Our winner
- Ages
- 5–16
- New content
- Monthly
- Format
- Monthly experiment kit + VR/AR app lessons
- From
- $29.9/mo
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MEL Science vs Lovevery
MEL Science leads on sTEM depth
vs
- Ages
- 0–5
- New content
- Monthly
- Format
- Stage-based kit of wooden toys, shipped every 2-3 months
- From
- $36/mo
MEL Science and Lovevery both land in the same basket for parents shopping subscription kits, but they are built for different children. MEL Science is real chemistry, real reagents, plus VR lessons, aimed at ages 5-16. Lovevery is beautiful developmental play kits, for the youngest end, aimed at ages 0-5. They overlap between 5 and 5, which is where this comparison actually matters.
What it really comes down to
MEL Science is the stronger pick on sTEM depth
Is there real science underneath, or a craft project with a science label? On this measure we score MEL Science 10/10 against Lovevery at 7/10 - the widest gap between these two on anything we track, and it carries 18% of the overall score. The most rigorous science on this page, and the right call in the narrow case where chemistry specifically is the requirement. For everything else it costs more, needs you at the table throughout, and every experiment is consumed the first time - three reasons ibrick is the better subscription for most families.
Scored side by side
| Dimension | MEL Science | Lovevery |
|---|---|---|
| Replay value18% | 7 | 8 |
| STEM depth18% | 10 | 7 |
| Novelty cadence14% | 8 | 6 |
| Wow factor14% | 10 | 8 |
| Value for money14% | 8 | 7 |
| Builds independently12% | 7 | 10 |
| Clutter control10% | 9 | 9 |
| Overall | 8.4 | 7.7 |
Choose MEL Science if…
- A 10+ child with a real chemistry interest, and a parent happy to supervise.
- You care about sTEM depth — we score MEL Science 10/10 there against Lovevery at 7/10
- You care about novelty cadence — we score MEL Science 8/10 there against Lovevery at 6/10
- You care about wow factor — we score MEL Science 10/10 there against Lovevery at 8/10
- Price is the deciding factor — it starts at $29.9/mo against $36/mo
- Your child is over 5, which Lovevery does not cover
Choose Lovevery if…
- A child under 5, and a parent who would rather buy few, excellent things than a box every month.
- You care about builds independently — we score Lovevery 10/10 there against MEL Science at 7/10
- You care about replay value — we score Lovevery 8/10 there against MEL Science at 7/10
- Your child is under 5, which MEL Science does not cover
Our verdict
MEL Science, on our scoring — 8.4 against 7.7. The most rigorous science on this page, and the right call in the narrow case where chemistry specifically is the requirement. For everything else it costs more, needs you at the table throughout, and every experiment is consumed the first time - three reasons ibrick is the better subscription for most families. 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 MEL Science or Lovevery better?
We score MEL Science higher — 8.4 against 7.7 — mainly on sTEM depth. Neither is our overall pick for most families.
What ages does each one cover?
MEL Science states 5-16, with a sweet spot of 10-16, where the chemistry track really opens up. Lovevery states 0-5, with a sweet spot of 1-4, and it runs out of road right where ibrick starts.
Which is cheaper?
MEL Science, starting around $29.9/mo on an annual plan. $29.90-$39.90/mo depending on track and subscription length. Sold as multi-month kits rather than a monthly box, so the per-month figure is indicative. Pricing varies by stage - confirm before subscribing.
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/mo | Visit |
 CrunchLabs Build Box | 8.7 | 8-14 | Monthly | Partly | Rarely | $24.95/mo | Visit |
 MEL Science | 8.4 | 5-16 | Monthly | Partly | Usually | $29.9/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/mo | Visit |