The best subscription gifts for everyone on your list

Whether you're shopping for a lover of edibles, occasions, entertainment, or other, these gift subscriptions keep on giving month after month.

Best for cord-cutters

Sling TV

Sling TV

Best for the curious

A MasterClass Subscription

Masterclass

Best for bread lovers

Wildgrain

Wildgrain

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You don’t need to know everything about a person to get them a great gift. As long as you know one of their hobbies or interests, a subscription can deliver a stream of products to match their passion. Physical subscription boxes are curated to include several items around a general theme (be it holiday related or otherwise) that you may not have known existed. A digital subscription will allow someone to access a useful service without having to shell out money every month and will make a last-minute gift if you unexpectedly get a present from a distant friend or coworker and want to reciprocate. Another benefit to giving this type of gift is that the recipient could continue to get stuff throughout the year depending on the duration of the subscription. They’ll think of you each time a box shows up at their door or they access something new on the digital service they’re using. You won’t have trouble finding a gift subscription that suits anybody’s tastes, but we’ve curated some of the best subscription gifts to help you get started.

Best for avid readers: Kindle Unlimited

Kindle Unlimited

 Kindle Unlimited
Put millions of books at their fingertips on the device of their choice

An Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscription will put millions of books from every genre into the hands of whoever’s lucky enough to receive it. The service allows subscribers to download and read as many books as they’d like from a massive library on any device that has a Kindle app. If they move from one device to another, Amazon’s servers automatically keep track of their place. That’s better than a bookmark. This gift subscription—for 6 ($48), 12 ($80), or 24 months ($144)—may encourage lapsed book readers to finally catch up on contemporary titles, while voracious ones will find their literary cravings satisfied. It also avoids long waits to borrow books that come with otherwise excellent library apps.

Best for book lovers: Once Upon A Book Club

Once Upon A Book Club

 Once Upon A Book Club
Once Upon A Book Club is a wonderful subscription for anyone building their home library.

We understand that digital books (while convenient) can’t fully replace a paperback or hardcover for some people, so you can help your favorite bookwork build their dream library with a Once Upon A Book Club subscription. Each month, a package will arrive at their door containing a new book and up to five pieces of ephemera that have to do with the story. Once Upon A Book Club also includes a set of discussion questions, which is helpful if you get a subscription for yourself. The extras may entice younger readers to read the book cover-to-cover to discover their meaning.

Best for bakers: Wildgrain

Wildgrain

 Wildgrain
Wildgrain’s subscription box comes loaded with breads and pastries for the baker who doesn’t always have time to wait for a long rise.

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of dough in your hands. Unfortunately, enthusiast bakers don’t always have time to wait for fresh bread to rise, or to whip up homemade croissants. Enter Wildgrain. This service ships frozen ready-to-bake breads and pastries to your door with instructions on how to cook them properly. Your favorite baker will be able to have fresh grains on their table that are made with climate-friendly and seasonal ingredients without running out to the local bakery. Nothing beats fresh, hot-out-of-the-oven bread, anyway. Maybe consider a selection of hand-crafted butters to go with their crusty creations.

Best for cheese lovers: igourmet International Cheese Subscription

igourmet International Cheese Subscription

 International Cheese Subscription
igourmet’s International Cheese Subscription will help your friend or family member expand their cheese horizons.

If you know someone who regularly hosts a wine and cheese night, or wants to try something new, igourmet’s International Cheese Subscription makes a tremendous gift. Each box contains three half-pound cuts of cheese from around the world. Some cheese may be variations on old favorites—the world of cheddar cheese alone contains multitudes—or something completely new. While many of igourmet’s cheeses come from abroad, the company also features items from domestic cheesemakers.

Best for the host: Decocrated

Decocrated Subscription Box

Everybody knows that one person who always decks their halls each time a new holiday rolls around. Each box from Decocrated includes a curated assorted of holiday-themed items, from pillows to accent pieces like signs and wreaths. This gift subscription could also work for people who just moved into a new place and want to celebrate their first holiday with some festive cheer.

Best for Hot Ones enthusiasts: Fuegobox Three Bottle Subscription

Fuegobox has a wide assortment of hot sauces at all spice levels in their shop, and this subscription will ship three bottles to the person of your choice. Because the spice levels can vary wildly, we recommend gifting this subscription to someone who has a high tolerance for heat. If you’re shopping for somebody who loves condiments but doesn’t see each meal as an opportunity to test their might, you can pick up a few milder bottles a-la-carte.

Best for charcuterie wizard: Platterful

 Charcuterie Kit
A charcuterie board in a box.

Preparing a charcuterie board is an exercise in balance—sweet, spicy, savory, bitter, and even sour notes should all work together to create a pleasant dining experience. Platterful can take some of the stress out of the equation by boxing bundling cheese, meat, spreads, crackers, and additional accompaniments in one package. There’s no worrying about pairing the right items together, which can make a host’s life a lot easier. There’re even step-by-step arrangement instructions, so they can build their board like a pro. It’s much classier than a bag of baby carrots and a big, plastic tub of onion dip.

Best for the enthusiastic home cook: Savory Spice’s Seasons of Spice

Seasons of Spice

 Seasons of Spice
Seasons of Spice encourages you to use flavors that may be new to you to help enhance familiar recipes or inspire new ones.

