All Modern vs. Wayfair: Which brand should you buy?

Compare All Modern and Wayfair to find the right fit for your style. Explore curated designs or vast selections and make informed home decor choices today.
Written by:
Spencer Lanoue

All Modern offers a curated selection of modern, minimalist, and mid-century furniture, making it simple to create a cohesive, stylish look. In contrast, Wayfair is a massive online marketplace with an enormous catalog that spans every imaginable style and price point. Although both are owned by the same company, they serve different shoppers: All Modern provides a focused, on-trend experience, while Wayfair is the one-stop shop for virtually any home goods.

Let's compare everything you need to know to choose the right retailer for your home.

All Modern: The Curated Modern Furniture Retailer

All Modern is Wayfair's answer for shoppers who want on-trend contemporary style without the endless scrolling. The brand specifically targets design-conscious customers looking for sleek, functional pieces that fit into urban and modern homes. Its collection feels handpicked, focusing on clean lines, neutral palettes, and functional design influenced by Scandinavian and mid-century modern aesthetics.

  • Product mix: A comprehensive selection for the entire home, including sofas, sectionals, beds, dining sets, accent chairs, lighting, rugs, and decor. They also offer a strong collection of outdoor and office furniture.
  • Style/vibe: Strictly modern. This includes minimalist, Scandinavian, mid-century modern, and contemporary designs. It's the place for uncomplicated silhouettes, natural wood tones, and metal accents.
  • Price point: Affordable to mid-range. A sofa might cost between $700 and $2,000, dining tables are often in the $400–$1,500 range, and decor items are very competitive.
  • Quality: The quality is consistent for its price point, generally featuring engineered wood, metal frames, and durable polyester or performance-fabric upholstery. It offers good value for stylish, modern furniture built for everyday life.
  • Sales: Holds frequent sales, especially around major holidays, and often has "open box" deals or specific category discounts available.
  • Return policy: Like its parent company, Wayfair, All Modern has a customer-friendly return policy, typically allowing returns within 30 days of delivery for a refund, minus return shipping costs.
  • Delivery & Assembly: Leverages Wayfair's extensive logistics network, offering a range of shipping options from standard doorstep delivery to in-home assembly for larger items.

All Modern is ideal for anyone who knows they want a modern look and prefers a curated, less overwhelming shopping experience focused on quality and contemporary style.

Shop All Modern: allmodern.com

Wayfair: The Everything Store for Home

Wayfair is one of the world's largest online destinations for home goods, operating as a vast marketplace for thousands of brands, including its own in-house lines. Its slogan "a zillion things home" is accurate - shoppers can find furniture, decor, appliances, home improvement supplies, and more. If an item for the home exists, you can likely find it on Wayfair, available in multiple styles and price points.

  • Product mix: Truly massive. It covers every category imaginable: furniture, lighting, rugs, decor, cookware, major appliances, plumbing fixtures, sheds, and hot tubs.
  • Style/vibe: Every style is represented here, from traditional, farmhouse, and rustic to coastal, industrial, and bohemian. You can find hyper-modern pieces right next to classic, ornate designs.
  • Price point: Extremely wide spectrum. You can find a basic bookshelf for under $50 or a high-end designer sofa for over $5,000. This makes it a great resource for budget shoppers and those with a larger budget.
  • Quality: Quality varies dramatically because Wayfair is a marketplace. It can range from low-end, flat-pack furniture made of particleboard to high-quality pieces made of solid wood. Reading customer reviews and product specifications is essential to ensure you're getting the quality you expect.
  • Shopping tools: Wayfair's website features powerful filters to narrow down its massive catalog. Shoppers can also use its innovative augmented reality tool in the mobile app to see how a piece of furniture will look in their room.
  • Sales: Legendary for its frequent sales, especially the annual "Way Day" event, which offers Black Friday-level deals. Daily flash deals and open-box items provide constant opportunities for savings.
  • Delivery & Assembly: Offers a variety of well-organized delivery options, including room-of-choice delivery and full assembly services for an additional fee.

Wayfair is the go-to choice for shoppers who prioritize variety, an expansive price range, and the convenience of a one-stop shop for everything related to their home.

Shop Wayfair: wayfair.com

All Modern vs. Wayfair Comparison

Price Comparison

While owned by the same company, pricing strategy differs. All Modern offers consistently competitive pricing within the mid-range modern furniture market. It’s not a bargain-basement retailer, but its prices are fair for the style and quality you receive. You know what to expect.

Wayfair operates on a different model. Its prices run the gamut from exceptionally cheap to luxury-level expensive. This breadth means you can almost always find something within your budget, but you have to actively search for it. For pure deal-hunting, Wayfair's frequent sales and massive inventory provide more opportunities to find a deep discount, while All Modern provides more predictable value.

Style & Aesthetic

This is the most significant difference between the two. All Modern is a style destination. Its entire catalog is cohesive, revolving around modern, minimalist, Scandinavian, and mid-century aesthetics. This curated approach makes it incredibly easy to shop for pieces that will coordinate, giving your home a unified, designer-inspired look.

