Gardyn and AeroGarden are the two biggest names in premium home hydroponics — and they could not be more different. Gardyn is a 30-plant vertical tower with an AI camera. AeroGarden Bounty is a polished 9-pod countertop with a touchscreen. We owned both for a full year.
The short answer
Buy the Gardyn if you want to feed two-plus adults from your kitchen and you have 2 sq ft of floor space. Buy the AeroGarden Bounty if you want a finished-looking countertop garden that produces enough herbs and salad greens for one to two people.
Last checked: 2026-06-14 · affiliate disclosure
| Product | Plants | Footprint | Light | Monthly yield | Where | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gardyn Home Kit 3.0 Most capacity | 30 | 2 sq ft floor | Hybrid LED columns | ~2.5 kg | ~$899 | Check price |
AeroGarden Bounty Elite Best countertop | 9 | 16" × 11" counter | 50W full-spectrum | ~1 kg | ~$329 | Check price |
AeroGarden Harvest 360 Budget alt | 6 | 12" × 8" counter | 20W 360° | ~600g | ~$129 | Check price |
- Plants
- 30
- Footprint
- 2 sq ft floor
- Light
- Hybrid LED columns
- Monthly yield
- ~2.5 kg
- Price
- ~$899
- Plants
- 9
- Footprint
- 16" × 11" counter
- Light
- 50W full-spectrum
- Monthly yield
- ~1 kg
- Price
- ~$329
- Plants
- 6
- Footprint
- 12" × 8" counter
- Light
- 20W 360°
- Monthly yield
- ~600g
- Price
- ~$129
What the Gardyn does better
- Yield per square foot: 30 plants in 2 sq ft of floor space. Nothing else comes close.
- App and AI: The cameras flag wilting and over-grown plants. Light schedules adapt to species.
- Variety: Membership pods include 50+ varieties — pak choi, arugula, dill, even strawberries.
What the AeroGarden Bounty does better
- Price: $570 cheaper.
- No subscription: Buy pods or use the "grow anything" sponges. No $30/month membership pressure.
- Footprint: Lives on a counter. The Gardyn is furniture.
- Fruiting plants: Cherry tomatoes and peppers work; on the Gardyn they fight for light against the column above.
The membership question
Gardyn pushes a $39/month subscription. It's optional but the value math only works if you let them ship pre-curated pods. If you'd rather buy a $7 bag of seeds and use the included sponges, the Bounty is the better long-term value.
Free: The 12-page Indoor Hydroponics Starter Guide
Everything we wish we'd known before our first harvest — equipment, seeds, nutrients, and a 4-week plan you can actually finish.
One email, the PDF, then a short weekly series. Unsubscribe any time.
Related guides: Best Hydroponic Towers of 2026 · AeroGarden Harvest vs Bounty · Best Indoor Hydroponic Systems for Beginners
Frequently asked questions
Is the Gardyn membership required?
No. You can skip it and use refillable yPods with your own seeds — but you'll lose the AI-powered variety suggestions.
Which is louder?
The Gardyn is quieter (it uses a wicking system instead of a constant pump). The Bounty's pump cycles audibly every few minutes.
Which uses more electricity?
Gardyn averages 110 kWh/year (~$14). The Bounty Elite averages 80 kWh/year (~$10). Both are negligible.
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