Which meal delivery service is cheapest?

Balance, Bistro MD , and Gobble are a few meal delivery services at the more affordable end of the spectrum. However, meal delivery prices vary greatly depending on the order size and frequency, so you may be able to find great deals with any service if you order in bulk or opt for memberships.

Are meal delivery services worth it?

Meal delivery services are definitely worth it if you're looking to eat better, save money, and spend more time at your own dinner table. They're a great alternative to ordering take-out, while helping you adopt healthier eating habits and saving you time and money.

Are meal kits cheaper than buying groceries?

Yes, meal kits are typically cheaper than buying groceries. They only include the ingredients you need, so you won't have to purchase large amounts of food that might go unused or sit in the fridge until they go bad. And since they're delivered straight to your door, they'll save you gas money and reduce the time you spend making tripts to the supermarkets.

10 Best Meal Kit Delivery Services of 2021 by Top10.com

A Closer Look at the Top 10 Meal Delivery Services

What’s in the box3-5 mealsof 2 or 4 servings each
Special dietsVegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free
Price$7.87-$8.99per serving

HelloFresh is one of the easiest and most convenient meal kit delivery services. With straightforward recipes and pre-portioned ingredients, all of its meals are done and dusted in 6 steps or less, allowing you to sit down and enjoy your dinner within 30 minutes. What’s more is that the convenience doesn’t end with the meals: HelloFresh’s website is extremely user-friendly, and modifying, cancelling or reactivating a subscription is as easy as pie. The diversity of meal plans may not be as great as other meal kit delivery services but the quality, ease and convenience of HelloFresh is second to none.

Pros

Fresh ingredients
Simple and time-efficient recipes
Easy to manage subscriptions

Cons

Fresh ingredients need to be used in a timely fashion
Smaller, less diverse menu

What’s in the box2-6 meals2,4 or 6 servings each
Special dietsVegetarian, soy-free, dairy-free, calorie-conscious
Price$7.99 or $9.95per serving

Home Chef lets its customers set up a "taste profile” to help it to determine the meals best suited to them. Each week there is a selection of 18 different dishes to choose from, including quick, 5-minute lunches and entrées, and there are also add-ons such as smoothies. Plus there are options for all types of dietary specifications, including nut-free, gluten-free and dairy-free. The recipes are simple and easy to prepare, and some of the ingredients even arrive pre-cooked, which is a huge time saver.

Pros

Helps you build a “taste profile” to match you with recipes
Convenience of 5-minute lunches
Lets you choose meals a month in advance

Cons

Limited range
Unadventurous recipes

What’s in the box2-4 mealsof 2-4 servings each
Special dietsVegetarian, Vegan, quick and easy, lean and clean
Price$8.99-$12.99per serving

Sunbasket caters to a variety of diets, including vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free and pescatarian, with 18 different recipes to choose from each week for all of its special plans. Developed by award-winning San Francisco chef Justine Kelly, Sunbasket’s menus showcase ingredients and flavors from around the world. You may be eating Okinawa flaked tuna and egg stir-fry with arugula-mango salad one night, and Tex-Mex chicken fajitas with sweet-pepper tomato salsa the next. The variety of meal plans and dishes as well as the high-quality of ingredients and focus on sustainability sets Sunbasket apart from many of its competitors.

Pros

Organic ingredients
Chef-driven menus
Eco-friendly packaging

Cons

More expensive than other services

What’s in the box4-18 servings per week
Special dietsSoy-free, organic & more
Price$11.00 - $15.00 per serving

Factor is a meal delivery company that has put high-quality, paleo and keto friendly food front and center. The company's meat is grass fed and pastured, with no antibiotics or hormones, and the produce is organic and non-GMO. In addition, the meals do not have any added sugar and are gluten and soy free, so for people on paleo or ketogenic diets, it's worth checking out. With Factor you can select a 4, 6, 8, 12, or 18 meals per week plan.When you sign up, you’ll fill out a “taste profile” that covers which ingredients you can’t or won’t eat. Simply put, Factor provides high-quality, ready-to-eat meals, customized for you.

Pros

Meals are never frozen
Set up auto orders based on your meal preferences

Cons

No meal customization
Few vegetarian options

What’s in the box2-4 meals2-4 servings each
Special dietsVegetarian, gluten-free, low carb, diabetic
Price$9.99-$10.99per serving

Blue Apron is the most well-known in the industry and has taken leaps and bounds in recent years to try and change how we’re eating at home. The company wants to help customers learn more about how to cook well at home, and to become more intimately acquainted with their food and the ingredients that go into it. One drawback of Blue Apron is that it offers less variety than most of it's competitors. That said, even with the smaller selection you can experiment with some brilliantly designed and delicious recipes.

