Armoire vs. Rent the Runway – Which Clothing Rental Service Takes the Cake in 2024
Armoire vs. Rent the Runway – Which Clothing Rental Service Takes the Cake in 2024
Armoire vs. Rent the Runway
If you’re on my website, I’m sure you’re looking into your rental options to find amazing outfits without draining your wallet. I know what that was like when I first started my own rental journey. When it comes to choosing a clothing rental company to find your fashions for much less than buying them, I’ve got the guide for you.
So naturally, I did what needed to be done as a veteran of renting and thrifting. I put the two most popular rental platforms against each other to decide on a winner. If you want to know who wins, read to the end for all the deets.
Trust me, I’m spilling everything about Armoire vs. Rent the Runway.
Everything You Need to Know About Renting from Armoire
Let’s start off with Armoire. There’s a lot to unpack here, so I hope you’re sitting cozily and grabbing a cup of coffee (or tequila – no judgments)! Armoire is one of the leading thrifting choices you can have, and they come with reasonable pros for every fashionista with a budget.
Armoire is the only rental program still offering an Unlimited Plan, gives you a choice of shipping options (free shipping always) and has excellent customer service. Wondering if Armoire is for you? Here’s what you need to know:
#1 UNLIMITED STYLES FOR EVERY OCCASION
The first thing you can notice at Armoire is that it’s the only clothing rental program that offers an Unlimited Plan. They also have smaller plans, the 4-spot and 7-spot monthly plans, but Unlimited has always been my face. They have a great array of day-to-day and work clothes, but you can also rent for cocktail parties, weddings and holidays, too. Get those champagne glasses clinking! They also feature a great range of athleisure and loungewear and outerwear like this Kate Spade jacket.
Aside from the fact that only Armoire offers a genuinely Unlimited option, the items per month and pricing structures for Armoire and Rent the Runway are very comparable. The cheapest Rent the Runway package only gives you access to their "basic closet" or designs with a retail value of up to $350. Armoire offers no limits on retail value of pieces, regardless of whether you’re trying the 4 Item Plan, the 7 Item Plan or the Unlimited Plan.
But what really impressed me was that Armoire allows you to keep all of your goods until your new case arrives – unlike Nuuly or the smaller plans on Rent the Runway – so you're never without styles to wear. Because you get to keep whatever you like every month without having to return your entire shipment, you actually have substantially more access to apparel.
#2 PERSONALIZED AND FULLY CUSTOMIZED SHOPPING
Everything’s a lot more personalized when you’re using Armoire. When you sign up on Armoire, you’ll be directed to take their Style Quiz. This will let the algorithm know what types of clothing you prefer, brands you love and silhouettes that suit you. As of publication, you can use my link to get 50% off your first month plus 2 free items off your first shipment. You can use Armoire’s app (available on both Apple and Android – this proud Android user was very miffed with Rent the Runway for years!) to choose apparel that matches your preferences once you have completed this fast, five-minute style assessment.
This helps you stay far away from being bundled with style options that just aren’t you. You may filter your suggested products by category, event, and season for a more targeted search. With a built-in feed where you can interact with other users and see how everyone else is styling their things, Armoire's audience also makes it simpler to explore and find new looks.
#3 FLEXIBLE RETURNS
These flexible returns benefit is available on all Armoire plans. So, if you're ready for a change, you can select new goods while keeping your current ones until your next shipment arrives. Armoire gets my favor as someone who enjoys having different designs to try.
#4 VARIETY OF INVENTORY
Armoire has all of what you might need. If you want to dress to the nines for a girls’ night out or a presenting something in the board room. You can mix and match your wardrobe with the collection available at Armoire. Not only that, but this entire range of styles comes straight from designer brands and offers options for every body type. You simply can’t hate any of this!
#5 BEST PREGNANCY OPTIONS
If you’re a mama-to-be, wanting to rent fashionable pieces for this time of your life when you can't fit into old clothes, Armoire has your back. It’s just not sensible to spend hundreds of dollars on a maternity wardrobe when you can simply… rent better for cheaper! Armoire offers a great variety of pregnancy options, from designer brands to casual wear focused on your growing body.
Everything You Need to Know About Renting from Rent the Runway
People used to rave about RTR, and women claim that the app, “changed their lives!” I’m a former fan myself, but some changes in the program made over the years leave customers wanting more. I took a deep dive into the platform in 2024, as well, just to see if the noise was still worth it or not.
I’ve even made friends at RTR. Shoutout to Annie Tucker (Confessions of a Rentaholic) and Monique (@itsminefornow) for being the most fashionable RTR ambassadors I know! You should definitely check them out and use their codes if you’d like to try Rent the Runway.
Now, let’s see what RTR is known for and what it can offer to newbies or anybody wanting to thrift for a change.
#1 TRENDY HIGH-FASHION PIECES
RTR is especially known for giving you high-fashion options to make you look glamorous for special occasions. They are trendy pieces of the latest fashion, so you always stay in style! It can enhance your capsule wardrobe or even let you dress to the nines for a one-time event like a graduation or a job interview!
