If you are getting married, standing up as a best man, or wrangling a group of groomsmen, you have probably narrowed your tuxedo search down to the two big online rental brands: The Black Tux and Generation Tux. They look almost identical from the outside — slick websites, home try-on, ships to your door, return it in a bag. So which one is actually better?
I am going to give you a straight comparison: selection, fit process, delivery timing, the group deals, and the real all-in cost once you add shoes and accessories. And then I am going to point out the thing neither brand will ever say out loud, because it is bad for their business and good for yours: renting a tuxedo for one night costs roughly the same as owning a made-to-measure suit forever.
I am Jay. I spent about a decade in the West buying and renting formalwear, then moved to Hoi An, Vietnam — the tailoring capital of Southeast Asia — and learned how the economics actually work. I run Nathan Tailors, so yes, I have a horse in this race. But I am going to give you the rental comparison honestly first, because you deserve the real answer either way.
The Two Brands at a Glance
If you are short on time, this table covers most of it. Prices are approximate and move around with promotions, so always check the live site before you commit.
| Feature | The Black Tux | Generation Tux |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Online rental (some buy options) | Online rental (buy ~$699) |
| Tux rental, garment only | ~$169 | From ~$149 |
| Typical all-in (with shoes + accessories) | ~$200–$240 | ~$190–$230 |
| Free deal | Group savings / periodic promos | Free couple rental with 5 paid (FREETUX) |
| Home try-on | Yes | Yes (free 3-day groom trial) |
| Delivery window | ~14 days before | ~14 days before |
| Return | Within ~3 days, prepaid | Within ~3 days, prepaid |
| You own it after? | No | No |
The Black Tux: The Polished One
The Black Tux built its reputation on garment quality and a genuinely premium online experience. The fabrics feel a notch above what you remember from the mall tux-rental counter, the lapels are clean, and the fit options are sensible. A peak-lapel tuxedo runs around $169 at the time of writing — up from $149 a couple of years ago — and full looks are often discounted around 20%.1
Worth knowing: The Black Tux acquired Menguin in 2019,4 so if you have used both, you are dealing with the same parent. The home try-on lets you check fit before the event, delivery lands roughly two weeks out, and returns are the usual prepaid-bag affair.
Where it shines: a single groom or best man who wants the best-looking rental and does not mind paying a little more for it.
Generation Tux: The Group-Friendly One
Generation Tux competes hard on price and on group coordination. Rentals start around $149 and average about $200 all-in,3 and the standout offer is the clearest in the category: with five paid rentals, the couple gets one suit or tuxedo free (promo code FREETUX, expiring end of 2026 at the time of writing).2
Their wedding workflow is built for parties: everyone's attire arrives about 14 days before the event so the group has time to try things on, and grooms can use a free three-day Home Try-On even earlier.2 Returns drop at any carrier within three days, prepaid bag and label included.
Where it shines: a wedding party of five or more who want one coordinated look, a free groom rental, and predictable logistics.
Now the Part Neither Brand Will Tell You
Step back and look at the number. You are about to spend somewhere between $150 and $240 to borrow a tuxedo for one evening, then mail it back. The average US rental is about $205.5
For that same money, you can have a suit made to your exact measurements and keep it forever. A Nathan Tailors made-to-measure suit is $129–$499 depending on fabric. A clean midnight-blue or black suit that reads as black-tie-adjacent sits comfortably in rental territory — except it is yours, cut to your body, and ready for the next wedding, the next funeral, the next interview, and the next ten years of dinners.
Both brands charge roughly $150–$220 to borrow a tux for one night. For the same money, you can own a made-to-measure suit cut to your body.
The cost-per-wear table that ends the argument
| Option | Up-front | Wears | Cost per wear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent once (avg) | ~$205 | 1 | ~$205 |
| Rent 3 events over a few years | ~$615 | 3 | ~$205 |
| Own a custom suit | $129–$499 | 10+ | $13–$50 |
Rent twice and you have spent more than a custom suit costs — with nothing in your closet to show for it. The only honest reason to rent is if you genuinely need true black-tie once and never again. For most men, that is not the situation.
It's Not Just the Money — It's What You Keep
Run the math all you want, but the real reason to skip the rental is bigger than dollars. Your wedding is one of the handful of days you will talk about for the rest of your life. Think about how the two versions of that story sound.
