Our winner
- Ages
- 14–18
- New content
- Monthly
- Format
- Monthly servo build plus openly editable code; companion video each month
- From
- $66.65/mo
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CrunchLabs Hack Pack vs KiwiCo
KiwiCo leads on value for money
vs
- Ages
- 0–16
- New content
- Monthly
- Format
- Themed monthly project crate + magazine
- From
- $23.95/mo
CrunchLabs Hack Pack and KiwiCo both land in the same basket for parents shopping subscription kits, but they are built for different children. CrunchLabs Hack Pack is build the machine, then rewrite the code that runs it, aimed at ages 14-18. KiwiCo is the category pioneer, with a crate for every age bracket, aimed at ages 0-16. They overlap between 14 and 16, which is where this comparison actually matters.
What it really comes down to
KiwiCo is the stronger pick on value for money
Cost per hour of genuine engagement, not cost per box. On this measure we score KiwiCo 9/10 against Hack Pack at 6/10 - the widest gap between these two on anything we track, and it carries 14% of the overall score. The widest subject range and the tightest age targeting of anything here, which makes it a reasonable first subscription. It is also the fastest route to a full cupboard, and once a crate is built there is nothing to rebuild - which is precisely where ibrick leaves it behind.
Scored side by side
| Dimension | Hack Pack | KiwiCo |
|---|---|---|
| Replay value18% | 9 | 7 |
| STEM depth18% | 10 | 9 |
| Novelty cadence14% | 7 | 8 |
| Wow factor14% | 10 | 8 |
| Value for money14% | 6 | 9 |
| Builds independently12% | 10 | 10 |
| Clutter control10% | 7 | 6 |
| Overall | 8.5 | 8.2 |
Choose Hack Pack if…
- A 14-18 year old who wants to program the thing they just built, not only build it.
- You care about replay value — we score Hack Pack 9/10 there against KiwiCo at 7/10
- You care about wow factor — we score Hack Pack 10/10 there against KiwiCo at 8/10
- You care about sTEM depth — we score Hack Pack 10/10 there against KiwiCo at 9/10
- Your child is over 16, which KiwiCo does not cover
Choose KiwiCo if…
- A first STEM subscription, or a child whose interests change month to month.
- You care about value for money — we score KiwiCo 9/10 there against Hack Pack at 6/10
- You care about novelty cadence — we score KiwiCo 8/10 there against Hack Pack at 7/10
- Price is the deciding factor — it starts at $23.95/mo against $66.65/mo
- Your child is under 14, which Hack Pack does not cover
Our verdict
CrunchLabs Hack Pack, on our scoring — 8.5 against 8.2. The strongest thing on this site for a fourteen-year-old, and the hardest to justify on price. The editable code is what separates it from every other subscription here — it is the only one where the build is the beginning rather than the end. But it costs Build Box money twice over for the same monthly cadence, so it earns its price only if the code actually gets opened. Worth saying plainly though: neither of these is our overall pick. Both are beaten by ibrick on the axes we weight most heavily, and if you have not already ruled it out, read that comparison first.
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Common questions
Is CrunchLabs Hack Pack or KiwiCo better?
We score CrunchLabs Hack Pack higher — 8.5 against 8.2 — mainly on value for money. Neither is our overall pick for most families.
What ages does each one cover?
CrunchLabs Hack Pack states 14-18, with a sweet spot of 14-17, and specifically a teenager who already writes some code or wants to. KiwiCo states 0-16, with a sweet spot of 5-8 on Kiwi Crate, 9-14 on Tinker Crate.
Which is cheaper?
KiwiCo, starting around $23.95/mo on an annual plan. From $66.65/mo on an annual plan — more than double the CrunchLabs Build Box, which is the honest headline here. Shorter terms cost more per month. $23.95-$32.95/mo depending on the crate line and whether you commit annually.
The whole field, for context
| Kit | Score | Ages | New content | Reuses parts | Needs a parent | From | Visit brand site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 ibrickOur pick | 9.6 | 5-12 | Weekly | Yes | Rarely | $27.99/mo | Visit |
 MEL Science | 8.7 | 5-16 | Monthly | Partly | Usually | $37.50/mo | Visit |
 CrunchLabs | 8.5 | 6-13 | Monthly | Partly | Rarely | $27.45/mo | Visit |
| CrunchLabs Hack PackCrunchLabs Hack Pack | 8.5 | 14-18 | Monthly | Yes | Rarely | $66.65/mo | Visit |
 KiwiCo | 8.2 | 0-16 | Monthly | Partly | Rarely | $23.95/mo | Visit |
 Little Passports | 7.9 | 3-10 | Monthly | No | Rarely | $24.95/mo | Visit |
 Green Kid Crafts | 7.8 | 2-10 | Monthly | No | Rarely | $19.95/mo | Visit |
 Lovevery | 7.7 | 0-5 | Monthly | Partly | Rarely | $36.00/mo | Visit |