For most of us style-lovers, the idea of receiving handpicked outfits right to your front door sounds amazing. However, these services aren’t always as blissful as they sound. Today, we’ll be comparing Stitch Fix vs. Trunk Club, two of the most popular stylist subscription boxes out there.
On the surface, they seem pretty similar, but there are quite a few differences that may decide which one you’d prefer. Keep reading for everything you need to know!
Stitch Fix vs. Trunk Club (Overview)
First, we will be sharing an overview table comparing the most common features of each service.
| Stitch Fix | Trunk Club |
|---|---|
| Plans for women, men, and kids | Plans for women and men |
| 5 items per box | 10 items per box |
| First fee refundable if you don’t like anything | $50 credit on your first box |
| 25% off when you keep the entire box | No discount when you keep the entire box |
| $20 styling fee (credited towards purchase) | $25 styling fee (credited towards purchase) |
| 3 days to decide what you want to keep | 5 days to decide what you want to keep |
| Return kept items within 30 days | Return kept items within 30 days |
| Select a budget for each item (from $25 – $500) | Select a budget for each item (from $50 – $200+) |
| Can’t view your box before they send it | View your box before they send it and edit items |
| Free shipping + free returns | Free shipping + free returns + free pickup |
| Add ons (lingerie, underwear + socks) | Add ons (lingerie, activewear, bags, home items) |
Pros + Cons of Each
Now, let’s get into some more details about each stylist subscription, starting with the pros & cons of each.
Pros (Stitch Fix)
- Refund your styling fee if you don’t like anything in your first box
- Sometimes offers credits for your first box (I’ve seen $100 credit promos on a few different occasions)
- 25% off if you keep everything from your box
Cons (Stitch Fix)
- Can’t view what you’ll be receiving in your box, it’s pretty much a surprise
- Pricing often ends up higher than the budget you set
- Stylists can be a hit or miss
Pros (Trunk Club)
View my Trunk Club review for more details.
- Nordstrom credit card holders don’t need to pay the styling fee
- You can request particular items from Nordstrom and send them your wishlist (Trunk Club doesn’t have the same inventory, but they do offer a lot of things sold at Nordstrom).
- Receive alterations at Nordstrom (sometimes free)
- Generous $50 credit towards your first box
- You can view what you will be receiving before they ship your box and switch out items with similar products, different sizes, or different colors
- If you ask your stylist, they do a great job at keeping items under a certain budget (there always seems to be sale items available)
- Offers the ability to schedule an easy return pickup on a specific day
- Stylists seem to be more consistent and better at matching your style (in my experience)
Cons (Trunk Club)
- Delay after requesting a Trunk
- No discount for keeping your entire box
Trunk Club vs. Stitch Fix: My Experience
While everyone has different experiences when comparing these two boxes, I’ll be sharing my experience with both as I have received 5+ different boxes from each brand.
Styling
Personally, I prefer Trunk Club significantly more than Stitch Fix. I feel like the stylists understand me better and they just have a better portfolio of items that fit my ever-changing style. I love streetwear, sporty, and high fashion styles as well as keeping up with unique trends.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had much luck with Stitch Fix. I still have yet to receive an item I actually feel perfectly fits my style and is trend-forward. I’ve even switched up my stylist multiple times and spent hours filling out their style questions.
However, even when I provide a wishlist/Pinterest board for Stitch Fix, a lot of the products just don’t get me excited. I definitely think this has to do with their overall selection that the stylists have to choose from – their pieces are basic, whereas I like to stand out.
That said, I’ve definitely received a few high-quality staple pieces from Stitch Fix like jeans and a peacoat I wear all the time! I’d say Stitch Fix is more for someone looking to build a capsule wardrobe or receive staple pieces.
Also, since Trunk Club is owned by Nordstrom, I send them my Nordstrom wish list and they usually pick items that they have available from this (or they recommend similar products).
Other Features
I also really love that you can view what will come in your Trunk Club before they ship it, and you’re able to switch out items with similar products, different colors, or different sizes. You can even have them redo the entire box if you’re not a fan. This is also a great feature to check if the items they chose are within your budget. With Stitch Fix, you pretty much just hope for the best.
Trunk Club offers the ability to schedule a free return pick up right on their website, which is another huge benefit. It’s hard for me to find the time to drive to UPS and drop off my package, so the fact that I can schedule a day for them to pick up my return package is amazing. I’ve never seen this with Stitch Fix.
And finally, I love Trunk Club’s add-on selection way more than the selection Stitch Fix offers. It changes often, but there is plenty to choose from including home items, activewear (like my favorite Zella leggings), underwear, socks, basic clothing items, water bottles, and even more.
Pricing + Promos
As far as pricing go, I’ve noticed a lot of people say that Stitch Fix is better for those on a budget. However, in my experience, this is not always true!
If you let your Trunk Club stylist know you’d like to receive items on sale and want to stick under a certain dollar amount per specific items (i.e. $30 or less for tops), they can usually fulfill this request. They always seem to have a ton of sale items. In my experience, Stitch Fix is always more expensive than I’d like.
And of course, I love that they offer a $50 credit that lets you keep 1–2 items from your first box for free (since the styling fee won’t be charged if you keep 1+ items, so you get the full $50 to spend).
Stitch Fix will refund the styling fee if you don’t like anything in your first box, which is nice if you want to try it out without risk, but it isn’t nearly as good of a promo as Trunk Club offers. Very rarely, Stitch Fix offers a $100 credit for your first box when you sign up, but I have only seen this offer two times over the past few years and it ends quickly.
Shipping Speed
Honestly, the only downside I’ve experienced with Trunk Club is the delay after requesting a Trunk. I’ve waited a couple of weeks for them to put my Trunk together after I requested one, which can definitely be annoying, but it’s worth the wait.
Stitch Fix, on the other hand, is very quick to put together and deliver their boxes.
Overall, is Trunk Club or Stitch Fix Better?
Personally, I highly recommend Trunk Club rather than Stitch Fix if you’re someone who likes to follow trends like me (even if you’re on a budget). Some people think Stitch Fix is cheaper, but in my experience, you can ask Trunk Club to give you sale items and often stay under $30 per garment!
Regardless, both brands allow you to try their service risk-free, so it may be worth trying both out to see which you end up liking better. Don’t forget to take advantage of the $50 credit for your first box from Trunk Club!