#2 FREQUENT DISCOUNTS AND PROMOTIONS
Rent The Runway loves to give discounts to its users. From student discount policies to coupons for saving a few bucks, RTR has the whole package. If you score the internet enough, and by that, I mean the right places on the internet, you’ll be able to save yourself so much money when renting outfits.
#3 NO DRY CLEANING HASSLE
Have you spilled some wine on a rental dress? Ugh… cue the whole dry-cleaning hassle. But here’s the excellent news: There’s no cleaning hassle when it comes to RTR. They include a shipping and dry-cleaning fee in their rentals so you don’t need to wash the dress for any reason. Just wear, shine and toss it back.
Comparison of Armoire with Rent the Runway
You know what Armoire offers, and you know what Rent the Runway offers. But if we’re putting these two in a cage to fight and come out with a fashion crown on the head, who’s it going to be? For this reason, I’ve got a detailed comparison section in this blog post. Let’s see who does what better.
Pros Of Armoire
#1 THE ONLY UNLIMITED PLAN
When Rent the Runway took away the Unlimited Plan, it not only made us veterans angry, it stressed me out. Remembering how many spots I had left, fighting with customer service and losing tiers of access to certain pieces made renting my clothes stressful. Nuuly, who’s newer on the market and has great clothes from Anthropologie, only has one 6-spot plan and you have to return all pieces in one shipment. Armoire takes away all the stress by continuing to offer the Unlimited Plan. Now I can get vacation clothes, formal gowns and regular old daywear whenever I need it – no hassle!
#2 BETTER PREGNANCY OPTIONS THAN RENT THE RUNWAY
As mentioned above, Armoire goes above and beyond for the pregnancy collection available for pregnant women. If you’ve got a growing belly and a glowing charm, Armoire has something good to offer. At least… it provides much better than Rent the Runway. I haven’t personally had to use it so far, but the pregnancy options have been a thing members have raved about for quite some time.
#3 BETTER MEASUREMENT CHART THAN RENT THE RUNWAY
Imagine spending hours selecting the perfect wardrobe for your trip to Paris and at the last minute, you get something that’s just not your size. Too small or too big are dire circumstances when you want everything done right. With Armoire, the collections are given with accurate measurement charts, so you don't have to worry about misfitting clothes again.
#4 CHOOSE YOUR SHIPPING
Armoire is the only clothing rental service that lets you choose if you want your clothes returned via USPS, FedEx or UPS Ground. This is especially helpful if you live outside a major city, but even helps those of us in New York City, where USPS lines are dozens deep.
#5 ALGORITHM-BASED SUGGESTIONS
Whenever I have to travel for vacations, it’s so easy to pick out my outfit selection from Armoire and pack and go. The customized feed saves me so much time when I fall into the occasional “scroll hole.” I simply go to the Suggested For You section and see pieces in the silhouette, color and season I need.
Cons of Armoire
#1 IN-STORE PICKUP ONLY IN SEATTLE
Do you want to see a dress in person and pick it up from there? You can do that because Armoire is entirely online, and so you’re only hoping to get exactly what the image shows.
#2 SMALLER INVENTORY OF HIGH END DESIGNERS
Although I love Armoire, I will admit they have a smaller inventory for high end designers. That being said, I’ve also worn Dior, Veronica Beard and Halston.
Pros Of Rent the Runway
#1 SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER BRAND RECOGNITION THAN ARMOIRE
Armoire and Rent the Runway are both famous, but when it comes to comparison, RTR wins that round. With greater brand recognition comes a more significant collection and high fashion pieces up for grabs.
#2 OFFERS STUDENT DISCOUNT POLICIES
Attention Students! RTR has a discount policy for you. All you need to do is show proof of your education, and you can have your rental prices slashed.
#3 OFFERS ORDER TRACKING SUPPORT
One of the biggest pros of RTR is that it offers Tracking Support. If you want to know when your order comes through, it’s just a matter of clicks, and you can track your order’s entire journey.
Cons Of Rent the Runway
#1 WORST SHIPPING SERVICE EVER
I’ve never heard more “missing packages” stories than I have from my Rent the Runway friends. Things go missing or take over a week to show up on your doorstep. If you need something for a specific event, this can be really unnerving.
#2 CUSTOMER SERVICE LEAVES US WANTING MORE
Another thing that gets my rental goat is the customer service at RTR. Members questions and emails often go without response. If items go missing or are shipped late, customer service just says “sorry” and does nothing. I’ve also heard some stories of people being double-billed or charged for items they did not have.
The Ultimate Winner
I loved Rent the Runway in its Unlimited Plan heydey, but nowadays Armoire gets my vote. It’s reliable, has great inventory and consistent customer service. Plus, for a busy city girl like me, that Unlimited Plan takes away all the stress of renting my clothes while still giving me all the rentals I need. It’s not just me – hundreds of women agree that Armoire offers better service than Rent the Runway or Nuuly.
I have been an avid fan of Armoire for the longest time. My journey started with Rent the Runway, but since I discovered Armoire, it’s been my fave. From office parties to cocktail nights, I know there’s something I can just snatch up from Armoire, plus I love their flexible returns and free shipping policies on the Unlimited Plan!
While both of these are fantastic platforms for renting clothes, Armoire works best for my fashion needs. Have you tried either of these platforms? Do you have another rental service you love? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
— Jewel
