Bean bag chairs saw a surge of popularity in the 1960s and 70s with their unconventional shapes and ultra casual vibe. Though the classic bead-filled sacs had comfort at the forefront, their designs often fell flat in both style and ergonomics.
Enter Moon Pod and Yogibo – two modern companies looking to revolutionize bean bag seating with inventive shapes optimized for comfort and support.
I decided to pit these two popular bean bag brands head to head to see which comes out on top for features and value. As a pain sufferer myself, I was particularly interested in assessing their claims of alleviating back, neck and muscle tension.
Read on for a detailed comparison of Moon Pod versus Yogibo across a range of deciding factors.
About the Companies
Moon Pod History
Moon Pod launched in 2018 after founder John Fiorentino ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to bring his innovative bean bag chair to life.
Inspired to create an ergonomic yet elegant alternative to traditional options lacking neck support, the Moon Pod uses high density beads in a patented egg-like shape to envelope and float your body for a zero gravity feel.
Now run out of the greater New York area with a team of just 5 employees, the small operation has nevertheless cultivated an impressive social media following with close to 80,000 loyal Instagram fans.
Yogibo Background
Yogibo was founded in 2009 by Eyal Levy to fuse the flexibility of a yoga mat with the comforting shape of a bean bag. The result is a highly adaptable line of furniture capable of morphing to your body‘s every curve.
While Moon Pod hails from the east coast, Yogibo operates out of Nashua, New Hampsire. They‘ve expanded their team to over 50 employees to fuel rapid growth.
A testament to Yogibo‘s popularity, they‘ve secured deals with retail giants like Walmart, Wayfair and Pottery Barn Kids. Not to mention a high profile partnership with Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore.
Impressively, Yogibo boasts over Triple the Instagram followers of the newer Moon Pod – with close to 260,000 fans and counting.
Product Range Comparison
Both labels offer an inviting range of bean bag seating and accessories. But with some distinct differences…
What Moon Pod Sells
The Moon Pod lineup includes just 3 products:
The Original Moon Pod – their signature bean bag chair designed for lounging/reclining
The Crescent – a bean bag pillow that attaches to the Original to support your head and arms
The Lunar Lift – an ottoman accessory for resting your feet
In keeping with their minimalist aesthetic, Moon Pod offers select colors in neutral hues like grey as well solid shades of blue, green and rose pink for pops of color.
What Yogibo Sells
Meanwhile, Yogibo provides far more variety with a spectrum spanning furniture, pillows, blankets and more. Some best selling products include:
- Bean bag chairs – including the Max and Love Sac models
- Ottomans – stools and foot stools
- Bed sized cushions – twin through king
- Pillows – from neck supports to large body pillows
- Kids furniture -Disney themed and specialty seats
And while Moon Pod limits color choices, Yogibo fully embraces color with over a dozen bright, vibrant colors spanning the rainbow. Plus on trend patterns and licensed character prints.
So for those desiring maximum customization in both furniture options and aesthetics, Yogibo clearly comes out ahead.
Target Audience Comparison
While both brands aim to bring ergonomics and comfort to the mass market, Yogibo employs playfulness and nostalgia to specifically court kids and the young at heart.
Conversely, Moon Pod leverages sleek, contemporary contours for broad appeal – but likely attracts more millennials focused on minimalist living.
In support of their youth positioning, Yogibo has fostered partnerships with Disney and Nickelodeon to create chairs featuring popular characters like Mickey Mouse and Spongebob.
So when decorating your kids‘ room or rec room, Yogibo offers a clear advantage. But for creating an upscale living space, Moon Pod aligns better with contemporary and mid century modern decors.
Quality and Durability Factors
When investing hundreds in a piece of furniture, you expect it to withstand years of use.
Unfortunately neither company provides much visibility into product testing or the manufacturing processes that back up durability claims. But some insights…
Moon Pod Materials
Per the company site, Moon Pods utilize:
- Custom high-density bead filling – provides structure as well as moldability
- Supportive shells – encase beads in set shapes
- Breathable fabric cover made from a spandex/polyester/cotton blend – ensures both softness and stretch
Plus all materials conform to Oeko-Tex safety standards.