Years from now, your kid finds a photo and asks, "Is that the suit you wore when you married Mum?" In one version you open the closet and there it is — the actual suit, cut to you, the one in every photo from that day. In the other version you shrug and say, "Oh, that? I rented it. Sent it back in a bag the next morning." One of those is a small heirloom. The other is a receipt.
Nobody ever framed a rental receipt. The suit you got married in should still be hanging in your closet when your kids ask about it.
It is the same on the day itself. Someone always asks the groom, "Where's the suit from?" There is a quiet difference between "I had it made for me" and "it's a rental, it goes back Sunday." The first is a story. The second is admin. You only get to answer that question once for this wedding — make it the good answer.
A rental is, by design, temporary. It is built to be worn by a stranger next month. The whole point of the day is that it is yours — so let the suit be yours too. It is the thing you will put back on for the next anniversary dinner, the next big night, the photo you will still have in forty years.
The Groomsmen Angle: Five Men Changes the Math
Rental logistics look easy until you are the one coordinating them. Five-plus guys each have to: order on time, get measured (or guess), receive the box, try it on with only a couple of weeks of runway, hope the sizing is right, and then actually mail it back within three days or eat a late fee. One groomsman flaking on the return is a real, common headache.
Custom flips the model:
- Nobody returns anything. Each man keeps his suit. No prepaid bags, no carrier runs, no late fees.
- One coordinated fabric, every body type. We cut the same cloth to each man's measurements — slim, athletic, big-and-tall, all matched, all flattering.
- It becomes the gift. Instead of $200 each evaporating on a rental, the suit is a keepsake your groomsmen actually use again.
- We measure remotely. Each guy self-measures at home in about 15 minutes with our guided walkthrough, and we review every set by video before cutting.
If you are coordinating a party, start with our groomsmen suits guide — it walks through sizing a whole group remotely and keeping the look consistent.
"But I Need It Fast"
Fair. Rentals win on raw speed if your event is inside two weeks. But the gap is smaller than you think: we handmake a suit in about 5–7 days, ship standard in 2–3 weeks, and offer express that lands in under a week to most countries (3–5 days within Asia). If your wedding is 4+ weeks out — which most are when you are still comparing tux brands — custom is very comfortably in range. Message us on WhatsApp with your date and we will tell you honestly whether we can hit it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Black Tux or Generation Tux better quality?
In most hands-on comparisons, The Black Tux edges ahead on fabric feel and finishing, while Generation Tux is very close and competes on price and group deals. Neither is the mall-counter polyester of old — both are solid for what they are: one-night rentals.
Which one has the free groom deal?
Generation Tux has the clearest standing offer: five paid rentals gets the couple one free suit or tuxedo (FREETUX at the time of writing).2 The Black Tux runs group savings and periodic promotions, so check the current terms when you order.
How far in advance do I need to order a rental?
Both ship roughly 14 days before your event, so order at least three to four weeks out to leave room for a fit swap. That same window is plenty to have a custom suit made and delivered.
Is a custom suit really the same price as renting a tux?
Yes, at the entry and mid tiers. A custom suit at Nathan Tailors is $129–$499; the average tux rental is about $205.5 The difference is that you own the suit and can wear it for years. A true peak-lapel black-tie tuxedo we make also lands in that range — ask us for a quote.
Can you make a tuxedo, not just a suit?
Yes — satin peak or shawl lapels, covered buttons, a proper tuxedo trouser with a satin stripe, the works, cut to your measurements. Send us a reference photo on WhatsApp and we will quote it.
The Bottom Line
The Black Tux and Generation Tux are both good at being rental companies. The Black Tux is the more polished single-groom pick; Generation Tux is the better group-and-budget pick with the cleanest free-groom deal. If renting is genuinely right for your one-time black-tie need, you will be fine with either.
But here is the clearest way we can say it: stop renting. There is a better way. Before you spend $200 to borrow a tuxedo for one night, do the cost-per-wear math. For the same money — sometimes less — you can own a made-to-measure suit cut to your body, delivered worldwide, that you will reach for again and again. That is the option the rental brands have no reason to mention, and the one most grooms wish they had known about.
See the full spec, fabrics, and tiers on our bespoke suits and custom tailored suits page, browse the pricing menu starting at $129, or just message us on WhatsApp with your wedding date. We have 400+ five-star reviews from customers who ordered without ever visiting Hoi An — and never had to mail anything back.
