Dollar Tree vs. Dollar General: Here's How the Two Stores Stack Up

Dollar Tree and Dollar General might sound the same. But if you go into both stores hoping that everything will cost just $1, you’ll be disappointed. In fact, Dollar General isn’t a dollar store at all, but they do beat Dollar Tree in a few specific areas, especially when it comes to coupons.

Whether your goal is to get the absolute lowest prices, use coupons with your purchase, or even hunt for clearance items, let me show you how these two stores compare. I've also included a list of more than 20 items and their current prices to show you what's cheaper at either store.

Download The Krazy Coupon Lady app or text HACKS to 57299 for the latest money-saving tips, deals, and coupons.

Dollar Tree sells most items for $1.25, while Dollar General offers only a tiny selection of $1 items.

What’s the biggest difference between Dollar Tree and Dollar General? Price. Dollar Tree prices almost everything at $1.25 (except for a few Dollar Tree price increases we've been tracking), while Dollar General only has a small selection of items priced at $1 (in their $1 aisle).

But you'll need to compare unit prices at Dollar Tree vs. Dollar General to see who's cheaper.

Since the two stores tend to sell different sized packaging, you need to compare their unit prices (per ounce, per item, etc.) to see who is actually cheaper.

I compared unit prices of everyday products and found that Dollar General actually has the better value for 11 out of 25 items (including tissue paper for up to 20% cheaper), while Dollar Tree had the edge for 10 out of 25 items (including Crest 3-D White Toothpaste, which is 56% cheaper).

They tied on four items (Comet cleaner, greeting cards, Hunt's Ketchup, and paper towels).

What's Cheaper at Dollar Tree:

What's Cheaper at Dollar General:

Related: See the best Dollar Tree deals and Dollar General deals our team is finding this week.

Know that Dollar General's $1 aisle is cheaper than Dollar Tree's base price.

Dollar General has their own version of Target’s Dollar Spot. But everything in the Dollar General aisle is marked at $1 or less, which beats the $1.25 price you’ll find when shopping at Dollar Tree.

But don’t expect to find as many cute seasonal items in the $1 aisle as you’d find at Target’s Dollar Spot. The Dollar General $1 aisle has more practical everyday items on your list, like snacks, toiletries, and household items. Check out DG’s current Dollar Deals page to see what I mean.

KCL TIP: Many of the $1 items at Dollar General are only trial size, meaning they’re smaller than what you’d find in a typical retail store. But some of the items, like Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, are marked at just $0.75.

Use manufacturer coupons at either store to get items for less than $1.

You can use manufacturer coupons at either store to score items for less than $1.

For example, if you have a $0.50 Colgate toothpaste coupon and the item costs $1.25 at Dollar Tree, you’ll get it for $0.75.

KCL TIP: Manufacturer coupons often exclude certain sizes, so always read the coupon’s fine print (we wrote a whole post about how to understand coupon fine print). If your item is a trial size or just an unusual size — like many of the Dollar General $1 products or Dollar Tree’s brand-name products — then your coupon might not work.

Only Dollar General's app lets you clip digital store coupons to stack with manufacturer coupons.

The Dollar General app is free to download, and it's where you’ll find all the coupons. (Dollar Tree doesn't have this same perk.)

The DG app works similarly to the Target Circle app. You can either add product-specific DG coupons or just scan the barcodes of whatever's in your cart to search for deals.

Dollar General coupons can be stacked with manufacturer coupons as long as there isn’t an exemption listed in the fine print.

Look for a $5 off $25 coupon to use every Saturday at Dollar General. The coupon is only valid on Saturdays and will be printed at the bottom of a receipt or found in your Dollar General app.

KCL TIP: You can’t use any coupons if you're placing an order for Dollar General delivery.

Dollar Tree makes you print out your manufacturer coupons before you shop.

Dollar Tree wants manufacturer coupons printed. You can easily print manufacturer coupons right off our site or check our current Dollar Tree deals to plan your shopping trip.

Dollar Tree accepts up to two coupons printed online per person per day and up to four of the same of other manufacturer coupons (like newspaper coupons) per person per day. Check their full Dollar Tree coupon policy online.

But the biggest issue you’ll have using coupons at Dollar Tree is finding brand-name items that fit the coupon size requirement. They purposefully avoid stocking shelves with products that fit manufacturer coupon requirements, but there should always be some exceptions.

Bottom line: Always, always, always read the fine print to make sure your item isn’t excluded.

KCL TIP: You can also purchase a newspaper at most Dollar Tree stores for $1.25. Then you can open it up and use all the manufacturer coupons inside.

Stack Ibotta rebates with manufacturer coupons for freebies at both Dollar Tree and Dollar General.

If you sign up for the Ibotta app, you can use cash-back rebates in addition to manufacturer coupons. DG shoppers can also stack DG app coupons in combination with manufacturer coupons and Ibotta rebates.

Ibotta is free to use, and you’ll get even deeper savings by unlocking instant rebates on items you’re already buying.

If you stack the discounts just right, you could even get items for free. For example, if your manufacturer coupon takes an item like mouthwash down to $0.50, and then you get a $0.50 rebate from Ibotta, it’s like getting the item for free once you receive your cash-back reward.

Related: We can teach you more about Ibotta and some of the other ridiculously easy-to-use rebate apps.

Shop penny items on Tuesdays at Dollar General (Dollar Tree doesn't have a penny list).

Penny items are clearance items that should have been pulled from Dollar General shelves. The penny prices are discounted every Tuesday and are most likely be found in the store’s clearance section.

Something you need to know, though: Certain stores or employees won’t sell these penny items to you, even if you find one on the shelf.

Related: Check out our current list of Dollar General penny items.

Score items for as little as $0.10 during seasonal clearance sales at Dollar General.

When holiday- or season-specific items are past their prime, Dollar General will clearance the items for up to 90% off. That means items previously listed for $1 will get marked down to $0.10.

On the other hand, Dollar Tree clearance only gives items a 50% discount, so most items drop to around $0.63. Still not a bad deal, though.

Get the same $1.25 prices delivered when you shop Dollar Tree using Instacart.

Instacart marks up most store items by around 15% - 20%, depending on the retailer. (Costco delivery, I’m looking at you.)

But there’s a little “In-store prices” button next to Dollar Tree on Instacart.

That means you’ll still get that low $1.25 price on your items with no Instacart surcharge. Additional fees do include the Instacart service fee — about $3, depending on where you’re located — and a tip for the driver.

KCL TIP: Look for frequent Instacart coupons and promos like free delivery from Dollar Tree to save even more.

Dollar Tree vs. Dollar General: The Verdict

When it comes to choosing between Dollar Tree and Dollar General, each store shines in different categories.

Dollar Tree wins:

• Overall predictable pricing with their $1.25 price point

• Brand-name personal care items (like Crest toothpaste and Suave deodorant)

• Kitchen basics and household supplies

• Party supplies and helium balloons

Dollar General takes the crown:

• Their $1 aisle (with items often cheaper than Dollar Tree's $1.25)

• Better digital coupon options through their app

• Deeper seasonal clearance discounts (up to 90% off versus Dollar Tree's 50%)

• Their penny items you can hunt for on Tuesdays

Overall, the best strategy is leveraging both stores: Dollar Tree for consistently low-priced everyday essentials and Dollar General for their digital coupon offerings, extreme clearance deals, and penny-item hunting opportunities on Tuesdays.

Related Reading:

• Dollar General Weekly Ad: Best Deals

• Dollar Tree Weekly Ad: Best Deals

• 16 Tips to Get You an Amazing Dollar Tree Haul