Though I couldn‘t find specifics on reinforcements at stress points or double stitching for added strength.
Yogibo Materials
Yogibo takes a similar approach by filling their furniture with:
- EPS beads – lightweight and malleable
- Removable zippered covers constructed using cotton/polyester/spandex
And that‘s about all they disclose.
So unfortunately neither divulges much on quality testing procedures or manufacturing controls for insight into long term durability.
Warranties
Yogibo does provide extra assurance by backing their products with a 1 year warranty. The coverage protects against defects in materials and craftsmanship – excepting normal wear and tear.
Moon Pod info is murkier but they also claim a 1 year warranty specifically covering broken zippers and torn seams.
The Verdict?
Lack of transparency from both brands makes a quality comparison difficult. But given overwhelmingly positive customer reviews over years of sales, its reasonable to expect a 3-5+ year lifespan under normal conditions.
And should issues pop up prematurely – at least some protection is offered.
As for edges here, Yogibo warrants a slight advantage for providing official warranty terms upfront.
Sustainability Factors
With landfill waste a growing global concern, sustainable production practices become an increasing priority for values driven brands.
Moon Pod Initiatives
Moon Pod asserts a commitment to eco-friendly materials and manufacturing techniques.
For example, they utilize recycled plastics in their high density bead filling rather than foam. They also mention partnering with suppliers using recycled materials to produce their outer covers.
However I would have liked to see more concrete data. For instance detailing the recycled content percentage of materials or certifications achieved supporting their assertions around sustainability.
Without numerical goals or progress reporting, the claims feel more like green washing than actual accountability to improving ecological impacts.
Yogibo Efforts
Unfortunately Yogibo makes no mention of sustainability programs or eco-friendly practices anywhere on their website.
They do note the use of EPS beads which contain air pockets to make the stuffing lightweight. This likely translates into fuel savings on shipping.
But EPS beads themselves simply indicate synthetic styrofoam balls rather than specifically recycled content.
And the Winner Is…
With zero visible sustainability strategy, Yogibo misses the mark. So Moon Pod pulls ahead based on use of recycled materials – though I wish they published more supporting metrics.
Price and Value Comparison
With similar products and glowing reviews, price plays a pivotal role in determining the better bean bag value.
Below I break down pricing across comparable models of both brands.
| Product | Moon Pod Price | Yogibo Price |
|---|---|---|
| Basic bean bag chair | $299 | $279 |
| Large bed sized bean bag | n/a | $699 |
| Ottoman | $139 | $99 |
| Neck pillow | $139 | $109 |
| Body support pillow | n/a | $109 |
As you can see, Yogibo consistently comes in lower across similar product types – with their ottoman a full $40 less.
The one exception is Yogibo‘s oversized 6 foot bean bag bed which runs $420 more than Moon Pod‘s standard chair. But you gain the ability to sleep or lounge fully flat.
However, Moon Pod offers the chance to finance purchases interest free by splitting into 4 installments. This can ease cash flow constraints inhibiting consumers from bigger up front costs.
Meanwhile, Yogibo provides discounted pricing for military members to honor their service.
Promotions and Discounts
So if you‘re on a tight budget, who offers the best chance for extra savings?
Moon Pod Promos
- Hosting a Holiday Sale with 25% off as of this writing
- Refer a Friend for $25 in credits – both parties get rewarded!
Yogibo Promotions
- Use code CHILL for 10% off
- Sale outlet with select items deeply discounted
- Share affiliate link for 15% off referral bonus
Additionally Yogibo rewards members gain access to special VIP discounts.
Clearly Yogibo pulls ahead when it comes tot incentivizing purchases via percent or dollar based promo codes and military discounts.
Customer Feedback Comparison
No amount of marketing can replace word of mouth from actual paying customers. Here‘s how buyers rate both brands across major review sites.
