Updated on December 1, 2024
So, you have run out of gift ideas. The folks on your list seem to have everything they need and you’re tired of giving cash and gift cards. How about a subscription? It’s the gift that keeps on giving. The best part? If they love it, you can just renew every year and have a built-in gift you know they’ll use and enjoy. Here are some subscription gift ideas for different folks on your list.
For Travelers: Jetpac eSIM Subscription
You may have heard about eSIMs but aren’t quite sure how they work. With an eSIM (electronic SIM), you basically load another phone data plan (no voice and text) onto your existing device to use exclusively when you are traveling. The Jetpac eSIM platform works in more than 150 countries so you don’t have to worry about shopping for a physical SIM or paying expensive roaming charges. There are different plans depending on where you’re traveling to, like a U.S. pack, one for Japan or Bali, or an EU or Global pack for multi-country connectivity. Considering the expensive roaming fees Canadian carriers charge (think $15/day to use your phone as is in Japan with Rogers’ Roam Like Home), you could save a bundle. A 20GB pack for Japan, for example, which can be used over a 30-day period once activated, is $26. Even if you’re only traveling for a week or two, you’re still coming out way ahead. Consider that with Roam Like Home, a week away at $15/day is $105, albeit also including voice and text. For frequent travelers, there are data-only subscriptions in three-, six-, and 12-month packages with more perks in each package like using the Jetpac Global app to use the airport lounge for free if there’s a flight delay, and a 30-day trial to ExpressVPN. When you check out, there’s an option that says “I am buying for someone else,” a perfect gift for the recent graduate who plans to spend a gap year traveling through Europe or the business owner who travels often. Keep in mind the eSIMs only work with unlocked eSIM devices, but all devices must be sold unlocked (or unlocked for free) as per Canadian rules. If you have an older phone that does not work with eSIMs, you may not be able to use it. But most phones from iPhone XR and up will work. You can check device compatibility on the website.
For The College Student: Uber One
An Uber One membership is $10/mo. or $96/yr. but includes benefits college students will appreciate and use, including $0 delivery fee on eligible Uber Eats orders that are $15 or more, 5% of eligible food orders and eligible restaurants, and 5% Uber Cash on eligible rides, including UberX and UberXL. There’s a special student membership as well for students aged 18 and older, with verification to confirm their student status. The great thing about Uber Eats is that it includes grocery delivery as well, great for a student who doesn’t have a car. For safe rides home from a party when they may have imbibed a little too much, it’s worthwhile as well.
For The Grandparents: BritBox
Of all the TV streaming services, BritBox might have the biggest selection of TV shows that seniors will love. It focuses on British TV shows from BBC, including both new series and classics. Think everything from Doctor Who and Jane Eyre to Downton Abbey and Sherlock to Luther and Killing Eve. A one-year subscription is $110, which knocks two months’ worth off the price. There are shows in every genre, from mystery to comedy, drama, documentary, and lifestyle. There are new titles being added every week as well as exclusives and originals you can’t watch anywhere else. They can watch on a TV, computer, or even tablet and mobile device.
For the Apple Fan: Apple One
If you’re going to use three or four of the Apple services included in an Apple One subscription, it’s worth getting, even if you find you don’t use a couple of them. You get 2TB iCloud storage and access to Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, and Apple News+ for $45/mo., the best deal for a power Apple user. I have Apple One and use every service but Apple Arcade, and save $37/mo. based on the bundled pricing. It’s the perfect gift for an Apple fan who might have been thinking of using Apple Fitness+, for example, or could use the extra cloud storage.
For Teens and Tweens: Crunchyroll
Many teens and tweens are into anime, and Crunchyroll represents the Holy Grail of content in that genre. With a subscription, you can access new episodes shortly after they air in Japan. The basic Fan plan is $10/mo. for access to the entire library ad-free with the ability to stream on one device at a time. But you’re best off getting the Mega Fan ($12.49/mo.) with the added benefit of being able to stream on up to four devices at a time (ideal for siblings), enjoy offline viewing, and access the Crunchyroll Game Vault with a catalog of free games. If you pre-pay for the year, it’s $125 and includes everything in the Mega Fan plan with a 16% discount and billing that auto-renews every 12 months unless you cancel. Access popular shows like One Piece, My Hero Academia, and Dragonball Daima. Watch on a multitude of devices, including smart TVs, PlayStation, Xbox, Chromecast, Apple TV, Blu-ray players, and more. Simplify billing by adding Crunchyroll it to your existing Amazon Prime Video subscription.
