The Best KiwiCo Alternatives
KiwiCo set the standard for kids' STEAM boxes — but it isn't the only good option, and it isn't the right fit for every age or budget. Here are the seven alternatives we'd actually recommend, compared by age range, price and what turns up in the box.
We compile recurring themes from real subscriber reviews — the praise and the complaints. Some links are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you subscribe, but our rankings are independent. KiwiCo itself is reviewed on our best boxes for kids page.
Best overall — The closest like-for-like swap: age-staged STEAM + craft kits, but eco-friendly and a touch cheaper.
Green Kid Crafts ↗
from $24.95/mo · eco-minded families wanting several quick craft and science activities per box (ages 2–10)
Stands out for: Explicitly eco-conscious sourcing combined with multiple projects per box — the green choice in the category.
What subscribers like
- ✓Four to six projects per box — more activities and longer engagement than single-project rivals
- ✓Clear instructions let kids complete most projects independently
- ✓Eco-friendly, sustainable materials — founded by an environmental scientist
- ✓Good value with free shipping and easy add-on kits
Common complaints
- ✗Cancellation is by email, not a self-serve button
- ✗Some materials feel basic next to premium STEAM boxes
- ✗Occasional longer shipping times
Our verdict: Strong volume-and-value pick for younger crafters with an eco angle competitors lack, though materials skew simple. Visit Green Kid Crafts
Trades engineering for geography and world cultures — the best alternative if your kid likes stories over circuits.
Little Passports ↗
from $22/mo · families introducing world geography and culture through a monthly adventure theme
Stands out for: A geography-around-the-world theme with collectible per-country souvenirs and a passport narrative — distinct from the build-it STEM crowd.
What subscribers like
- ✓Each box explores a new country with a booklet, souvenirs, stickers and activities
- ✓Multiple lines (World Edition, Science Junior, Science Expeditions) cover different ages
- ✓Sparks curiosity about the wider world — an adventure, not a worksheet
- ✓Reasonable price relative to other educational boxes
Common complaints
- ✗Frequent complaints that cancellation is hard — unresponsive contact forms, no phone support
- ✗Reports of charges and shipments after requested cancellation
- ✗Service and billing friction drive a low recommend-rate on complaint sites
Our verdict: Genuinely engaging for geography-curious kids — but go in knowing cancellation and service are the weak spots. Visit Little Passports
Where KiwiCo's Tinker Crate tops out, this keeps going — real electronics and coding for older kids and teens.
Creation Crate ↗
from ~$30/mo · teens and adults wanting to learn real electronics and coding through a progressive curriculum
Stands out for: A semester-style progressive curriculum that teaches actual electronics and programming, building skills box over box.
What subscribers like
- ✓Hands-on electronics/coding projects backed by a structured online curriculum
- ✓More advanced and challenging than typical kid science kits
- ✓A progression across electronics, coding, engineering and chemistry
- ✓Older kids genuinely love the complexity
Common complaints
- ✗Frequent customer-service complaints — slow emails, chatbot-only support
- ✗Shipping delays and undelivered orders show up repeatedly
- ✗Defective components reported by multiple buyers
Our verdict: Great for truly learning electronics — but patchy fulfillment and support hold it back from the top tier. Visit Creation Crate
Goes deeper on pure chemistry and physics than KiwiCo ever does, with AR/VR lessons. Pricier, more specialist.
MEL Science ↗
from ~$30/mo · homeschoolers and science-keen kids who want real chemistry/physics experiments plus an app
Stands out for: Real lab-grade chemistry sets with a companion app featuring AR/VR-style visualizations of the science.
What subscribers like
- ✓Genuinely hands-on experiments with professional-grade materials
- ✓Easy instructions paired with an AR app that deepens the learning
- ✓Strong fit for homeschool curricula
- ✓High ratings for educational depth
Common complaints
- ✗Among the pricier STEM boxes
- ✗Recurring delivery delays and slow customer-service responses
Our verdict: The most academically rigorous STEM box — for committed science learners who can stomach the price and occasional shipping waits. Visit MEL Science
Single-topic STEM challenges aligned to school standards — great if you want curriculum tie-in.
Groovy Lab in a Box ↗
from ~$30/mo · parents and teachers who want STEM with strong lesson-plan structure
Stands out for: Each box is anchored to an engineering-design-process lesson plan plus a digital learning portal.
