The reference box
What makes Cryptid Crate different
Cryptid Crate is a monthly box for cryptozoology fans, with most crates built around one creature: the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, the Flatwoods Monster, or Mothman. Several crates a year carry a novella from eSpec Books’ Systema Paradoxa series, written for the box.
- The box
- Four to eight items a month, usually a T-shirt and a book or DVD, plus pins, patches, stickers, mugs, or decor.
- Cadence
- One crate a month, with a new cryptid theme most months.
- Best for
- Bigfoot, Mothman, and UFO fans who want something to wear, read, and put on a shelf.
Compare the boxes
| Box | Best fit | Cost and commitment | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryptid Crate Reference box |
A different cryptid most months, with a shirt and a book or film | A monthly subscription. | From the US. |
| LFOD Horror Box | Five indie horror collectibles a month | $40 a month, free US shipping. Cancel anytime. | Ships from the US on the 2nd of each month. |
| Zobie Fright | Horror collectibles with a celebrity autograph | $40 a box, or $35 on subscription, plus shipping. All sales final. | Ships the first week of each month. |
| Extra-Terrestrial Mystery Box | Six pieces of alien and UFO merch | $34, one time. No subscription. | Ships from the UK in a mid-month batch. |
| Night Worms | A monthly horror book package with small extras | $50 a package, or 10% less on subscription, plus shipping. All sales final. | Ships in the first two weeks of the month, to the US and some other countries. |
| Horror Plus Box | Three horror books plus keepsakes | $119 a box, billed every two months, free shipping. | Every other month from the UK. US delivery takes three to four weeks. |
The four subscriptions renew automatically until you cancel.
The alternatives
Closest monthly swap
LFOD Horror Box vs Cryptid Crate
Best for: The Cryptid Crate subscriber who liked small-press makers and a monthly haul of things to pin, prop up, and stick.
New Hampshire horror author John Durgin builds each box around a small-town New England horror theme, such as “The New Neighbor” or “The Old Road.” Every month brings five items: an enamel pin, a 5x7 art print, a clear bookmark, a die-cut sticker, and a small novelty.
What feels familiar
One theme a month from an indie creator, with pins and stickers for a jacket and a print for the wall.
What changes
The scares are small-town horror rather than named creatures, and there’s no shirt or book in the box. The listing is new, so it has no subscriber reviews yet.
Signed horror collectibles
Zobie Fright vs Cryptid Crate
Best for: The collector who wants something signed on the shelf and will trade Bigfoot for horror in general.
Zobie Productions deals in autographs and collectibles, and its Fright box pairs one authentic celebrity autograph with three horror collectibles each month, drawn from enamel pins, art prints, stickers, shirts, and prop replicas.
What feels familiar
You give a shirt size when you subscribe, and some months include a shirt, like most Cryptid Crates. The rest is pins, prints, and props for a display shelf.
What changes
The box covers horror in general rather than one creature a month. Shipping is priced by weight and destination, so the total depends on where you live.
The UFO side, as a gift
Extra-Terrestrial Mystery Box vs Cryptid Crate
Best for: The friend whose cryptid shelf already has a little gray alien on it.
The Amazing Mystery Box, a UK seller, packs six alien-themed pieces: a backpack, a mug, an “Elliott-inspired” surprise, Predator memorabilia, a Star Trek collectible, and a Doctor Who item.
What feels familiar
Cryptid Crate covers UFOs alongside Bigfoot and ghosts, and this box stays on the alien side of that mix. A backpack and a mug are the kind of everyday gear Cryptid Crate tucks in.
What changes
Most of the pieces are movie and TV merch rather than indie-made items, and there’s no shirt or book.
For the books
Night Worms vs Cryptid Crate
Best for: The subscriber who read the Systema Paradoxa novella before unfolding the shirt.
Night Worms sends a monthly horror book package with a small themed goodie bag, usually a bookmark, a sticker, and a drink. Its November 2026 package, Creatures in the Dark, holds two books, one hardcover and one paperback.
What feels familiar
A new read every month, chosen by two horror fans, with a sticker and a bookmark tucked in beside it.
What changes
You lose the shirt and most of the merch. Renewals bill on the 7th, so cancel before then if you want out.
Books and keepsakes, every other month
Horror Plus Box vs Cryptid Crate
Best for: The reader who wants a heavier box and can wait two months for it.
A Box of Stories, a UK book club, fills the Horror Plus Box with three new horror books, two exclusive keepsakes, a collectible tarot card, and a spooky hot drink, plus personal notes and author Q&As.
What feels familiar
Books arrive beside collectibles, which is closer to Cryptid Crate’s mix than a books-only club.
What changes
It costs more per box and comes six times a year instead of twelve.
The gap
What none of them replaces
None of these boxes is about cryptids. Cryptid Crate builds most months around one creature, with a shirt made for it and, several times a year, a novella written for the box. A shirt and a story about the same creature, in one box, is the part none of these picks repeats.
How we chose these boxes
We looked for boxes you can order that carry over one piece of Cryptid Crate: indie-made collectibles, a shirt, horror fiction, or the UFO side of the paranormal. The photo at the top is Cryptid Crate’s own product photo of its enamel camp mug with the Bigfoot logo.
Questions before switching
Is there another subscription box just for cryptids?
Not among the boxes we found. For the closest pieces, the LFOD Horror Box sends monthly indie collectibles, the Extra-Terrestrial Mystery Box covers UFOs, and Night Worms built its November 2026 package around creatures.
Which alternative includes a T-shirt?
Zobie Fright is the only one that asks for a shirt size, and it says not every month includes a shirt. The other four don’t include clothing.
Can I give one of these as a gift?
Yes. The three boxes sold on Cratejoy have a Give as a Gift option on their product pages, and each listing shows an estimated ship date before checkout. The Extra-Terrestrial Mystery Box is a one-time purchase, so nothing renews.
