Pup Box Vs Bark Box

We all love to treat our pups so what better way to do so than invest in a dog subscription box? Much like the monthly and quarterly subscription boxes of all varieties that we can get as humans, there are plenty of subscription options for your dog as well.

In this guide, we will help every dog owner out with a complete comparison of Barkbox vs. Pupbox to tell you just which dog subscription box you might want to look into. From toys and treats to plenty more fun surprises, a pet subscription might just be what you need for your puppy.

Is one better than the other? We have all of that information about these dog subscription box services so that dog owners can make a fully informed selection with their first box choice.

PupBox Vs BarkBox – A Complete Review

As we walk through this guide, we will talk about each subscription service individually and then wrap up with a comparison to share all of the details side by side for these two dog subscriptions. Whether you’re looking for a monthly subscription for your new puppy or you have a full size pup that tends to be a super chewer, we’ve got you covered with the details!

Let’s get started.

PupBox

Pupbox includes items that are handpicked for your new puppy. Every box you receive will come with a variety of products, typically including 5-7 products per box. The box includes items that are specific to your pup and even comes with training information in each box as well. You can expect to get treats and toys as well as various accessories.

The way this monthly subscription from pupbox works is you go through and set up a profile. We’re a fan of this because the box is designed specifically for your new puppy and you can get a 12-month plan and possibly save some money. You will answer questions about you and your pup so they can build your box each month with the right plush toys, treats, and more.

Pupbox Pricing

You can choose from a 1 month plan clear up to a 12 month plan for this company subscription box. Let’s chat just a moment about the details here.

According to the site, here is the breakdown in pricing.

· 1 month – $39
· 3 month – $34 per box
· 6 month – $32 per box
· 12 month – $29 per box

The longer you sign up, the better your prices are. If you sign up for the 12 month option, you ultimately save about 26% in costs over the year. The plans are paid monthly when your box is set to go out and the shipping is free so you won’t have to pay additional shipping charges to get your high quality toys and training treats and etc. for your puppy.

In addition to the subscription service, you can also gift Pupbox to other people. You will need to know their pup details or you can simply send them a gift card and let the other dog owners answer questions about their pup for a box.

Pupbox Features & Products

Ultimately, your Pupbox is tailored to your puppy and their age and detail. It’s not just for puppies so we want to clarify that. You can use this box for adult dogs as well. This is all specified when you answer the information questions when you sign up.

Here is the common breakdown of each month’s subscription box.

· Helpful training information relative to your dog’s age
· Training treats and chews
· An additional 4-6 products that include accessories, treats, high quality toys, grooming and cleaning tools, etc.

Each box is personalized with toys, treats, accessories, and more so the company Pupbox determines the items based on your dog’s life stage and the details you provided about your dog.

Pupbox when compared to some of the other month subscription company options out there excels in customer service. They are very unique in that they provide training guides for you in every single box. If you’ve ever purchased training guides and etc. for a dog, you know these can get pricy so the value is incredible.

Here are some of the training things you might receive from Pupbox for your dog.

· Crate training tips and tricks
· Teaching “come”
· Various common dog commands and gestures
· Potty training techniques
· Learning to puppy proof for that super chewer dog

There is plenty more where those come from. Remember that their customer service excels in that they want this box to always be perfect for your pup and the stage they are at in life.

Pupbox Review

While Pupbox is set apart in terms of the treats, accessories, and materials there tends to be quite a bit of feedback about the toys that come to the box includes. This is the number one complaint about this month subscription box – the quality of the toys isn’t always amazing.

But let’s point out the customer service again. When you see these complaints, Pupbox responds to them, which is a customer service aspect that so many of these companies simply doesn’t have. It appears that they are continually working to improve and make changes so they offer higher value even in the toys included.

Honestly the training materials alone make this box well worth the cost so we won’t turn our noses up too much at some cheap toys. The treats are always good quality and there are additional details to this month subscription box from Pupbox than just the toys. You might even be able to find a coupon code and save a few dollars for your new dog.

This box seems to be in good order and we feel like Pupbox does it right with the added materials that can be incredibly informative, particularly if you’ve never trained a puppy. The treats and items are a great bonus but the foundation of this box is they help you train your puppy and you can’t beat that!

Pupbox 1 is loved by puppy parents and adult dog parents alike primarily for the training guide that you get each step of the way, whether your dog is 1 month old or they are 5 years old. The account page is truly informative from these boxes.

In addition, we value the customer service here. The price is reasonable and the customer service is profound. They care about your box and your puppy and about getting it right. They take feedback and work to improve the Pupbox. Each box is specifically tailored to your pup dog and the stage they are at currently.

