Fresh Step Scented is the strongest all-around pick in this comparison for convenient store-bought clay.
A dependable grocery-store clay option with decent clumping, a noticeable fragrance profile, and fair everyday value.
Strong raw value with easy Chewy availability and decent automatic-box compatibility if you can live with more dust.
Frisco is the cheaper bag by a clear margin. Fresh Step clumps better and covers smell with fragrance. Frisco is also the one we list as automatic-box friendly, dust aside.
This comparison page is maintained by the ReviewCatLitter editorial team and grounded in the same scoring framework used across the published review catalog.
Choose between them on texture, clumping, dust and price. Then, if the room still tells you where the box is, Purrify is activated carbon you mix into whichever bag you chose. It is what we use in our own homes.
Read our Purrify guide to picking a litter for odor control.
Every figure below is a reading from our own test runs, not a rating. Where a run never took a reading it says so.
| Reading | Fresh Step Scented | Frisco by Chewy | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dust weighed per pourDust caught on a filter and weighed while the bag goes into the box. Lower is better. | 0.42 mgbetter | 0.58 mg | 0.16 mg |
| Clumps that survived the drop testShare of clumps still whole after a three-foot drop. Higher is better. | 66%better | 58% | 8 points |
| Bag priceWhat the tested bag cost. Bag sizes differ, so read it next to cost per pound. | $18.99 | $13.00 | $5.99 |
| Cost per poundBag price divided by what is in the bag. Lower is better. | $0.45 | $0.33better | $0.12 |
| Cost per dayWhat the box costs to keep running each day. Lower is better. | $0.40 | $0.30better | $0.10 |
| Cost across a yearThat daily cost carried over a full year of use. Lower is better. | $146 | $110better | $36 |
Neither run recorded granules outside the box, ammonia after one day and ammonia after three days, so those rows are left out rather than filled in from a similar bag. The full test data shows every reading we have.
Primary tradeoff: Fresh Step Scented's weakest area here is dust control.
Best dust control here at 0.42mg per pour.
Strongest odor control in this set with strong fragrance masking.
It still lands a stronger overall score than cheaper options because it is more balanced.
Scroll sideways to see every litter. Scores are editorial judgments out of 10.
| Product | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.1Good | 8.0Good |
| Pricing | ||
| Price | $18.99 | $13.00 |
| Weight | 42 lbs | 40 lbs |
| Cost / Day | $0.40 | $0.30 |
| Performance | ||
| Dust Control | 6.2 0.42mg per pour | 5.5 0.58mg per pour |
| Clumping | 7.9 Decent | 7.4 Acceptable |
| Odor Control | 8 Strong fragrance masking | 7.3 Fine with daily scooping |
| Tracking Outside the Box | 6.2 Moderate | 5.8 Moderate-high |
| Value for Cost | 7.9 $0.40/day · $18.99 | 9.4 $0.30/day · $13.00 |
| Features | ||
| Type | Scented Clumping Clay | Budget Clumping Clay |
| Flushable | ||
| Scented | Yes | No |
| Our Verdict | ||
| Best For | Convenient store-bought clay | Cheapest everyday clay |
| Read ReviewCheck Price | Read ReviewCheck Price | |
Fresh Step Scented makes the most sense for convenient store-bought clay.
You want a dependable grocery-store clay option with decent clumping, a noticeable fragrance profile, and fair everyday value.
You need a formula that solves convenient store-bought clay better.
Frisco by Chewy makes the most sense for cheapest everyday clay.
You want strong raw value with easy chewy availability and decent automatic-box compatibility if you can live with more dust.
You need a formula that solves convenient store-bought clay better.
The nearest options to this matchup on score and on price.
Weighed 0.08mg per pour and runs at $0.31 a day.
Weighed 0.00mg per pour and runs at $0.52 a day.
Weighed 0.48mg per pour and runs at $0.47 a day.
Fresh Step Scented comes out ahead on the balance of dust, clumping, odor control, tracking and daily cost. Frisco by Chewy is still the one to buy for cheapest everyday clay.
Frisco by Chewy runs at $0.30 a day against $0.40 for Fresh Step Scented.
Fresh Step Scented scored higher: strong fragrance masking, against fine with daily scooping for Frisco by Chewy.
Fresh Step Scented keeps more litter in the box: moderate, against moderate-high for Frisco by Chewy.
Two perfumed supermarket clays. Clump & Seal holds smell down longer and clumps harder. Fresh Step is the cheaper bag and pours a little less dust.
Ultra if you want the box to stop smelling of perfume and stop clouding when you pour. Fresh Step if you want it in the cart tonight.
Frisco is the cheapest clay bag we have tested, and it shows in the dust and the crumbling clumps. Ultra is the opposite trade.
Frisco is cheaper per day and has no added scent. Clump & Seal is the one to buy if the box sits in a room you actually sit in.
Fresh Step is cheaper and everywhere. World's Best flushes, weighs less, and pours a fraction of the dust.
Fresh Step is the supermarket default. Cat Attract is a targeted fix for a cat that has started going on the floor.