Get Artsy With These 12 Craft Subscription Boxes

Explore your creative side and make something beautiful.

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best craft subscription boxes
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Making art, in its myriad wonderful forms, is a joyful experience. Exploring your creative side provides rewards beyond the pure pleasure of trying something new and making stuff with your own hands. It also gives you a mental health boost and helps reduce stress, something we can all benefit from. Speaking of less stress, the best craft subscription boxes offer an easy way to create by eliminating the hassle of having to plan or shop. 

No matter your artistic inclinations, interests, skill level, age, or budget, there's a wonderful craft subscription box that's right for you. We've researched dozens of options to find the best in 12 different categories and have broken down why each was selected, the sort of supplies it sends, the skill level required, and more. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, these craft subscription boxes deliver all the materials you'll need to hand-make home decor, create a gift for a loved one, or just get your doodle on.

Best Craft Subscription Boxes of 2023

Best Quality: The Crafter's Box

the crafter's box

The Crafter's Box

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $65
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 12+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Helps you create gorgeous, high-quality crafts

  • Subscribers can select their preferred project from a list of featured crafts

  • Collaborates with a diverse group of artists

Cons
  • Expensive compared to other subscription boxes

  • Some projects and tools may not be right for beginners or children

Why It Made the List

If you're looking to work on high-end, advanced projects, The Crafter's Box is the way to go. Each month it sends you all the supplies you need to create unique, artist-designed crafts that you won't easily find in other subscription boxes. Past projects have included a stylish leather bag, wool trivets, and printmaking via cyanotype, a fascinating merger of science and art. Subscribers have the option of picking from a curated list of projects each month, ranging from beginner-friendly (though still not super easy) to advanced. Some projects' boxes include sharp tools or chemicals, so this isn't the best subscription for kids. The crafts are dreamt up by talented independent artists who also lead digital workshops, so you can follow along with them as you make your art.

A month-to-month subscription is $65. That makes The Crafter's Box the most expensive subscription on our list, but as with most of the subscriptions we've singled out, if you prepay you can save. For example, a 12-month subscription is $675 ($56 per month). There's also a more affordable, $15-per-month digital-only subscription called The Crafter's Community. You won't get any supplies, but you gain access to online tutorials, patterns, and live, "make-along" workshops. You can of course subscribe to both The Crafter's Box and The Crafter's Community, but you won't get any discount for doing so.

Best Budget Box: Annie's Creative Woman Kit-of-the-Month Club

annie's creative woman box

Annie's Kit Clubs

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $20
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 12+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Membership is extremely affordable

  • Boxes contain classic crafts

  • Projects will expand your skills in a range of techniques

Cons
  • Crafts aren't particularly unusual or outside-the-box

Why It Made the List

There's a charming, retro feel to the classic crafts featured in Annie's Creative Woman Kit-of-the-Month Club. That old-school style extends to its budget pricing, as you'll only spend around $25 per month (with shipping) to receive everything you need to make a new craft. The subscription will also help you learn all sorts of useful techniques, with monthly kits that expand your painting, bead-making, candle-making, soap-making, and sewing skills.

This family-owned business has been in operation since 1975, and in addition to its Creative Woman Kit-of-the-Month Club, Annie's offers other affordable subscription boxes for kids and adults alike, including options for card making, crocheting, knitting, quilting, hook and needle making, beading, and crafting Christmas ornaments. Annie's even has a few book-of-the-month clubs so you can snuggle up with a cozy mystery under your handmade quilt. Unlike the other companies on our list, Annie's specifies that this subscription box is designed for women, but, of course, anyone can enjoy it!

