The 9 Best Places to Buy Rugs in 2023
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Area rugs from Ruggable, Rugs.com, and Rugs USA are all deeply discounted right now
Shopping for rugs can feel like a Herculean task. As we consider factors like pile thickness, material softness, and color, it can be hard to know which online sellers are reliable, especially when making purchases that we hope will last a number of years.
When choosing the best place to buy a rug, it’s important to take into account important factors about different sellers, like their general price point, the shipping and delivery options, their return policy, and even how many reviews each site has. We surveyed our team for their favorite places to buy rugs online, and we received some passionate responses in return.
Read on for the best places to buy rugs online, according to our editors.
Ruggable
Who It’s Good For
Folks looking for machine-washability, fun branded designs, and price consistency
Who It’s Not Good For
People looking for the absolute most affordable option
Ruggable is a wonderful brand known for its machine washable and spill-proof rugs. The company has a patented two-piece Rug System — a rug cover, which is what you’ll look at (and potentially spill on), and a rug pad, which adds some padding under your feet. It can be a bit tricky to get the rug centered on the pad after washing, but being able to throw a rug in the washer (especially after a baby- or pet-made mess) absolutely makes up for it. We especially recommend the Urbano Canary Yellow Rug, because it's so incredibly soft.
As for the shopping experience, we absolutely love that every rug of the same size is the same price (at $489 for an 8 by 10-foot rug at time of publish, which isn’t the least expensive we’ve seen but is reasonable considering it includes the rug pad), allowing you to choose the design you like best without concern for price.
With fun brand collaborations like Barbie, Disney, Keith Haring, Marvel, Star Wars (we especially liked the Roque Squadron Dark Teal Premium Rug), and Toy Story, we’re sure you can find something right up your alley. Overall, for a machine-washable rug you know you can trust, Ruggable is a great place to buy a rug online.
Return Window: 30 days from delivery date (plus a $25 processing fee) | Standard Shipping Cost: Free in the contiguous US | Delivery Options: Standard, express on select items
Rugs.com
Who It’s Good For
People looking for a ton of options, across style, type, craft and price point
Who It’s Not Good For
Folks who want to get their rug ASAP, as they do not offer express shipping
Rugs.com — as the name may suggest — has virtually every type of rug you could imagine, even some sophisticated hand knotted ones! With such a wide range of styles and price points, we love that the site features categories, some type-based, like Washable or Outdoor, and some style-based, like Oriental or Modern, to help you shop with ease. With most styles on sale, the price range is great for a typical rug (there are quite a few artisan outliers), as a typical 8 by 10-foot rug will only cost you a couple hundred dollars, many as low as just $102. And with most products featuring over 100 reviews, you can feel confident in your purchase.
We also loved the wide variety of vibrant colors — and that those vibrant colors were true to the product images — and soft materials.
What Our Editors Are Saying:
These rugs are made to last: One of our team members has had her rug in a high-traffic area of her home for over a year and hasn’t noticed any signs of wear in terms of color or softness. Another one of our team members loved the Lilac Modern Classical Rug so much that she bought it twice.
Return Window: 30 days from delivery date (with no added fees) | Standard Shipping Cost: Free | Delivery Options: Standard (but only ship to contiguous US)
Rugs USA
Who It’s Good For
Shoppers looking for easy-to-clean, affordable rugs
Who It’s Not Good For
Those looking for bright colors and tons of options
We truly had only positive experiences using Rugs USA. They’ve got a great selection of stylish and sophisticated rugs — many of which are washable! Plus, even among the ones that aren’t washable, many of them are stain resistant, like the White Easy Shag Lattice Area Rug, which one of our team members loved so much, she bought a second one. She did add that the quality control isn’t perfect, though, as the second one wasn’t quite as fluffy as the first. The price point for the site is phenomenal, though: The typical price for an 8 by 10-foot rug is in the $200 to $300 range, which is affordable for such a large size. We also loved how easy to clean and durable the Rugs USA rugs were, especially in the indoor/outdoor collection. The Light Gray Bordered Solid Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug was one of our favorites.
