Meat delivery services have been booming in recent years. But, with so many subscription box services available, it isn’t easy to know which one to choose.
Over the past several years, I’ve tried and tested countless meat delivery services.
Today, I’ll talk about my experience using Cratejoy and ButcherBox.
I’ll explain their key differences and features so you can choose the right one.
ButcherBox vs Cratejoy: Key Differences
The main difference between Cratejoy and ButcherBox is that Cratejoy is an online marketplace for subscription boxes of all types.
This means they don’t only sell meat subscription boxes but other kinds of products as well, such as books, clothing, jewelry, crystals, and many more.
Also, the company doesn’t sell its own products but works with providers. Essentially, they offer a place for vendors to sell their items.
On the other hand, ButcherBox is a meat subscription box service. They only sell meat and no other products. You subscribe to one of their five subscription boxes, and it’ll arrive at your home once a month.
Comparing Their Features Head to Head
These are the biggest Cratejoy and ButcherBox features.
1. Meat Selection
Cratejoy has a very limited selection of meat. They currently only offer charcuterie, burger meat, bratwurst, beef, beef jerky, some fish, and not much else.
Generally, their food menu is more geared toward snacks, desserts, and specialty foods than meat.
The monthly charcuterie box includes a selection of cheese, cured meats, and crackers. I found that they offer the most variety regarding sustainably-sourced seafood.
Their seafood offer includes fish filets, salmon, shrimp, and sea scallops.
ButcherBox has a much larger meat selection. Their meat offer includes beef, pork, chicken, and sustainably-sourced seafood.
Here’s an example of some of their most popular cuts of meat:
- Pork loin
- Sirloin steak
- Filet mignon
- Ribeyes
- Breakfast sausages
- Salmon
- Baby back ribs
- Ground beef
- New York strip steaks
- Boneless pork chops
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
2. Meat Sourcing
Cratejoy online marketplace doesn’t include much info on where their meat comes from.
The charcuterie boards they sell are from Peak Boards, the burgers and sausages are from Booze Dogs, the seafood comes from Fulton Fish Market, and the beef is from Carne Collective.
Out of all of these, only Carne Collective functions as a traditional meat delivery service on its own.
Cratejoy doesn’t offer any info on how the meat is sourced, so you’ll have to go to each seller to check this.
I was able to find that Fulton Fish Market is the largest seafood market in the US. It’s located in the Bronx, and it’s open in the morning hours.
Booze Dogs sell alcohol-infused meats, while Peak Boards only focuses on charcuteries. They sell charcuterie and cheese meal kits and extras such as crackers.
Carne Collective says they only use grade A Angus cattle that are grass-fed and pasture-raised. They offer grain-fed beef cuts that are Prime, Choice, or Select based on quality.
Compared to Cratejoy, ButcherBox offers much more info on where their meat comes from. They are transparent and go into detail on each kind of meat:
- Beef — Grass-finished and grass-fed beef that’s humanely raised. The beef isn’t given antibiotics or growth hormones. The majority of their grass-fed beef comes from Australia, as there’s a high animal welfare standard there [1].
- Pork — Humanely-raised pork, raised crate-free. Pork comes from heritage lines such as Duroc, Chester White, and Berkshire. This means it’ll have a slower maturation process and better marbling.
- Chicken — Free-range organic chicken, USDA certified organic. Chicken is raised without cages or crates and never added hormones.
- Sustainably sourced seafood — Wild-caught seafood includes salmon, cod, halibut, sea scallops, and lobster. It’s sustainably harvested to make sure there’s enough seafood for future generations.
3. Monthly Subscription Box Selection
Here’s a breakdown of each meat subscription box Cratejoy currently offers:
- Platterful: A Charcuterie Experience — Includes a variety of cured meats, cheeses, crackers, and accompaniments. You can subscribe for one month up to 12 months. The price goes from $99 for one month to $86.58 for 12 months per box.
- DIY Charcuterie Board Kit — Includes a selection of curated cheeses, meats, nuts, dried fruit, spreads, and sweets, along with the decor elements. Priced at $99 per box.
- 3lb. Booze Dogs Burger Box — Includes 1/3 lb. burgers authentically infused with real bourbon, gin, or rum. The price goes from $54.99 for one month to $49.50 for 12 months per box.
- 3lb. Booze Dogs Bratwurst Box — Includes 1/3 lb. burgers, smoked 3.2 oz. bratwurst, or flavorful 2 oz. hot dogs authentically infused with real bourbon, gin, or rum. The price goes from $54.99 for one month to $49.50 for 12 months per box.
- Box Of Jerks — Includes craft beef jerky brands. Priced at $25.75 per month.
