Updated on Apr. 17, 2025
We tested 12 clubs and over 30 different varieties to find the best tea subscription box options for newbies, seasoned sippers and everyone in between.
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Cozy, comforting and flavorful—there’s nothing like a steaming mug of tea. From herbal concoctions to loose leaf and iced varieties, there are almost endless blends, flavors and brews to try. When it gets overwhelming to find new favorites (or you’re simply tired of stocking up on your tried-and-true blends each month), a tea subscription is an easy and often inexpensive way to shake up your cup. These subscriptions also make excellent food gifts.
Tea epicure Tony Gebely says tea subscriptions aren’t just for experienced tea drinkers. “Tea subscriptions are a great way for those new to tea to try a wide array of teas without buying large quantities of each. It’s also a great way to explore new types of tea and tea regions for those at any experience level,” he says.
We found the best tea subscription for every type of tea drinker, whether you’re a brew newbie or a seasoned sipper.
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Our pick for the overall best tea subscription is Tea Runners club, thanks to its approachable-yet-uncommon flavors, affordable price and incredible quality. Choose from four box options: Black, Pure, Herbal or Original. Each box includes four sampler pouches of tea, 10 tea bags and a postcard with some basic info about the club, tea origins and steeping instructions. Inside Senior Editor Katie Bandurski’s box, each tea impressed with its freshness and flavor.
She likens Moonlight Jasmine to “a warm summer night,” whereas Floral Nectar Black wowed with its subtle finishing florals. Even the Majestic Earl Grey impressed Katie, who isn’t a big fan of Earl Grey. “It was so delicious—much fresher than any Earl Grey I’ve had before,” she notes.
Because of the myriad options available, Tea Runners is equally appealing to both beginners and seasoned drinkers. The Original Box is a great way to start experimenting and figuring out what flavors/types of tea you like. Then, you’d have the option to dive further into a specific type with the Black, Pure or Herbal box.
While the tea is loose leaf, each box comes with 10 tea bags for steeping, which Katie notes is not quite enough to get through all the tea. “You’ll need to supplement with another pack or a reusable option. I like baby Nessie, but you could use plain ol’ stainless steel, too,” she says.
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Those looking for a more nuanced cup, turn to a Verdant Teas subscription. Partnering with small tea farmers, Verdant is on a mission to connect tea lovers with brands and blends that expand their horizons and support small growers.
To test this subscription box, we enlisted the help of David-Christopher Galhea, a devout tea enthusiast who shares the history, processing and tasting notes of popular teas (with a heavy dose of irreverent humor) on his YouTube channel, Strip Teas. Despite being an extremely discerning tea drinker, he was pleasantly surprised by the Verdant Tea subscription box, which he calls a good fit both for new tea drinkers and those with some experience under their belts.
David-Christopher describes Verdant’s selection of white, green, black and oolong teas as “diverse in their varieties but with more unique twists on the conventional types seen in the West.” He explains, “Dragon pearls are commonly rolled balls of green tea, but Verdant tea provided pearls in both white and pu’er varieties, which were a ton of fun to explore.”
He was impressed by Verdant’s teaware, too: “The gaiwan (porcelain steeping cup) was beautiful, exquisitely crafted and perfect for the gongfu steeping method, which prioritizes short steeps and small sips for deeper appreciation and a calm, meditative drinking experience.”
David-Christopher recommends trying the Osmanthus-Scented Dragonwell green tea and Autumn Reserve Tieguanyin oolong.
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If you’re familiar with our favorite coffee subscriptions, this name likely looks familiar. An extension of our beloved Atlas Coffee Club, the Atlas Tea box provides two types of loose-leaf tea every four weeks (or enough for 30+ cups of tea). Atlas offers a selection between pure and flavored teas and caffeine-free blends, or a combination of both. Each box comes with compostable bags for steeping, though drinkers should feel free to brew with your own steeper if desired. While folks cannot select the specific teas in each box, the choice of herbal or traditional tea tailors it to a number of tastes.
Each package of tea offers a description, tasting notes, caffeine content, and preparation tips including the tea and water quantity and recommended brewing temperatures and times. Our tester, David-Christopher, notes that this makes it an excellent choice for tea newbies. An included postcard gives an informative passage about a key ingredient that speaks to the cultural identity of that given country (e.g., the history and significance of lemongrass in Thailand).
“Of the six teas provided, I received two herbals, one oolong, two greens, and one black tea,” says David-Christopher. “If you’re a casual tea drinker looking to up your game from store-bought bags to loose leaf, this is a great place to start. At $17 per month for two loose-leaf, solid quality teas, Atlas Tea is a stellar value.” Now all that’s left is getting a fancy honey dispenser to display with your tea equipment.
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While lots of people enjoy tea for the energy-boosting benefits, those who prefer caffeine-free teas still have plenty of options. Enter Tea Spot, which offers three teas each month. I appreciate that you can choose between caffeinated and non-caffeinated varieties. Both come with a bag of 15 pyramid bags and two smaller bags of loose leaf.