BarBox

Another popular monthly subscription box for your dog is Barkbox. They again offer customized boxes that include things like treats and toys and each box has a theme. When you check out their website, you can see offers for special things in your first box. Right now, the promotion is a laptop plush toys model.

Barbox offers an exclusive box with a theme and the products within always circle back to the theme. This can be used for puppies as well as adult dogs. You will find fun toys and treats and other items. The current exclusive box is “Sit, Stay, Spa Day” and pet owners seem to love the boxes in just about every review.

As far as dog subscription boxes go, you can compare these to options like Pupjoy but of course, they are unique in their own way when the boxes are created.

When you sign up and set your account page up, your first box will ship right away and you can enjoy those boxes all month long until the next subscription arrives.

Barkbox Pricing

One thing we notice right away is that the prices for the Barkbox month subscription are not as readily available to us. It’s almost like it’s a secret. They do tell us that prices start at $23 a box and they are valued at $40+.

You can’t get to the actual price breakdown on their site unless you go through the process of telling them about your dog and signing up with your email and creating an account. This seems like too much to require just to find the real price options for the Barkbox. It’s not super friendly for people who want the chance to shop and compare.

Here is what we found in our search but keep in mind this is from other parties.

· 1 month – $36
· 6 months – $26
· 12 months – $23

They say you can pay the full 12 month price up front for additional savings as well but we aren’t clear on those details. By the way, boxes for super chewers have an additional cost to them. Shipping is free to anywhere in the U.S. except for Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Barkbox Features & Products

Where Pupbox is known for the training materials, Barkbox is known for the rope toys and entertaining items they send. They’ve even been known to include a fun pet treater toy or two. One unique thing about the Barkbox subscription is that you get chews and treats that are made exclusively in the U.S. and Canada.

Each month has a set category that you get and everything focuses towards that topic of the month in the boxes. This is the basic subscription with no customization at all. You can customize as well but we don’t really get the details for customization apart from the contents being age and breed appropriate in the boxes.

Primarily, the only way to really customer a Barkbox is to select your dog’s breed and size as well as any intolerances. To customize further, you have to chat with the customer service team with complaints or dislikes.

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Here is a quick overview of the types of things Barkbox boxes typically include.

· 2 toys that are known for quality
· 2 bags of treats – always full sized
· Various chews

Remember that each item here will blend with the topic of the month for the boxes.

These are standardized typically but you can pay a little more and get items designed for heavy chewing. That box has all of the same but actually comes with 2 chews compared to 1 in the traditional boxes. Sometimes the toy is a pet treater, which is fun and unique as well.

You can often insert a coupon code when you first start to get a free gift or possibly even a double box with more toys, more treats, and more chews for your pup. Those are not always available but certainly something you can watch out for.

Barkbox Review

Barkbox is another solid option here. This is more of a standardized service for your dog where you know you and whoever else is signed up will probably all get similar or exactly the same treats, toys, and chews. There are only a few variances and that depends on your discussions with customer service ultimately.

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Your dog won’t mind that a million other dogs also received the same treats, toys, and chews as them probably. They won’t even notice. The good news is that all of the contents are chosen for quality here. Your box is worth the money paid and the quality of the items is above par, even the toys. The treats and chews are all sourced from the U.S. and Canada, which is a nice perk for Barkbox as well.

It’s a little disconcerting that we can’t get a clear answer on the price of the box just from a quick glance at the site. If you’re shopping around, unfortunately, you won’t get very far without actually going through the whole process of answering questions about your dog and handing out your email. This is a quality we aren’t huge fans of. The prices should be clear and distinct, particularly since we know there are tiers and savings for signing up for a higher number of months at one time.

Overall, when you turn the focus to the treats, toys, and chews in the box, it’s a good find. The quality is there and that is something that is sometimes lacking. We love that each month has fun topics for the month and each box is built around that topic. It just kind of makes it fun to see how they tie different things together.

Some of the popular topics they’ve had in the past have been things like Home Alone, Lick or Treat, Australian Outbark, The Muttcracker, etc. They are always fun and seeing how the toys and treats tie in are unique and exciting as well.

Pupbox Vs. Barkbox Comparison

Now that we’ve talked a little bit about Barkbox and Pupbox on individual levels, let’s compare them in detail for a complete Barkbox Vs. Pupbox overview so you can choose what’s right for your dog!

Here are the things we will cover in our comparison.

· Products
· Pricing
· Features
· Cancellations

Product Comparison

Barkbox and Pupbox are very different here. While they are both made for a dog, that’s honestly about where the similarities end.