Pros

Top flight ingredients from trusted suppliers
Shipping is (almost) always free

Cons

Less recipes than some competitors
No lunch, snack, or dessert options

What’s in the box4, 6, 9 or 12 meals of one serving
Special dietsGluten-free, high-protein, vegetarian, soy-free and more
Price$8.99-$12.50per serving

Most meal kit delivery companies claim that they’re different than other services, but with Freshly there really is one big difference: there’s no actual cooking involved. That’s right, all of Freshly’s meals come pre-cooked and are ready to eat in under 3 minutes. Freshly’s ethos is to offer fresh ready meals that are both nutrient-dense and delicious. Its recipes are put together by a team of in-house chefs, culinary scientists and nutritionists, whose focus is on gluten-free, high-protein dishes that contain less than 500 calories and 35 grams of carbs.

Pros

Convenience
Quality ingredients
Good for you

Cons

No family plans
Menus rotate frequently

What’s in the box3 meals2-4 servings each
Special dietsNone
Price$4.99per serving

EveryPlate is known as being the budget-friendly meal kit delivery service. And if you are watching your spending, there’s no better option than this. Each week, EveryPlate offers a variety of scrumptious meal options that you can throw together yourself. But the best part is the price tag. For less than $5 a meal, you can have healthy, hearty, and home-cooked meals all week long.

Pros

Delicious meals for under $5
Big portions
Easy to follow instruction cards

Cons

Disorganized packaging system
Not a ton of variety to choose from

What’s in the box2-3 mealsof 2 or 4 servings each
Special dietsCarnivore, pescatarian, paleo, keto and more
Price$10.99-$12.99per serving

Green Chef is your one-stop shop for chef-driven recipes using USDA certified organic, non-GMO, and sustainable ingredients from trusted suppliers. The first certified organic meal kit delivery service, the company has a cooperation with farmers, purveyors and fishermen, bringing you the kind of top quality ingredients you’d otherwise have to hunt for at the farmer’s market. All of its recipes are designed to be cooked and ready to eat within 30 minutes. Ingredients come pre-portioned and many additional items such as flatbreads, sauces or dressings arrive premade. This convenience simplifies things and makes for a definite time saver,but the downside is you’re not learning how to make them.

Pros

Certified organic
Quality ingredients
Many specialty diets available

Cons

Lots of premade/processed ingredients
Shipping not included

What’s in the boxNutritionally-balanced prepared meals, meal plan for a month
Special dietsMen, women, diabetes, vegetarian
Price$8.57-$12.50/day

Nutrisystem is a dieter’s meal delivery service. This service provides a full diet plan complete with nutritionally-balanced meals based on your goals, body type, and food preferences. One of the key features of Nutrisystem is that, aside from the fact that plans are already tailored to fit your specifications, you can tailor just about any aspect of the meal plan you don't like. And since Nutrisystem has more than 160 meal options to choose from, there’s plenty of variety to go around.

Pros

Free weight-loss app
Heat and eat meals
Uniquely Yours tailored plans

Cons

Not much room for eating out
Not suitable for peanut or soy allergies

What’s in the box2-6 mealswith 2,4, or 6 servings each
Special dietsLow-calorie, low-carb
Price$9.95-$12.45per serving

Fresh and Easy’s meals come with oven-ready pans and grill-friendly bags that will leave you with a full stomach and an empty sink. A new service offered by Home Chef, Fresh and Easy offers an even simpler take on the meal delivery kit. The menu includes about 9 meals a week that focus on hearty comfort foods. Dishes such as pretzel crusted chicken and grilled salmon and salsa come with all the ingredients pre-cut and portioned to save you the leg work. Simply toss them in the oven pan or grill-bag, cook for around 40 minutes, and enjoy a home-cooked meal without the clean up. Although the menu’s heavy on meat and not as diverse as other meal delivery services, it’s simplicity is refreshing and a nice solution for families who’d like a low-maintenance meal with a home-cooked feel.

