Updated on Nov. 25, 2024
Want to send a sweet surprise? We tested 11 flower delivery services to find the freshest blooms. Here are the best picks for every style and price point.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more.
Whether you’re sending it to a friend or yourself, fresh flowers are a timeless gift. Nothing says “I love you” quite like a big, beautiful bouquet of Mother’s Day flowers. However, you don’t have to wait for a special occasion to perk up the home with a stunning arrangement. Everyday joy is as worthy of an excuse to scatter fresh blooms throughout your space.
The options for online flower delivery are no doubt overwhelming. To help you decide, we tested 11 services to evaluate the best picks for every budget and occasion. We carefully tested each arrangement, noting online ordering experience, packaging, assembly/arranging, freshness and overall value. Read on for our top seven picks. Everything’s coming up roses with these stellar services!
Pros:
Cons:
Topping our list of best flower delivery services, the show-stopping arrangements via BloomsyBox consistently blow us away for their smooth delivery process and overall experience. Though some services offer multiple bouquet sizes to choose from, BloomsyBox is simple. Only one size is available, but boy is it a stunner. Plus, it’s an impeccable value for about 30 stems in each arrangement.
We tested the Celebration bouquet featuring a vibrant array of gerbera daisies, roses and veronica. BloomsyBox delivers arrangements inside a carefully packaged cardboard box (don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds). This keeps blooms protected from the weather elements. Our team has tested a handful of BloomsyBox bouquets in inclement weather (hello, Midwest snow storms), and their arrangements have not disappointed.
Upon the arrangement’s arrival, we pulled off a few wilted leaves, trimmed the stems and removed the mesh protectors off the blossoms. After arranging, it was clear this brand was the clear winner. The flowers are perky, bountiful and colorful to boot. They remained fresh for about a week. Overall, we were thoroughly impressed by the textures and quality of the flowers—all miles above what you can find in a generic grocery store. If you like to perk up your home with fresh flowers every month (who doesn’t?), try a BloomsyBox flower subscription.
Pros:
Cons:
Perhaps the most daring part of online flower delivery is that you don’t get to see the arrangement before it ships. Online flower photos can be quite deceiving, making it hard to decide if it’s more worthwhile to buy blooms in person or online for easy delivery. In our testing, we were quite impressed to discover Ode a la Rose sends a picture notification of the bouquet you’re sending when it’s ready to ship. How sweet!
We tested the Felice bouquet, a stunning, 20-stem arrangement featuring white and pink roses, pink alstroemeria and lisianthus, pink veronica and baby blue eucalyptus. The eucalyptus smelled the strongest, while the roses could only be smelled up close. The premium look and feel of Ode a la Rose’s arrangements translate into real life. Though this is a splurge-worthy pick, it’s absolutely worth it for the overall gifting experience. The bouquet arrived pre-arranged. Bonus: We didn’t have to mess with stems at all.
Pros:
Cons:
Stunning arrangements don’t have to cost more than a hundred bucks. At least that’s the case with From You Flowers, which has your back whether you’re sending an arrangement on short notice or for a special occasion. While some flower delivery services ship buds in a box for you to arrange at home, From You Flowers arrives in a glass vase ready for display. Plus, choose from three arrangement sizes: regular, deluxe and premium.
We tested the Southern Peach arrangement (regular size) featuring peach roses, white asiatic lilies, peach mini carnations and greenery. The included succulent was a pleasant surprise, adding a pop of charm to the pastel bouquet. The arrangement arrived pre-arranged inside a vase, which included floral foam to hydrate and stabilize the flowers. While most of the flowers we tested had a subtle smell, the lilies inside this bouquet smelled absolutely amazing. By day three, the lilies were in full bloom. The roses and white flowers were in decent shape, but the lilies were the star of the show by far.
For gorgeous, low-profile arrangements that don’t break the bank, From You Flowers offers excellent value for the overall size and presentation. Plus, the succulent paired with our bouquet is a gift that lasts long after the arrangement is tossed.
Pros:
Cons:
Yes, you can buy flower arrangements on Amazon via Benchmark Bouquets. Prime members can even score free delivery on flowers, making this the best budget pick we tested. The ease of Amazon’s ordering experience is tough to beat.
We tested the Pink Elegance arrangement from Benchmark Bouquets, featuring mixed blooms like pink roses, hypericum, lilies and seasonal greens from Florverde Certified farms. The flowers arrived inside a cardboard box alongside a clear vase along with two packets of flower food. The blooms were all closed upon arrival and stayed this way for a few days. The arrangement peaked on day five when the lilies were partially opened and the roses were straight and strong.
One major con worth noting is it’s difficult to pick a delivery date far in the future (two-day Prime shipping isn’t always ideal in this scenario). Still, we found this is the cheapest option for full, vital-looking arrangements. Last-minute flowers? No problem!
Pros:
Cons:
The best part of buying flowers online are the endless options available. When you take the time to order online, you want something that goes beyond the basic grocery store bouquet. Enter Urban Stems. Boasting a stunning array of flowers available for holidays, birthdays, major accomplishments or “thinking of you” gifts, this service defines modern flower delivery. It’s a prime pick for impressive flower arrangements that will make guests wonder, “Where did you find that bouquet?”
