Living in Seattle, it seems that new coffee shops pop up every couple of weeks. While it’s exciting, it’s also kind of overwhelming. Buying the right coffee that actually matches my personal preferences can feel daunting when there’s so many options. Typically, Starbucks has been my go-to for my morning coffees since it’s popular and easy to find.
But recently, a friend told me about Trade Coffee’s personalized coffee subscription service and I’ve decided to give them a try! What’s better than coffee delivered right to your door when it’s always rainy out? Here are my thoughts on how Trade Coffee compares to Starbucks.
If You Enjoy Trying Unique Coffees…Trade Coffee
Take one quick glance at Trade Coffee’s website and you’ll find a wide variety of craft, high quality coffee choices. This includes espresso, decaf, organic, light roast, dark roast, and so much more. Every single coffee has been tasted and curated by the experts — so not only is there a ton of variety, but the quality is unmatched. It’s shipped within 48 hours of being roasted making it not only the freshest coffee on the market, but the best tasting too.
Compared to Starbucks’ coffees, I found that Trade Coffee offers more unique varieties of grounds and beans from the top indie roasters around the US.
Plus, another thing I love about Trade Coffee is if you don’t like your first bag, they’ll ship you another one for free! So you’re basically guaranteed a bag of coffee you’ll love — talk about value!
If You Value Personalization… Trade Coffee
We all know that Starbucks is famous for letting you personalize your drinks to your liking. That’s what makes them so popular! But Trade Coffee goes a few steps beyond this through its subscription service.
When I signed up for Trade Coffee’s subscription, I answered a few questions that helped them determine the coffee I like, how I make it, how much I typically drink, and so much more. When my husband answered the same questions, he ended up receiving completely different results, meaning they really do care about personalizing your subscription to your preferences.
No more fighting over which coffee we’re going to buy, since we each get different roasts tailored to our liking delivered right to our door!
If You Love Convenience on Every Corner… Starbucks
Trade Coffee allows you to conveniently order coffee from the comfort of your own home, without ever having to leave your house. Their subscription plans also mean I can get fresh-ground coffee on a regular basis without having to worry about running out. Plus, I love how easy it is to pause or cancel my Trade Coffee subscription, which is so convenient for when I take longer work trips, vacations, or when I still have enough coffee at home.
But as the saying goes, Starbucks is literally on every corner. It doesn’t get more convenient than that.
If You Want to Support Small Businesses… Trade Coffee
Unlike Starbucks, Trade Coffee does not buy from large conglomerates or middlemen, but instead deals directly with the roasters who sustainably and ethically source their coffee. All of their roasters are local, independently-owned businesses, and Trade Coffee works hard to make sure that every dollar spent on their products supports their roasters’ communities and allows them to hire locally. This is done by ensuring that more of each purchase goes back to the roasters, resulting in greater financial stability for them and their families.
The company is also dedicated to environmental responsibility, working with roasters that source beans that have been grown sustainably and shipping roaster coffee in compostable bags.
The Ultimate Winner… Trade Coffee
If you’re looking for high quality coffee and the ability to discover new craft coffee based on what you love at a reasonable price - all while supporting small local businesses - then Trade Coffee is a definite must-try. As longtime Starbucks coffee drinkers, we have to say that Trade Coffee really gives Starbucks a run for its money! At the end of the day, we love our experience with Trade Coffee. Their personalized monthly coffee subscription has made our morning coffees so much better, so we’re sticking with them from now on!
