Article vs Castlery: Who Has Better Couches?

Article and Castlery are both very affordable furniture brands that offer a great selection of chic and stylish couches. This can make it a challenge to choose between the two. So which of these low cost couch companies deserves your cash? Let's find out.
Article couch company vs Castlery couch company brand comparison revew

Side-By-Side Comparison:
Article vs Castlery

Features
Article
Castlery
Overall PotatoMeter Rating
93%
91%
Made to Order Lead Times
In-Stock Only
In-Stock Only
Free Shipping Option
Select Cities
White Glove Delivery Option
$199
$100 - $150
Return Option
Warranty
Financing Option
Affirm
Affirm
No Assembly Required
Large Fabric Selection
Free Swatches Available
Manufacturing Origin
Asia
Asia
Average Price
$$
$$

Based on the chart it’s hard to tell that Article and Castlery are even two different companies. But once we look at the nitty gritty details some of the similarities disappear.

While both of these companies offer warranties, Article only has a 1 year warranty on their couches compared to Castlery’s 3 year warranty on sofa frames and 1 year warranty on material craftsmanship. Castlery has the edge on this one.

When it comes to returns, Article provides a 30 day free return window. You can also choose to exchange your couch for a different one. On the other hand, Castlery has a 14 day return window and the customer has to pay a 20% return fee. It’s also important to note that there might be a $149 (or more) delivery fee for Castlery sofas depending on your location. Both of these factors are huge points in Article’s favor.

Still can’t decide? Let’s break it down even further.

Article white boucle sofa comparison to Castlery gray 2-piece sectional sofa

Brand Focus: Article

Article sofa company brand logo

Article

Article is a Canadian company that was founded in 2013. They proudly state that their brand values are, "Customer obsession, do it differently, ownership mindset, win together." They helped pioneer the online couch market and they're still a major player in the sofa space. Plus, being Canadian, they ship to Canada!

Pros Cons
High style at low prices

In-Stock couches ship very fast

Ships to Canada

Has a 4.5 star rating on TrustPilot

Solid wood frame construction

Generous return options
Couches manufactured in Asia

Only a 1 year warranty

Limited fabric selection

No brick-and-mortar locations

Pros & Cons: Article

Article is really punching above their weight class when it comes to offering stylish sofas at budget friendly prices. Even better, their sofas are generally all constructed using solid wood frames. That’s great at this price point. Article also has exceptionally fast lead times for their couches, aiming to deliver to your home within 2 weeks. On top of that, they have a tremendous and generous return policy. One bonus is that Article also ships to Canada. We think Article offers excellent value for their quality. But don’t just take our word for it. Article has a stellar 4.5 star rating on TrustPilot. Nice!

That being said, Article’s fast lead times and budget couches are made possible thanks to manufacturing their sofas in Asia. This also means that Article has a limited fabric selection and does not have made to order couches. Despite their exceptional return policy, Article only has a 1 year warranty on their couches, which isn’t ideal at this price point. Article also cuts costs by not having any brick-and-mortar locations or showrooms. But none of these downsides are enough for us to steer you away from Article’s excellent selection of sofas.

PotatoMeter Ratings
Article
Online Shopping Experience
96%
Shipping & Lead Times
98%
Customer Focus
91%
Quality of Materials
90%
Brand Vibe Check
88%
Overall PotatoMeter Rating
93%

The PotatoMeter is Couch.com’s very own rating system that grades furniture retailers on a variety of essential criteria.

Brand Focus: Castlery

Castlery

Castlery was founded in 2013 with the goal of making designer furniture accessible to everyone. Their imported, direct to consumer model has allowed them to achieve that goal, as evidenced by their stylish selection of sofas at affordable prices.

Pros Cons
High style at low prices

In-Stock couches ship very fast

3 year warranty on sofa frames

Affordable add-on delivery
options

Has a 3.6 star rating on TrustPilot
Couches manufactured in Asia

20% return fee

Limited fabric selection

No free delivery option outside
select cities

Plywood and LVL sofa frames

No brick-and-mortar locations

Pros & Cons: Castlery

Again, it can be hard to spot the differences between Castlery and Article’s pros and cons. Just like Article, Castlery offers stylish sofas at low prices. And Castlery’s in-stock couches ship incredibly fast. They also stand behind their products with a 3 year warranty on their sofa frames. That’s great for the price point. Castlery has a free front-door delivery option, but you can also add Room of Choice delivery for only $50 – $70 depending on zip code. Castlery has a lower rating on TrustPilot than Article, but a 3.6 star rating is still incredibly good for an online-only furniture company. Overall Castlery offers great options for customers.

Unfortunately it’s not all sunshine and roses for Castlery. While they do have affordable delivery options, they’re not as affordable if you live outside select cities. Front Door Delivery costs can be upwards of $199 in some areas. And this option doesn’t include White Glove or Room of Choice service. With a 20% return fee, the costs can suddenly start to really add up if you don’t love your couch. Like Article, Castlery’s construction takes place in Asia. This also limits the number of fabric options you can choose from. Their frames are also typically constructed using plywood and LVL (laminated veneer lumber). This should still be sturdy, but it makes Castlery’s price point less impressive. All that being said, Castlery is still a great option at this price range.

PotatoMeter Ratings
Castlery
Online Shopping Experience
97%
Shipping & Lead Times
96%
Customer Focus
90%
Quality of Materials
88%
Brand Vibe Check
86%
Overall PotatoMeter Rating
91%

The PotatoMeter is Couch.com’s very own rating system that grades furniture retailers on a variety of essential criteria.

And The Winner Is...

This one’s a real close call. They both offer a very similar selection of stylish sofas at extremely similar price points. If you value warranties, Castlery is a good option. If you prefer a solid wood frame then Article is a better choice. When it comes to free shipping and generous returns, Article is also the superior option. But it’s hard to go wrong with either of these affordable couch companies.

Want more comparisons? Check out these articles:

Apt2B vs Joybird
Lulu and Georgia vs West Elm

author avatar
Alex Back, CEO of Couch.com CEO
Alex Back is the founder and CEO of Couch.com. Previously, he was the co-founder and COO of the popular furniture brand, Apt2B, which was acquired by a large US retail furniture chain in 2018. He worked to integrate Apt2B, one of the very first online furniture retailers on the Shopify platform, into the operations of the 100 year old larger business entity and was deeply immersed in the business operations of both online and brick and mortar retail for 4 years before leaving in 2023 to start Couch.com. Working in various parts of the furniture industry since 2004, he has 20 years experience in retail sales, e-commerce, marketing, operations, logistics and wholesale manufacturing and distribution. He's worked extensively with partners such as Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond and Amazon and his work has been highlighted in many publications such as Forbes, CNN and HGTV, among others. Alex is delighted to bring his experience and authority on couches and the furniture industry to this platform, along with many of his industry colleagues who are helping him keep the Couch.com audience informed and engaged on a daily basis.

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