Lilybod vs. Lululemon: Which brand should you buy? [2026]

While both brands create high-performance activewear, Lilybod stands out with its bold, trend-forward designs and accessible mid-range price point, appealing to a youthful, style-conscious audience. In contrast, Lululemon built its reputation on premium, minimalist athleisure backed by proprietary technical fabrics and exceptional durability, targeting consumers willing to invest in long-lasting quality and a versatile aesthetic.

Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right activewear brand for your needs.

Lilybod: The Trend-Forward Activewear Brand

Lilybod is a contemporary activewear label that merges high-performance materials with a distinct fashion edge. Known for vibrant prints and modern silhouettes, the brand caters to fitness enthusiasts who want their gym wear to double as streetwear. Their customer is style-aware, confident, and looking for unique pieces that make a statement.

• Product mix: The collection focuses primarily on leggings, sports bras, tank tops, and matching sets. They are particularly recognized for their eye-catching prints and seamless designs that provide a sleek, supportive fit.
• Price point: Positioned in the mid-range market, leggings typically cost between $80 and $90, with tops and bras falling between $50 and $70. Complete sets can be purchased for around $130, offering good value for a full outfit.
• Quality & Materials: Lilybod utilizes high-quality seamless and compression fabrics designed for comfort, support, and opacity. The materials are soft to the touch and hold their shape well, and their prints are reliably colorfast and don't fade after washes.
• Sizing/Fit: Their sizing is generally consistent, though the compressive nature of some styles means shoppers in between sizes may prefer to size up for a more comfortable fit. The overall feel is supportive and body-hugging.
• Style & Aesthetic: Bold is the key word. Expect vibrant patterns, unique color-blocking, and designs that are unapologetically modern and youthful.
• Return policy: Lilybod offers a pretty standard 30-day return window for items that are unworn with tags attached.

Lilybod is an excellent choice for shoppers who prioritize an expressive, fashion-forward aesthetic and want high-quality performance wear without the luxury price tag.

Shop Lilybod: lilybod.com

Lululemon: The Leader in Premium Performance

Lululemon is a global powerhouse in the athletic apparel industry, famous for its technical innovation, superior quality, and a minimalist style that has defined the athleisure movement. The brand appeals to a wide range of active customers who prioritize durability, comfort, and versatile pieces that seamlessly transition from a yoga class to running errands.

• Product mix: Lululemon offers a vast range of products for yoga, running, training, and general lifestyle, including leggings, bras, tops, jackets, and accessories for both women and men. They are best known for their signature legging families like the buttery-soft Align and the versatile Wunder Under.
• Price point: As a luxury brand, Lululemon's prices reflect its premium positioning. Leggings start at $98 and can go up to $178 for specialized models, while tops generally range from $50 to $120.
• Quality & Materials: This is where Lululemon shines. It develops proprietary fabrics like Nulu™ (for the Align collection), Luon™, and Everlux™, each engineered for a specific feel and performance need, offering exceptional stretch, sweat-wicking properties, and shape retention. Many products are backed by a quality promise that covers manufacturing defects.
• Sizing/Fit: Renowned for its consistent and reliable sizing that runs true-to-size. Their detailed online size guides and extended sizing options (including petite, tall, and plus sizes) ensure a flattering fit for most body types.
• Style & Aesthetic: Lululemon's design ethos is sleek, understated, and timeless. They primarily use solid colors and subtle patterns, creating versatile pieces that are easy to mix and match.
• Return policy: Lululemon offers a 30-day return policy for unworn merchandise, with a straightforward process online and in-store.

Lululemon is the choice for those who view activewear as an investment in performance, durability, and a classic, minimalist style that will last for years.

Shop Lululemon: shop.lululemon.com

Lilybod vs. Lululemon Comparison

Price Comparison

There is a clear difference in price between the two brands. Lilybod operates in the mid-range segment, with leggings typically priced between $80 and $90. This makes it an accessible option for those wanting high-quality, stylish gear without a high-end investment. Shoppers prioritizing budget and trendiness will find more value here.

Lululemon is firmly in the luxury activewear category, with its most popular leggings starting at $98 and going much higher. While more expensive upfront, many customers justify the cost with the brand's reputation for exceptional durability and longevity. A pair of Lululemon leggings is often seen as a multi-year investment, whereas a Lilybod pair might be chosen for a seasonal style refresh.

Quality & Materials

Lululemon is the industry benchmark for fabric innovation. Its proprietary materials like the weightless Nulu™ and sweat-wicking Everlux™ are the result of extensive research and development and feel unmatched in performance and comfort. The construction is meticulous, with flat seams and thoughtful designs that prevent chafing and enhance movement.

