Are Pokémon booster boxes worth it? The cost per pack
By DexCompareUpdated prices checked
On this page4 sections
Whether a box is worth it comes down to what you want from it, and the cards inside any pack are random. What we can show is the arithmetic: what one pack costs when you buy a box, against a bundle or single packs of the same set, in New Zealand today.
What a booster box includes, and what it doesn’t
- 36 booster packs, all from one set. Every box we compare is the full English display box.
- Nothing else. No sleeves, dice, energy cards or promo card: those come with an Elite Trainer Box, alongside its 9 packs.
- No particular card. The cards in each pack are random, and a box doesn’t promise any one card.
Some sets were never sold as a booster box at all. They’re listed in booster box vs ETB vs booster bundle.
Box or packs? The price per pack, set by set
Packs from different sets are priced differently, so the fair comparison is within one set. For the 3 newest sets with a booster box, here’s the cheapest box, booster bundle, sleeved booster and loose pack in stock in New Zealand right now, per pack.
Pitch Black
ReleasedRight now the cheapest booster pack works out at NZ$9.50 a pack, NZ$0.50 less than the box (NZ$10.00 a pack).
| Product | Price | Per pack | In stock at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booster Box Pitch Black Booster Box | PriceNZ$359.99 | Per packNZ$10.00 | In stock at6 stores |
| Booster Bundle | PriceNone in stock right now | Per pack— | In stock at— |
| Sleeved Booster Pitch Black Sleeved Booster | PriceNZ$11.00 | Per packNZ$11.00 | In stock at2 stores |
| Booster Pack Cheapest per packPitch Black Booster Pack | PriceNZ$9.50 | Per packNZ$9.50 | In stock at7 stores |
Chaos Rising
ReleasedRight now a pack costs NZ$10.00 in the box: NZ$0.98 less than the cheapest booster pack (NZ$10.98 a pack).
| Product | Price | Per pack | In stock at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booster Box Cheapest per packChaos Rising Booster Box | PriceNZ$359.99 | Per packNZ$10.00 | In stock at5 stores |
| Booster Bundle Chaos Rising Booster Bundle | PriceNZ$68.99 | Per packNZ$11.50 | In stock at1 store |
| Sleeved Booster Chaos Rising Sleeved Booster | PriceNZ$11.58 | Per packNZ$11.58 | In stock at1 store |
| Booster Pack Chaos Rising Booster Pack | PriceNZ$10.98 | Per packNZ$10.98 | In stock at3 stores |
Perfect Order
ReleasedRight now a pack costs NZ$9.44 in the box: NZ$0.54 less than the cheapest booster pack (NZ$9.98 a pack).
| Product | Price | Per pack | In stock at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booster Box Cheapest per packPerfect Order Booster Box | PriceNZ$339.88 | Per packNZ$9.44 | In stock at8 stores |
| Booster Bundle Perfect Order Booster Bundle | PriceNZ$69.99 | Per packNZ$11.67 | In stock at1 store |
| Sleeved Booster Perfect Order Sleeved Booster | PriceNZ$10.58 | Per packNZ$10.58 | In stock at1 store |
| Booster Pack Perfect Order Booster Pack | PriceNZ$9.98 | Per packNZ$9.98 | In stock at10 stores |
Each store’s listed price, excluding shipping, so delivery can change the sums. Cheapest packs from every set →
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How to decide
- You want to open a lot of one set
- A box gives you 36 packs at once. Check its price per pack against the bundle and single packs above.
- You want sleeves, dice and a promo too
- Look at an Elite Trainer Box instead: booster box vs ETB vs booster bundle compares them.
- You’d rather spend less at once
- A booster bundle (6 packs) or a few single packs.
- You’re after one particular card
- Packs are random, and a box doesn’t promise any card.
- Your set has no booster box
- Look at its Elite Trainer Boxes, bundles and collections instead.
Where to buy
DexCompare puts New Zealand stores side by side: each one’s own listed price in NZD, excluding shipping, ranked by price and stock. Stores pay nothing to be listed, and commissions never change the order.
Buying from a store you haven’t used before? Check its contact details, delivery costs and returns policy first, and check the shrink-wrap and seals when your order arrives.