KONG Box vs BarkBox: Which One’s Better?

Are you debating between KONG Box vs BarkBox for your furry friend? Both companies are popular for their dog subscription boxes, but are different in various ways.

In this blog post, I’ll compare KONG Box vs BarkBox to help you determine which box is best for you. 

I may earn a commission if you buy through my links, but I only recommend products that I support and you pay nothing extra.

KONG Box Overview

What is it?

KONG Box is a subscription box service offering handpicked toys, treats and goodies catered to your dog’s specific needs. It was created by the KONG Company, which is well-known for their innovative toys.

Inside the box, your dog will receive play toys, plus other items to help with specific conditions if you choose. For example, if your dog has separation anxiety, you can receive a “personality toy” and training tools.

In addition, there’s items to help with teething, digging, barking, chewing, crate training, boredom, and weight management.

What comes inside it?

KONG Box includes the following items delivered to your doorstep: 

• KONG Classic (only in first box): You’ll get one KONG Classic product in your first box–something dogs all over the country have enjoyed for years. 

• KONG Training Toy: You can expect one KONG Training Toy (made in the US) within each box.  

• Personality Toy: You will receive a toy that meets your dog’s unique personality needs and is handpicked just for him.

• 3  Bags of Treats: Everyone knows that dogs love their treats, which is why this box comes with 3 unique treats per box. 

• Tips and Recipes: The box also comes with tips based on your dog’s personality profile as well as easy-to-make dog recipes. 

Additionally, if your dog is a heavy chewer, they have an Extreme Chewer option for no extra cost. You select this on your KONG Profile.

How Does It Works

Step 1- Provide your dog’s details

When subscribing, you will provide your pet’s name, birthday, their size, and if you choose: a condition that they need help with (teething, barking, etc.).

KONG Box uses this information to customize your dog’s box.

Step 2- Choose your plan and shipping frequency

You then choose a subscription length by selecting a monthly box, 6 box plan, or 12 box plan. Additionally, you can choose to have the boxes shipped monthly or every other month. The longer the plan, the less you pay per box. See the next section for price (“How much does KONG Box cost?”).

Your plan is set to automatically renew unless you cancel prior to the end of the chosen term.

Step 3 – Delivery

Upon selecting your plan, the staff at KONG Box pick items for your dog’s specific box. The box will leave their warehouse within 48 hours and should arrive within 7 to 10 days of placing your order.

They provide you with tracking information as soon as the box ships. In addition, future orders are delivered on the same timeline as the first box.

How much does it cost?

Since KONG is such a well-known brand, the price of their boxes is slightly higher than other services. However, their products are known for their high quality. 

• The monthly pay-as-you-go subscription plan costs $39.95 per box. 
• The six-box subscription plan costs $34.95 per box.
• The annual subscription plan costs $29.95 per box.

Cancellation Policy

Unlike other subscription services, KONG Box actually lets you cancel early for a small fee. For their monthly plan, you can cancel anytime.

If you cancel a 6 month plan early, you pay a $19.95 fee, while there is a $24.95 fee to cancel a 12 month plan.

If you do not turn off the plan’s auto-renewal, your plan is converted to a month to month plan. However, you get to keep the same price per box as the prior plan.

BarkBox Overview

What is it?

BarkBox is one of the best dog box subscriptions filled with toys, chews, and treats based on a monthly theme. It’s the leader in this area with over 1 million subscribers.

Some past themes include Scooby Doo, Jurassic Park, Heavy Metal, and New York City.

The toys are entirely unique to BarkBox and cannot be found anywhere else. Owners receive customized items based on their dog’s size.

Additionally, you can also work with customer service if you want more or less of an item. Further, the treats are all made in the US or Canada.

What comes inside it?

BarkBox contains the following inside:

• 2 toys
• 2 bags of treats (made in the U.S. or Canada), and
• A chew.

You can choose more or less of an item by working with customer service. If you need stronger toys for the heavy chewer, you will need to pay extra for their Super Chewer program.

However, you can request tougher reinforced plush toys first to see if they are sufficient.

How Does It Works

Step 1- Provide your dog’s details

First, you will give your dog’s name, their size, their breed, their birthday, any allergies, and your email.

Step 2- Choose your plan and shipping frequency

You then pick the length of your subscription whether monthly, 6 months, or 12 months. The longer the plan, the less you pay per box. See the next section for price (“How much does BarkBox cost?”). Your plan will automatically renew unless you cancel prior to the end of the term.

Step 3 – Delivery

Your first BarkBox takes 2-3 business days to prepare for shipping, and then 2-8 business days to arrive within the contiguous U.S. or 4-12 business days to arrive within Canada, Hawaii and Alaska. It may take longer for other destinations.

For future boxes, they will ship around the 15th of the month with the same delivery time frames as above.

How much does it cost?

Compared to KONG Box, BarkBox is more affordable. Here’s the breakdown: 

• The monthly pay-as-you-go subscription plan costs $35 per box. 
• The six-month subscription plan costs $26 per box (or $139 upfront). 
• The annual subscription plan costs $22 per box (or $234 upfront). 

Coupons/Promos

Take a look at some exciting promotions: 

1. With double the toys and twice the treats!! Join now to get a FREE upgrade on your SpongeBob SquarePants box. (Valid on 6 and 12 month plans)
2. Free Extra Toy Exclusive Offer! Get a Free Extra Toy in every box when you sign up for BarkBox! (Valid on 6 and 12 month plans)
3. Get a FREE month added to your plan! (Valid on 6 and 12 month plans)
4. Double Stuffed Upgrade to your first BarkBox! (Valid on 6 and 12 month plans)

Cancellation Policy

Unlike KONG Box, you cannot end your chosen subscription early.

So for example, if you choose a 12 month plan and turn off auto-renewal, you will receive any remaining boxes until the end of your term.

The Comparison

Summing Up: Which is Better?

KONG Box and BarkBox both offer high quality boxes that most dogs will enjoy. To help choose between them, you should determine what is most important to you.

While BarkBox is more affordable, you do receive less items per box. BarkBox offers a fun monthly theme, while KONG Box offers a box more customized to any issues your dog is facing.

KONG Box offers a more flexible cancellation policy, while BarkBox has a more lenient replacement policy for their toys.

BarkBox also allows more customization with the items in their box.

If you have a heavy chewer, you’ll need to pay extra for Super Chewer BarkBox, while KONG Box offers their free Extreme Chewer option.

I hope that this blog post made the decision-making process easier for you. 

Do you have any questions? I’ll answer them in the comments section.