For Families: Disney+
Pricing for a Disney+ Premium subscription, which affords access to 4K content, up to four simultaneous streams, and immersive audio support, just went up by a dollar to $15.99/mo. But it’s still totally worth it. The streaming service has a nice mix of content for both kids and adults. Think shows like The Bear and Only Murders in the Building (both offered through Hulu in the U.S.) and Marvel series like Agatha All Along and Star Wars ones like Ahsoka and the upcoming new coming-of-age series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Plus, there’s the entire Disney and Pixar vaults, National Geographic shows, and more. Perfect for queuing up on Christmas Day, there are classic holiday movies as well, like Home Alone. Plus, you can watch classics like The Simpsons and new shows like Abbott Elementary. It’s plenty of bang for the buck with content that every person in the family will enjoy. And at under $200 for the year, with savings if you lock in for the entire 12 months, it’s a solid gift you can renew every year to keep it going.
For Gamers: Xbox Game Pass
With the Xbox Game Pass, suited to gamers who own an Xbox console or play via PC, they’ll get instant access to play games on the first day of their release, access to hundreds of game titles to play with friends on consoles, PC, and cloud via multiplayer options, the ability to download console and PC games, premium deals, discounts, and perks, and more. It’s a must-have for a gamer who loves to unwind with a game of Call of Duty or Fortnite with friends or even strangers from around the world after a long day at school or work. You can get it for PC, console, or both, with pricing that starts at $15/mo. or $23/mo. for the Ultimate package that adds the online console multiplayer option. There’s also a standard console-only play for $17/mo. that includes online console multiplayer as well.
For Moms: Netflix
As the viral Saturday Night Live (SNL) sketch suggested, women love their “murder shows,” and when it comes to true crime, Netflix can’t be beat. The streaming service has tons of fabulous true crime shows, from Mindhunter to Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, The Menendez Brothers, Unsolved Mysteries, Lover, Stalker, Killer, Worst Roommate Ever, and more. Plus, there are reality shows like Love is Blind mom will want to watch once everyone is in bed and relentlessly text her girlfriends about. Sign mom up for a year for the standard plan with ads for $84 (she should get access to most if not all of these as Netflix originals but won’t get access to all content) or go all out with a top-tier subscription for $252 for the year. If you have Netflix at home, add her to your account as a surprise and pay for her access through your bill for an additional $8/mo. or $96 for the year.
For Dads: Munch Addict
Whether they’re snacking in front of the TV while watching the game, in the basement while playing video games, or they have a hankering for a snack at their desk during the day, why not treat them to something unique instead of the same old, same old? Munch Addict subscription boxes include a selection of snacks from other countries around the world. You can get snacks from different countries and regions and choose from a single box, three-month, six-month, or 12-month subscription. The longer time period you select, the less you pay per box, starting from $26.25/mo. for a year (total $315) up to $72 for a single box. You can up the ante with a Motherload Box that includes three times as many snacks (60-72 versus 15-18) for a much bigger price, of course. Is this the healthiest gift? No. But everyone deserves a treat now and then. Plus, there’s so much, they’ll be inclined to share.
For Kids: KiwiCo Labs
KiwoCo Labs monthly crates combine both fun with education. Each box focuses on a STEAM topic to help kids grow their skills and explore everything from creativity and building to engineering and science. There are hands-on projects and boxes suitable for everyone from babies to kids aged 16+. Think all the tools they need to build their own pair of headphones or a basketball trash can for older kids to a camping adventure or space exploration kit for kids up to age five. Pricing starts at about $24/mo., depending on the specific box chosen and length of subscription. So, for a year, expect to spend about $300.
For Music Lovers: Qobuz
What good is a hifi system without great music sources to enjoy? A great gift for someone who loves music and enjoying every nuance of its sound as the musician intended is Qobuz. The high-quality music streaming and download platform, which launched in Canada two years ago, offers a catalogue of more than 100 million titles, all lossless, downloadable files that are high-res and CD quality. This includes high-res FLAC files at up to 9,216 kbps with a sample rate up to 24-bit/192kHZ. The service is also about music discovery with access to content like artist interviews, in-depth articles, and a section dedicated to Hi-Fi hear within its online magazine. Each week, the expert editorial team also provides a list of recommendations and featured albums including both known and emerging artists. These are across a variety of music genres, like rock, jazz, classical, pop, R&B, electronic, world, and metal. Building a community, the Qobuz Club offers audiophiles and music lovers from all over the world a unique place where they can share their musical discoveries and recommendations as well as advice on Hi-Fi equipment. Cost starts at $130/yr. but check out the various options as there might be an upgrade worth spending a bit more on.
