{
  "_meta": {
    "name": "Razor Subscription Index",
    "version": "2026-Q2",
    "published": "2026-06-11",
    "next_refresh": "2026-09-11",
    "license": "CC BY 4.0",
    "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Razor Subscription Index, Freya (hifreya.com), Q2 2026",
    "methodology": "Prices sourced from brand DTC storefronts and competitive intelligence dossiers. All dossiers last_verified 2026-06-09. USD only unless noted. Estimates marked with is_estimate: true.",
    "scope": "Five primary DTC women's razor subscription brands in the US market, plus Estrid as EU benchmark. Does not cover safety-razor brands or drugstore subscriptions.",
    "currency_default": "USD",
    "annualized_assumptions": {
      "cadence_weeks": 8,
      "deliveries_per_year": 6.5,
      "shaves_per_week": 2,
      "shaves_per_year": 104,
      "blade_changes_per_year": 26,
      "shaves_per_blade": 4,
      "shave_cost_note": "Blade longevity varies significantly by user. 4 shaves/blade is conservative. Treat per-shave estimates as order-of-magnitude only."
    }
  },
  "brands": [
    {
      "id": "freya",
      "name": "Freya",
      "homepage": "https://hifreya.com",
      "shopify_domain": "cravefreya.myshopify.com",
      "last_verified": "2026-08-07",
      "data_source": "KPI snapshot kpis/snapshots/2026-06-10.md",
      "subscription_model": "subscription-first DTC",
      "retail_presence": false,
      "pricing": {
        "kit_price_usd": 50.00,
        "kit_contents": "Handle + blades + personal vibrator (2-in-1 razor and vibrator)",
        "kit_note": "Includes vibrator function — not a razor-only product. Comparison to razor-only kits is not apples-to-apples.",
        "refill_pack_price_usd": 11.00,
        "refill_pack_blade_count": 4,
        "per_blade_cost_usd": 2.75,
        "cadence_options": ["[verify — Recharge cadence intervals not confirmed in source materials]"],
        "subscription_flexibility": {
          "skip": true,
          "pause": true,
          "cancel": true,
          "notes": "Recharge platform; specific mechanics not documented in dossier"
        },
        "free_shipping": null,
        "trial_offer": null
      },
      "computed": {
        "annual_blade_cost_usd": 71.50,
        "year1_total_usd": 121.50,
        "ongoing_annual_usd": 71.50,
        "per_shave_cost_usd": 0.69,
        "is_estimate": false,
        "estimate_notes": "Kit and refill prices confirmed. Cadence assumed at 8-week; per-shave estimate uses stated assumptions."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "billie",
      "name": "Billie",
      "homepage": "https://mybillie.com",
      "last_verified": "2026-06-09",
      "data_source": "competitive/profiles/billie.md",
      "subscription_model": "subscription-first DTC + mass retail (30,000+ doors)",
      "retail_presence": true,
      "retail_note": "Billie blades available at Walmart, Target, CVS — subscription is not required for blade access. This weakens subscription lock-in.",
      "pricing": {
        "kit_price_usd": 9.50,
        "kit_price_range": {"low": 9.00, "high": 10.00},
        "kit_price_note": "Range $9–$10 per dossier; midpoint $9.50 used for calculations. [verify current exact price at mybillie.com]",
        "kit_contents": "Handle + 2 five-blade refills + magnetic shower holder",
        "refill_pack_price_usd": 9.50,
        "refill_pack_price_range": {"low": 9.00, "high": 10.00},
        "refill_pack_price_note": "Range $9–$10 per dossier; midpoint $9.50 used. [verify: V-05]",
        "refill_pack_blade_count": 4,
        "per_blade_cost_usd": 2.38,
        "cadence_options": ["monthly", "every 2 months", "every 3 months"],
        "subscription_flexibility": {
          "skip": true,
          "pause": true,
          "cancel": true,
          "notes": "Brand policy is deliberately easy skip/pause/cancel (retention-by-trust). Documented in dossier."
        },
        "free_shipping": true
      },
      "computed": {
        "annual_blade_cost_usd": 61.75,
        "year1_total_usd": 71.25,
        "ongoing_annual_usd": 61.75,
        "per_shave_cost_usd": 0.59,
        "is_estimate": false,
        "estimate_notes": "Midpoint of $9–$10 range used. [verify] exact price."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "athena-club",
      "name": "Athena Club",
      "homepage": "https://athenaclub.com",
      "last_verified": "2026-06-09",
      "data_source": "competitive/profiles/athena-club.md",
      "subscription_model": "subscription-first DTC + Target (1,600 stores)",
      "retail_presence": true,
      "pricing": {
        "kit_price_usd": 10.00,
        "kit_contents": "Handle + 2 blades + magnetic wall hook",
        "refill_plans": [
          {
            "plan": "standard",
            "refill_pack_price_usd": 24.00,
            "refill_pack_blade_count": 8,
            "per_blade_cost_usd": 3.00,
            "cadence_options": ["[verify — dossier describes habit-based selection; specific day intervals not confirmed: V-02]"]
          },
          {
            "plan": "annual",
            "refill_pack_price_usd": 20.00,
            "refill_pack_blade_count": 8,
            "per_blade_cost_usd": 2.50,
            "cadence_options": ["annual plan — [verify V-06 that this option still exists]"]
          }
        ],
        "subscription_flexibility": {
          "skip": null,
          "pause": null,
          "cancel": false,
          "notes": "Cancellation documented as deliberately difficult. BBB complaints documented in dossier. Specific skip/pause mechanics not confirmed."
