You’d probably get more [area and height] value with an XPen, because you can get one that’s high. With NIC grids, you are a bit limited because if your rabbit is wiling to jump over 1 or 2 grids (which many are), you need to buy more than one pack to get a bunny-secure [area and height].

A word of advice for the NIC grids, should you choose to go that route: Don’t skimp out and buy the cheap bulk packs… Read the reviews. If you want structural support for a complex cage set-up, you want grids that are all straight, squares, and not warped — I unfortunately bought 3 packs of grids and in one pack, half of the grids were slanted squares, so Wick’s set-up is not as structurally sound as it could be because the grids aren’t snapped into all the places…. very frustrating. You have to swap pieces in and out to find which ones’ warps complement each other -.-“

If you don’t need a top on it definitely go for the pen. I have both for mine. A large NIC cage as a home base and where they get shut in at night and when we’re not home, and a playpen around it for all other times. I need the NIC cage because I also have cats that come and go into the playpen as they please and while I trust them, I don’t trust to leave them unsupervised with the bunnies out and about.

Playpens give you a lot of space very easily and are quicker to put up. NIC is a little more flexible in dimension and combination but ultimately I think a playpen is a good option, easier to clean too. Make sure it’s nice and tall so they can’t jump out.