What Our Editors Are Saying:
“Their customer service is great. Seriously, the site was like a best-kept secret among my friends when we all moved to New York. This is a great site if you're furnishing a starter apartment, dorm room, or just a space that you want to look nice but you're not at a place in your life where you can drop hundreds on a nice rug (or you're in your ‘and this is why we can't have nice things’ phase of life)," says senior shopping editor Erin Johnson.
Plus, many item listings have thousands of reviews, allowing you to feel confident in your purchase.
Return Window: 30 days from delivery date (plus a return fee) | Standard Shipping Cost: Free! | Delivery Options: Standard, 2-day, 1-day (but only ship to Contiguous US and Canada)
Wayfair
Who It’s Good For
Folks seeking a retailer with every option in one place
Who It’s Not Good For
Shoppers looking for specialized rug-focused assistance
Unlike the first three sellers on our list, Wayfair sells all kinds of home products (ranging from bed frames to lamps to washing machines), so their market is not focused only on rugs. While this can mean you can’t get specific advice focused on rugs from the retailer, it does mean there is a tremendous variety of products, and you can rest assured you can find a rug that perfectly suits your needs. We also found that there are tons of reviews on the site (with one of our favorite products, the Alsaedi Green/Blue/Orange Indoor/Outdoor Rug, with as many as 32,000). A larger company also means a wide range in price point (you can realistically pay as much as you like; we saw some options at over $20,000), but there’s a wide selection of 8 by 10-foot rugs in the $200 to $400 range.
What Our Editors Are Saying:
We especially loved the quality of the Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Jules Oriental Natural/Ocean Area Rug. It’s proved to be super durable, with absolutely no fading or staining after over a year of use. We had similar feelings about the quality of the Handmade Hand Tufted Wool Ivory/Black Rug and loved that it was super thick.
Return Window: 30 days from delivery date (with no fee on purchases over $35) | Standard Shipping Cost: Free on purchases over $35 | Delivery Options: Standard, 2-day, 1-day
Amazon
Who It’s Good For
Those seeking reliable shipping and tons of products at a wide range of price points
Who It’s Not Good For
Those seeking consistency or uniformity from a seller
While Amazon may not be the first seller you think of for rugs, if you’re looking for tons of options, fast shipping, and a reliable return policy, Amazon may just be the easiest option for you. All products are eligible for 30-day returns (some even longer, depending on the product), and with an Amazon Prime Membership, many products are eligible for free two-day shipping. Amazon’s biggest strength is this reliable shipping (even if you don’t have a Prime Membership), as Amazon guarantees the product will get to you and all disputes are held with them (not the third-party seller, if purchased through one). We’ve even found quite a few of the other sellers on this list on Amazon stores, and one of our team members even bought her Ruggable rug through Amazon.
We also love that Amazon allows you to check out sometimes tens of thousands of reviews (there’s almost always at least a couple hundred), and sometimes even customer images for products — which allows you to really see what a rug looks like, rather than hoping based on professional photography. Plus, with zillions of products, we know you can find just what you’re looking for at any price point.
Return Window: 30 days from delivery date | Standard Shipping Cost: Varies by product, but free for Prime Members | Delivery Options: Varies by product, but 2-day for Prime Members
Target
Who It’s Good For
People seeking the comfort of knowing there’s a brick-and-mortar option for potential returns
Who It’s Not Good For
Those looking for bright colors
Some may be surprised to learn that Target is a great place to purchase rugs — both in-store and online. They feature a wide selection (over 18,000 listings) at a great price point (with many hovering around the $200 mark for an 8 by 10-foot rug) and most have hundreds of reviews. We also love that Target features products from both in-house lines (like the Project 62 Eyelash Woven Shag Rug) as well as trusted brands we love (like the Safavieh Asteria Evoke Rug). Both of these were favorites among our editors, as they were soft and super easy to clean. Our absolute favorite thing about purchasing from Target, though (and which makes it unique among this list): You can return in-store.
