Firstleaf vs WSJwine
Firstleaf
WSJwineWe may earn a commission from links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never changes our picks. How we make money.
Quick verdict
Firstleaf edges it overall, winning 4 of 4 rating categories. Firstleaf is cheaper to start ($39.95 vs $69.99).
Choose Firstleaf if…
You’re beginners who want someone to learn their taste for them. A personalized wine club that learns from your bottle ratings. The $39.95 six-bottle intro box is one of the best deals in wine clubs; regular boxes are fair value at about $15 a bottle.
See current offerChoose WSJwine if…
You’re steady drinkers who want award-winning value bottles by the case. The Wall Street Journal’s wine club, run by the same group as Laithwaites: a discounted first case, then 12 bottles every three months at around $13 a bottle.
See current offerSide by side
| Firstleaf | WSJwine | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.3/5 | 3.9/5 |
| Value | 4.5/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Wine quality | 3.8/5 | 3.7/5 |
| Choice & personalization | 4.4/5 | 3.7/5 |
| Flexibility | 4.4/5 | 4/5 |
| Starting price | $39.95 | $69.99 |
| Approx. per bottle | $14.99 | $13.33 |
| Bottles per shipment | 6 or 12 | 12 |
| How often | Every 1, 2 or 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Shipping | $9.95 on 6 bottles; free on 12 | About $19.99 per case |
| Intro offer | - | - |
| Guarantee | Replacement credit for bottles you don’t like | Money-back guarantee |
| Skip / cancel | Skip, delay or cancel online | Swap, skip or cancel any time |
| What you can choose | Red, white or mixed; the algorithm picks bottles, you can swap | Reds, whites or mixed |
| Ships to | Most US states (not all: checked at sign-up) | Most US states |
| Best for | Beginners who want someone to learn their taste for them | Steady drinkers who want award-winning value bottles by the case |
Firstleaf: pros & cons
- The intro box works out to under $7 a bottle
- Rate each bottle and the next box adjusts to your taste
- Reds-only, whites-only or mixed, every 1-3 months
- Easy to skip or cancel in your account
- Most bottles are Firstleaf’s own labels, so you can’t look up outside reviews
- Regular price is roughly double the intro price
- Six-bottle boxes add a shipping fee
WSJwine: pros & cons
- Big intro discount on the first case
- Wide, crowd-pleasing selection
- Swap any bottle before shipping
- Shipping isn’t included
- Lots of overlap with Laithwaites’ wines
- Cases of 12 are a lot for light drinkers