Each of these comes with about the same number of products that include various toys and treats and chew items. Pupbox is more than just toys and treats though and they provide training guides and details like potty training and teaching commands that can be incredibly useful and often expensive on their own. This makes the product list stand out a bit for Pupbox.

When it comes to the toys in the boxes, Barkbox does provide higher quality for toys but that is the only thing that really stands out. Pupbox also has grooming items and accessories as part of their box so you are essentially getting more in the box for a price difference of about $5.

Pupbox customizes each and every box to your dog and the stage they are at. That includes interests, age, likes, dislikes, breed, and more. Barkbox is more of a standard box with some light customization when you reach out and inform them of dislikes.

Pupbox comes with anywhere from 5-7 items and training materials while Barkbox comes with a standard 5 items and no training materials. Barkbox charges more for heavy chewing items while Pupbox changes things as part of the unique personalization for your dog.

Pricing Comparison

Alright, let’s talk price.

We’re going to say that Pupbox stands out there. Pupbox is far more open about their costs and they have more cost options even. Pupbox has 1, 3, 4, o 12 month choices for your dog while Barkbox only has 1, 6, or 12.

In addition, it’s disappointing that you really can’t find the price breakout details on Barkbox without pretty much signing up first. It’s important that prices be readily available and some shoppers would turn away from this issue alone.

We did find that overall Pupbox is a few dollars extra (an average of $5) but they completely customize your box to your dog and your dog’s needs while Barkbox does very little customization for your dog. Additionally, Barkbox will tack on extra fees if you need super chewing toys for your dog.

One other thing here. Remember that Pupbox also provides training data that is essential for every dog parent out there. So for about $5 extra, you get personalization as well as training help and guaranteed at least 1 additional item in the box compared to Barkbox.

Features Comparison

Barbox has fun topics and everything in the box coordinates with that. This is really exciting because that means the items are specialized to the theme and that you won’t just go find those at your local pet store. They are unique and specific to the topic. Even the treats go with the top c in some way or another!

Each of these brands features some unique parts and pieces.

Let’s have a quick look.

Barkbox

· Free shipping to the contiguous U.S.
· 5 standard items including treats, chew, and toys that match a topic
· Paying up front might save a few dollars
· Ability to pay for heavy chewing adaptation
· Fun and unique items that you can’t find just anywhere

Pupbox

· Personalized to your dog every time
· 5-7 items including treats, toys, and accessories
· Always includes training material
· Additional pricing options
· Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.

Each brand has unique things about them. If you compare what others are saying, people love the service and customization of Pupbox while others love the unique topics of Barkbox and the higher quality toys provided from them as well.

Cancellations Comparison

When it comes to cancellation, both of these brands are almost exactly the same. Both of these are a subscription so when you sign up, you commit to the term that you choose. You pay by either credit card of PayPal with each of these.

The cancellation rules are very clear about this. With both brands, even if you cancel in the middle of a term you still will pay for the remaining term you committed to. This means if you chose 12 months when you signed up, you will pay for all 12 months and receive all 12 months even if you cancel 6 months in.

In order to cancel, you need to do so before your term ends or you will be automatically renewed for another term of the same length as what you originally chose. Cancellation is done on your account for both brands and it’s supposed to be simple to find and accomplish as long as you are aware you will be required to finish your term.

Final Recommendation

If we had to choose just one of these, our top recommendation would be Pupbox. While the toy may not always be awesome, we like that it’s very personal and that you really get a lot of bang for your buck here. You can’t beat the service, the number of items, the customization, and the valuable training info that you get in this box!

Both of these boxes are good options but Pupbox comes out as the clear winner in terms of overall quality and price. They are fully open about prices and the process and what you can expect to receive. There is nothing standard but everything unique and that does set them apart here in several different ways.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PupBox the Same as BarkBox?

They are actually very different. One is very personal while the other is a standard box centered around a topic. The only thing the same about them is the word box in the title.

Is PupBox Worth the Money?

The training content alone makes Pupbox worth it if we’re being honest. That paired with custom details and quality service sets you up for every penny of value but you also get the goodies too! It’s only a few dollars extra compared to other popular services and less even than some of them.

Which Monthly Dog Box is the Best?

Pre prefers Pupbox for a number of reasons. You can check out every last bit of detail in our review and comparison above!

Is BarkBox Good for Puppies?

Barkbox is standard so it isn’t tailored to a specific age, just dogs in general. Most likely the items you get will be just fine for puppies but there is no guarantee.