If you’ve been around looking for some activewear, you might’ve come across Fabletics and Lululemon. They often come up as alternatives to other well-known brands.
With a quick glimpse, it is easy to see why so many prefer these brands over conventional ones like Reebok, Nike, Hummel, and others. And the shopping experience is very convenient as well. They both have a ‘direct-to-consumer’ model, which means you can order them online, from their official stores.
But how different are Fabletics and Lululemon? Should you be worried about missing out on something if you pick one over the other? Join us as we unravel which brand is better for activewear.
Note: Whatbrandreview is reader-supported. When you buy through affiliate links on our website, we’ll make a small commission, without impacting your price. Thank you. Learn more.
What Do They Offer?
Their stores are pretty packed I would say. There isn’t much that you would be missing out on if you go for either one.
Fabletics offers bottoms such as leggings, pants, joggers, shorts, maternity, and skirts. From tops, you can expect to find: tanks, short sleeve tees, long sleeve tees, sweatshirts, jackets, and vests. You can also find loungewear and sport bras on their store. Pretty impressive.
As for what Lululemon offers, there are no shortage of activewear products with it as well. They offer: leggings, coats, jackets, dresses, hoodies, sweatshirts, joggers, pants, shirts, shorts, skirts, socks, sport bras, sweaters, swimsuit, and underwear.
Both companies have activewear designed for special activities such as running, workout, casual, yoga, on the move, bike, dance, hiking, thermal, swimming, and so on.
Table Comparison of Fabletics & Lululemon
Before we get to the reviews of each brand, maybe we should see just how different the brands are, overall. We’ll compare them on multiple variables, but mostly practical ones.
Here is a table comparison of the most well-known activewear brands on the market – Fabletics and Lululemon:
| Fabletics VS Lululemon : Activewear |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Good 4/5 | Amazing 5/5 |
| Comfort & Breathability | Adequate 4/5 | Sublime 5/5 |
| Value | Great value 5/5 | OK 3/5 |
| Shipping | Free shipping on all orders above $75 | Free shipping |
| Value | Great Value 5/5 | Good 4/5 |
| Return Policy | 45-day return policy | 30-day return policy |
| Price Range | Very Affordable – $ | Expensive – $$ |
| Get Some Activewear: |
The thing is, the key difference here is they’re at different price ranges. Therefore, they can be distinguished as the more budget-friendly option, and the ‘no compromises’ option.
We can see that Lululemon is quite a bit more expensive than Fabletics, but does that reflect their quality. Well, from what we can tell yes. But we will talk about this later on as well.
Fabletics Review
I love Fabletics. It’s probably one of the cheapest brands to get quality activewear.
Customer reviews are somewhat scattered though. There are both very negative and very positive reviews, with little of them being in-between. The most frequent complaint seems to be poor customer service.
It seems like it can be difficult to return some items if damaged. This is according to quite a big number of negative reviews. But it isn’t though as the customer service team isn’t helpful, it seems like it is a system-related issue and not a customer service issue.
Nevertheless, I would still want Fabletics to fix this, and really listen to the community.
But for the cheap prices, I can’t really argue that this isn’t a good deal. It’s rare for activewear to be costing as little as $15 – for leggings. BUT, only if you’re part of the VIP program, otherwise, the prices are as high as Lululemon, which is definitely not worth it.
Some have also mentioned disintegration of some Fabletics leggings, so it isn’t really worth it for the price of non-VIP members. But if you’re getting most stuff at 80% discount, which is what they give to VIP members, then it’s pretty worth it.
It won’t be the best leggings or shirt or sweatshirt or what have you, but in terms of quality, for the price, it is definitely a good deal.
With that, let’s review the pros and cons of Fabletics:
PROS
- Great value
- Amazing discounts for VIP members
- Some really cool designs
- Comfortable
CONS
- Quality not representative of price for non-VIP members
- Customer experience can be improved upon
Lululemon Review
Where Fabletics lacks, Lululemon does make up a lot of ground, which is quality, comfort, and breathability.
They’re quite different. Lululemon has been around for quite some time now and the quality shows. The fabrics feel soft, and yet, sturdy, and I can’t shake the feeling that Lululemon is one of the best activewear brands out there now.
The most negative reviews aren’t even for the activewear at all. They’re mostly for the customer service, but from what I can tell, only a fraction of the customers run into any issues related to poor customer service.
You won’t get Lululemon as cheaply as Fabletics, but it definitely shouldn’t be. The quality greatly surpasses the level of quality that Fabletics has, and even some of the most well-known activewear brands.
One issue which I’m obligated to mention is the fact that I did see some orders not arriving on time, or ever. So, it does appear to be that Lululemon are having systematic shipping issues unfortunately.
However, in terms of the actual apparel, you can’t really go wrong with Lululemon. Of course, there are some models which are questionable, but most of the best-sellers are top-notch quality, breathable, and very comfortable workout clothes.
So, let’s quickly run through the pros and cons of Lululemon:
PROS
- Amazing quality
- Great designs
- Very breathable and comfortable
- Prices reflect the quality of the products
- A lot of activewear to choose from
CONS
- Some customers mention ‘shipping’ issues
Fabletics VS Lululemon – Which One Is For You?
So, which one is better? It’s hard to say, but overall, in my opinion, Lululemon takes the win here.
The reason why I think Lululemon has better option is because mainly the quality is far better. The prices may be too, but it is still affordable when compared to some big brand names, that in some cases, offer less quality activewear than Lululemon.
Fabletics on the other hand, I think it isn’t in the same league as Lululemon, despite so many comparing them on a regular basis. Fabletics is more a cheap Lululemon alternative.
The quality will be poorer and the breathability and comfort as well. If you’re getting it at VIP prices though, it might be good. You will get more clothes for your money, and you can change them in a few months without making a dent in your wallet.
But that’s only if you’re looking for the cheaper deal. If you’re looking for top-notch quality, Lululemon is the way to go definitely.
The Verdict: Which Is Better?
In terms of what both offer, they’re radically different. I would even go as far as to say that maybe it’s a disservice to both for comparing them head-to-head. Nevertheless, most will like to know whether Lululemon is better, or Fabletics.
Lululemon is far better if we’re talking quality, breathability, and comfort, no matter what pieces of clothing it is, whether it is leggings, tops, sweatshirts, and so on. On average, Lululemon offers far better quality, and the activewear will last longer than that of Fabletics.
If you’re looking to stock up your activewear drawer on a budget though, Fabletics is the way to go. They’re less high-quality and will last a shorter time compared to Lululemon, but the activewear is also very cheap, that is, if you’re a VIP member.
READ NEXT : Blue Nile vs Brilliant Earth vs Clean Origin: Best Luxury Diamond Rings