In my box, I received a strawberry tea, a lemon sage tea and an orange smoothie blend, which made for a fun and varied brewing experience. Though all were fresh and fragrant, the orange smoothie was my favorite. I opened up one of the bags and was able to spot dried oranges and fresh-looking herbs inside, which was impressive. I love that the scent and flavor are both very orange-y, without being too sweet.
While a few brands offer similar caffeine-free experiences, Tea Spot also has its own online community via a private Facebook group where tea drinkers can learn more about tea’s origins, functional benefits and brewing tips. Even better, each box comes with free shipping, making it an affordable option for someone who likes both bagged tea and loose leaf or wants to experiment with brewing methods.
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Hello, citizen—have you heard of The Republic of Tea? Known for their premium brews and staggering number of blends (we’re talking over 400 flavors), The Republic of Tea’s monthly club may be the most well-known on this list. This tea subscription box is excellent for explorers, given that each month’s shipment comes with one of their gourmet samplers. Those who prefer a more tailored approach can try their other subscriptions, including a caffeine-free version, black tea, green tea, full-leaf varieties or wellness blends.
Choose between a 6- or 12-month subscription. Each box contains up to 36 bags, but most commonly they come in an assortment of 24 bags. One of the things I appreciate most about this subscription is that there’s a calendar available right on the listing page, so you can see what each month offers before you purchase. No matter which subscription you choose, the first month comes with a Daily Green Dancing Leaves Mug and steeper set, which is a very thoughtful inclusion.
I’ve tried many of their flavors over the years, but their double matcha green tea is my favorite. While brewing, it offers that beautiful green hue that the tea is famous for. It’s also very flavorful, with a unique matcha flavor that some dislike and some adore (I personally love it!)
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The only thing better than a tea subscription box is a tea subscription box you can share with your furry friend. Brews for Rescues is a box for animal lovers. Each month comes with two different loose leaf blends named after cat and dog breeds, along with a toy and handmade treat for your fur baby. Choose from a 1-, 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription.
As a dog and cat lover, it warms my heart that Puppy Paws Coffee & Company donates 50% of the net proceeds to animal rescue organizations. Each box comes with a list of many of the organizations, and the brand also posts a full list on their website for transparency. But that’s not the only reason to snag a subscription—the tea is also well worth sipping on!
Out of the Lykoi Lavender Black and Ragamuffin Yerba that I received, the Yerba was my favorite. It’s fragrant, visibly fresh and brews up a simple but far from boring brew. Because the box comes with a treat and toy for your pet, subscribers can choose between a kitty or puppy box. Each box also has a fun inclusion for you—mine was a paw and bone-shaped ice cube tray. Cute!
My sister’s puppy loved the included rope ball toy and peanut butter dog treats, and I love that the box has such a wonderful mission behind it.
According to Tony, the most important consideration is similar to wine clubs: Taste. Try to choose an option that includes blends and caffeine levels you prefer, unless you’re open to experimenting. “Tea subscription boxes vary widely,” he says. “Some focus on flavored teas, some on pure teas, some on specific tea regions. So be aware of the teas that the company you purchase from sells and ensure that they offer a list of teas they have sent in the past so you know what you are getting.”
Another consideration is quality. Tony suggests starting out with a shorter club until you are sure that the quality of tea meets your expectations. “Tea companies have a range of tea grades to choose from when sourcing, so quality can vary greatly even if two companies are selling tea of the same name,” he says.
In order to find the best tea subscriptions, we took into consideration our own experience with tea subscriptions, noting any experiences that particularly stand out. From there, we researched other popular and under-the-radar options that looked like a great fit and boasted excellent reviews. What appeals to me most about tea is how customizable each cup becomes in different hands. In looking for the best tea subscription box, I took this into consideration, looking for brands that offer a range of brewing methods, tea types and flavors. One of our editors carefully tested each box, evaluating it using the following criteria:
Overall, we sipped on over 30 different flavors to find the 10 best tea subscription box options for every type of tea sipper.
I’ve tested dozens of foods and drinks for Taste Recipes, informing pieces like the best coffee concentrates and the best gift of the month clubs. Not only am I Taste Recipes’s resident food and drinks expert, but I’m also a total tea head. As a bona fide tea fiend since high school, I love looking a new flavors and experimenting with brewing methods on a regular basis.
To inform this piece, I also spoke to tea epicure Tony Gebely. Tony is a world-renowned tea expert whose profound passion for tea has taken him on a global journey, transforming a personal interest into a celebrated career in the world of tea. His adventure began with an eye-opening university trip to Southern China, igniting a relentless pursuit of tea knowledge. In 2009, he began sharing his tea explorations with the world through his award-winning blog, World of Tea which later became Tea Epicure.
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