I use cypress mulch personally but it all depends on your set up and what you need. There is no one "best" substrate.
If you have your BP in a glass tank with a screen top, definitely go for something that boosts humidity like cypress mulch, coconut fiber, or coconut chips. If you're using a tub, you may be able to get away with using aspen, newspaper, or paper towel depending on how high the humidity is where you live.
It's always necessary to have the proper levels of humidity throughout the tank (50-65%). A humid box is usually for providing a space with higher than normal humidity to be available for use when a ball python is shedding (ideal humidity during shed is 70-80%).
Every substrate has its pros and cons, rough summary below:
Coconut fiber:
+ Holds humidity well
+ Soft for your snake to lie on
+ Looks natural
- Can be dusty
- If bought in brick form, needs to be soaked before use
Cypress mulch and coconut chips:
+ Hold humidity well
+ Look natural
+ Don't mold
- Pieces are bigger, possibly less comfortable
- Big/sharp pieces can be dangerous if ingested (that's very unlikely though)
Aspen:
+/- Doesn't hold humidity
+ Some snakes like to burrow in it
+ Cheaper than cypress or coconut substrate
- Molds when wet
- Looks unnatural
Paper towel/newspaper
+ Easy to clean
+ Cheap
+ Sanitary (good for when you need to monitor a snake's health and quarantine tanks)
- Doesn't look great
- Doesn't hold humidity
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