Dollar Shave Club Vs Harry's: Which Is Cheaper?

One of the most valuable and beneficial subscription services available today are shaving subscriptions which include razors, shaving gel, and other grooming necessities. Two of the best brands in the shaving world today are Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s who both offer subscription services.

Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s both offer products that are very similar in price, including starter kits that offer shaving basics straight to your door. Dollar Shave Club offers this starter kit for only $5, while Harry’s charges $13 for their kit. Overall, Dollar Shave Club is cheaper.

Both of these amazing shave brands offer regular discounts and subscription style memberships that keep shaving supplies coming to you regularly. If you are interested in these services, you should learn more about the companies and which works best for your needs. Luckily, we have broken down the ins and outs of each company so you can better compare the two.

Table of Contents

All About Dollar Shave Club

First, let’s discuss how Dollar Shave Club started and have gotten to where they are today. The company began in 2011, making them one of the oldest shaving subscription services and helping them grow in reputation. They started on the premise of bringing you great razors at an awesome price.

While the company started with just shaving products, they have now gotten mor inventory to cover other grooming needs. You can smell great and get the best shave with this quality products. The subscription service is designed for shaving but you can also purchase an entire inventory of amazing products on their website.

When you choose Dollar Shave Club, you will get quality products that are all made with premium ingredients. You can mix and match these products to fit your exact grooming needs and you will always be in control of what you use. They even have Club Pros available to answer questions if you should have any about your products.

Some other notable pros that many Dollar Shave Club customers love are:

You are always in control of your purchase. You can cancel at any time and the company offers flexible delivery dates to fit your needs.
There are no hidden fees when it comes to your purchase. You can get a 30-day money back guarantee on all products!
All razors come with FREE shipping, saving you even more on your purchase.
When you sign up for the Dollar Shave Club, you will also get bonus rewards throughout the year and even gifts on your birthday.

The Dollar Shave Club Starter Kit

One benefit of Dollar Shave Club is their Shave Club Starter Kit, which is a great way to try out these amazing products for less. These starter kits start at only $5 and are a great way to see just what the company is all about. While you can always take a quiz to have a more specific subscription box, this starter kit is perfect for practically everyone.

Once you purchase the starter kit, you will be subscribed to continue receiving razor cartridges every two months. However, you can alter your shipments and cancel at any time. You are truly always in control when it comes to Dollar Shave Club, altering your shipments as you see fit.

Some things to keep in mind when it comes to the Dollar Shave Club starter kit are:

The starter kit is only $5 and comes with FREE shipping.
In the starter kit, you will receive a razor, replacement blades, Post Shave Dew, Shave Butter, and Prep Scrub. These products are all in trial-sized versions, but this will last you a couple of weeks.
If you fall in love with one of these products, you can add it to your future boxes. You will also receive razor restocks every two months or as you see fit.

How Does Dollar Shave Club Work?

There are two major ways that you can purchase from Dollar Shave Club, which are through their subscription boxes and by purchasing their standalone grooming products. For ease of comparison, we will focus mainly on their subscription boxes. You can always purchase the starter kit mentioned above, or you can take their simple quiz to get a box curated to fit your needs.

When it comes to their subscription boxes, it is important that you look over every product recommended to you and decide what fits your needs and budget. Dollar Shave Club does make it very simple to customize your subscription box.

Some things to keep in mind when it comes to Dollar Shave Club subscriptions are:

Shipping – Your subscription box will be shipped every 2 months. This frequency can change should you find you do not need these products as frequently.
Add / Remove Products Anytime – If you are using one product at a lower frequency than others or simply do not love a product, you can remove it. Also, if you find you may want to try another product from the brand, you can add it at any time.
Payment – You will pay for your shipment a few days prior to the shipment being sent out. This should be the same time at the interval you have chosen or the standard two months. You will receive a 30-day money back guarantee on all purchases.
Cancelling or Postponing – Three days prior to your next payment, you will receive an email regarding your shipment. You will be able to make any changes to your box at this time, postpone the shipment, or also cancel. This is one of the most notable benefits that customers mention.

Your grooming needs will be shipped to your door automatically and fit your exact needs.

All About Harry’s Shave Club

Harry’s is very similar to Dollar Shave Club but does have a larger variety of grooming products outside of their shaving products. While they do still offer subscription style boxes, they also offer a wide selection of products you can purchase as needed. They have low prices and quality products that customers have fallen in love with.

The company has been in business for seven years and was created with the mindset of, “Every man deserves a quality shave at a fair price.” Since their start, they have grown substantially and now offer a much wider range of products. They have utilized customer feedback and now offer products that fit the needs of their diverse customers.

Some other notable benefits of Harry’s that customers have noted are:

Affordable Pricing – The Harry’s company owns their own manufacturing company in Germany. This means that they can offer higher quality products without charging extra to their customers. You will get durable blades and quality skincare for a relatively low rate.
High Quality – Going hand in hand with this, the company always offers the highest quality product. The blades sold are made from steel. Each product is sulfate-free and derived from top ingredients.
Gives Back – A major reason why many choose Harry’s is their dedication to creating a better world. They donate 1% of their sales each year to nonprofits that provide mental health care services to men in need. Men often go untreated for mental health concerns and organizations such as these help provide this much needed care.