What Our Editors Are Saying:
"I've purchased a few different rugs from Target, and their return process is really nice. I'm nervous buying rugs because large ones come rolled in plastic and to repackage them is next to impossible to ship back. Because I could take these back to a Target store without the wrapping made me feel much more confident in my purchases,” shared one of our surveyed editors. And, you can also order your rug online and pickup in-store.
Return Window: 90 days from invoice date, by delivery or in-store (with no added fees) | Standard Shipping Cost: Free on purchases over $35 | Delivery Options: Standard, 2-day, in-store pickup
Revival
Who It’s Good For
Those looking for vintage or vintage-seeming rugs made with artisan techniques (for an incredibly good price)
Who It’s Not Good For
Folks looking for the absolute most-inexpensive or fastest option
Revival is a unique company focused on creating artisan rugs using traditional methods as well as selling vintage rugs that are 30 to 100 years old. The rugs are designed to mimic authentic artisan weaving techniques, as well as utilize vintage design styles from 20 to 100 years ago. Some of them (like one that one of our team members owns) are even one-of-a-kind! Those are listed on the site with their “only one made” tag.
One unique thing about buying from the company (beyond their already-unique set of products!) is that the rugs come folded up in a box, rather than rolled in plastic. As for price, naturally the one-of-a-kinds are pricier and will likely cost you somewhere around $1000 for an 8 by 10 rug. The rest of the collections are in the $400 to $500 range for an 8 by 10-foot rug.
What Our Editors Are Saying:
Our team member shared, “I was SO impressed with Revival, to the point where it felt too good to be true. I wanted a vintage rug but was put off by the prices at other retailers. The one I bought isn't huge and was definitely still a splurge, but was much more reasonable than similar options at other websites. It was cleaned and inspected before shipping, shipping was free, and it arrived in just three days! I absolutely plan to purchase from them again when I have a need for another rug.”
Return Window: 30 days from delivery date (refund is in store credit or cash with a $20 restock fee) | Standard Shipping Cost: Free for the contiguous US (price determined per product for AK and HI) | Delivery Options: Standard
World Market
Who It’s Good For
Folks seeking the ease of shopping, picking up, or returning in-store
Who It’s Not Good For
Shoppers who want a ton of options all in one place
World Market is a California-based home furnishing store with over 240 brick-and-mortar locations, as well as a great online platform. With not a ton of rug options online, we appreciate that each of their products is specially curated by their committed design team.
One thing we love about shopping with World Market is that you can view products in-store (and can easily see on the site which products are available in your area), pick up in-store to get your purchases quickly, or return in-store if necessary. Plus, their return window is 60 days (double most of the sellers’ policies on this list), allowing you to shop without hesitation. Cost is median, at about $500 for an 8 by 10-foot rug, and most listings have dozens of reviews.
Return Window: 60 days from purchase date, by delivery or in-store (with no added fees) | Standard Shipping Cost: Up to $59.95 (depending on the price of the product) | Delivery Options: Standard, in-store pickup (but only ships to contiguous US)
Floyd
Who It’s Good For
Shoppers looking for a sustainable option
Who It’s Not Good For
Those looking for the most affordable option, a wide variety, or express shipping.
Floyd is a sustainable furniture brand, committed to becoming one of the first carbon-neutral furniture companies in the world, with great options for shoppers concerned about VOCs or sustainability. As a company that mainly focuses on furniture, though, it doesn’t have the widest selection of rugs: there are just three (two of which are new arrivals at time of publish). Plus, as a smaller company, there aren’t too many reviews on the products we looked at; the most we saw was 60, but with the company’s in-house designs and clear commitment to its products and customers, we feel confident recommending the brand as a great place to buy a rug online.
