Best Candle Subscriptions of 2023

Best Candle Subscriptions of 2022 — MyDomaine / Design by Amelia Manley

Light the flame of home fragrance with a candle subscription. Candles add ambiance and scent to any room, and a subscription is the easiest way to receive new varieties on the regular. Some candle subscriptions cater to those seeking luxury home fragrances, while others focus on eco-friendly candles made by artisans in small batches.

A candle subscription box ships candles to your door on a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly basis, depending on the company and subscription options you select. Find new fragrances or give a gift box to the candle lover in your life with these best candle subscriptions.

Best Candle Subscriptions of 2023

Best Overall: Vellabox
Best Premium: NEST
Best Curated: Wickbox
Best Soy: Eco Candle Co.
Best Luxury: Scent
Best Value: Yankee Candle

Best Overall: Vellabox

Key Specs

Frequency: Monthly
Plans: Three
Cost: $12-$38 per month

Why We Chose It

Choose from several subscription sizes and receive an artisan candle delivered to your door each month from different small candle companies around the country.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Month-to-month subscription option; cancel anytime
Candles use essential oils or phthalate-free fragrances
All candles are made with soy, coconut, or vegetable wax

Cons

Returns accepted on a case-by-case basis only

Overview

If you’re looking for artisan and eco-friendly candles shipped to you on a monthly basis, Vellabox is a popular pick. These candle curators partner with small candlemakers in the United States who create phthalate-free fragranced candles that are made with only soy, coconut, or vegetable wax. If you’re avoiding petroleum-derivative paraffin wax or prefer vegan candles, Vellabox is an ideal option. Plan choices include a 4 oz. (25 hrs. burn time), 8 oz. (50 hrs.), or 16 oz. (80 hrs.) candle. Discounts are offered for six- and 12-month pre-paid subscriptions.

Boxes include a natural candle by the featured artisan of the month, a surprise lifestyle item, and a curated playlist to listen to while you relax with your candle, all in reusable packaging with a new theme every month. Past box surprises have featured a lip balm, cookie cutter, loofah, and much more. These add-ons are not the star of the show, but they do provide some value and excitement to opening each delivery.

Best Premium: NEST

Key Specs

Frequency: Monthly
Plans: Two
Cost: $40 or $78 per month

Why We Chose It

NEST candles are prized for their sensational throw and have a cult-like following, making this the must-have candle if you’re serious about home fragrance.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Superior scent throw
Pause or cancel your subscription at any time

Cons

No option to personalize your scent profile

Overview

Sign up for NEST’s candle subscription, and every month you’ll receive a classic candle, with 50 to 60 hours of burn time, in one of the brand’s iconic scents. There are three-, six- or 12-month subscription options and you can choose the Classic candle or Classic candle plus Reed diffuser packages.

While you can’t personalize your scent preferences, this leader in home fragrance isn’t likely to disappoint, with a standout selection of scents like Amalfi lemon and mint or sultry rose noir and oud. Master perfumers and chemists blend high-quality fragrance oils and non-toxic wax to create a candle with excellent throw (how well the scent circulates in a room).

Best Curated: Wickbox

Key Specs

Frequency: Monthly
Plans: Two
Cost: $35-$45 per month

Why We Chose It

While many candle subscriptions are one-scent-fits-all, Wickbox uses your unique scent profile to find a candle that hits all the right notes for your preferences.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Option to skip a month or cancel at any time
Receive a discount on additional candles or supplies in the site’s shop

Cons

No preview of next month’s scent

Overview

Scent, like taste, is a subjective sense. What appeals to one person doesn’t always hit the mark for someone else. Wickbox, on the other hand, caters to your scent preferences and sends a curated candle each month that matches your profile. When subscribing to this candle box, you’ll be asked to take a short survey (if you choose) to build your scent profile.

The questions cover how you feel about common scent categories like floral, fruit, or tropical notes, but also fragrance families you might not have considered, like herbal or gourmand (which takes in notes of ginger, honey, and vanilla). The subscription plans are single, three-, six-, and 12-month prepaid options. The medium box has a single candle with 30-60 hours of burn time, while the large box has a candle with 60-100 hours of burn time.

Best Soy: Eco Candle Co.

Key Specs

Frequency: Quarterly
Plans: Two
Cost: $76 or $121 per quarter

Why We Chose It

This artisan candle company uses food-grade soy wax, which burns longer and does not release toxins, carcinogens, or pollutants into the air.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Subscription boxes are available in two sizes
Each box includes tea light candles to sample new scents
Ships for free

Cons

No scent customization available
Ships quarterly with no option for monthly shipments

Overview

As its name suggests, Eco Candle Co. produces candles that are better for the environment and better for you. The company’s candle subscription box is filled with seasonally-scented soy candles that will give you plenty of good scents, without worries about toxins or poor air quality. Soy candles with natural wicks are known for their clean-burning nature; no soot, carcinogens, or toxins are released as they burn.