Winter, spring, summer, or fall, the top chef in your life will call upon items in the Seasons of Spice box from Savory Spice for inspiration or encouragement when they feel like they’re in a rut. Each season’s box contains packages of spices specifically chosen by chefs to complement meals that are typically prepared during that time of the year. Each spice includes a short description and suggestions on how to use it, which is helpful if it’s unfamiliar to the person who receives this box.

Best for calm people: Broken Top Candles Novice

Broken Top Candle Club Novice

 Broken Top Candle Club Novice
Broken Tops Novice Candle are a great smelling (aesthetically pleasing) holiday gift.

Each month, the Broken Top Candles box delivers a four-ounce soybean wax candle and a pack of matches. Broken Top has a wide assortment of candles that can be purchased a la carte, but there’s something special about the element of surprise that comes with a subscription. If the person you’re shopping for loves candles, Broken Top offers subscriptions with a larger candle, or two larger candles.

Best for the person who’s always in the holiday spirit: ReadyFestive

Readyfestive

 ReadyFestive
ReadyFestive’s boxes will add some much-needed holiday flair to any home they’re in.

ReadyFestive’s subscription service does a great job of taking the stress out of holiday shopping. You’re presented with a selection of boxes based on items appropriate for a season or holiday. Simply select which boxes you’d like to send, and you’re done. If you’d like to skip spring and only get winter and summer subscription boxes, you can do that. Want a box to show up this spring and the 4th of July, you’re only a couple of clicks away. You also have the option to send a mini, standard, or deluxe box, which changes both its size and contents.

Best for the perpetual student: MasterClass

MasterClass Subscription

 A MasterClass Subscription
The person you gift this to can learn from the greats without leaving their home.

MasterClass subscribers get unlimited access to thorough video courses taught by masters in their chosen field(s). Courses are taught video prerecorded video instructions and include cooking taught by Gordon Ramsey, drumming taught by Ringo Starr, and writing taught by Roxane Gay. MasterClass continues to offer new classes on a regular basis, so this subscription will only get more valuable over time.

Best for the cord-cutter: Sling

Sling TV

Cord-cutters sometimes regret their decision to cancel cable service. Internet video streaming is incredible, but sometimes you want to watch the latest episode of your favorite show or sports match as it airs. A subscription to Sling TV allows you to stream live TV from several premium channels including CNN, ESPN, TLC, TNT, and TBS. Sling can be accessed on any device, so they’ll be able to stream any of their shows from anywhere.

Best for the discerning foodie: Corto

Corto

A good olive oil can change the composition of a dish, and if you know someone who understands that get them a subscription to Corto immediately. Every six months the recipient of this gift will receive a couple of 500ml bottles and one 3L FlavorLock Box of 100% virgin olive oil. Subscribing now will also net them a 2022 Harvest Olive Oil, and discounts on an expert-led tasting and chef-led cooking class. The olives from this oil are harvested from a family-run farm in California and are guaranteed to be of the highest quality.

Best for snack fiends: Bokksu

Bokksu

 Bokksu
Bokksu’s assortment of Japanese snacks brings some of its most popular regional snacks to anybody on your list.

Japanese snacks are known the world over for their flavor, packaging, and (unfortunately for us here in the United States) inaccessibility in much of the West. Thankfully, Bokksu will send a crate full of 22 Japanese snacks to your friend or family member’s door each month. These snacks come directly from Japan and come with a booklet explaining each item. Bokksu includes a mix of sweet and savory snacks in each box, so there’s something for everyone.

Best for coffee lovers: Atlas Coffee Club

Atlas Coffee Club

 Atlas Coffee Club
Atlas Coffee Club’s subscription will get fresh coffee beans from around the world to your friend or family member’s doorstep.

Coffee is enjoyed the world over, so it doesn’t make sense for someone who can’t wait for their first cup to use the same old beans every time. Atlas Coffee Club will allow them to drink their way around the world by delivering fresh beans to their doorstep every month. Each package comes with information on where the coffee beans come from, tasting notes, and roasting instructions. Trust us, this subscription will be on their mind each time they wake up in the morning. The company has recently gotten into tea shipping too, in case that’s your friend or family member’s drink of choice.

Best for bakers: Crumble Crate

Crumble Crate

 Crumble Crate
Crumble Crate sends baking kits to your friend or family member’s door.

Crumble Crate is a baking subscription service that’s perfect for amateur bakers who want to up their game, or more experienced ones who want to keep adding recipes to their repertoire. Each box contains most of the pre-portioned ingredients necessary to make the cake (they’ll need to provide perishables like eggs), equipment, and a beautifully designed recipe card. Each month will feature a new confection, which includes cakes, cookies, and pastries. Having a new baking project each month is sure to satisfy hosts and those with a sweet tooth.

 

Win the Holidays with PopSci's Gift Guides

Shopping for, well, anyone? The PopSci team’s holiday gift recommendations mean you’ll never need to buy another last-minute gift card.

 
Brandt Ranj Avatar

Brandt Ranj

Staff Writer, Commerce

Brandt Ranj is an experienced writer for PopSci, covering topics such as science, technology, news, and gadget reviews.

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