By Forbes Staff,Forbes Vetted,Molly Calhoun
Copyright forbes
Fragrance shopping is a deeply personal experience that can be challenging to get right. The best perfume subscription boxes, such as our top pick, Scentbird, allow you to explore and regularly test new scents without committing to just one. To help pinpoint what perfumes are uniquely you, it’s key to look for a service with an extensive scent library, various plan options, fragrance recommendations and discounts on full-size bottles.
The best perfume subscription boxes offer variety, flexibility and great value.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERS
We’ve all spontaneously purchased expensive perfumes from department stores only to realize after a few spritzes that the fragrance is going to become a dust collector on our vanity. “Perfume subscription boxes offer variety, convenience and flexibility, and ultimately help you find scents that reflect who you truly are,” says fragrance expert and perfumer Sue Phillips. Whether you’re looking for vast scent options or exclusive niche fragrances, here is our curated edit of the best perfume subscriptions to help you meet your match.
Our Top Recommendations
Best Perfume Subscription Box Overall: Scentbird
Best Variety Perfume Subscription Box: ScentBox
Best Value Perfume Subscription Box: Purpl Lux at FragranceNet
Best Niche Perfume Subscription Box: Luxsb Luxury Scent Box
Best Perfume Subscription Box Overall
Designer Scents Curated To Match Your Preferences
Subscription period: Monthly | Pricing: $8.47 for first month; $16.95 for following months | Product size: 8ml | Value: ~120 sprays
Founded in 2013, Scentbird is ideal for both fragrance veterans and the fragrance-inexperienced. How it works: You take a quiz to get started to help you understand which scent categories you gravitate toward, and then receive personalized designer fragrance recommendations based on your scent profile. You receive a curated fragrance in a 30-day supply each month, although you can upgrade your plan to up to three bottles per month. You can customize your scent lineup for months ahead, with the option to add, remove or alter your selections whenever you’d like or pause or cancel at any time. Scentbird has more than 900 fragrances in its scent library, and it adds more each month, so it’s virtually impossible that you’ll get bored.
I love that they even have curated fragrances for your 2025 scent horoscope. Scentbird is also a thoughtful holiday gift for difficult-to-shop-for friends and family—you can give three-, six- and 12-month gift subscriptions. To note: Scentbird Select options are an additional $10 to $15 charge.
Best Variety Perfume Subscription Box
Extensive Fragrance Selection And Plan Flexibility
Subscription period: Monthly | Pricing: $9.72 for first month, $16.95 for following months (for a standard subscription) | Product size: 8ml | Value: ~120 sprays
If you’re someone who tends to get bored easily, ScentBox has more than 1,000 options in its scent library. You can opt to receive one, two or three fragrances per month at either the standard, premium or platinum subscription levels. The company sources scents from premium perfumers like Creed, Tom Ford, Juliette Has A Gun, Jo Malone, Byredo and many more, but bear in mind the subscription level you choose determines your access to certain fragrance choices. While many perfume subscriptions only provide one case, ScentBox sends a new atomizer case each month in a variety of happy colors. Another standout feature of the service is that if you simply don’t like the fragrance you receive, ScentBox allows one free exchange per month. You can also send a gift subscription (starting at $53 for three months) for the holidays, a birthday, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
Best Value Perfume Subscription Box
Affordable Monthly Pricing On Hundreds Of Scents
fragrancenet
Purpl Lux at FragranceNet
Subscription period: Monthly or annually | Pricing: $9.95 per month if you do a full year, $14.95 if want month to month | Product size: 8ml | Value: ~120 sprays
Purpl Lux offers the most affordable plans on the market. The perfume subscription service offers access to travel-sized scents from over 500 perfumes for less than $10 a month—but you’re required to pay for the entire year upfront. Niche fragrances are an extra charge—$5, $10, $15 or $20 depending on the fragrance—but only for the months you opt for a premium perfume. Choose from classic picks like Dior Sauvage and Acqua di Gio or cult favorite fragrances such as D.S. & Durga Debaser or Amouage Reflection. Shipping is free, so you don’t have to worry about extra costs being tacked on there. Another plus: FragranceNet.com offers full-size bottles of designer fragrances at deeply discounted prices.
Best Niche Perfume Subscription Box
Covetable Fragrances That Up Your Cool Factor
Luxsb Luxury Scent Box
Subscription period: Monthly | Pricing: $16.95 starting price | Product size: 9ml | Value: ~150 sprays
Luxsb stands out for a couple of reasons: It offers an inventory of more than 800 designer, niche and exclusive fragrances, and the perfume vial size is larger than most from other brands, so you get a bit more product per month. Like with Scentbird, you take a fragrance survey to get tailored recommendations. If you’re into less common fragrances and prefer niche brands—think Ormonde Jayne, Parfums de Marly, Roja or Initio—there are plenty to choose from. While premium and ultra-premium fragrances incur an extra charge for the months you choose them, a reusable protective case is shipped quarterly, which is a nice perk. Luxsb offers gifting options at different price levels (from $50 to $200) as well.
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Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted beauty and grooming team has tested hundreds of fragrances, and we’ve covered a wide variety of makeup and skincare topics. When it comes to subscription boxes, the Forbes Vetted editorial team has written about the best beauty subscription boxes, the best clothing subscription boxes for women and the best clothing subscription boxes for men.
Forbes Vetted beauty and fashion writer Molly Calhoun has been a lifestyle journalist for 20 years. For Forbes Vetted, she has covered the best colognes for men, the best summer colognes for men and the best long-lasting lipsticks.
This article was assigned and edited by Forbes Vetted deputy editor Jane Sung. She oversees the beauty, fashion and travel verticals for the site and has written stories on the best laser hair removal devices, best LED face masks, the best teeth whitening kits and the best sunscreens.
Calhoun also gathered insights from veteran fragrance expert Sue Phillips of Scenterprises.
How We Chose The Best Perfume Subscriptions
To determine the best perfume subscriptions, we carefully examined the landscape of options before narrowing down selections based on a variety of factors and use cases.
We began by surveying all the best-selling fragrance subscriptions on the market, evaluating what sets out the deeply memorable apart from the just-ok.
We extensively evaluated specs for each perfume subscription service, including subscription period, scent library, product size, plan flexibility and value.
We consulted a scent expert to gauge what specifics to look for in a perfume subscription box.
We added a variety of fragrance subscription services for different use cases and budgets, including best value and best variety.
We pored through hundreds of online reviews and stuck with perfume subscription services that have excellent user ratings.
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