Harry’s is a great kit at a great price, so it’s hard to go wrong.

The Harry’s Starter Kit

Similarly, to Dollar Shave Club, Harry’s does offer a starter kit that you can receive to try out their amazing products. Harry’s starter kit is actually retailed at $13, which is more expensive than the Dollar Shave Club option. However, there are regular promotions for new customers that drop this price to $5, which is the same price as the Dollar Shave Club option.

When you purchase a starter kit from Harry’s it does come with FREE shipping. The starter kit comes with the following products:

A weighted rubberized handle razor that comes in a few color options of your choosing. You can upgrade this to a chrome handle razor for an added cost.
Five-blade razor cartridge with quality blades. This is to be used with the razor handle.
A sample size of the foaming shave gel in a 2.0oz bottle.
Travel blade cover that you can use with your razor.

Once you purchase your starter box, you will be signed up for refill shipments that will arrive regularly to your home. You can save 5% or more on refills and will receive free shipping on all refill boxes. There are a few options on the refills you can receive and how often you receive them.

How Does Harry’s Work?

As mentioned, Harry’s is very similar to Dollar Shave Club, but they do have a few more options on what you can purchase and how your subscription works. The biggest difference is they more products and a variety of subscription boxes that you can choose from. Some popular box options are:

Blade Box – This includes eight blades that will be sent to you as you see fit. This costs around $16 each shipment.
Blades and Shave Gel – This box includes eight of the high-quality blades that fit your Harry’s razor. You will also receive one foaming shave gel to use with the razor. You will get this box for $22 a shipment.
Family Plan – This is a great box if you have more than one individual in your home who shaves regularly. This box comes with 16 Harry’s blades and two of the foaming shave gels. This comes at around $41.50 per shipment.

Another important thing to note about Harry’s is they allow you to choose your shipment dates and how often you are sent your subscription boxes. While this is also true of Dollar Shave Club, they help you choose this from the start. Many find that changing the shipping interval through Harry’s is simpler.

There are a few key choices on when your shipment will go out depending on how often you shave. The available shipping options are:

Every Two Months – This is designed for those who shave often between five and seven days a week.
Every Three Months – This is the middle option and is designed for those who shave between two and four days a week.
Every Five Months – This is for those who shave less often at around one day a week. This is the least frequent refill shipment.

Unlike Dollar Shave Club, Harry’s also offers a Core Membership Program, which is a premium membership program. This can be added to any subscription you already have in place and gives you 10% off of any order on their website. Some other benefits of this Core program are:

Free engraving on your Winston handle and razor stand. This is a $15 value on its own.
Access to member-only products. This is exclusive to Core members.
Faster shipping on all orders and cheaper options if you choose to expedite shipping.
All these benefits for only $15 a year.

Other Products Offered by Harry’s

While the subscription boxes offered from Harry’s are great, they also offer a huge selection of other grooming products that you can purchase as you see fit. They are high quality and designed to work with a variety of skin, hair, and body needs. From head to toe, there is a huge selection of products offered from Harry’s that you can enjoy.

Shaving Products – Of course, the company has become known for their high-quality shaving products. The Truman handle razor is known for having quality control and being designed to last. They also offer some of the sharpest blades and amazing shaving cream for a close shave.
Hair Care – The Harry’s products are made with luxurious ingredients that are natural and avoid unwanted chemicals. You can purchase an array of shampoo, conditioner, and styling products all created without parabens or sulfates.
Face Care – Of course, Harry’s does offer facial shaving needs, but they also offer other skincare products. You can purchase face wash, face lotion, and post shave products. These are designed to work with a variety of skin types.
Shower Products – They also offer some basic shower care needs such as body wash and soaps. These are designed to offer you a rich lather and a deep clean.
Deodorant – One thing that many do not realize is that deodorants are not universal and Harry’s has designed deodorant with various protection levels. If you find yourself sweating through many brands, choose their odor and sweat control options. They have several signature scents that will keep you fresh all day.

If you would like to try a few options from Harry’s or you have fallen in love with several of their products, they do offer bundle options. These are an easy way to get everything you need or try some new products from the brand. These bundles ship free and you can choose from deodorant and shower bundles, body wash scent samples, shaving bundles, and much more.

Which Subscription is Better?

Now that we have discussed each brand more in depth, it is time to break down which is better and will better fit your needs. In essence, both brands are high quality and have a positive reputation. Of course, the final decision comes down to your personal needs and what you would like to see from your subscription service.

To make choosing your subscription service easier, we will break down the pros and cons of each comparatively.

