Bouqs

Beyond the fun name, this online flower delivery service offers an impressive variety of floral arrangements, plants and other beautiful blooms and a gorgeous floral design for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s or any special occasion.

Bouqs sources its flowers and plants from eco-friendly sustainable farms and offers same-day and next-day delivery if needed. This service also offers seasonal arrangements of fresh blooms like the Tropical Love arrangement, as well as more traditional bouquets like the Angels, which feature dozens of light pink roses.

What we liked and didn’t like: Bouqs lands on our list of best flower delivery service options not just for having a large selection, which it does, but also because so many of them looked really cool and creatively designed, including several select bouquets. It was by far the hardest service to choose just one beautiful flower arrangement from — which I suppose could be a bad thing, too. I ordered the Wild About U bouquet which arrived on time, fresh and fragrant to my delivery area.

Beyond the classic picks, Bouqs also sells succulents, cacti, plants and potted flowers like this orchid. The cleverly assembled Wild About U is a unique arrangement that has both freshly cut flowers and succulent plants that can be potted or planted. 

Insider tip: In an admittedly unscientific experiment, we found that Bouqs’ flowers last a lot longer if you don’t use the vase that comes with them, which is made from powder-coated metal. In the Bouqs’ vase, flowers lasted about three days before they started to wilt — versus about a week in a glass vase.

Bouqs also offers fresh flower subscriptions, starting at $44 per month, to have fresh flowers delivered to your door regularly. It’s the thoughtful floral gift that keeps on giving and you’ll save roughly 30% off over a one-time purchase price.

1-800-flowers

For some, the best flower delivery service is the one that doesn’t break the bank. And you can find cheap flower arrangements that don’t look cheap. Let’s call them budget-friendly bouquets, shall we? 

Truth be told, you’re probably not going to find rock-bottom flowers online on or around a major flower-giving holiday such as Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day (unless you grow them yourself), so it may be a fool’s errand to try. That said, 1-800-Flowers has solid deals on flowers if you’re trying not to spend a fortune. We found flower bouquets on sale from this popular delivery service, including two dozen roses starting at around $40.

What we liked and didn’t like: Arrangements from 1-800-Flowers may not have the same wow factor as other delivery services on our list, but for someone with classic taste, you can’t go wrong ordering beautiful flowers from this tried-and-true online florist. The flowers I ordered showed up bright and fresh, although not terribly fragrant.

We really appreciate the bargain bouquets, including some bunches as low as $30 or $40. 1-800-Flowers also offers same-day delivery and other gifting options such as plants, keepsakes, fruit bouquets and a number of other eats and trinkets you can add to your purchase. 

Insider tip: Check the sale section before you decide on a full-price bouquet.

Some bouquets that caught our eye include the $40 assortment of roses and Peruvian lilies and the Lovely Lavender Medley made up of white roses and carnations, lavender Peruvian lilies.

If you’re not in a hurry, you can also order one of the 1-800-Flowers’ festive seasonal arrangements, which make perfect centerpieces for any event or special occasion.

Bloomsy Box

If you think a single bouquet of flowers isn’t enough, how about a monthly delivery of fresh flowers or arrangements? Flower subscription services are becoming increasingly popular, ensuring delivery of beautiful blooms month after month, and that’s what sets BloomsyBox apart. You can order a flower subscription service of hand-tied bouquets from sustainable farms to be delivered on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis. 

What we liked and didn’t like: BloomsyBox flowers are high-quality. When mine arrived they seemed a little sad, but perked up in a vase of water and stayed perky for nearly a week. On the downside, I’ll say it was one of my least favorite ordering experiences of the bunch. Things like adding a note were not very intuitive, and when I tried to track my order, there was almost no information available. I had to start a chat with the chatbot to get any sort of update.

Insider tip: Use our exclusive discount code FLOWERPOWER12 at checkout for 12% off your order.

BloomsyBox subscriptions start at $45 a month, but you can spring for the deluxe and premium bouquets. The more expensive plans feature more flowers per delivery. BloomsyBox also has a full inventory of bouquets that you can order and send as a one-time gift, starting at $55.

Farmgirl Flowers

Between my own positive experience and those of a handful of others from the CNET team, Farmgirl Flowers captures the top spot on our list of the best presentation of any flower delivery service.

This popular San Francisco-based flower delivery service is known for its ethically grown flowers and burlap-wrapped bouquets, and they’re all extremely Instagram- or Pinterest-ready, bursting with flowers. The overall selection is not as vast as some of the other online florists but what it does, it does well. There’s a specific rustic look to Farmgirl’s bountiful arrangements, too, that is underscored by the burlap wrap each beautiful bouquet is swathed in.

What we liked and didn’t like: Something about my Farmgirl Flowers bouquet just felt more special than most of the others. Maybe it was that burlap wrap or that the fresh bouquet itself seemed more full, but in terms of overall presentation, it was the clear winner of the services we tested. My bouquet also seemed to get quite a bit more lively when given water and flower food as the friendly instructions directed me to and kept form for a solid week.

Other members of the CNET team had similar positive experiences, with one recalling how much her mother “loved the packaging and raved about how beautiful the floral bouquet was.” Another remembers the “super healthy flowers and cool combinations they had to choose from.” Bouquets start at around $50 and go up from there. 

