Replacement Razor Blades: What a Cartridge Refill Really Costs Against a DE Blade
A cartridge refill costs between $2.13 and $3.75 at the brand’s own store right now. A double edge blade from a 100-pack costs nine cents. That gap, not the handle price, decides what you spend on shaving over a year.
The handle is a one-time buy. Replacement razor blades are the recurring bill.
What each refill costs per cartridge
These are the one-time prices listed on each brand’s store on 5 October 2026, with the two most common DE 100-packs on Amazon the same day. Subscription discounts trim a little off, but the order does not change.
| Refill or blade | Pack | Pack price | Per cartridge or blade | Retailer, 5 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillette Fusion5 refills | 8 cartridges | $30.00 | $3.75 | gillette.com |
| Gillette Mach3 refills | 4 cartridges | $13.00 | $3.25 | gillette.com |
| Harry’s Plus refills | 8 cartridges | $25.00 | $3.13 | harrys.com |
| Dollar Shave Club Signature 6 Blade | 8 cartridges | $20.00 | $2.50 | dollarshaveclub.com |
| Harry’s Original refills | 8 cartridges | $17.00 | $2.13 | harrys.com |
| Astra Superior Platinum DE blades | 100 blades | $9.33 | $0.09 | Amazon, one-time price |
| Derby Extra DE blades | 100 blades | $8.99 | $0.09 | Amazon, one-time price |
Two things stand out. Gillette Fusion5 is the most expensive refill per cartridge, and the two DE blades cost the same to the cent.
Video: TATARA Razors
Why the per-shave number matters more than pack price
Pack price misleads you because packs differ in count. The Mach3 four-pack looks cheaper than the Fusion5 eight-pack, yet the gap per cartridge is only 50 cents.
Per shave is harder to pin down because each brand defines a cartridge’s life its own way. Harry’s puts an Original cartridge at 16 shaves and a Plus at up to 21, assuming three shaves a week. Dollar Shave Club recommends a new cartridge weekly. Gillette says a Fusion5 refill lasts up to a month of shaves.
Those are manufacturer figures, and your beard sets the real number. If you change weekly, as Dollar Shave Club suggests, a year of Fusion5 refills is $195. A year of Astra blades changed weekly is $4.68.
The full picture, including soap and brush, is in our wet shaving cost breakdown.
Which refill fits which handle
Buying the wrong refill is the fastest way to waste the saving. Gillette states that Fusion5 refills fit every Gillette five-blade handle except GilletteLabs, and that Mach3 refills fit all Mach3 handles. The line-by-line detail is in our guide to Gillette blades and handle compatibility.
Harry’s is stricter. Original blades fit only Original handles, and Plus blades fit only Plus handles, according to the brand’s own FAQ. We looked at the numbers in Harry’s blades cost per shave.
Dollar Shave Club says all Club Series refills fit all Club Series handles, which today means the Diamond Grip, Heavy Metal, Body Shaver and Goldmember handles.
A DE blade has none of this. Astra, Derby and every other standard double edge blade fit any DE safety razor, so you can switch blade brands without touching the handle.
Where the cartridge still earns its price
A cartridge forgives a sloppy angle and a rushed morning. A DE razor demands a few weeks of attention before the shave is as quick, and you will nick yourself while learning.
If you shave rarely, the gap shrinks. Someone shaving twice a week who stretches a Harry’s Original cartridge over two months spends under $15 a year on refills.
How to decide
If you already own a cartridge handle and shave three times a week or less, keep it and buy the eight-pack, which is cheaper per cartridge than the four-pack at every brand in the table.
If you shave daily and change cartridges weekly, the refills alone outspend a safety razor and a year of blades before the first month is out. That is the case for switching.
Questions readers ask
Are replacement razor blades cheaper on subscription?
Slightly. Harry's advertises 5 percent off every subscription order, and Gillette lists Mach3 refills as low as $1.69 per cartridge on its plan against $3.25 one-time. Even the best subscription price is many times a nine-cent DE blade.
Do all double edge blades fit every safety razor?
Yes. Standard double edge blades share one size and fit any DE safety razor, from a Merkur to a Henson. Only single edge, injector and Artist Club formats use different blades.
How long does a cartridge refill last?
The brands give their own figures. Harry's says 16 shaves for an Original cartridge and up to 21 for Plus at three shaves a week, Dollar Shave Club recommends weekly replacement, and Gillette says a Fusion5 refill lasts up to a month. Coarse hair and poor rinsing shorten all of them.