What Our Editors Are Saying:
Our favorite rug of the collection is The Flow Rug, which we loved for its high quality, natural materials of wool and sustainably-sourced cotton. Our team member who owns this rug told us, “I searched for what feels like 6 months (including visiting showrooms like West Elm) to finally land on an area rug that was big enough for my living room, concealed dog hair/dirt tracked in by pets, yet was stylish and neutral enough to suit my decor. Floyd's rugs impressed me with all of the above while also prioritizing sustainability.”
While a bit of a splurge for an 8 by 10 rug (at just under $800 at time of publish), the natural and sustainable materials, along with the softness that come with those, make Floyd’s products a great value.
Return Window: 30 days from delivery date (plus a 10% restocking fee) | Standard Shipping Cost: 12% of order value up to $299 | Delivery Options: Standard
How to Pick the Right Place to Buy a Rug
Reviews
Shopping online offers so much convenience, but it does pose new struggles, like not being able to feel materials or really see the color. Online reviews are a great way to get some extra information on a product you’re considering, and help you shop with confidence.
Finding a seller that offers a strong safety net of reviews is the best way to help put your online shopping worries to bed. Rugs USA, Wayfair, and Amazon have tons of reviews on their products so you can shop with confidence.
Return Policy
Return window length and leniency can be a make-or-break factor when shopping for big purchases online. If your rug finally arrives and it’s way less fluffy than you expected, the material is scratchy, or the color is just not right, a good return policy can save the day.
All of the return policies of the sellers on our list are acceptable, but some are truly impressive. Rugs.com, Wayfair, Amazon, Target, and World Market all have no fees for returning, which we really appreciate. Target and World Market also have particularly long return windows (90 and 60 days, respectively). Plus, they accept returns in-store.
Shipping and Delivery Options
When making a big purchase like an area rug, it feels so good not to spend a ton on shipping. Many sellers offer free shipping. If you need your rug in a hurry (say you’re furnishing your new apartment and have to lay your rug before setting up your furniture), being able to get a quick delivery can make a huge difference in your rug-shopping experience. Many of the sellers included in our list offer express shipping, and if you want it ASAP, you can even pick your rug up in-store at a nearby location if you buy from Target or World Market.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a reasonable amount to spend on a rug?
An area rug’s size, material, and production process will influence the price. Once you’ve decided on the appropriate size for your rug, material and manufacturing can really make a difference. Certified interior designer Julie Jones tells us you can spend anywhere from $200 to $2,000 on an 8 by 10-foot rug. If you’re looking for fancier materials, more artisan manufacturing practices, or name brands, you’re looking at the higher-end of the range.
What type of rug is most popular in 2023?
The most common rug request from Jones' clients nowadays is washable rugs. She says clients with young children or pets are finding them really appealing, especially with lighter colors that tend to show wear more obviously. With more and more brands featuring a wide variety of options these days, (including almost every seller on this list, it’s becoming easier and easier to find affordable and stylish washable options.
What type of rug is most comfortable?
The three biggest factors that influence the comfort level of a rug are its material, the height and thickness of its pile, and the rug pad you may choose to put underneath, according to Jones. Soft materials like faux fur, polyester, or cotton are among the comfiest. Rugs with a high, dense pile will be softer and plushier. And you can add some extra bounce with a soft, well-made rug pad.
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Elizabeth Marino is a freelance commerce writer for PEOPLE, focusing on home products. A lover of all things home and family, she is thrilled to help consumers find the perfect products to fit their domestic needs. In her spare time you can find her traveling to any and all historic sites and museums – and food spots – throughout the country. She holds a BA in American Studies and History from Columbia University.
To help you determine the best place to buy your rug, we asked our team all about their experiences purchasing rugs online, including their experience with customer service, return policies, and overall rug selection and quality. We also spoke with Julie Jones, Certified Interior Designer (CA), for her expert opinion on the best factors to take into account when selecting a rug to buy.
What Is PEOPLE Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.
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