Both Temu and Wish promise incredible deals on everything from gadgets to clothing. But which platform actually delivers better value? I spent $500 on each platform and tested them head-to-head across every metric that matters.
Spoiler alert: one platform clearly outperforms the other in 2025. Here's the complete breakdown.
🏆 Quick Verdict
Temu wins in 2025. Better prices, faster shipping, higher product quality, and a superior app experience. Wish has fallen significantly behind since its peak years.
📊 Head-to-Head Comparison Table
| Category | Temu | Wish | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Prices | Very Low | Low-Medium | Temu |
| Shipping Speed (US) | 7-15 days | 15-30 days | Temu |
| Free Shipping | Yes ($20+ orders) | Rarely free | Temu |
| Product Quality | Average-Good | Poor-Average | Temu |
| Return Policy | 90 days, free returns | 30 days, buyer pays | Temu |
| App Experience | Modern, gamified | Outdated, cluttered | Temu |
| Customer Service | Responsive | Slow, difficult | Temu |
| Product Selection | Very wide | Wide | Tie |
| New User Discounts | Up to 90% off | Limited offers | Temu |
💰 Price Comparison
I compared identical or similar products across both platforms. Here's what I found:
Example Price Comparisons:
- Wireless earbuds (similar specs): Temu $8.99 vs Wish $14.99
- Phone case: Temu $2.99 vs Wish $4.99 + $2 shipping
- LED strip lights: Temu $6.99 vs Wish $11.99
- Makeup brush set: Temu $7.99 vs Wish $12.99
- Kitchen gadget: Temu $5.99 vs Wish $8.99
The pattern is clear: Temu is consistently 30-50% cheaper than Wish for comparable products. Wish also frequently adds shipping fees that aren't obvious until checkout.
📦 Shipping Speed Test
I placed orders on the same day from both platforms and tracked delivery times:
My Test Results:
- Temu Order 1: Ordered Jan 5 → Arrived Jan 14 (9 days)
- Temu Order 2: Ordered Jan 5 → Arrived Jan 18 (13 days)
- Wish Order 1: Ordered Jan 5 → Arrived Jan 28 (23 days)
- Wish Order 2: Ordered Jan 5 → Arrived Feb 2 (28 days)
Temu's average delivery time was 11 days compared to Wish's 25.5 days. That's more than twice as fast.
✨ Product Quality Assessment
Both platforms source from similar manufacturers, but quality control differs significantly.
Temu Quality Experience:
- 8 out of 10 products matched descriptions accurately
- Materials generally as expected for the price
- Packaging was adequate, minimal damage
- Electronics mostly functional (1 DOA out of 6)
Wish Quality Experience:
- 5 out of 10 products matched descriptions
- Frequent sizing issues with clothing
- Cheap packaging, some items damaged
- Higher rate of non-functional electronics
Bottom line: Temu's quality control is noticeably better. Wish feels like gambling – sometimes you win, often you don't.
🔄 Return Policy & Customer Service
This is where Temu absolutely dominates.
Temu Returns:
- 90-day return window
- Free return shipping on most items
- Easy in-app return process
- Refunds processed within 5-7 days
- No questions asked for defective items
Wish Returns:
- 30-day return window
- Buyer pays return shipping (often costs more than item)
- Complicated return process
- Slow refund processing (2-4 weeks)
- Often requires extensive documentation
I returned 3 items to Temu (all resolved within a week) and 2 items to Wish (took 3 weeks and lots of frustration).
📱 App Experience
The user experience difference is stark.
Temu App:
- Modern, clean interface
- Fun gamification (spinning wheels, daily check-ins)
- Easy search and filtering
- Good product photos and reviews
- Smooth checkout process
Wish App:
- Outdated, cluttered design
- Overwhelming amount of ads
- Confusing navigation
- Lower quality product images
- Hidden shipping costs until checkout
Temu feels like shopping in 2025. Wish feels like shopping in 2015.
🤔 When Might Wish Be Better?
In the interest of fairness, there are a few scenarios where Wish might still be worth checking:
- Niche products: Wish has been around longer and has some unique items
- Extreme patience: If you don't mind waiting a month for delivery
- Specific sales: Occasional deep discounts on specific items
But honestly, these scenarios are rare. Temu is the better choice 95% of the time.
🛡️ Safety & Trustworthiness
Both platforms are legitimate businesses, but Temu has invested more in building trust:
Temu:
- Backed by PDD Holdings (publicly traded)
- BBB accredited
- Purchase protection program
- Active customer service team
Wish:
- Publicly traded (but struggling financially)
- Lower BBB rating
- More customer complaints
- Less responsive support
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Temu wins this comparison decisively.
In 2025, there's really no compelling reason to choose Wish over Temu. Temu offers:
- Lower prices
- Faster shipping
- Better product quality
- Superior return policy
- Better app experience
Wish was once the king of budget shopping apps, but Temu has completely overtaken them. Unless you're looking for something very specific that only Wish carries, stick with Temu.
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