The Price – The prices of the two brands are highly comparable, but Dollar Shave Club does come with a slightly lower price. While Harry’s does offer routine discounts, their starter kit does come at a higher price. The starter kit from Dollar Shave Club is always only $5!
Shipments – Both brands offer customization of your shipment. While Harry’s does offer a variety of shipment options, Dollar Shave Club does send out a reminder prior to each shipment. This helps you stop shipments or change orders as you see fit prior to begin charged.
Customization – Once again, both brands do offer some customization options on what you can add to your boxes. However, Harry’s takes this one by offering a larger selection of products that can be added to your subscription box or even bundle offers.
Quality – While both brands offer quality products, Harry’s does tend to be a bit higher quality based on past customer reviews. The company owns their own manufacturing facility, which helps them better control quality of products. The razors included in starter kits are bit lower quality, but the overall product quality is often better.
Variety – When it comes to the variety of products offered, Harry’s wins this race hands down. The company offers a much wider selection of products than Dollar Shave Club, which has limited options. If you want to get all of your grooming and personal care needs met, Harry’s is the top option.
Inclusivity – Dollar Shave Club is packaged in a masculine way but is not directly marketed towards men and is more inclusive as a brand. However, Harry’s is aimed more directly towards men and has fewer inclusive products. On the other hand, Harry’s does have a female targeted product line called Flamingo, but they do not offer subscriptions at this time.

You can weigh the pros and cons of each brand listed above and visit each website to make your final decision on which brand is best for your needs. Since both companies are great at cancelling subscriptions and offer low-rate starter boxes, you may want to purchase a starter box from each. The best way to know which is best for you is to simply try them out.

Why Subscribe to a Shave Club?

While there are countless subscription services available today, there is a niche category of subscription boxes that are aimed at shaving and personal care. We will later jump into each subscription service, but let’s first decide if this is the right choice for you. As mentioned, the two major choices are Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s.

Both of these subscription services are very beneficial, but they do come with some differences that are important to keep in mind. The biggest benefit of both of these is the lowered number of trips to the store, easy refills for your shaving needs, and they often save you money. However, subscription services are not all created equally and comparing the two is a must.

Before we jump into the ins and outs of each company, let’s further discuss why more people are opting for subscription services. While there are countless subscription options, Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s are two that we can fully say are amongst the best. They have grown a following of thousands of happy customers over the years.

Advantages of Subscription Boxes

Before we jump into the specifics of each brand, we will discuss why subscription boxes are a great choice for most consumers and shaving boxes in particular come with many benefits. While subscription boxes have become more popular in recent years, shaving boxes are one option that continues to hold value. Some of the benefits of shaving boxes are:

Custom Items – Both the brands we will discuss today have options for customization. You will be able to fill out a shaving questionnaire that better personalizes your subscription box. This allows you to get products that fit your exact needs versus those sold at most retail stores which are less personalized.
They are Convenient – During Covid times, we have seen an uptick of automated services and curbside pickup across America. When you chose to use a subscription box, you will automatically be sent your grooming needs in the mail. This will lower your trips outside of your home and lower your chances of becoming sick.
It is Automatic – Often, we do not think to grab new shaving supplies until it is too late. However, when you sign up for Dollar Shave Club or Harry’s, you will be sent your grooming needs on a regular schedule. This means you will never forget to purchase refills and they will arrive at your door just when you need them.
They Save Money – While the savings are not huge with these subscription boxes, the overall quality to price ratio is great. You can try them out for little money at all and both brands offer discounts for routine subscriptions. Comparative to most big box retailers, you can save money by subscribing to these boxes.

Overall, the subscription service isn’t for everyone, but it can help those with regular grooming schedules save a lot of money and time.

Negatives of Subscription Boxes

While both Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s are two of the most reputable subscription boxes available today, they are not always the best choice for everyone. Clearly if you are not shaving regularly or do not find yourself reaching for the products, they might not be the best choice. However, some other negatives to keep in mind when it comes to subscription boxes are:

Overbuying – Just like most things in life, it can take a few months of getting a subscription to figure out exactly what you need. While both brands are great at altering shipments and customization, there is a chance you overbuy at first. This can often be easily fixed, but a bit of overbuying or even underbuying can be expected until you figure out your needed frequency or shaving refills.
Difficult Returns – Both Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s offer a money back guarantee should you not love a product. Of course, this can be a bit time consuming and often takes longer to full fill then simply returning a product to the store. This is really a convenience factor and most do not feel it is big enough an issue to avoid subscriptions entirely.
Difficulty Cancelling – Both shaving subscriptions are great at allowing you to cancel your subscription as long as it is done prior to the products shipping out. However, this is an added step that you will have to take that can be a bit inconvenient.

While cancelling is a pain, at the very least you will still be able to enjoy the extra product you were sent—something you can’t say when you cancel a digital subscription or the like!

Make Shaving Simple with a Subscription Box

As mentioned, the two biggest names in the shaving subscription world today are Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s. These companies both offer routine subscription boxes as well as starter kits which help you see more about what the company offers for a lowered price. Once you sign up for a starter kit, you can continue to receive routine boxes at your chosen interval.

While subscription boxes are a great way to get the goods you need in a safe, convenient way, it is important to consider all of the pros and cons of each brand. As mentioned above, but the best way to see which company works best for you is to try them out by purchasing a starter kit. You can easily cancel your subscription as needed should you not fall in love with either brand.