How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Meal prep companies fall into two groups: meal kits you cook yourself, and prepared meals delivered ready to heat.
- HelloFresh and Home Chef lead for meal kits, while Factor leads for prepared meals delivered ready to heat.
- Sunbasket and Green Chef suit organic and specialty diets, while EveryPlate suits tight budgets.
- Prices vary by servings and meals per week, so compare per-serving cost, add-ons, and shipping before choosing.
- This article is general information only, not medical or nutrition advice, and diet claims should be checked with a clinician or dietitian.
Quick comparison
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The best meal prep companies
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
HelloFresh is the largest meal kit company in the United States, delivering pre-portioned ingredients with step-by-step recipes for two or four servings. Plans cover meat and veggies, veggie, family-friendly, fit and wholesome, and pescatarian options, with weekly menu changes. The service suits busy households that want variety without meal planning.
The trade-offs are waste and pricing. Packaging waste is significant, per-serving prices rise with smaller plans, and some recipes repeat over months. Even so, HelloFresh suits most households that want a reliable, varied meal kit with flexible plans.
What we like- Largest recipe variety
- Flexible plans
- Good for families
Watch out for- Packaging waste
- Prices rise with fewer servings
- Some recipes repeat
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Blue Apron is a meal kit service known for chef-designed recipes that teach cooking techniques, with two and four serving plans and a range of dietary options. Recipes cover weeknight staples and more ambitious dishes, and the service offers wine pairings for subscribers who want them. The guidance in each recipe suits cooks who want to learn while they cook.
The limits are price and choice. Blue Apron costs more than budget kits, plan choices are fewer than HelloFresh, and delivery areas vary. Even so, Blue Apron suits cooks who want chef-designed recipes with technique guidance.
What we like- Chef-designed recipes
- Good technique guidance
- Wine pairing options
Watch out for- Higher price than budget kits
- Fewer plan choices
- Delivery areas vary
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Home Chef is a meal kit service with flexible plans, letting customers swap proteins, customize meals, and choose oven-ready options that need less prep. Its weekly menu is large, and plans cover two, four, and six servings with dietary filters. The service suits households with picky eaters or varied schedules.
The trade-offs are waste and simplicity. Packaging waste is significant, some meals are basic compared with Blue Apron, and prices vary by plan and servings. Even so, Home Chef suits households that want flexible, customizable meal kits with oven-ready choices.
What we like- Flexible plans and swaps
- Oven-ready options
- Good for picky eaters
Watch out for- Packaging waste
- Some meals are basic
- Prices vary by plan
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Factor delivers fully prepared, dietitian-designed meals that heat in about two minutes, with plans for keto, calorie-smart, protein-plus, and other goals. It suits busy professionals, singles, and anyone who wants healthy dinners without cooking, shopping, or cleanup. The menu changes weekly, with breakfast, snacks, and extras available as add-ons.
The limits are cost and space. Prepared meals cost more per serving than kits, a week of meals takes significant fridge space, and menus repeat over time. Even so, Factor suits people who want the fastest path to a hot, planned dinner with no cooking.
What we like- Fully prepared, heat in minutes
- Dietitian-designed menus
- No cooking needed
Watch out for- Higher per-meal cost
- Fridge space needed
- Menu repeats over time
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Sunbasket is a meal service focused on organic ingredients and specialty diets, offering both meal kits and prepared meals for paleo, keto, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and Mediterranean diets. Its ingredient quality is a selling point, and its diet filters make it easy to match a plan to a specific eating pattern. The service suits health-focused households with dietary needs.
The trade-offs are price and coverage. Sunbasket costs more than mainstream kits, delivery areas vary, and some kit meals need more prep time. Even so, Sunbasket suits organic and specialty-diet households that want both kits and prepared meals.
What we like- Organic ingredients
- Strong specialty diet support
- Both kits and prepared meals
Watch out for- Higher price
- Delivery areas vary
- Some meals need more prep
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Green Chef is an organic meal kit service, certified organic, with plans for keto and paleo, plant-based, gluten-free, and Mediterranean diets. Recipes are designed for specialty eaters who want organic ingredients without hunting for compliant meals, and the service is owned by HelloFresh, giving it scale and logistics. The kits suit households that prioritize organic sourcing.
The limits are price and choice. Green Chef costs more than mainstream kits, it shares HelloFresh ownership, and serving choices are fewer. Even so, Green Chef suits organic and specialty-diet households that want certified organic meal kits.