For Fitness Enthusiasts: Strava
Consider a Strava Premium Subscription at US$80 as a gift option with an appreciated feature you don’t often find with subscriptions: it doesn’t auto-renew so you don’t need to worry about having to remember to cancel or getting billed for another year once the year is up. Genius! It lasts for 12 months at which point, the recipient can decide to renew on their own and go through the payment process if they decide to do so. What is Strava? Strava is a great app for fitness enthusiasts that provides access to a community of other like-minded individuals along with features like a personal heat map, goal setting, and progress tracking for both running and other sports and activities. The app now even includes training plans to help guide you along your journey to health and wellness.
For Work-From-Homers: HP Instant Ink
There’s nothing worse than burning the midnight oil to finish a huge project for a meeting that’s taking place the next morning only to realize that you’re out of printer ink. It means a last-minute trip to the 24-hour store or leaving early for the office to print handouts from there. HP printers work with the HP Instant Ink subscription, which includes not only convenient ink delivery based on a recurring schedule, but also an up to 50% savings on the price. With plans as low as $1.89/mo. based on your printing needs, you can sign up online. It isn’t just on a recurring schedule: through cloud connectivity, when HP recognizes that you’re running low on ink, it will automatically ship you a new cartridge. Send back the old cartridge in the prepaid return envelope for safe recycling. It’s a great gift for a spouse or college-aged kid to ensure they’re held up or miss deadlines because of low ink.
For The Creative Worker: Google Gemini
Help them be more productive and enjoy everything AI has to offer with a subscription to the Google Gemini Advanced service. At $27/mo., if you know they’ll use it, it will be worth the investment of under $300 for the year, factoring in that it comes with a one-month trial. They’ll be able to use Gemini across all the most popular applications, including Gmail and Docs, enjoy 2TB storage, and priority access to new features. It will help them create original images of Google Slides, enhance video quality in Google Meet, and hopefully provide tools to help simplify otherwise monotonous of mundane tasks, and gain inspiration for projects. Google Gemini is now available for iOS as well.
For Students: Amazon Prime
It’s no secret that just about everyone shops through Amazon Prime every now and then, whether it’s for items they can’t find anywhere else, during big sales days, or for something they need quickly and don’t have time to take a trip out to get. A student, especially in college or university, will appreciate a subscription they can use to order necessities without paying for delivery or waiting days for the item to arrive. Amazon Prime offers a special student subscription option for a discounted rate so they can get printer ink cartridge replacements, charging cables, batteries, or other items they need now and can’t find at the campus book store. It’s just $4.99/mo. marking 50% off the regular fee, and students even get a six-month free trial to help get them through the first semester of college or university. A subscription includes free two-day delivery, exclusive offers, and access to Twitch Prime gaming as well as Amazon Prime Video content. You’ll just need their student credentials to sign them up or get them a gift card they can use towards it.
For The Smart Home: Ring Home Subscription
Of course, this subscription requires a Ring smart doorbell, but chances are you know someone who has one, or you might even have one in your own home. There’s significantly more value when you sign up for a Ring Home subscription to go with it. Pricing starts at $60/yr. for the Basic plan, which includes up to 180 days of video event history, person and package alerts, video preview alerts, and 10% off select Ring products should they be looking for an upgrade or accessories. The recommended Standard plan for $150/yr. adds doorbell calls, extended live view, and alarm cellular backup. Go all out with the Premium plan for $300/yr. that includes 24/7 recording, SOS emergency response, and the new smart video search feature, which is currently in beta. It’s a night and day difference with Ring Home compared to without.
For Pet Owners: Woof Pack Subscription
Yes, you can get a subscription box for your dog that provides delicious treats, toys, and chews, all delivered to your door for a monthly surprise. One option is Woof Packs, with various plans starting at $30/mo. The package is shipped immediately and subsequent ones on the 15th of each month. Each pack includes four or five items, including two toys and two bags of treats valued at $65 or more. There’s a convenient Give a Gift option if you want to get this for a dog lover on your list. These include special holiday plans that only run for one, three, six, or 12 months. Each box comes with a fun theme to get both doggie and owner excited.