- Carne Collective — Includes grass-fed, certified Angus beef. Priced at $149.99 per month.
Here’s a breakdown of all monthly subscription boxes ButcherBox currently offers:
- Custom box — You can choose up to 25 cuts of meat. It comes in two versions:
- 9 to 14 lbs $159
- 18 to 26 lbs $288
- Mixed box — Includes a selection of high-quality chicken, beef, and pork.
- Beef and pork box — Includes a selection of grass-fed beef and humanely-raised pork
- Beef and chicken — Includes a selection of beef and organic free-range chicken.
- All-beef box — Includes high-quality beef.
Apart from the custom box, the other subscription boxes (mixed, two kinds of meat, and all-beef box) also come in two sizes:
- 8 to 11 lbs $137
- 16 to 22 lbs $253
The larger size box is a great choice if you have a family of meat lovers and some free freezer space [2].
4. Shipping and Delivery
Cratejoy has a different shipping policy for each box:
- Platterful: A Charcuterie Experience — First box ships within 5 business days of your order, and the following boxes ship on the third Monday of each month.
- DIY Charcuterie Board Kit — Ships on the first Tuesday every month. You will receive your box in 1 to 4 days after shipment.
- 3lb. Booze Dogs Burger Box — Ships to 48 states, apart from Alaska and Hawaii. The first box ships immediately after you order, and subsequent boxes will ship before the 7th of the next month.
- 3lb. Booze Dogs Bratwurst Box — Ships the same way as the Burger Box.
- Box of Jerks — First box ships automatically on the 20th of each month and every following month for the duration of the subscription.
- Carne Collective — Ships Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday via FedEx. All the meat arrives with dry ice to preserve its freshness and safety.
Keep in mind you can choose the delivery duration for some of these boxes.
For example, charcuterie boxes let you choose between 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of meat delivery, while others renew automatically until you cancel.
ButcherBox has the same shipping rules for all of its boxes. They offer free shipping on all of its subscription boxes, which allows you to spend more on high-quality meat.
Moreover, you’ll get free ground beef with each meat box for the duration of your subscription. They also deliver to 48 states without Alaska and Hawaii.
When you place your order, you’ll get an email with tracking information, so you’ll know exactly when your order will arrive.
You’ll receive your ButcherBox meat within 3 to 7 days of placing your digital subscriptions. I received my subscription box after 3 days.
You don’t have to be at home when the subscription box arrives. I wasn’t present when the meat was delivered to me, and the box was left outside for several hours. The meat was still partially frozen when I arrived.
“We ship your order, frozen for freshness and packed in an eco-friendly box.”
- ButcherBox Official Website
ButcherBox invests in box packaging. My classic box arrived in eco-friendly packaging - a 100% recyclable cardboard insulated box.
All high-quality cuts were individually vacuum sealed in freezer bags and packed with dry ice. This preserved the meat very well.
ButcherBox lets you choose meat delivery frequency. You can opt to have meat delivered every four, six, or eight weeks.
Stand Out Features
I mentioned that the Cratejoy website has almost any subscription box you need — everything from beauty and books to meat.
But, ButcherBox also has some special monthly shipments:
- New Products box $119 — Be the first to try new kinds of meat.
- Celebration box $139 — Perfect choice for a holiday or a party.
- Fully cooked box $129 — Get meat that’s ready in no time.
- Beef variety box $155 — Enjoy a curated selection of high-quality beef.
- Seafood box $149 — Perfect if you’re a seafood lover.
- Ultimate variety box $149 — Includes eight different cuts of meat.
- Mini box $94 — Great for a single person or two individuals.
- Chicken sampler $129 — Includes six cuts of chicken.
You can get all of these delivered directly to your door or gift them to another meat lover.
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- ButcherBox vs Wild Pastures Comparison
- Butcherbox vs Walden Local Meat Comparison
ButcherBox vs Cratejoy: What’s the Best Subscription Service for You?
My vote for the best subscription service goes to ButcherBox. They are a one-stop shop for all of your meat needs.
ButcherBox meat subscription company lets you choose between a curated box you make yourself or one of their pre-selected offers.
They only sell high-quality, pasture-raised meat, and you’ll taste the quality with the first bite.
Most importantly, ButcherBox has plenty of meat cuts so that you won’t be bored anytime soon.
Click here, and order your subscription box today.
#1 Meat Delivery Service
ButcherBox
- Grass-fed and grass-finished beef delivered directly to your door
- Without antibiotics or added hormones
- Customizable boxes available
- Select from up to 21 different cuts
- Get the BEST PRICE until the end of May
- No organ meat
