The qualities better, plants alive are pretty appauling when ever I've used them. I'd say it's only worth the money when it's buying plants that an alternative or the same plant isn't available from Aquafluer. Bigger isn't always better. I've received tiny rotalla green that's still in it's emergent form from TGM that has done much (i)much(i) better than a huge already grown on Rotalla green from the same place, sometimes when a plant starts to adapt and it weakens the plant by jumping about between systems.
It's personal choice really, there are few options left open for the more money conscious out there these days. The tropica is it worth it arguement will rage on until AF drops the 6 pots minimum order thing that has to be passed on to the customers and forces tropica to drop it's prices to compete.