It’s the comparison every athleisure lover has been waiting for: Lululemon versus Athleta.
These brands are athleisure powerhouses offering high-quality activewear for yoga, the gym, lounging, and errands. Whether you're perfecting your chaturanga or picking up groceries, these companies make something that fits the bill. But which meets your needs—and aligns with your values—best?
Below, we'll compare Athleta versus Lululemon, from style and performance to price. Choose your perfect fit and find it for less on ThredUp.
Here’s a thorough breakdown of Athleta versus Lululemon so you can find the best workout wear for your wardrobe.
Athleta and Lululemon both offer a wide range of activewear.
Athleta focuses on versatility, providing athletic apparel for everything from high-impact activities like hiking and running to low-impact hobbies like yoga classes. They also have bras, sweaters, casual tops, jackets, dresses, jumpsuits, shorts, and more. And they even provide an Athleta Girl line for young athletes. You can find many of these items preloved on ThredUp, starting at about $5.99.
Lululemon focuses heavily on yoga and fitness essentials for all genders. In recent years, they've expanded to offer technical apparel like running gear and a wide range of must-haves like sports bras, skirts, jackets, joggers, dresses, and polo shirts. Thrift many of these items on ThredUp, starting at approximately $5.99.
Athleta and Lululemon both sell accessories. While Athleta focuses on categories like bags, wallets, hats, gloves, and sun care, Lululemon's accessory range is more extensive, from water bottles and scarves to duffle bags, yoga mats, and all types of shoes.
Athleta and Lululemon are both known for their high-quality fabrics.
Lululemon uses premium, proprietary, high-performance fabrics. For example, Nulu fabric was developed as part of the brand's Naked Sensation innovation to have a second-skin feel. Everlux fabric is cool-feeling and fast-drying, perfect for sweaty activities such as hot yoga and spinning, and Luon is the brand's signature soft, sweat-wicking, four-way stretch fabric.
These fabrics, used in Lululemon's leggings, tops, shorts, and more, keep you cool and comfortable while you exercise. And Lululemon's activewear also often features breathable mesh linings.
Athleta combines natural fibers with performance technology to create soft, durable materials for all types of activities. Their VitaFree fabric is breathable, full-coverage material, while their Seasoft fabric is soft and plush—perfect for sweatshirts and shorts. They also offer Featherweight Stretch, wrinkle-resistant material, and Powervita fabric, which is smooth and stretchy for activities like yoga.
On the hunt for something specific? ThredUp's material search filter makes finding your favorite fabrics easy.
Athleta and Lululemon are both premium companies—but with slightly different price tags.
Athleta is a more affordable athleisure brand. For instance, their popular Athleta leggings run as low as $89 and as high as $119. And this brand offers frequent sales and promotions, so you can regularly snag activewear for less than the sticker price.
Lululemon's prices are slightly higher than Athleta's for some apparel, but not by much. Their leggings start at $88, less than Athleta's most affordable pair, but they can cost up to $138. When you shop at Lululemon, you're less likely to find a discount because this brand rarely runs sales. But Lululemon's website does feature a "We Made Too Much" section, which offers some styles at a discount.
Athleta celebrates all body sizes. This inclusive brand offers most activewear and other garments in sizes XXS through 3X so everyone can find something they love.
Lululemon expanded their sizes in 2020 and 2021 to address criticisms about limited sizing. They now offer a broad size range, from 00 to 20. This numerical, non-standard sizing frustrates some shoppers—you might also prefer Athleta's more straightforward sizing because it's easier to find the right fit, especially for online ordering.
Both Athleta and Lululemon deliver standout leggings. Here's how their most popular styles compare.
These versatile and durable tights are made with Athleta's signature Powervita fabric. They're ultra-soft and supportive, hugging your body in all the right places during low-impact workouts.
Athleta’s Elation leggings are available in sizes XXS–3X. They have three inseam lengths: petite, regular, and tall. And they’re breathable, quick-drying, and stretchy.
These leggings cater to a broad range of body types, so you'll likely find a pair that looks and feels great. And there are quite a few colors to choose from, including basic black, blue, pink, and gray, so you can pick a look that matches your workout wardrobe.
This is one of the best Athleta leggings if you like to travel light because there's a pocket in the back of the waistband. The fabric is also quite thick, which offers more compression and support. But this thick fabric may also be a downside, as some reviewers found it to be too heavy for sweatier workouts.
Lululemon's Align High-Rise Pant is an athleisure staple. Thanks to the brand's Nulu fabric, these Lulu leggings have a "barely-there" feel.
Lululemon’s Align leggings are designed to be feather-light and breathable. Their second-skin comfort is ideal for yoga and lounging because you have complete freedom of movement.
These tights come full-length and cropped, in sizes 0 through 20, and in 23", 25", 28", and 31" inseams. The colors range from bright shades like ripened raspberry to legacy green and patterns like camo. And light-colored leggings are lined to make them squat-proof.
These Lululemon leggings have benefits such as their ultra-soft texture and convenient side pocket. But if you're looking for tights to wear during higher-impact exercise, they may not offer enough support and compression.
Both legging types offer unique benefits. While the Athleta Elation Ultra High-Rise 7/8 Legging is thick and supportive—ideal for coverage and stability—the Lululemon Align High-Rise Pant is lightweight and flexible—perfect for yoga and light movement. Which you choose depends on your lifestyle, goals, and activity level.
Your ideal athleisure brand should suit your needs and lifestyle. From Athleta to Alo and Lululemon, choosing a company comes down to what you love to do. And you don’t have to pick and stick to just one—thrift on ThredUp to discover your favorite pieces by each brand.
On ThredUp, you can find top-quality activewear at up to 90% off estimated retail prices. We drop 50,000 new items daily, and if you need help determining what you're looking for, our AI-driven Style Chat feature gives you real-time, personalized fashion inspiration. Need to make room in your closet for new additions? Use a Clean Out bag and earn thrifting credit.
Shop secondhand to save money and support sustainable fashion. Find like-new preloved pieces on ThredUp today.
While “good” is subjective, Athleta has a lot going for them.
Founded in 1988, Athleta aims to inspire women and girls to stay active. Since their inception, the brand has focused on creating a supportive community where people feel seen and heard as they build strength and get moving.
Athleta launched their Power of She platform in 2016, which celebrates women and girls of all ages and abilities. In 2018, they became a certified B Corporation, which means they’re certified for their social impact by B Lab.
Athleta values inclusivity, sustainability, and quality and is on a mission to create high-performance apparel designed with women in mind. In line with this, they created The Power of She fund in 2020, which provides grants to women's empowerment organizations. They partnered with athletes like Allyson Felix and Simone Biles, role models for girls and women worldwide.
Athleta is an excellent example of a brand that balances profit and purpose. They’re more than just activewear, but the quality of their apparel doesn't hurt.
While Athleta and Lululemon have similar clothing ranges and market positioning, they're not owned by the same company. Athleta was acquired by the large retail company Gap Inc. in 2008. Lululemon, on the other hand, is an independent, publicly traded company based in North America.