Moon Pod Reviews
- Moon Pod Site – Overall 4.7 stars across 2,000+ reviews
- Slumber Search – 8.8 rating based on 600 reviews
- Trust Pilot – Lower at just 3 stars out 174 reviews
The much smaller Trust Pilot presence shows more critical feedback including complaints around shipping delays, defective products, and deterioration after just months of use.
However, given the tiny sample size relative to Moon Pod‘s facebook following of nearly 80,000 fans, it may not represent broader consensus on the brand.
Positive review themes highlight luxurious comfort and pain alleviating qualities:
"I can feel the stress melting away as soon as I sit down," reads a 5 star evaluation. "My Moonpod is, without question, one of the very best purchases I‘ve ever made."
And less enthused commentary focused on lack of support decreasing over time:
"It was amazing at first but after 2 months lost its structure and provided no back support," a 2 star rater wrote.
Yogibo Ratings
- Yogibo Site – Near perfect 4.9 out of 5 stars across all products
- Amazon – Strong 4.4 stars tallying over 600 Yogibo Max chair reviews
- Wayfair – The popular home retailer logs a 4.5 rating over 250+ buyer reviews
The most referenced downside across negative Yogibo evaluations centered on product flatten over time:
"I loved it at first but after 6 months or so, it started to lose its shape," commented a 3 star Wayfair reviewer.
Still, the vast majority convey delight with extreme comfort and customizability.
"It literally feels like a giant hug," gushed a 5-star Amazon rater. "This bean bag continues to be my ultimate place to relax after a long day."
So both achieve impressive feedback given the high review counts in the thousands. Any durability complaints seem limited to a small minority.
Shipping and Return Policies
Nearly all shoppers have encountered the headache of late deliveries, hidden fees or restrictive return policies. So what can buyers expect?
Moon Pod Shipping
Moon Pod Shipping Policy Highlights
- Free shipping included with all orders
- Ships exclusively within the continental USA
- Plan for added 1-2 weeks to ship to Alaska/Hawaii
- 14 day returns accepted – but no prepaid label provided
Based on reviews, Moon Pod sometimes struggles to meet quoted order delivery estimates. And their lack of international reach also limits accessibility for global consumers.
Yogibo Shipping
Key Yogibo Shipping & Returns Details
- Ships free for over $100 orders, $9.99 flat fee under
- Delivers throughout USA & Canada
- Items ship within 5 – 10 business days
- 14 days to process returns from delivery date
- Charge 25% restocking fee for some products
Yogibo fares better by extending across North America. Theirrestocking penalty does seem rather punitive.
In positive news, both issue refunds upon receipt and inspection of returned products in original condition.
The Final Verdict: Which is Better?
After comparing critical factors side-by-side, a few key differences emerge to consider when deciding between brands.
Product Range
Yogibo simply offers more variety in both furniture options and fun colors/prints. Easily a better fit for playrooms and kids décor.
Affordability
While competitive, Yogibo consistently undercuts Moon Pod pricing – making them the value leader.
Quality
Too close to call given the lack of manufacturing insights. But strong material choices and warranties provide confidence in durability.
Target Market
Moon Pod suits sophisticated adults desiring refined, contemporary style. Yogibo courts all ages with their youthful color palettes and character licensing deals.
Eco-Friendliness
Moon Pod touts recycled materials but without substantiating data. Still enough to edge out Yogibo‘s complete lack of sustainability strategy.
Reviews
Overwhelmingly positive feedback for both brands cementing universal comfort. But potential for long term structure loss called out by a minority of raters.
Conclusion?
Yogibo wins for budget buyers wanting maximum flexibility in shapes, sizes and décor matching. families will appreciate playful prints and child friendly fabrics too.
But Moon Pod catches sophisticated adults with sleek, contemporary forms optimized for ergonomic lounge comfort. Those prioritizing eco-friendly production may view them as worth a premium.
So where these two popular bean bag brands land comes down to aesthetic tastes, budget and home usage factors unique to each shopper.
Either provides a comfy seating alternative far improved over flattened, sunken bean bags of decades past. And delivers modern innovation in moldable support whether catching a movie or catching some Zzzs!