Best for Elementary School Kids: We Craft Box

we craft box

We Craft Box

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $35
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 3-9

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Boxes are designed to be shareable between two siblings or friends

  • Materials are kid-safe for users as young as 3

  • Each box is built around a single theme for further pretend play opportunities

Cons
  • Older kids may find these crafts too simple and immature

  • Activities may require adult supervision

Why It Made the List

We Craft Box is big fun for little kids. The company was created by a professional creative director and mother of three who loved crafting with her kids but didn't enjoy the shopping or planning it required, and who probably knows a thing or two—or three—about the challenges of sharing. The result is a company that clearly put a great deal of thought into creating its craft kits.

Each box comes with fun projects based around a single engaging theme, like the deep sea or deep space, that will spark a child's imagination and allow for further pretend play. Anyone ever driven bananas by the sounds of bickering children will be thrilled to hear that each box contains enough supplies for two siblings or friends to share. Each craft is paired with easy-to-follow photo instructions and there are online video tutorials as well. The crafts are simple to do, with safe materials and kid- and little-hand-friendly supplies. Very young children will probably still need some supervision, while kids at the upper end of the recommended age range may find the activities insufficiently stimulating.

Monthly boxes are $35, while a one-year subscription is $360. Shipping is free, and it's simple to go online to skip a month if you want.

Best for Home Decor: Home Made Luxe

home made luxe

Home Made Luxe

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $30
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 10+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • All crafts are home decor pieces

  • Craft of the month is announced in advance, and you can skip any month

  • Offers online DIY tutorials to everyone, even if you're not a subscriber

Cons
  • Only one craft each month with no alternates to choose from

  • The home decor-only focus may feel too limiting to some

Why It Made the List

Are you way into interior decorating and want to sprinkle special, handmade touches throughout your home? Home Made Luxe's subscription box is perfect for people looking to make DIY home decor. Sign up and get ready to show off your cheese boards, wall hangings, wreaths, and knitted pillows to guests and social media followers alike. This Black-owned company was launched by Keitha Moseley-Dendy, a Texas-based businesswoman who was inspired to start a monthly craft subscription box aimed at busy parents like her seeking a little down time. (She generously offers her YouTube crafting tutorials to anyone who wants to watch them, whether they've purchased a Home Made Luxe craft kit or not.)

You'll always receive notification of the craft of the month ahead of time, and while there's no alternate choice if it's not your cup of tea, you do at least have the option to skip that month. A monthly Home Made Luxe subscription is reasonably priced at $30. You can also save a bit by paying in advance for a three-, six-, or 12-month subscription, which will see you charged as little as $27 per month. Note that shipping is extra, no matter which plan you choose. Home Made Luxe also gives you the option of ordering a one-off craft box or a party pack for a craft night with friends.

Best for Goal-Oriented Crafters: Maker Crate by KiwiCo

kiwico maker crate

KiwiCo

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $33
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 14+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Crafts are trendy and always functional

  • You can switch to an every-other-month plan

  • KiwiCo frequently offers deals for new subscribers

Cons
  • No choice on which craft you receive

  • Not a lot of flexibility in how you use the supplies beyond that month's craft

Why It Made the List

Maker Crate by KiwiCo is the best craft subscription box for anyone seeking to marry creativity with functionality. Subscribe to this and your home and wardrobe will be full of unique, personalized touches, as all the projects have a functional use, beyond just looking great. Think stenciled book holders, macramé plant holders, embroidered aprons, knit hats, marbled paper stationery…you get the idea. The quality of materials and projects included in Maker Crates is also excellent. That's no surprise, as they're from the people behind the popular Kiwi Crate craft subscription box for kids. Maker Crate is intended for crafters ages 14 and up, so it's also a great next step for kids who've graduated from the Kiwi Crate.

A month-to-month, automatically renewing subscription is $33, but that drops to $31 if you prepay for three months. Go all the way up to a 12-month subscription and your boxes come out to $27 each. Shipping is free no matter which plan you opt for. You can skip a month or pause your membership through your online account, and you can also contact customer service if you'd rather have your boxes sent bimonthly. Another fun option is to switch to a different line if you'd like to explore other boxes within the KiwiCo brand. You can even switch back and forth each month between Maker Crate and Eureka Crate, a STEM/STEAM-inspired box for ages 12 and up.