Lilybod also uses high-quality compression and seamless fabrics that are soft, supportive, and perform well during workouts. While not backed by the same level of proprietary fabric science as Lululemon, their materials are praised for their opaque coverage and pleasant feel. The key difference is that Lululemon invests in technical performance, while Lilybod focuses on high-quality materials that beautifully support their vibrant designs.

Style & Aesthetic

Style is the most significant point of differentiation. Lilybod is expressive, bold, and energetic. Its collections are defined by unique prints, dynamic patterns, and on-trend colorways. If you want your activewear to be a fashion statement and a conversation starter, Lilybod's aesthetic will be a perfect match.

Lululemon’s style is minimalist, sleek, and refined. Favoring a palette of solid, often muted or neutral colors, their pieces are designed with versatility in mind. The clean lines and classic silhouettes ensure they work just as well for a non-gym occasion, aligning with the "athleisure" lifestyle it helped pioneer.

Fit & Sizing

Lululemon is known for its exceptionally consistent fit across its product lines. Their sizing is reliable and true-to-size, and the company offers a wider array of sizes and inseam lengths to accommodate different body types, including petite and tall options. This makes shopping online a more predictable experience.

Lilybod's sizing is generally accurate, but because many of its styles are built with a high-compression fit, the feel is much more snug. Customers who are between sizes or who prefer a slightly less restrictive feel are often advised to size up. While its size range is broad, it is not as extensive as Lululemon's.

Shopping Experience

Lululemon offers a true omnichannel experience with hundreds of physical stores worldwide in addition to a polished e-commerce site. Their stores offer personalized fitting help, community events like free yoga classes, and hassle-free returns. This community-centric retail model is a core part of their brand identity.

Lilybod is primarily a direct-to-consumer online brand. Their website is vibrant and user-friendly, providing a straightforward shopping experience. While they lack the physical retail presence of Lululemon, they have strong digital engagement and partner with select online retailers and fitness studios.

Which One Should You Choose?

The right choice comes down to what you value most in your activewear: a bold fashion statement or a long-term performance investment.

Choose Lilybod if:

• You love activewear with vibrant prints and bold, modern designs.
• You want to refresh your workout wardrobe with on-trend pieces without a luxury budget.
• Your style is expressive and you want your gym outfits to stand out.
• You prefer a strong, compressive fit for support during workouts.

Choose Lululemon if:

• You prioritize technical fabric innovation, durability, and a buttery-soft feel.
• You are willing to invest more for activewear that will last for many years.
• You prefer a minimalist, versatile aesthetic that easily blends with your everyday wardrobe.
• You want consistent sizing and a wide range of options for different body types and activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lilybod or Lululemon more expensive?

Lululemon is significantly more expensive. Lilybod leggings typically cost around $80-$90, while Lululemon leggings start at $98 and often cost $128 or more.

Which brand's leggings are better for high-intensity workouts?

Lululemon is generally better for high-intensity workouts due to its technical fabrics. The Everlux™ fabric, used in their Wunder Train leggings, is specifically designed to dry quickly and manage heat during tough sessions. While Lilybod is supportive, Lululemon's material science gives it a performance edge.

How does Lilybod sizing compare to Lululemon?

Lululemon's sizing is very consistent and true-to-size. Lilybod's sizing is also generally accurate, but due to its focus on high-compression fits, some shoppers find it runs slightly small and prefer to size up, especially if they are between sizes.

Which brand is better for yoga?

Lululemon is almost universally considered the top choice for yoga, largely thanks to its Align franchise made with Nulu™ fabric. The material offers a sensation of weightless, unrestricted movement and is exceptionally soft, which is perfect for yoga practice.

Do both brands have sales?

Yes, both brands have sales. Lululemon has a "We Made Too Much" section on their website with year-round markdowns, in addition to seasonal events. Lilybod also runs sales promotions, particularly around holidays and the end of seasons.

Can you find Lilybod in stores?

Lilybod is sold primarily through its official website and other online retailers. It does not have its own brick-and-mortar stores like Lululemon, which has a large global retail presence.

Is Lululemon's quality worth the price?

For most dedicated users, yes. The premium price reflects years of R&D in fabric technology, meticulous construction quality, and exceptional durability. A pair of Lululemon leggings can often withstand years of regular washing and wearing without pilling or losing shape, justifying the initial investment.

Which brand has a better return policy?

Both brands offer similar 30-day return policies for new, unworn items. Lululemon's policy is arguably more convenient due to the option for easy in-store returns, whereas Lilybod returns must be mailed back.