, an expert who learns the kinds of coffee they like and will send them beans based on what they like from a recommended “Brew Queue” (they can later revise this queue on their online profile and revisit the roaster’s tasting notes). The more information they provide, the better their selections will be tailored.

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MistoBox also ensures that beans are sourced directly from the roaster, with each bag roasted to order and arriving either whole or ground. This approach makes for a more sustainable cup, more competitive pricing, and a fresher cup for your giftee. Gifting a subscription starts at $40 for two shipments, which equates to around $12.71 per bag.

8. Chamberlain Coffee

Chamberlain Coffee
Chamberlain Coffee

subscribe at chamberlain coffee $16+

Chamberlain Coffee, the beloved Gen Z coffee brand founded by Emma Chamberlain, has some of the most fun, tasty choices for coffee enthusiasts and a tea aficionado alike. Some java snobs might turn their nose up at the idea of a cold brew with tasting notes of birthday cake and vanilla buttercream frosting, but we say more for us then.

While subscribing won’t get you access to the roster of Chamberlain favorites, you’ll be able to choose from best-sellers like the Original Family Blend, Cold Brew Elephant, Fancy Mouse Espresso, and so on (including uniquely-flavored matcha teas — try the mango). You’ll be able to chose from fresh grounds or whole beans, your delivery frequency, and the quantity (1-3 bags). They also offer a monthly artist’s series, hand-selected by Emma herself every month, which features a limited-edition bag of the Original Family Blend with original artwork. While the roasts themselves aren’t unique each month, it does create a unique platform for highlighting up-and-coming artists.

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With the tasting notes and roast profiles of each blend called “the geeky details,” it’s clear that accessibility and a love for the fun of drinking coffee is key here. Perks like mystery gifts added periodically, up to 15% off every order, and free shipping show how Chamberlain is the people’s princess of coffee subscriptions.

9. Peet’s Coffee

peets coffee subscription
peets coffee subscription

subscribe on peet's coffee $18.95+

When Peet’s was forced to close most of its café locations across the country during lockdown, it spawned the establishment of their exceptional Peet’s Coffee subscriptions online program.

Their delivery service now aims to “make every month a destination” with their global offerings, the sit stating that they only source from the top 1% of coffee farmers around the world. You can also take a specially-designed coffee quiz to understand your palette better, and what subscription you should choose based on preferred flavors, since Peet’s offers quite a few: they have a Small Batch series, Single Origin series, Seasonal Essentials series, and Frequent Brewer subscription if you already have a favorite blend you’d like to get every month.

But no matter where your coffee is sourced from, we like that you can always customize the grind as well as the number of pounds you receive per order, 1-3 pounds once a month. Bottom line? It’s easy to elevate your roasts with one of our favorite, responsibly-sourced picks.

10. Equator Coffees

Equator Coffees
Equator Coffees

subscribe at equator coffees $17+

In terms of the direct trade coffee world, Equator’s one of the oldest players in the game, offering up consistently solid bags of coffee for sale, as well as creating a standout single-origin and Fair Trade subscription program.

The subscription explores a range of single origin coffees from across the globe that are both Certified Fair Trade and Certified Organic, featuring rotating blends handpicked by their Roastery team. The brand says all their producer-partners are committed sustainability and responsible farming, which makes every cup taste twice as sweet. Equator also frequently collabs with chefs like Food Network’s Tyler Florence to create exclusive blends that benefit various nonprofits, but you’d be fine just sticking to your subscription picks (their Chirinos Regenerative coffee from Peru was in such heavy rotation in our house that we brought it to our AirBnb on vacation).

You’ve also got the ability get super specific with customizing your grind (from French Press, to Drip and Espresso grinds), which is more than most services provide The shipping range is wide too, and you can order 12 oz. to 2 pounds delivered once a week up to every eight weeks.

Buying Guide: How We Picked the Best Coffee Subscriptions

If you’re ready to take the plunge (pun intended) and sign up for a coffee subscription, here’s everything we considered when picking out the best delivery services for coffee beans.

Roasters vs. Retailers: Subscription providers are either retailers or roasters — the latter includes coffee roasteries and small-batch producers who buy the raw beans from farmers and roast them in-house. Retailers buy their beans from roasters then ship them to you, which means they often have a much wider selection of coffee brands available. We focused on retailers to give you the biggest coffee roster possible.

Bean Freshness: Coffee, naturally, is at its best shortly after roasting. The longer it takes to ship, the less flavorful it’ll be, so we prioritized subscriptions that roast beans fresh to order or focus on local roasters. Plus, ordering coffee locally means minimizing the environmental impact from cross-country shipping.

Subscription Features: Several of these subscriptions have websites where you can either take a quiz, or tailor your recommendations based on what particular coffees or flavor profiles you like. Most of the picks on our guide offer some level of expert recommendation as well as the ability to buy your favorite individual bags, too.

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