Best Variety: Adults & Crafts Crate

adults and crafts

Adults & Crafts

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $33
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 21+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Wide range of craft ideas keeps things fresh

  • Many crafts have a functional use

  • Projects are simple to do, and directions are easy to follow

Cons
  • Not designed for more advanced crafters

  • Some projects aren't suited to kids

Why It Made the List

Not really sure what kind of craft you want to do? The team that puts together the Adults & Crafts Crate comes up with a cool new project every month, each one quite different in terms of materials, required skill level, and technique. Past boxes have included everything you need to make a throw pillow, wine caddy, engraved water bottle, and hot cocoa candle. In other words, you won't get bored, and thanks to the easy-to-follow instructions, you won't get frustrated, either.

The boxes begin at $33 per month, but you can prepay for three-, six-, or 12-month subscriptions to save to see the rate drop as low as $30 per month. The company sometimes has special promotions, like offering a free bonus kit for longer subscriptions. Though Adults & Crafts is a small company, its responsive customer service is quick to answer any questions you might have via live chat.

Best for Beading: BeadCrate

beadcrate

BeadCrate

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $19
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 6+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Great deal of variety in the beads sent each month

  • Box comes with interesting explanation of the different types of beads

  • Affordable base subscription cost

Cons
  • Doesn't come with tools or other materials beyond the beads

Why It Made the List

BeadCrate is a charmingly niche subscription for jewelry makers and bead collectors. Each month, your subscription delivers a wide variety of gorgeous beads along with information about them. What it doesn't deliver is anything else, like tools or secondary materials. You'll have to supply those yourself.

There are two BeadCrate subscription options. The cheaper Enthusiast box costs just $19 per month, while The Collector is $35 per month. Each comes with a shipment of hand-selected beads that might include classic Japanese seed beads, accent beads, or funky "unusual" beads. The Collector box also includes a centerpiece, "wow" bead each month. Want to skip a month? It's simple to do online via your account.

Best for Paper Crafts: Paper Pumpkin

paper pumpkin

Paper Pumpkin

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $24
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 12+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Elegant, detailed materials produce sophisticated-looking results

  • Each box contains a stamp and ink so you can build out your collection

  • Very responsive customer service

Cons
  • Only one box, so there's minimal flexibility

Why It Made the List

It's hardly a surprise that Paper Pumpkin is our top choice for paper and stamping craft kits. After all, it's the craft subscription box from Stampin' Up!, a popular stamping and paper crafting company. Each month, your Paper Pumpkin box will arrive full of paper craft supplies so you can make greeting cards, wrapping paper, gift tags, gift boxes, home decor, and other fun, usable projects. The materials are typically pegged to the season or an upcoming holiday; six times a year, the monthly delivery is an all-card kit.

Each craft box comes with a stamp set and ink, along with the pre-cut paper, stickers, embellishments, and other materials you'll need. With your first delivery, you'll receive a bonus stamping block, a clear acrylic block where you mount your stamps and that shows you exactly where the stamp will go. The block can be used for any of the stamps you receive going forward. You won't know what's inside each month's box until you open it—nice if you like surprises, less so if you want to plan ahead. Accordingly, there are no alternate boxes.

Best for All Kids: Green Kid Crafts

Green Kid Crafts
Green Kid Crafts

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $30
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 3+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Boxes include 12-page magazines for more STEM/STEAM learning

  • Each box offers 4-6 crafts and activities

  • Company supports green initiatives, and crafts are eco-friendly

Cons
  • Kids may age out of this subscription box by late elementary school

Why It Made the List

A combination of cool projects, a STEM- and STEAM-focused approach, and eco-friendly practices make Green Kid Crafts the best subscription box for kids. The company offers two different subscription boxes: the Junior Box, for ages 3-5, and the Discover Box, for kids 5 and up. Each box contains four to six crafts, all of which are open-ended, allowing for lots of creativity and fun. Monthly subscribers pay $30 per box, but discounts apply if you pay in advance for a three-, six-, or 12-month subscription. Shipping is free for all subscribers.