Pros

Includes oven- and grill-ready pans
Hearty and lean comfort foods
Eliminates prep work and dirty dishes

Cons

Menu lacks diversity and vegetarian options
Still a new service

Compare Best Meal Kit Delivery Services

$7.87-$8.99per serving

$7.99 or $9.95per serving

$8.99-$12.99per serving

$11.00 - $15.00 per serving

$9.99-$10.99per serving

$8.99-$12.50per serving

$4.99per serving

$10.99-$12.99per serving

$8.57-$12.50/day

$9.95-$12.45per serving

$7.99

Freeon orders over $45

$7.99 free shipping for first week

Free

$8.99 per serving

$7.99

Free

Freeon orders over $49

USexcept AK and HI

USsearch your zip code on company website

USexcept AK, HI, MT, and some of NM

USexcept AK and HI

27 US States

US search your zip code on company website

USexcept some parts of LA

US, territories, Canada

USsearch your zip code on company website

Easy recipes

Healthy eaters

Families, vegetarians

Dieterscustomized plans, keto and paleo options

Busy families

Tasty, gluten-free meals

Busy people on a budget

Healthy eatersketo, paleo, gluten-free

Excellent weight loss program+meal delivery

Piping hot comfort foods

Get $80 offincluding free shipping on first box

Get $30 off your purchase

Get $35 off plus 4 free gifts

Consult a dietitian

Get $20 off your first 3 boxes

Get $15 off your first 4 boxes

Get $10 off your first 3 boxes+free shipping

$80 off including free shipping on first box

50% off meals and shakes

Get $30 off your purchase

Vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free

Vegetarian, soy-free, dairy-free, calorie-conscious

Vegetarian, Vegan, quick and easy, lean and clean

Soy-free, organic & more

Vegetarian, gluten-free, low carb, diabetic

Gluten-free, high-protein, vegetarian, soy-free and more

None

Carnivore, pescatarian, paleo, keto and more

Men, women, diabetes, vegetarian

Low-calorie, low-carb

Ingredients come “fresh from the source”

Food sourced from “top quality vendors”