Wayfair, on the other hand, is a style aggregator. It offers endless choices across dozens of looks, from farmhouse chic to classic traditional. This variety is fantastic if you have an eclectic taste or are trying to match an existing, specific piece. The experience is less about brand cohesion and more about providing infinite options for any individual preference.

Quality & Construction

All Modern’s curated product line results in more consistent quality. While not high-end luxury, their furniture is generally sturdy, utilizing materials like engineered wood, metal, and durable fabrics that are well-suited for its price point. You can shop with a reasonable level of confidence in the construction.

Shopping for quality on Wayfair requires more diligence. Because it sells products from thousands of different suppliers, quality is all over the map. One sofa might have a solid kiln-dried hardwood frame, while another that looks similar could be made of particleboard. Customer reviews, ratings, and detailed descriptions are your best friends when trying to assess the durability and material quality of a Wayfair product.

Product Selection

Wayfair is the undisputed winner when it comes to the sheer volume of products. Its inventory is exponentially larger than All Modern's, and it extends into completely different categories like major appliances, flooring, and home improvement. If you need a new sofa and a new faucet, you can get them both from Wayfair.

All Modern's selection is intentionally limited to provide a better shopping experience for those seeking a specific aesthetic. The advantage here is less clutter and decision fatigue. You won't find yourself scrolling through thousands of traditional rugs when you're looking for a geometric-print one that fits your modern living room.

Shopping Experience

Shopping on All Modern feels like browsing a boutique. The site is clean, visually driven, and designed to provide inspiration. It’s easy to navigate, and the "Shop the Look" features help you visualize entire rooms.

The Wayfair experience is that of a superstore. It can be overwhelming, but its powerful filtering tools are essential. You can narrow your search by dozens of attributes, including price, color, dimensions, and customer rating. Wayfair's app with its AR "View in Room" feature is a standout tool that can significantly help the decision-making process.

Which One Should You Choose?

Both are excellent online retailers, but they cater to very different shopping styles and needs.

Choose All Modern if you:

  • Strongly prefer modern, minimalist, or mid-century modern design.
  • Want an easy, curated shopping experience and feel overwhelmed by too many choices.
  • Prioritize creating a cohesive and stylish look across your home without extensive searching.
  • Appreciate a consistent level of quality for the price you pay.

Choose Wayfair if you:

  • Want the largest possible selection of products, styles, and brands.
  • Are on a tight budget and need access to the most affordable options.
  • Enjoy the hunt for a good deal and are comfortable sorting through options to find gems.
  • Are furnishing multiple spaces with different styles or need items from other categories like appliances or renovation supplies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are All Modern and Wayfair the same company?

Yes, All Modern is a brand that is owned and operated by Wayfair, LLC. It serves as Wayfair’s specialty brand catering exclusively to modern design enthusiasts, while Wayfair.com acts as the parent company's massive marketplace.

Is All Modern or Wayfair cheaper?

Wayfair offers a wider range of pricing, including many budget-friendly options that are cheaper than what you'd typically find on All Modern. However, All Modern's prices are competitive and provide good value for its specific category of on-trend, modern furniture.

Which has better quality furniture?

All Modern generally has more consistent quality. Because its items are curated, there is a baseline standard you can expect. Wayfair's quality varies widely from product to product and brand to brand, so you must carefully read customer reviews to understand what you're buying.

Are these brands good for small apartments?

Yes, both are excellent options. Many of the pieces on All Modern feature clean lines and a smaller scale perfect for apartment living. Wayfair’s extensive filters allow you to search for furniture by specific dimensions, making it easy to find pieces that will fit a smaller space.

What is the return policy for All Modern and Wayfair?

Since All Modern is part of Wayfair, their return policies are very similar. Both generally allow you to return most items within 30 days of delivery. You may be responsible for return shipping costs, and items must be in their original condition and packaging.

Which website is easier to use?

All Modern is arguably easier for casual browsing because its curated nature is less overwhelming. However, if you have a specific item in mind, Wayfair’s powerful search filters can make it easier to pinpoint exactly what you need from its vast inventory.

Do they have physical stores?

No, both All Modern and Wayfair operate as online-only retailers. They do not have public showrooms or physical stores for you to view products before purchasing.

How fast is shipping?

Both brands use Wayfair's robust logistics network for fast and reliable shipping. Delivery times can vary, but most in-stock items ship within a few days, and both offer options for expedited shipping and scheduled delivery for larger items.

At Interior Insider, we're dedicated to curating the best in home decor, interior design, and home essentials to help you discover brands we think you'll love. Every brand we feature is independently selected by our editorial team based on quality, design, and craftsmanship. When you make a purchase through our links, Interior Insider may earn a commission - which helps support our small team and allows us to continue bringing you inspiration and expert advice for creating your perfect space.

Looking for more inspiration? Explore our curated design guides to find your next favorite piece.

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