The business is the brainchild of Penny Bauder, an environmental scientist. Many of the boxes' supplies are made from recycled materials, and their contents are built around age-appropriate environmental themes, such as saving our oceans, green energy, and Arctic science. Green Kid Crafts plants a tree via its partnership with One Tree Planted for every box sold. It also donates 1 percent of sales to environmental organizations and claims to offset its carbon emissions through Carbonfund.

Best for Calligraphy: The Inky Box

inky box

The Inky Box

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $15
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 12+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Works with independent artists to offer tutorials and practice sheets

  • Tools and supplies are high quality

  • Base box is extremely affordable

Cons
  • Doesn't provide any materials you could use to turn your calligraphy into a craft

Why It Made the List

The Inky Box is for anyone looking to hone a very specific set of skills: calligraphy and hand-lettering. Whether you go with the The Inky Box Mini for $15 or the regular Inky Box for $40, each monthly shipment will contain cool lettering tools and pens, along with links to downloadable practice sheets and tutorials by amazing artists. The standard Inky Box also provides supplies like inks and blank cards, as well as coupons to the Inky Box store. In a creative and thoughtful added touch, each box has your information hand-lettered on the front, making it extra fun to receive and open.

The company does a stellar job of lifting up other artists by crediting them for their work. Occasionally, you'll even get coupons to use at their shops. The Inky Box's only real downside is that it doesn't provide any supplies beyond tools for calligraphy. That's not a problem if calligraphy is your passion, but we'd love to see the company provide materials and guidance you could use to turn your lettering into a larger project.

Best for Handmade Gifts: Confetti Grace

confetti grace

Confetti Grace

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $15
  • Delivery Frequency: Bimonthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 8+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Seasonal approach means there are good gift opportunities in each box

  • One of the few craft subscription boxes sent every o ther month

  • Donates 20 percent of its profits to charity 

Cons
  • Boxes lean heavily into holiday-focused crafts rather than more evergreen ones

  • Limited flexibility to the plan

Why It Made the List

Confetti Grace is all about sharing the love. (Its founder likes to say, "Throw kindness around like confetti!") The subscription is ideal for anyone who loves giving handmade gifts to their friends and family. Each box contains supplies to make two identical projects, along with wrapping paper and cards. That way you can make one craft for yourself and gift one, or craft together with a friend or family member. Confetti Grace extends this spirit of sharing to its business model, donating 20 percent of its net profits to charities like Together We Rise, which supports children in foster care.

Confetti Grace's crafts are generally simple to do and aimed at people ages 8 and older. They're often seasonally or holiday-focused, with past boxes pegged to Easter, Independence Day, fall decorative gourd season, and Christmas. When signing up for a subscription, you can choose from the small, wallet-friendly Lil' Grace kit ($15) or the standard Original box ($35). Both are delivered every other month instead of monthly, which isn't typical of most craft subscription boxes we reviewed. Want to throw a crafting party? Confetti Grace also sells a party box for four for $79.

Best for Open-Ended Crafts: ArtSnacks

artsnacks

ArtSnacks

Key Specs

  • Base Price: $27
  • Delivery Frequency: Monthly
  • Recommended Age Range: 12+

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Engaging for artists of any ability and skill level

  • Boxes contain limited-edition, exclusive art supplies chosen by real artists

  • Supplies are full-size so they last longer

Cons
  • Boxes don't supply a specific craft

Why It Made the List

Explore new mediums in whatever way speaks to you with the four to five full-sized, high-quality, often limited-edition drawing and mixed media art supplies included in each ArtSnacks delivery. That more freewheeling approach makes ArtSnacks ideal for anyone who wants to see where their mood takes them, rather than being limited to a single guided activity. In addition to the supplies, each box also contains a sticker and a little snack (yay!), along with some information on techniques to try out with your new gear. You're encouraged to share your creations with other members of the ArtSnacks community on social media by using the #ArtSnacksChallenge hashtag.