Aside from using only soy wax and cotton, paper, or hemp wicks, these made-in-Wisconsin candles are scented with only phthalate-free fragrances and essential oils. The subscription offers two plans: Candle Lover, with five candles and a burn time of more than 335 hours, or Candle Addict, with seven candles and a burn time of more than 575 hours. Discounts are applied for annual pre-paid plans.

Best Luxury: Scent

Key Specs

Frequency: Monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly
Plans: One
Cost: $65 per shipment

Why We Chose It

High-end candles are delivered right to your door as part of this luxury candle subscription. Every shipment features a curated candle that Scent has hand-picked from up-and-coming brands.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Offers free shipping
Complete a scent profile to record your preferences

Cons

No discount offered for pre-paid annual subscriptions

Overview

If you're looking for the latest in luxury home fragrance, then Scent might be the best candle subscription for you. This high-end candle purveyor combs the globe for under-the-radar luxury candles that are worth the burn. An emphasis on quality and aesthetics means that these candles don’t just smell fantastic, they look great too. Each shipment includes one high-end candle, with a focus on both fragrance and design. Simply decide how often you want to receive your shipments.

While some of Scent’s candle partners retail individual candles for about the same price, the advantage of this subscription service is receiving specialty candles right to your door. Consider Scent your candle concierge, as they source and procure the finest home fragrances.

Best Value: Yankee Candle

Key Specs

Frequency: Quarterly
Plans: One
Cost: $25 per quarter

Why We Chose It

Yankee Candles may not have the prestige of luxury candle brands or feature the long-lasting burn of soy candles, but for an affordable candle subscription box, this set is hard to beat.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Complete a quiz to receive scents based on your fragrance preferences
Boxes ship for free
Opt to skip, cancel, or change your fragrance preferences at any time

Cons

Fragrance profiles are lumped into only three basic scent categories

Overview

For an effortless way to keep your home smelling great, sign up for Yankee Candle’s subscription box. The Fragrance Flight program ships you three classic jar candles in a seasonal scent—valued at $39—giving you a steady supply of home fragrance.

Fragrances are grouped into three categories: leaf and linen, petals and spice, and orchard and grove. While a quick quiz starts you off with a scent selection, you can switch it up at any time. If you find that you have plenty of burn time left, you can pause or cancel your subscription.

Final Verdict

Our top pick for a candle subscription is Vellabox, which sells eco-friendly candles and has three different subscription sizes to choose from. You’ll discover new scents from small-batch candle companies across the U.S., and each box has a bonus item packaged inside.

If you’re looking for a budget shipment of candles on the regular, though, sign up to receive Yankee Candle’s Fragrance Flight subscription box. Find your scent profile and receive three classic candles every quarter at an affordable price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Should Order a Candle Subscription?

Anyone who appreciates the fragrance and aesthetics of home candles can benefit from a candle subscription. It’s especially popular for candle enthusiasts who want a convenient way to discover new scents and candlemakers regularly. Candle subscriptions are also popular to order as gifts; a subscription box makes a great housewarming present.

How Much Do Candle Subscription Boxes Cost?

There are candle subscription boxes to fit just about any budget, with affordable options starting at about $10 per month and luxury picks costing $50 or more per month. Many other candle subscriptions cost somewhere in the middle of this range; plenty of options can be found for $20 to $30 per month.

What is the Number One Selling Candle Scent?

According to a scientific study, the warm, nutty scent of vanilla is the world's favorite scent. This is backed up by purchases in the United States, where candles scented with vanilla or pumpkin top the charts. According to the National Candle Association, there has also been a major trend toward evocative scents that people may not typically associate with candles. These include fragrances like tomato, Jim Beam bourbon, tobacco cedar, and leather, which are becoming more popular as men become candle buyers.

What is Considered a Luxury Candle?

A luxury candle sets itself apart from the less expensive options with premium waxes and high-quality fragrance oils blended by an experienced perfumer, all put together in an aesthetically pleasing, high-end candle holder. Premium waxes—like beeswax, soy wax, or coconut wax—are better choices than paraffin wax since they offer a much longer burn time and a cleaner burn.

What Age Group Buys the Most Scented Candles?

Women and men, aged 20-45, buy the most scented candles, according to multiple studies and analyses of the candle industry. They also found that purchases steadily decrease the older one gets, with the lowest number of buyers being older than 65.

Methodology

To find the best candle subscriptions, we evaluated leading names in the home fragrance industry along with smaller, artisan candlemakers. We specifically looked at cost, shipment frequency, and types of candles available from each company we considered.

Article Sources

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