Organic, antibiotic and hormone- free produce

Organic, non-GMO produce

Non GMO produce

No additives or refined sugars

Fresh, high quality ingredients

USDA certified organic

Contains some sugar alcohols, GMOs

Organic when possible

5-8

12 dinners, 3 lunches

6-18

Dozens

4-8

26 entrees, 7 breakfasts

3 per meal plan

160+

3Classic, veggie, and family

2Classic and family

4, 6, 8, 12, or 18 meals per week

3Vegetarian, 2-person, 4-person

4, 6, 9 or 12 meals per week

7For various specialty diets

3-5 mealsof 2 or 4 servings each

2-6 meals2,4 or 6 servings each

2-4 mealsof 2-4 servings each

4-18 servings per week

2-4 meals2-4 servings each

4, 6, 9 or 12 meals of one serving

3 meals2-4 servings each

2-3 mealsof 2 or 4 servings each

Nutritionally-balanced prepared meals, meal plan for a month

2-6 mealswith 2,4, or 6 servings each

1
HelloFresh
excellent
9.4
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 165people in the past 30 days
9.9
Customer Feedback
Great inEase of Use
8.4
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.8
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
Convenient and healthy meals
Read HelloFresh Review
View Plans
- What’s in the box3-5 mealsof 2 or 4 servings each
- Special dietsVegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free
- Price$7.87-$8.99per serving
HelloFresh is one of the easiest and most convenient meal kit delivery services. With straightforward recipes and pre-portioned ingredients, all of its meals are done and dusted in 6 steps or less, allowing you to sit down and enjoy your dinner within 30 minutes. What’s more is that the convenience doesn’t end with the meals: HelloFresh’s website is extremely user-friendly, and modifying, cancelling or reactivating a subscription is as easy as pie. The diversity of meal plans may not be as great as other meal kit delivery services but the quality, ease and convenience of HelloFresh is second to none.
Pros
Fresh ingredients
Simple and time-efficient recipes
Easy to manage subscriptions
Cons
Fresh ingredients need to be used in a timely fashion
Smaller, less diverse menu
HelloFresh
View Plans
2
Home Chef
excellent
9.5
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 97people in the past 30 days
9.3
Customer Feedback
Great inEase of Use
9.6
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.3
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
Great value and variety
Read Home Chef Review
View Plans
- What’s in the box2-6 meals2,4 or 6 servings each
- Special dietsVegetarian, soy-free, dairy-free, calorie-conscious
- Price$7.99 or $9.95per serving
Home Chef lets its customers set up a "taste profile” to help it to determine the meals best suited to them. Each week there is a selection of 18 different dishes to choose from, including quick, 5-minute lunches and entrées, and there are also add-ons such as smoothies. Plus there are options for all types of dietary specifications, including nut-free, gluten-free and dairy-free. The recipes are simple and easy to prepare, and some of the ingredients even arrive pre-cooked, which is a huge time saver.
Pros
Helps you build a “taste profile” to match you with recipes
Convenience of 5-minute lunches
Lets you choose meals a month in advance
Cons
Limited range
Unadventurous recipes
Home Chef
View Plans
3
Sunbasket
excellent
9.0
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 61people in the past 30 days
8.7
Customer Feedback
Great inEase of Use
8.4
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.2
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
Organic food to your doorstep
Read Sunbasket Review
View Plans
- What’s in the box2-4 mealsof 2-4 servings each
- Special dietsVegetarian, Vegan, quick and easy, lean and clean
- Price$8.99-$12.99per serving
Sunbasket caters to a variety of diets, including vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free and pescatarian, with 18 different recipes to choose from each week for all of its special plans. Developed by award-winning San Francisco chef Justine Kelly, Sunbasket’s menus showcase ingredients and flavors from around the world. You may be eating Okinawa flaked tuna and egg stir-fry with arugula-mango salad one night, and Tex-Mex chicken fajitas with sweet-pepper tomato salsa the next. The variety of meal plans and dishes as well as the high-quality of ingredients and focus on sustainability sets Sunbasket apart from many of its competitors.
Pros
Organic ingredients
Chef-driven menus
Eco-friendly packaging
Cons
More expensive than other services
Sunbasket
View Plans
4
Factor
excellent
9.0
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 65people in the past 30 days
8.7
Customer Feedback
Collecting Data
- -
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.3
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
Variety of diet options
Read Factor Review
View Plans
- What’s in the box4-18 servings per week
- Special dietsSoy-free, organic & more
- Price$11.00 - $15.00 per serving
Factor is a meal delivery company that has put high-quality, paleo and keto friendly food front and center. The company's meat is grass fed and pastured, with no antibiotics or hormones, and the produce is organic and non-GMO. In addition, the meals do not have any added sugar and are gluten and soy free, so for people on paleo or ketogenic diets, it's worth checking out. With Factor you can select a 4, 6, 8, 12, or 18 meals per week plan.When you sign up, you’ll fill out a “taste profile” that covers which ingredients you can’t or won’t eat. Simply put, Factor provides high-quality, ready-to-eat meals, customized for you.
Pros
Meals are never frozen
Set up auto orders based on your meal preferences
Cons
No meal customization
Few vegetarian options
Factor
View Plans
5
Blue Apron
very good
8.8
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 38people in the past 30 days
8.2
Customer Feedback
Great inValue for Money
9.6
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.3
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
Improve your kitchen skills
Read Blue Apron Review
View Plans
- What’s in the box2-4 meals2-4 servings each
- Special dietsVegetarian, gluten-free, low carb, diabetic
- Price$9.99-$10.99per serving
Blue Apron is the most well-known in the industry and has taken leaps and bounds in recent years to try and change how we’re eating at home. The company wants to help customers learn more about how to cook well at home, and to become more intimately acquainted with their food and the ingredients that go into it. One drawback of Blue Apron is that it offers less variety than most of it's competitors. That said, even with the smaller selection you can experiment with some brilliantly designed and delicious recipes.
Pros
Top flight ingredients from trusted suppliers
Shipping is (almost) always free
Cons
Less recipes than some competitors
No lunch, snack, or dessert options
Blue Apron
View Plans
6
Freshly
exceptional
9.7
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 189people in the past 30 days
9.9
Customer Feedback
Great inValue for Money
9.6
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.4
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
Healthy, ready-to-eat meals
Read Freshly Review
View Plans
- What’s in the box4, 6, 9 or 12 meals of one serving
- Special dietsGluten-free, high-protein, vegetarian, soy-free and more
- Price$8.99-$12.50per serving
Most meal kit delivery companies claim that they’re different than other services, but with Freshly there really is one big difference: there’s no actual cooking involved. That’s right, all of Freshly’s meals come pre-cooked and are ready to eat in under 3 minutes. Freshly’s ethos is to offer fresh ready meals that are both nutrient-dense and delicious. Its recipes are put together by a team of in-house chefs, culinary scientists and nutritionists, whose focus is on gluten-free, high-protein dishes that contain less than 500 calories and 35 grams of carbs.
Pros
Convenience
Quality ingredients
Good for you
Cons
No family plans
Menus rotate frequently
Freshly
View Plans
7
EveryPlate
good
8.4
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 9people in the past 30 days
7.6
Customer Feedback
Great inEase of Use
8.4
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.2
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
Food for Busy People on a Budget
Read EveryPlate Review
View Plans
- What’s in the box3 meals2-4 servings each
- Special dietsNone
- Price$4.99per serving
EveryPlate is known as being the budget-friendly meal kit delivery service. And if you are watching your spending, there’s no better option than this. Each week, EveryPlate offers a variety of scrumptious meal options that you can throw together yourself. But the best part is the price tag. For less than $5 a meal, you can have healthy, hearty, and home-cooked meals all week long.
Pros
Delicious meals for under $5
Big portions
Easy to follow instruction cards
Cons
Disorganized packaging system
Not a ton of variety to choose from
EveryPlate
View Plans
8
Green Chef
very good
8.6
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 10people in the past 30 days
7.7
Customer Feedback
Great inService Quality
9.6
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.3
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
A joy for healthy eaters
Read Green Chef Review
View Plans
- What’s in the box2-3 mealsof 2 or 4 servings each
- Special dietsCarnivore, pescatarian, paleo, keto and more
- Price$10.99-$12.99per serving
Green Chef is your one-stop shop for chef-driven recipes using USDA certified organic, non-GMO, and sustainable ingredients from trusted suppliers. The first certified organic meal kit delivery service, the company has a cooperation with farmers, purveyors and fishermen, bringing you the kind of top quality ingredients you’d otherwise have to hunt for at the farmer’s market. All of its recipes are designed to be cooked and ready to eat within 30 minutes. Ingredients come pre-portioned and many additional items such as flatbreads, sauces or dressings arrive premade. This convenience simplifies things and makes for a definite time saver,but the downside is you’re not learning how to make them.
Pros
Certified organic
Quality ingredients
Many specialty diets available
Cons
Lots of premade/processed ingredients
Shipping not included
Green Chef
View Plans
9
Nutrisystem
very good
8.6
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 11people in the past 30 days
7.7
Customer Feedback
Collecting Data
- -
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.1
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
Lose weight and get fit faster
Read Nutrisystem Review
View Plans
- What’s in the boxNutritionally-balanced prepared meals, meal plan for a month
- Special dietsMen, women, diabetes, vegetarian
- Price$8.57-$12.50/day
Nutrisystem is a dieter’s meal delivery service. This service provides a full diet plan complete with nutritionally-balanced meals based on your goals, body type, and food preferences. One of the key features of Nutrisystem is that, aside from the fact that plans are already tailored to fit your specifications, you can tailor just about any aspect of the meal plan you don't like. And since Nutrisystem has more than 160 meal options to choose from, there’s plenty of variety to go around.