What subscribers like
- ✓Among the most thought-out lesson plans of any STEM box
- ✓High-quality materials with clear instructions
- ✓Online extras (videos and activities) extend each topic
- ✓Strong alignment with engineering-design and homeschool goals
Common complaints
- ✗Must cancel at least five days before renewal or it auto-renews
- ✗Smaller brand with thinner recent review volume
Our verdict: A quietly excellent, education-first STEM box for families who value structured lessons over flashy toys. Visit Groovy Lab in a Box
Mark Rober's engineering toys: fun-first builds that arrive pre-loved by the YouTube crowd.
CrunchLabs Build Box ↗
from ~$25/mo · kids 8–12 (and tinkering adults) who want buildable engineering toys with a charismatic creator behind them
Stands out for: Built around YouTuber/ex-NASA engineer Mark Rober — a Build Box for kids and a code-and-hack robotics line for teens/adults.
What subscribers like
- ✓Kids eagerly anticipate each box and often build independently
- ✓Excellent, well-illustrated step-by-step instructions
- ✓Each project becomes a genuinely fun toy they keep playing with
- ✓Mark Rober's videos add engagement and reduce screen-time guilt
Common complaints
- ✗Notable shipping and lost-package problems, with some refunds resisted
- ✗Occasional quality-control and defective-component issues
- ✗Premium tiers (Hack Pack robotics) get expensive fast
Our verdict: The most engaging build-a-toy STEM box on the market — dinged mainly by shipping reliability. Visit CrunchLabs Build Box
For the under-3s KiwiCo Panda/Koala age — Montessori play kits that are the gold standard for babies and toddlers.
Lovevery ↗
from $36/mo · parents of babies and toddlers who want Montessori-style, stage-matched toys without the research
Stands out for: Kits designed by child-development experts, shipped on a stage-based cadence tied to developmental milestones rather than a flat monthly box.
What subscribers like
- ✓Well-made, eco-friendly toys matched to the child's exact developmental stage — strong resale value too
- ✓The included books and play guidance are repeatedly singled out as standouts
- ✓Saves parents the time and guesswork of curating age-appropriate play
- ✓Free disability and neurodivergence support service with flexible delivery timing
Common complaints
- ✗Widely seen as expensive — marketing costs blamed for the premium price
- ✗Kids often engage with only one or two items per kit
- ✗Cheaper Montessori alternatives deliver similar value for less
Our verdict: The most thoughtfully developmental option for ages 0–5 — worth it if you value curation and convenience over raw price. Visit Lovevery
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How KiwiCo compares
KiwiCo's strength is breadth: nine age-based lines from Panda (0–24 months) up to Eureka (14–18+), all in one consistent, well-produced format. The alternatives above each beat it on one axis — price (Green Kid Crafts), depth of science (MEL Science), older-kid engineering (Creation Crate, CrunchLabs), world learning (Little Passports) or the toddler years (Lovevery) — rather than trying to match it across the board. Pick by the axis that matters most to your child.
FAQ
- Is KiwiCo worth it, or should I switch?
- KiwiCo is genuinely good — well-designed, age-appropriate crates with strong instructions. People look for alternatives mainly for three reasons: price (around $20–24 a box adds up), wanting something more specialised (pure science, geography or art rather than general STEAM), or a better fit at the very young or teen ends of the age range. If KiwiCo is working for your child, there's no need to switch.
- What is the closest alternative to KiwiCo?
- Green Kid Crafts is the most like-for-like: age-staged STEAM and craft projects in the same monthly format, slightly cheaper and with an eco-friendly slant. Little Passports is the closest if your child prefers stories and world exploration over building.
- Is there a cheaper subscription box than KiwiCo?
- Green Kid Crafts and Groovy Lab in a Box typically come in at or below KiwiCo's per-box price, especially on longer prepaid plans. We list current pricing on each card above — always check the multi-month plans, which are usually the cheapest per box.
- What's the best KiwiCo alternative for teens?
- Creation Crate (electronics and coding projects) and CrunchLabs Build Box (engineering toys) both pick up where KiwiCo's Tinker Crate leaves off, with projects that stay challenging for older kids and teenagers.
- What's the best alternative for toddlers?
- Lovevery's Play Kits are the standout for the 0–3 age range that KiwiCo covers with its Panda and Koala lines — Montessori-inspired, beautifully made, and stage-matched to your baby's development.