I’ve never subscribed to a monthly cardmaking kit. Every once in a while I think about starting up a subscription and the urge has struck again. This time, I decided to do a more in-depth comparison. Not only did I create a spreadsheet (I do love a good spreadsheet and pivot table) but I also started ordering past kits to get a sense for what comes in a kit before I commit to a subscription (if I do). I’m not done with my research and there are probably loads other kits I haven’t yet considered. But I thought I’d share what I found and as I learn more, I’ll update this page.
Firstly, I’ll just say that I haven’t tried all these kits, so what I’m sharing is mostly information I found on their respective websites and my own personal opinion. Kits change from month-to-month, which is what makes them so awesome, but the table below is my best attempt at surveying what generally seems to be included. It’s not meant to be super comprehensive because each company varies what they include each month. Also note that the prices I’m listing may change but at the time of this writing, these were the advertised prices (before shipping & handling).
Second, being a monthly subscriber does have the benefit of being guaranteed to receive the monthly card kit. It seems some sell out faster than others and it’s hard to predict when that will be the case. I’m not sure if all of them let you skip a month without having to cancel your subscription entirely. For me, that’s a big deal because some themes just don’t fit my style or purpose.
Third, most kits don’t lock you in to a long “contract”, so you can subscribe for as long or as short of a duration as you want. Two of them do require a minimum number of months. It does seem like long-term subscribers are rewarded with thank-you gifts and extras throughout the year though. And I am including two kits that aren’t subscriptions — you can buy them any time.
Without further ado… here’s my comparison chart. At the bottom of the chart, I’ve included some of my own opinions along with which I plan on buying…
| Spellbinders | Pink and Main | Simon Says Stamp | Hero Arts | Love from Lizi | Queen & Co. | Altnew | |
| Retail Price | $55 | $40 | $30 | $35 | $34 | $50 | $13-100+ |
| Subscription Price | $38.50 | $35 | $35 | $33-35 (free ship) | $48 (free Ship) | n/a | n/a |
| Minimum Length | 3 months | 2 months | |||||
| Die Set | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Stamp Set | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Embossing Folder | Sometimes | ||||||
| Stencil | ✔ | Sometimes | ✔ | ||||
| Envelopes | 10 | 4 | 3-4 | ||||
| Card bases | 10 | ||||||
| 6×6 Paper Pad | ✔ | ✔ | Several Sheets | Several Sheets | ✔ | Some kits | |
| Cardstock (8.5 x 11) | ~9 | ~8 | ~4 | ~4 | ~6 | ||
| Ephemera (die cuts) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Ephemera (stickers) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Enamel embellishments | ✔ | ✔ | Sometimes | ||||
| Sequins, gems, etc. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Ribbon, twine, etc. | ✔ | ✔ | |||||
| Ink (or color medium) | ✔ | ✔ | Some kits | ||||
| Embossing powder | ✔ | ||||||
| Foam adhesive | ✔ | ✔ | |||||
| Adhesive tape | ✔ | ✔ | |||||
| Perks | 10% store discount Past kits at member rate Exclusive deals | 15% store discount | Varies | ||||
| Variation in types of supplies each month | Not too much | Not too much | Not too much | A bit of change | Not too much | Not too much | Big variation |
| My Thoughts | Loads of supplies and seems very generous with ephemera. Wouldn’t need much more than what’s in the kit. | Good mix of consumables & longer lasting supplies. Dies are usually small. | Good mix of consumables & longer lasting supplies. Dies are usually small. | Larger stamp & die set. Great for building up your tools & supplies. You’ll need materials to make cards. | Loads of supplies. Dies are usually small. | Geared towards shaker card builders. Awesome dies. | Mostly reusable, longer-lasting supplies |
| Value for Money (my opinion) | Best if you’re just starting and have no other supplies | Good balance all-around | Good balance all-around | Best for what I value – reusable supplies and best style fit | Best for the free shipping because it’s $18+ otherwise | Best for shakers & bits | Best for what I value – reusable supplies |
| Conclusion | Ordered a past kit to try | Ordered a past kit to try | Plan to order a past kit | Plan to order a past kit | |||
| Spellbinders | Pink and Main | Simon Says Stamp | Hero Arts | Love from Lizi | Queen & Co. | Altnew |
These cardmaking kits are like Pokemon to me — I want to collect them all! LOL. Sadly, my crafting budget just doesn’t allow for me to order from these on a regular basis. Generally a couple times a year, I’ll shop the sales and load up on new stamps & dies. Since I don’t sell my cards, it’s hard to justify buying more than I already do. But I just can’t help but want more.
I’ll likely try a past kit or do a one-time purchase of current kits — probably from each of the companies listed above. I think they all have something cool to offer. Some kits aren’t naturally ones I would purchase normally. But one thing I love about these kits is it seems like a great way to try new products, be introduced to different styles, etc. For example, I don’t use a lot of pattern paper (really, not at all). But, I did buy the Spellbinders kit to try it out. I think that’ll help me grow creatively and improve as a designer. It’ll be fun to try out these kits and hopefully find one to subscribe to!