What we like- Certified organic ingredients
- Keto, paleo, and plant-based plans
- Good recipes
Watch out for- Higher price
- Owned by HelloFresh
- Fewer servings choices
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Marley Spoon is a meal kit service with a large weekly menu of global recipes, from weeknight staples to dishes from many cuisines. Plans cover two and four servings with vegetarian and family options, and the service suits adventurous eaters who get bored with repeated menus. The recipes are clear and well-tested.
The trade-offs are price and coverage. Prices vary by plan, packaging waste is significant, and delivery areas vary. Even so, Marley Spoon suits adventurous households that want a large, varied weekly menu.
What we like- Large weekly menu
- Global recipes
- Good for adventurous eaters
Watch out for- Prices vary
- Packaging waste
- Delivery areas vary
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
EveryPlate is HelloFresh's budget meal kit brand, offering simple recipes at the lowest prices in the category, with two and four serving plans. Recipes use fewer premium ingredients and simpler techniques, keeping costs down, and the service suits students, young households, and budget-conscious families. The weekly menu still offers variety across meat, veggie, and family options.
The limits are simplicity and diet depth. Ingredients are simpler than HelloFresh or Green Chef, diet options are fewer, and packaging waste remains. Even so, EveryPlate suits budget households that want meal kits at the lowest per-serving cost.
What we like- Lowest prices in the category
- Simple recipes
- Good for students and budgets
Watch out for- Simpler ingredients
- Fewer diet options
- Packaging waste
How we chose
We compared meal prep companies on food quality, menu variety, diet support, prep time, pricing, delivery coverage, and customer feedback, favoring services with proven delivery operations and broad menus. We also weighed packaging waste and fridge space, since both affect daily life more than most buyers expect before subscribing. We excluded local-only services without national delivery and grocery delivery apps without meal plans, since neither matches the national meal prep comparison this article promises. Prices vary by servings and meals per week, so we wrote See website throughout rather than publishing figures that would mislead buyers.
Buying guide
Start by choosing kits versus prepared meals. Kits suit people who enjoy cooking and want lower per-serving costs, while prepared meals suit people who value time over price and want dinner in minutes. Consider your weekly schedule honestly too, since a kit plan only saves money if you actually cook the meals instead of ordering takeout on busy nights. Next, match the plan to your diet and household size, since a plan that does not fit your diet or serving needs wastes money and food.
Then compare true per-serving cost, including shipping, since headline prices hide fees and small plans cost more per serving. Check delivery days and areas too, since some services do not deliver everywhere or only on certain days. Look at box contents and portion sizes as well, since a cheap per-serving price means little if portions leave you hungry or ingredients arrive damaged. Finally, test with a short trial before committing to a subscription, and check cancellation terms, since some services make pausing easy while others hide cancellation in account settings. Also check nutrition claims with a clinician or dietitian if you have health conditions, since marketing labels such as "healthy" or "keto" do not guarantee a meal fits your medical needs. For families, check whether kids will eat the meals too, since a kit adults love can still fail if children refuse it week after week.
Frequently asked questions
Are meal kits cheaper than groceries?
Not always. Kits cost more per serving than shopping yourself, but they save planning, shopping time, and food waste from unused ingredients. Budget kits such as EveryPlate come closest to grocery costs, while prepared meals cost the most per serving but save the most time.
Are prepared meals healthy?
It depends on the menu and your needs. Factor and Sunbasket design menus with dietitians, but a meal labeled healthy may still be high in sodium or calories for your situation. Check nutrition labels and talk to a clinician or dietitian if you have health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.
Can meal kits handle food allergies?
Most services list allergens and offer diet filters, but cross-contact can occur in packing facilities. People with severe allergies should contact the company directly and consider whether a kit is safe for them, since a label alone may not cover every risk.
How do subscriptions and cancellation work?
Most services bill weekly and let you skip weeks or cancel online, but terms vary. Check cancellation steps before subscribing, and set a reminder to review after your trial period ends so a forgotten subscription does not keep billing.
Do meal prep companies deliver everywhere?
No. Coverage varies by company and zip code, and rural areas have fewer options. Enter your zip code on the company site before choosing, since menus, delivery days, and prices also vary by region.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
HelloFresh
Blue Apron
Home Chef
Factor
Sunbasket
Green Chef
Marley Spoon
EveryPlate