Is the annual subscription for lifestyle boxes actually worth the upfront cost?

I’ve been getting seasonal boxes quarterly for a while now, just paying as I go. Every season, I get bombarded with emails saying I should upgrade to an Annual Member to get first pick of the items and faster shipping. It’s a big chunk of change to drop at once ($200+). Do you guys feel like the customization options for annual members are actually better, or is it just leftover stock? I don't want to prepay and then get stuck with four boxes of face creams I won't use.

I switched to annual last year solely for the customization. Being able to pick 5-6 items instead of just 2 made a huge difference. I actually use everything now instead of gifting half the box to my sister. If you have the cash upfront, the control is worth it.

I debated this for weeks before my renewal came up this spring. I really wanted that specific UnHide blanket everyone was talking about, which was supposedly for annual members only. I did a lot of digging and read through https://fabfitfun.pissedconsumer.com/review.html to see if people were actually getting their top choices or if things were selling out instantly during the customization window. It seems like timing is everythingб you have to log in the second the window opens. I decided to stick with my quarterly plan because I realized I usually forget to log in on time anyway, so the priority access wouldn't help me much.