Cratejoy
Cratejoy
Monthly platform cost$39.00
Transaction fees per month$411.92
Total platform cost per month$450.92
Platform cost as % of revenue5.6%
Revenue kept after fees$7,547.08
Monthly revenue$7,998.00
Compare
Cratejoy vs Subbly vs Shopify - Subscription Box Platform Comparison
A neutral comparison of Cratejoy, Subbly, and Shopify with live fee calculations and feature tradeoffs.
The platform you choose determines your fee structure, your fee structure determines your margin, and your margin determines whether your box is sustainable. This comparison covers the real numbers - not marketing copy from any of these platforms. The right choice depends on your stage, your technical comfort, and how much you value marketplace discovery versus owning your audience.
Live fee calculator
See the platform costs update as you change price and subscriber count.
Subbly
Subbly
Monthly platform cost$39.00
Transaction fees per month$371.92
Total platform cost per month$410.92
Platform cost as % of revenue5.1%
Revenue kept after fees$7,587.08
Monthly revenue$7,998.00
Shopify + Recharge
Shopify + Recharge
Monthly platform cost$157.00
Transaction fees per month$291.94
Total platform cost per month$448.94
Platform cost as % of revenue5.6%
Revenue kept after fees$7,549.06
Monthly revenue$7,998.00
Cratejoy marketplace fees are much higher than the other options at scale. If discovery matters, that may still be worth it early on, but the margin cost is real.
Full comparison table
| Feature | Cratejoy | Subbly | Shopify + Recharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $39 | $29-$39 | $29+ platform, $99+ Recharge |
| Storefront transaction fee | 1.25% + $0.10 | 1% | 0% (Shopify) + Recharge fee |
| Marketplace | Yes - 11.25% + $0.10 | No | No |
| Marketplace discovery | Built-in | None | None |
| Website builder | Yes | Yes | Yes (themes) |
| Subscription management | Built-in | Built-in | Requires Recharge/Bold |
| Customer portal | Basic | Advanced | Via Recharge |
| Pause and skip | Limited | Yes | Via Recharge |
| Dunning management | Basic | Yes | Via Recharge |
| Gift subscriptions | Basic | Advanced | Via apps |
| Build-a-box | No | Yes | Via apps |
| Data ownership | Marketplace = limited | Full | Full |
| Migration difficulty | Hard (marketplace) | Easy | Moderate |
| Best for | Beginners wanting discovery | Subscription-first brands | Brands already on Shopify |
Cratejoy
Best if: You are launching your first box and want built-in marketplace traffic without doing your own marketing.
Watch out for: Marketplace fees (11.25%) eat heavily into margin at scale. Many brands outgrow Cratejoy as they grow their own audience and find the fees unsustainable.
Verdict: Good starting point. Plan to migrate when marketplace traffic is less critical.
Subbly
Best if: You want an all-in-one subscription platform without Shopify complexity. Built subscription-first - every feature is designed for recurring revenue.
Watch out for: No built-in marketplace means you drive all your own traffic from day one.
Verdict: Best overall platform for most subscription box businesses past the launch phase.
Shopify + Recharge
Best if: You are already running a Shopify store and adding subscriptions to an existing product line.
Watch out for: Two platform fees, data ownership complexity, and Shopify's checkout restrictions below Plus tier.
Verdict: Best for established Shopify brands. More complex and expensive than needed for a subscription-only business starting fresh.
Real cost on a $40 box
| Platform | Monthly Revenue | Platform Fees | Revenue Kept | Annual Difference vs Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cratejoy (storefront) | $20,000 | ~$730 | $19,270 | baseline |
| Subbly | $20,000 | ~$239 | $19,761 | +$5,904/year |
| Shopify + Recharge | $20,000 | ~$914 | $19,086 | -$2,208/year |
| Cratejoy (marketplace) | $20,000 | ~$2,300 | $17,700 | -$18,840/year |
The difference between Cratejoy marketplace fees and Subbly at 500 subscribers is $18,840 per year.
That is almost $1,600 per month left on the table.
Migration
Moving from Cratejoy storefront is straightforward: export subscriber data and migrate to Subbly or Shopify. Moving from Cratejoy marketplace is harder because marketplace subscribers signed up through Cratejoy, and migrating them requires careful communication and often a transition offer. Moving from Shopify to Subbly is possible but requires careful Stripe payment migration and subscriber communication. Best practice: start on the right platform for your long-term needs. Migration costs time and risks subscriber loss.
Decision rule
If discovery matters most, marketplace traffic may be worth the take rate. If long-term control matters most, a subscription-first stack usually gives you more flexibility.
The comparison should always be made with the same economics: product cost, shipping, labor, fees, churn, and acquisition cost.
Next steps
See how platform fees affect your specific numbers:
Comparison
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