The short verdict
Last Best Coffee Club publishes this page and runs a competing club. Every fact about the other service was read on its own site on the date shown; read the comparison with that in mind.
Trade Coffee suits a coffee drinker who wants the biggest possible menu, a quiz to narrow it, and coffee from roasters all over the country. Last Best Coffee Club suits someone who wants every bag from a different independent Montana roaster, in a 12 oz bag, with the first bag free. This Trade Coffee review sets the two side by side with the same fields. Last Best Coffee Club publishes this page, and we have no connection to Trade.
Trade Coffee and Last Best side by side
Trade's facts below were read on Trade's own site and help pages on September 27, 2026. Prices and offers change, so check before you buy.
| Field | Trade Coffee | Last Best Coffee Club |
|---|---|---|
| Model | A national marketplace: a quiz matches you with coffees, and the roaster ships each order | A Montana club: a different independent Montana roaster in each box, roasted to order and shipped by the roaster |
| Roasters | 55 named on its roasters page, from around the US | Independent Montana roasters only |
| Bag size | 10.93 oz standard bag; 2 lb big bag | 12 oz |
| Price per bag | Essential plan $16.99, Signature plan $21.99 (2 lb: $39.99 or $49.99) | $16.99, any roast |
| Shipping | $3.99 an order when you pay per shipment; free on prepaid bundles of 3, 6 or 12 bags and on 2 lb bags | $7.99 on the first box; later boxes shown at checkout |
| Trial | Discovery Trial: 3 bags from 3 roasters, first bag free; a guarantee on your first match | First bag free; free replacement if a bag disappoints |
| Gifts | 3, 6 or 12 months: $66, $132, $264, shipping included, no renewal | 3, 6 or 12 boxes: $66.99, $134.99, $269.99, shipping included, no renewal |
| Cancel | Pause or cancel from your account at any time | Skip, pause or cancel online |
Where Trade is stronger
Choice. Trade's Signature plan covers more than 450 single origins and blends from nearly every coffee growing country, and the Essential plan has more than 100 coffees. No single state can match that range, and ours does not try to.
Frequency. Trade lets you set an order every 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 weeks, plus a 10 day option. Our club ships every 2 or 4 weeks.
Bulk and shipping. Trade sells a 2 lb bag with free shipping, and prepaid bundles of 3, 6 or 12 bags also ship free. If you drink a lot of coffee and want one big bag, that is a real advantage.
A trial built for sampling. The Discovery Trial sends 3 bags from 3 roasters with the first bag free, which is a clear way to learn what you like before committing.
Picking your own coffee. Trade lets you swap any of your next three matches from your queue, and you can buy any bag once without subscribing. Our club picks the roaster for you, steered by your ratings.
Its gifts cost a little less than ours: $66, $132 and $264 against our $66.99, $134.99 and $269.99, both with shipping included. Trade's gift bags are 10.9 oz; ours are 12 oz.
Where Last Best differs
One state's roasters. Every bag comes from an independent roaster in Montana: the kind of place that has roasted south of Whitefish since 1981, or in a downtown Billings shop since 2004, or out of a rebuilt garage before moving to Victor. The Roast Local directory counts 57 independent roasters in Montana, and the point of the club is to send your coffee money to them. Trade's roasters come from across the country.
First bag free, then one price. Your first bag is free and you pay $7.99 shipping on that first box. Then $16.99 a bag, whatever the roast or style, for a 12 oz bag. There is no premium tier for light roasts or decaf.
Two bags, two roasters, one box. A box can hold two bags from two different Montana roasters, and the second bag can have its own roast and style: a light single origin for one person and a dark decaf for the other. Every bag in our box is a Montana roaster's.
Fixed promises, word for word: "Roasted and shipped within 3 days." "Free replacement if a bag disappoints." "A reminder email 3 days before each box." "Your ratings steer the next bag." Trade's first-bag guarantee covers your first match; our replacement promise covers every bag.
Each bag arrives in the roaster's own bag and packaging, with our packing slip naming the roaster, their shop, their story and what to taste for. Read why buying from Montana roasters matters, or see the Montana roasters we follow.
Trade Coffee questions
Which is better, Atlas or Trade?
Neither wins on every count: Trade offers far more coffees and roasters and lets you pick, while Atlas sends one single origin from a new country each month from a single company, so choose by which of those you want.
How much is Trade Coffee per bag?
Trade's help center lists $16.99 on the Essential plan and $21.99 on the Signature plan for a standard 10.93 oz bag, plus $3.99 shipping an order if you pay per shipment, as of September 27, 2026. Prepaid bundles and 2 lb bags ship free.
Does Trade Coffee have Montana roasters?
Trade is a national service, and its roasters page names 55 roasters from around the US. If you want every bag from a Montana roaster, Last Best Coffee Club sends a different independent Montana roaster in each box.
Is there a Trade Coffee alternative with a free first bag?
Yes. Last Best Coffee Club's first bag is free and you pay $7.99 shipping on that first box, then $16.99 a 12 oz bag. Trade's Discovery Trial also has a free first bag.
Sources
Checked on September 27, 2026. Trade's facts come from these pages on its own site:
- Trade subscribe page (Discovery Trial, roast and ship timing)
- Trade roasters page (55 roasters)
- Trade gift subscription (gift lengths and prices)
- Trade's subscription tiers (plans, bag size, prices)
- Is shipping free? and subscription types (shipping, prepaid bundles)
- How the subscriptions work (frequency)
- Subscription management and cancellation policy (queue, pause, cancel)
- First Bag Guarantee
Montana roaster count: Roast Local directory, pulled September 2026. If Trade sees an error here, email coffee@lastbestcoffeeclub.com and we will fix it.