Pros
Free weight-loss app
Heat and eat meals
Uniquely Yours tailored plans
Cons
Not much room for eating out
Not suitable for peanut or soy allergies
Nutrisystem
View Plans
10
Fresh and Easy
excellent
9.4
Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 149people in the past 30 days
9.9
Customer Feedback
- -
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
8.0
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.0
Learn how we score
Piping hot comfort foods
Read Fresh and Easy Review
View Plans
- What’s in the box2-6 mealswith 2,4, or 6 servings each
- Special dietsLow-calorie, low-carb
- Price$9.95-$12.45per serving
Fresh and Easy’s meals come with oven-ready pans and grill-friendly bags that will leave you with a full stomach and an empty sink. A new service offered by Home Chef, Fresh and Easy offers an even simpler take on the meal delivery kit. The menu includes about 9 meals a week that focus on hearty comfort foods. Dishes such as pretzel crusted chicken and grilled salmon and salsa come with all the ingredients pre-cut and portioned to save you the leg work. Simply toss them in the oven pan or grill-bag, cook for around 40 minutes, and enjoy a home-cooked meal without the clean up. Although the menu’s heavy on meat and not as diverse as other meal delivery services, it’s simplicity is refreshing and a nice solution for families who’d like a low-maintenance meal with a home-cooked feel.
Pros
Includes oven- and grill-ready pans
Hearty and lean comfort foods
Eliminates prep work and dirty dishes
Cons
Menu lacks diversity and vegetarian options
Still a new service
Fresh and Easy
View Plans

Breaking Down Our Top 10 Choices: Which Is Best For Your Needs

HelloFresh-Best for easy recipes

Home Chef-Best for variety of meals

Sunbasket-Best for families and vegetarians

Factor-Best for diet options

Blue Apron-Best for busy families and couples

Freshly-Best for ready-to-eat meals

EveryPlate-Best for busy people on a budget

Green Chef-Best for healthy eaters

Nutrisystem-Best for weight-loss guarantee

Fresh and Easy-Best for piping hot comfort foods

10 Best Meal Kit Delivery Services for No-Hassle Healthy Meals at Home

Compare all

A Closer Look at the Top 10 Meal Delivery Services

HelloFresh

Home Chef

Sunbasket

Factor

Blue Apron

Freshly

EveryPlate

Green Chef

Nutrisystem

Fresh and Easy