We tested “The Situationship” bouquet featuring an array of roses, mini callas, veronica, delphinium, alstroemeria, mums, thistle and eucalyptus. Most Urban Stems flowers are available as single or double arrangements, with some available as triple the amount of stems. The arrangement arrived carefully wrapped and packaged inside a cardboard box. I know, I know, it sounds scary having flowers delivered in, well, a box. But trust us, Urban Stems is seriously skilled at this delivery style. The beauty is you can play around with the arrangement yourself. They even send care instructions and a nice vase for an additional fee.
Some initial prep is required for Urban Stems arrangements. You’ll want to trim the stems at an angle and prune leaves for longevity. We found zero thorns on the rose stems but needed to trim some leaves to best fit our vase. Aside from a few subtly wrinkled and browned outer rose petals, the flowers are in tip-top shape. The mums, veronica, alstroemeria and thistle held up quite well for one week, while the roses, eucalyptus and delphinium had started wilting.
Overall, the variety of flowers to choose from makes Urban Stems a stunning pick for bouquets that go beyond the garden variety arrangement. The flowers arrived fresh and in wonderful shape. Just make sure to have a vase handy if you don’t include one with your order.
Pros:
Cons:
When you want to impress someone special, roses are a no-brainer. But ordering a rose arrangement for delivery? Now that can be a feat. For virtually flawless roses, Teleflora offers impressive rose bouquets available in three sizes: standard, deluxe and premium. They also offer bouquets beyond roses, but we were most blown away by this arrangement style.
We tested the Sweet Clouds bouquet, which was filled with crème roses, pink spray roses, pink alstroemeria, miniature pink carnations, and white waxflower arranged with lemon leaf and green pittosporum. The flowers arrived pre-arranged inside a beautiful vase (the most unique style of the whole lot). Other than needing to remove several whole leaves that were submerged in the water, no trimming or prep was required.
The arrangement smelled subtle yet sweet—not fragrant enough to fill a whole room, but pleasant nonetheless. The water required changing every two days. Our testing team was most impressed by how perky and full the roses appeared even on day nine. No browning or wilting in sight! For low-profile, small centerpiece rose arrangements, Teleflora is a trustworthy pick.
Pros:
Cons:
While the list of best flower delivery services has certainly grown, you can still delight giftees with in-season bouquets arranged by local florists thanks to 1-800 Flowers. Whether you’re looking for petite bouquets to let a special someone know you’re thinking of them or need a larger-than-life arrangement, this pick offers something sweet for every budget.
Our “All the Feels” bouquet, featuring a mixed variety of in-season blooms, arrived pre-arranged inside a vase with cellophane wrapped around to protect the flowers during delivery. We were surprised no flower food was included (sugar or baking soda works just as well). Still, the roses were some of the best-smelling flowers of the whole lot we tested, and the arrangement remained in tip-top shape well after one week. Despite some delicate stems starting to wilt, the flowers were more than presentable long after one week.
The variety of arrangements available from local florists paired with the price options and ability to add on fun gifts make 1-800 Flowers a smart choice for any gifting occasion.
In 2024, the options for where to buy flowers online are no doubt overwhelming. Do you choose a national flowery delivery service or stick to a tried and true local florist? While both options are wonderful, here are a few considerations to consider when buying flowers online.
Start by considering what occasion you’re shopping for last-minute flower delivery, a holiday gift or a special occasion like a birthday or engagement gift. If choosing the former, ensure the service doesn’t charge extra for next-day or same-week delivery. Most services have a delivery fee, so depending on your budget, you may want to send an arrangement that doesn’t have a huge fee tacked on at the end of the order. Considering what occasion you’re shopping for can also help narrow down the type of arrangement. Sending “congratulations” flowers can look a lot different than an arrangement for someone going through a hard time.
Another important feature to look out for is how the flowers will arrive, like if they’re shipped in a box with instructions on arranging the bouquet or if they arrive in a ready-to-display vase. Popular brands like BloomsyBox and Urban Stems ship bouquets in a recyclable box, so you’ll have to prep the blooms before arranging them in a vase. Some services, like From You Flowers or Ode a la Rose, come pre-arranged in a vase, which is ideal for gifting.
At Taste of Home, gifts are our love language. We all know flowers make some of the best gifts, but they can be difficult to send because you don’t actually get to see the arrangement until they arrive at your loved one’s door. We take flower delivery very seriously because they can make or break any occasion. I mean, no one wants sad, half-wilted blooms—ever! We’ve made it our mission to find the absolute best flower delivery services whether you’re sending an arrangement as a sympathy gift, birthday gift or some other special occasion. Our shopping team has reviewed products for nearly three years. We’re experts at running product tests to evaluate items honestly and fairly.
First, we researched and identified popular flower delivery services across various styles and price points. We tested 11 bouquets in our office for 10 days. The arrangements cost between $45 to $120.
With seven hands-on testers, we evaluated and rated the bouquets based on online ordering experience, packaging and delivery, assembly and arranging, freshness over a 10-day period and overall value. Our testers carefully evaluated stems and blooms every two days (holding three-, five-, seven- and nine-day check-ins), noting any drooping, wilting or anything that would otherwise affect the bouquet’s appearance.
For the above categories, the flower arrangements received a numerical rating from one to five (five being the best), which we added together for a total bouquet score that helped guide our categorization and ranking of each flower delivery service. We sought to answer questions like: Do the arrangements require prep upon arrival? Are all the flowers fresh? Does the bouquet look like the listing picture?
Our testing gives a holistic view of the freshness and overall performance of each arrangement to help you find the best flower delivery for every style, occasion and price point.