David Watsky/CNET

In addition to the great subscription service mentioned above, BloomsyBox offers some seriously cool tropical flower bouquet options. I had one sent to my mom this past Mother’s Day and she loved it, calling it “very sci-fi” and “like nothing she’d ever been sent before” (see photo). BloomsyBox has about six tropical bouquets using flowers sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms and they start at around $50. 

What we liked: These fiery tropical flowers showed up incredibly fresh and fragrant. Of all the arrangements, they looked like they had been cut most recently and they lasted a solid week. Some other bouquets I ordered seemed a bit more full but it was by no means sad or scraggly. 

UrbanStems

If you’re looking for a modern arrangement with unique blooms and contemporary colors, our flower delivery service of choice is UrbanStems. This online florist works with sustainable farms to offer a wide selection of chic floral arrangements and potted plants. 

What we liked and didn’t like: The sleek modern bouquets are what set this service apart from the rest. The classic bouquets are fine but nothing special or out of the ordinary — although mine did last longer than some other bouquets. UrbanStems also has some really great add-on treats. The ordering interface is simple, and the flowers I ordered arrived on time and were fresh and healthy, although not very fragrant at all. Of note, few other national services offer chic and modern dried floral arrangements like The Icon or The Rory — which both make use of dried flowers.

Insider tip: UrbanStems has some solid add-ons like Belgian Neuhaus chocolate truffles and fancy Sugarfina candies. I added both and enjoyed them while staring at my flowers.

UrbanStems delivers anywhere in the country, and products run the gamut from classic lush bouquets such as The Bold with roses, ranunculus and stock to the more modern style we touched on earlier. The service also offers delivery on a selection of plants. The Cathy, for instance, is a low-maintenance xerographica air plant that might make a better pick for someone without a green thumb.

Bouquets start at $45 for a 10-stem bunch of Royal roses, with most other arrangements hovering in the $60 to $80 range. Some are so delicate that they require hand delivery, while others are shipped through more traditional methods. Delivery date options are listed for each bouquet.

David Watsky/CNET

If you’re in a pinch and need flowers, like, yesterday, FTD is my pick for last-minute delivery. FTD Flowers has a whole bunch of arrangements available at a moment’s notice along with categories including floral centerpieces such as the Smiles and Sunshine Arrangement that includes a vase, all for just $55. There are also potted planted and edible add-ons to choose from such as chocolates and candies. You can opt for same- or next-day delivery on many of these products too. 

What we liked and didn’t like: I wasn’t totally bowled over with the overall selection of flowers from FTD — the arrangements seemed a bit boring — but I was impressed with how many bouquets and flowers it had available for same-day and next-day delivery. There are as many as 48 bouquets you can order and have delivered within 24 hours, so it’s an ideal flower delivery option for any last-minute Larrys. 

I ordered the Hello Sunshine bouquet, which indeed came the next day, and the fresh flowers were in great shape — some of the most vibrant of any I received. Plus, all the arrangements come with a vase so there’s no work to be done for the giftee!

Insider tip: Despite FTD’s speedy service, be warned, it’s always better to place your order in advance if you need the flowers for a major holiday like Valentine’s or Mother’s Day.

Floom

It’s always nice to support local businesses when you can, and Floom pulls from a network of independent florists in a few major US cities to fulfill orders. You can currently order Floom flowers from local businesses in New York City, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and a few other major US cities. A talented local florist will put together your arrangement to have it delivered when you need it.

Because it’s somewhat location-based, your flower options will depend on where you’re having the bouquet delivered. Floom also has same-day delivery options if you lost track of Mother’s Day, Easter or Valentine’s Day and can’t get to the flower shop in time.

Venus Et Fleur

Let’s start by saying Venus Et Fleurs’ flowers are definitely a vibe and perhaps not the right pick for everyone. If these boxes of roses look familiar, it’s probably because they’re always popping up on celebrity social media accounts, including the Kardashians. The big draw is that they’re preserved to last as long as a full year before wilting. They’re also treated with synthetic scents to give them an olifactoral edge over the competition.

If you’re looking for something truly luxe, take a browse through the sleek brand’s floral inventory. Small boxes with a single rose start at $44 (yes, for one rose), while more lavish displays can cost a whole lot more, upward of $1,000. You can also choose from a variety of rose colors and containers, including bold metallic and rainbow varieties.

Flowers are generally expensive but the flower delivery category has evolved, with offerings for every budget and taste. If you peruse some of the top online flower delivery you can find deals on cheap flowers, including bouquets starting at $30 or $40. Consistently, 1-800-Flowers and FTD Flowers had some of the cheapest bouquets we found. Don’t forget to check the sale section for any discounted flowers that might be a good fit for your loved one. 

Most flower delivery takes a few days to arrive after ordering but there’s no shortage of services that offer next-day and even same-day delivery. Typically, you’ll pay an extra fee for expedited flower delivery, so it’s in your best interest to plan ahead and send flowers at least a week in advance. 

Yes, services such as Teleflora and Floom draw from local florists to fulfill orders. You can also order flowers online directly from many florists through their websites.