Trade Coffee

Trade Coffee connects you with over 450 specialty coffees from 50+ of America's best independent roasters. Take their matching quiz to discover your perfect coffee, or browse and select exactly what you want. Every bag is roasted to order and shipped directly from the roaster for peak freshness.

Trade Coffee has established itself as a leading coffee subscription by offering something competitors often lack: choice. While many coffee subscriptions send whatever they curate, Trade connects you with 450+ specialty coffees from over 50 of America’s best independent roasters, and lets you decide what shows up at your door.

Founded in 2018 by Mike Lackman (former COO of Grubhub), Trade was built on the insight that coffee lovers deserve the same personalization and selection they expect from food delivery. The company partners directly with roasters from coast to coast, from Brooklyn to Portland, ensuring subscribers access specialty coffee that would otherwise require living near a specific roaster.

CNN Underscored named Trade “clearly the best coffee subscription” in their 2026 review, praising the enormous selection and flexibility. Whether you want new discoveries every week or reliable delivery of your favorite roast, Trade accommodates both approaches.

Trust Note: Trade Coffee has a 3.0/5 Trustpilot rating (31 reviews) with mixed feedback, praised for coffee quality and variety, but some complaints about subscription management. The company does not have a BBB profile. Founded in 2018, Trade is newer than competitors like MistoBox (2012) but has gained significant media recognition.

Pricing Plans

Trade Coffee offers flexible pricing based on commitment level:

Subscription Options

Commitment	Price/Bag	Shipping	Notes
Monthly (no prepay)	$15.75	$2/bag or free over $30	Most flexible
3-Month Prepay	~$13.30	Free	Like getting a bag free
6-Month Prepay	~$12.50	Free	Best value

Bag Sizes

Size	Price Range	Notes
12 oz bag	$15-22	Standard size
2 lb bag	$25-35+	For heavy drinkers

Pricing Context: At $15.75/bag plus shipping, Trade is competitively priced for specialty coffee. Comparable to Atlas Coffee Club ($14 + $4.95 shipping) and MistoBox ($14-20 + $5 shipping). The value is in the variety and control, you’re paying for access to 450+ coffees, not just whatever arrives.

What’s Included

Each Trade Coffee delivery provides:

Specialty-Grade Coffee: All Trade coffees are specialty-grade, meaning they’ve scored 80+ points on the Specialty Coffee Association scale. Roasters are vetted for quality and ethical practices.

Roasted-to-Order Freshness: Coffee is roasted after you order by the partner roaster, then shipped directly to you. No warehouse sitting. You’ll see the roast date on every bag.

Variety Options:

• Single-origin coffees highlighting specific regions
• Blends crafted by expert roasters
• Various roast levels from light to dark
• Decaf options available

Personalization: Your taste profile influences recommendations. Rate coffees you’ve tried to improve future suggestions. The more feedback you provide, the better the algorithm performs.

Brewing Guides: Trade provides brewing recommendations and educational content to help you extract the best flavor from each coffee.

How It Works

1. Take the Coffee Quiz: Answer questions about your taste preferences, roast level likes, brewing method, and how you take your coffee. Takes about 2 minutes.

2. Review Matches: Trade’s algorithm suggests coffees from their 450+ catalog that match your profile. You can accept the recommendation or browse alternatives.

3. Choose or Curate: Either select specific coffees you want, or enable “Curated” mode to let Trade pick based on your profile. Switch between modes anytime.

4. Set Delivery Frequency: Choose weekly, every 2 weeks, or monthly delivery. Adjust based on how much coffee you consume.

5. Coffee Ships Fresh: Your selected roaster roasts your coffee to order and ships directly. Expect delivery within 3-5 days of roast date.

6. Rate and Refine: After trying each coffee, rate it in your account. This feedback improves future recommendations. Discover what you love over time.

7. Manage Flexibly: Skip shipments, swap coffees, pause, or cancel anytime through your account dashboard.

Featured Roasters

Trade partners with 50+ independent roasters including:

• Counter Culture Coffee (Durham, NC) - Pioneers in specialty coffee
• Intelligentsia (Chicago, IL) - Direct trade innovators
• Stumptown (Portland, OR) - West Coast specialty icons
• Blue Bottle (Oakland, CA) - Known for freshness obsession
• La Colombe (Philadelphia, PA) - Draft latte inventors
• Onyx Coffee Lab (Arkansas) - Multiple Roaster of the Year awards

Each roaster brings their own expertise, sourcing relationships, and roasting philosophy.

Who It’s For

Best For:

• Control Seekers: Want to choose specific coffees rather than receive whatever arrives
• Variety Lovers: Enjoy exploring different roasters and origins without commitment
• Specialty Coffee Enthusiasts: Appreciate high-quality, freshly roasted beans
• Picky Palates: Know what they like and want reliable access to it
• Discovery Mode: Want algorithm-assisted exploration within a massive catalog
• Home Baristas: Take brewing seriously and want optimal freshness

Not Ideal For:

• Set-and-Forget Types: Algorithm curation still requires some engagement
• International Customers: US shipping only
• Gift Givers: Recipients must enter payment info for shipping (awkward experience)
• Subscription-Wary: Some reports of confusing account management
• Budget Shoppers: $15.75+ per bag is specialty pricing, not budget coffee

Trade Coffee works best for coffee lovers who want the convenience of subscription delivery with the control of choosing their own beans. If you prefer complete surprise and curator-selected exploration, consider Atlas Coffee Club instead. For human-curated guidance, MistoBox pairs you with a personal curator.