        },
        "free_shipping": true
      },
      "computed": {
        "standard_plan": {
          "annual_blade_cost_usd": 78.00,
          "year1_total_usd": 88.00,
          "ongoing_annual_usd": 78.00,
          "per_shave_cost_usd": 0.75,
          "blades_per_year": 52,
          "note": "8-pack × 6.5 deliveries = 52 blades/yr at 8-week cadence"
        },
        "annual_plan": {
          "annual_blade_cost_usd": 65.00,
          "year1_total_usd": 75.00,
          "ongoing_annual_usd": 65.00,
          "per_shave_cost_usd": 0.63,
          "blades_per_year": 52
        },
        "is_estimate": false,
        "estimate_notes": "Annual plan existence marked [verify V-06]. Blade count per year is higher than other brands due to 8-pack format."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "flamingo",
      "name": "Flamingo",
      "homepage": "https://www.shopflamingo.com",
      "last_verified": "2026-06-09",
      "data_source": "competitive/profiles/flamingo.md",
      "subscription_model": "retail-first; subscribe-and-save optional — NOT a subscription-first brand",
      "retail_presence": true,
      "retail_note": "Sold at Target (~1,800 doors), Walmart, CVS, Kroger, Meijer, H-E-B, Amazon. Subscription is fully optional — most customers buy a la carte off-shelf.",
      "pricing": {
        "kit_price_usd": 14.00,
        "kit_contents": "Handle + 2 five-blade refills + shower holder",
        "refill_pack_price_usd": 17.00,
        "refill_pack_blade_count": 4,
        "per_blade_cost_usd": 4.25,
        "cadence_options": ["subscribe-and-save available — [verify cadence options and discount %: V-03]"],
        "subscription_flexibility": {
          "skip": null,
          "pause": null,
          "cancel": null,
          "notes": "Subscribe-and-save is optional; customers can simply stop and buy retail. No subscription lock-in by design."
        },
        "free_shipping": "over $30"
      },
      "computed": {
        "annual_blade_cost_usd": 110.50,
        "year1_total_usd": 124.50,
        "ongoing_annual_usd": 110.50,
        "per_shave_cost_usd": 1.06,
        "is_estimate": false,
        "estimate_notes": "Most expensive per-blade in the set at $4.25. Subscribe-and-save discount % not confirmed — these figures are at listed refill price. [verify V-03] for possible discount."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "estrid",
      "name": "Estrid",
      "homepage": "https://estrid.com",
      "last_verified": "2026-06-09",
      "data_source": "competitive/profiles/estrid.md",
      "subscription_model": "subscription-first DTC + 10,000+ EU retail doors",
      "retail_presence": true,
      "retail_note": "EU-only retail (Boots, Tesco, DM, Rossmann, H&M, KICKS etc.). No confirmed US retail doors. No confirmed USD storefront.",
      "market": "EU primary (UK + continental Europe). US presence unconfirmed.",
      "pricing": {
        "kit_price_gbp": 7.95,
        "kit_price_eur": 9.95,
        "kit_price_usd_est": 10.10,
        "kit_price_usd_note": "Estimated: £7.95 × 1.27 USD/GBP. [verify V-04] — no USD storefront confirmed.",
        "kit_contents": "Steel handle (lifetime guarantee) + wall mount + 1 five-blade cartridge (vegan lubrication strip)",
        "refill_pack_price_gbp": 10.95,
        "refill_pack_price_eur": 11.95,
        "refill_pack_price_usd_est": 13.91,
        "refill_pack_price_usd_note": "Estimated: £10.95 × 1.27. [verify V-04]",
        "refill_pack_blade_count": 4,
        "per_blade_cost_gbp": 2.74,
        "per_blade_cost_usd_est": 2.74,
        "cadence_options": ["30 days", "60 days", "90 days"],
        "cadence_most_popular": "90 days",
        "subscription_flexibility": {
          "skip": null,
          "pause": null,
          "cancel": null,
          "notes": "Cancellation friction documented in Trustpilot reviews (undisclosed charges in some cases). 30-day money-back guarantee."
        },
        "free_shipping": "climate-compensated free shipping for subscribers"
      },
      "computed": {
        "annual_blade_cost_usd_est": 90.41,
        "year1_total_usd_est": 100.51,
        "ongoing_annual_usd_est": 90.41,
        "per_shave_cost_usd_est": 0.68,
        "is_estimate": true,
        "estimate_notes": "All USD figures are GBP-to-USD estimates at 1.27 exchange rate. No USD storefront confirmed. [verify V-04]"
      }
    }
  ],
  "findings": {
    "cheapest_per_blade": {
      "brand": "billie",
      "per_blade_usd": 2.38,
      "note": "Billie's DTC subscription is the cheapest per-blade among confirmed USD prices. Freya's per-blade cost is $2.75; Athena Club's annual plan is $2.50."
    },
    "most_expensive_per_blade": {
      "brand": "flamingo",
      "per_blade_usd": 4.25,
      "note": "79% more expensive than Billie per blade. Flamingo is retail-first with optional subscription."
    },
    "most_flexible_subscription": {
      "brand": "estrid",
      "note": "Three cadence options (30/60/90 day). Billie is also explicitly documented as easy to skip/pause/cancel."
    },
    "most_difficult_cancellation": {
      "brand": "athena-club",
      "note": "Documented BBB complaints re: cancellation difficulty. Subscription dark patterns flagged in dossier."
    },
    "only_non_subscription_primary": {
      "brand": "flamingo",
      "note": "Flamingo is the only brand in the set where subscription is optional, not default. Retail purchase is primary."
    },
    "product_scope_caveat": "Freya's kit is the only 2-in-1 product in the set (razor + personal vibrator). Comparing Freya's $50 kit to razor-only kits at $9–$14 is not apples-to-apples. A consumer who already owns a vibrator is comparing Freya's $50 to their combined razor + vibrator spend."
  }
}