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Desert Sun Dates vs Medjool Days: An Honest Comparison (2026)
Full disclosure before you read a word of this: I own Desert Sun Dates. I am not a neutral reviewer and you should not read this as though I were. What I can promise is that every figure below about Medjool Days is taken from their own website, and I have noted the date I checked it. Prices change. Check theirs before you decide anything.
Medjool Days is a well-run business with a good-looking store and a lot of happy customers. If you buy from them I doubt you will be disappointed. But we get asked how we compare, so here it is with the numbers in the open.
The comparison, checked 23 August 2026
| Desert Sun Dates | Medjool Days | |
|---|---|---|
| Sizes offered | 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 lb | 3, 5, 10 lb |
| Smallest size | 1 lb — $19 | 3 lb — $33.99 |
| Largest size | 12 lb — $118 | 10 lb — $94.99 |
| Per pound, largest | $9.83 delivered | $9.50 plus shipping |
| Shipping | Included, lower 48 | “Shipping calculated at checkout” |
| Availability today | In stock, ships in 3 business days | “PREORDER SHIPS MID SEPTEMBER” |
| Reviews on the flagship product | Very few — see below | 4.7 stars, 711 reviews |
| Pitted or whole | Whole, pits in | Both offered |
| Product range | Three varieties, whole fruit only | Wider — includes stuffed, chocolate-covered, date syrup |
Where they are genuinely better
- Reviews. 711 on one product against our handful. That is not a small gap and I am not going to spin it. They have been collecting for years and we never asked anyone. We are asking now, but today they have social proof we do not.
- Range. They sell stuffed dates, chocolate-covered dates and date syrup. We sell three varieties of whole fruit and nothing else. If you want a gift box with variety, they have more to choose from.
- Pitted option. They offer pitted. We do not — here is why — but if you are baking at volume and want to skip the pitting, that is a real convenience we do not provide.
Where we are better, and the one that matters most right now
We have fruit and they are taking preorders. As of today their Fancy Medjool page reads “PREORDER SHIPS MID SEPTEMBER.” Ours are in the cold room and go out within three business days.
If you are buying for Rosh Hashanah, which begins the evening of 11 September, that difference decides it. Mid-September arrives after the holiday. That is not a criticism of them — it is the reality of a once-a-year crop, and next year it could easily be us waiting on the harvest. But today, it is the honest answer to “who can actually get me dates this week.”
Shipping is inside our price. Their listing says shipping is calculated at checkout; ours is included to the lower 48. So compare delivered totals, not sticker prices. Their 10 lb at $94.99 is $9.50/lb before freight. Ours is 12 lb at $118, which is $9.83/lb with freight and two more pounds of fruit. Add any realistic shipping cost to theirs and the delivered maths turns. Do that sum yourself — it is the only fair way to compare.
You can see what you are buying by the pound. We publish the weight and the per-pound price on every size. Not everyone does, and when weight is not published you cannot work out what you are paying per pound. We would rather you could.
We start at a pound. Our smallest is $19 for 1 lb. Theirs is $33.99 for 3 lb. If you just want to taste a farm’s fruit before committing, a smaller entry point is friendlier.
Come and look at the trees
Medjool Days state on their site that they “grow, harvest, and pack everything ourselves in the Coachella Valley.” I have no reason to doubt them and I am not going to suggest otherwise.
What I will say is this: our grove is on Longvue Road in Sky Valley, and you are welcome to come and stand in it. Call the farm on (760) 501-1845, tell me when you are passing, and I will walk you down the rows. You can see the palms, the irrigation, the bags we tie over the fruit in August to keep the birds off, and the shed where it gets sorted.
Anybody can write “family farm” on a website. Not everyone can hand you a date off the tree it grew on. That is the whole of my argument, and it is an invitation rather than an accusation — if you are ever in the valley between Palm Springs and Indio, come and check it for yourself.
Here is what hand-pollination looks like on our farm every spring, if you cannot make the drive.
Which should you buy?
- You need dates before mid-September — us, today. They are on preorder.
- You want the reassurance of hundreds of reviews — them, honestly. We are behind on that.
- You want stuffed, chocolate-covered or syrup — them. We do not make those.
- You want one price with nothing added at checkout — us.
- You want to know the per-pound price before you buy — us.
- You want to meet the person who grew them — us. Come by.
See our Jumbo Medjool dates → · Bulk from $9.00/lb → · What is in stock today →
All Medjool Days figures above were read from medjooldays.com on 23 August 2026 and are quoted as published. Prices, stock and review counts change — verify current details on their site before deciding. Desert Sun Dates is a competitor and this comparison is written by its owner.