The regular ArtSnacks box is $27 per month. You can upgrade to the larger ArtSnacks Plus box for $45 for even more supplies, a full-size surface curated to pair with the products in the box, and discounts and access to pre-sales on the website. Supplies are full-size, so they should last you a while. Both the ArtSnacks and ArtSnacks Plus boxes come monthly, though the company also offers quarterly watercolor and journaling subscriptions.

Final Verdict


Not surprisingly, considering the wide, wonderful world of arts and crafts, choosing the best craft subscription box for you is ultimately about what you want to do, rather than one box being radically better than another. Your budget and artistic abilities will impact your choice, as will the age of the person you're shopping for and whether you want supplies and directions to make a specific craft or prefer to explore with new tools and materials.

Each subscription box we reviewed has something special to offer. We believe the best one for kids is Green Kid Crafts, both for its engaging projects and the company's environmentally friendly approach. The best for adults who are advanced artists is The Crafter's Box, while Maker Crate by KiwiCo, Home Made Luxe, and Adults & Crafts Crate are better suited to beginners. If you're looking for an open-ended box that contains curated, quality supplies instead of a project, go with ArtSnacks. If, instead, you're looking to focus on a specific art, you'll find BeadCrate (for beading), Paper Pumpkin (paper crafts), and The Inky Box (calligraphy) ideal choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What's Included in a Craft Subscription Box?

    There are two main types of craft subscription boxes. One contains all the materials, supplies, and directions needed to make a single craft or a few crafts. The other contains art supplies and/or tools that let crafters explore in whatever way they feel inspired to.

  • How Many Crafts Come in a Craft Subscription Box?

    Most craft subscription boxes contain the supplies you need to make one craft. Boxes that take this approach include Home Made Luxe, Maker Crate by KiwiCo, and The Crafter's Box. Some, like Confetti Grace and Paper Pumpkin, send enough supplies to make two or more crafts. Both Green Kid Crafts and We Craft Box, the two kids' subscription boxes we reviewed, offer multiple projects in each monthly delivery. Finally, a few memberships will send you materials and tools, but no directions or supplies to make any one specific craft.

  • What's the Average Price of a Craft Subscription Box?

    The good news is that there's a craft subscription box for any budget. Mini boxes (such as ones from Confetti Grace and The Inky Box) are around just $15. Regular boxes usually range from $20 to $60 per month, but most memberships will give you a discount if you pay for multiple months in advance.

  • Can You Customize a Craft Subscription Box?

    Unlike, say, a clothing subscription or perfume subscription, you don't usually have control over what comes in your craft subscription box. You get what you get—either a fun craft or cool supplies—and you don't get upset (hopefully). The Crafter's Box does give you a choice of which craft you want from a curated monthly list, which is a nice benefit and one we'd love to see other companies offer. Some boxes, such as Home Made Luxe, give you a sneak peek of what you'll be getting so you can opt out that month if the project isn't one you're interested in.

  • What Are the Best Subscription Boxes for Advanced Crafters?

    For advanced crafters, The Crafter's Box is an excellent subscription. Each month, subscribers are given a choice of which craft they'd like to choose, and many of those crafts are geared toward skilled crafters. Jewelry makers will enjoy the beautiful beads that BeadCrate selects and sends each month, while the larger ArtSnacks Plus subscription box provides professional-level tools and supplies.

Methodology

To determine the best craft subscription boxes, we researched and reviewed dozens of available services. We evaluated the cost of each box, what's included in a shipment, how often boxes are delivered, and the skill level required for the craft or supplies sent. We also looked at how well each subscription meets the needs of its target audience—for example, stimulating open-ended play for children or supplying unique, high-quality inks for calligraphers.

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