HelloFresh is a global meal kit leader with broader international presence and diverse meal options, while Home Chef focuses on flexibility with customizable meals and no subscription lock-in. Both offer convenient home delivery but differ in pricing models and meal variety.
HelloFresh vs Home Chef — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Market-leading meal kit service with 100+ weekly recipes, faster delivery, and extensive dietary options.
Premium meal kit service with 10-15 recipes weekly and 12+ specialized dietary plans.
Subscription Flexibility. Average Meal Cost per Serving. Meal Customization. Global Availability. Preparation Time. Menu Variety Weekly. Sustainability Focus. Customer Retention Rate
HelloFresh excels for budget-conscious customers seeking global options and sustainability commitments, while Home Chef is ideal for those prioritizing flexibility, speed, and customization without subscription pressure. The choice depends on whether you value variety and price (HelloFresh) or convenience and freedom (Home Chef).
HelloFresh: 30-40 recipes | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Fixed subscription-based | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 3-6 person family sizes | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Excellent consumer satisfaction | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Skip/pause options | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Growth trajectory with influencer partnerships | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Stable regardless of order frequency | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Premium pricing | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Standard recyclable materials | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Limited swaps | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Best Overall Meal Delivery | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Established leader | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 20-25 options | Home Chef: 40+ options
HelloFresh: 30-60 minutes | Home Chef: 15-30 minutes
HelloFresh: 15+ countries | Home Chef: US only
HelloFresh: Yes, weekly commitment | Home Chef: No, pay-per-order
HelloFresh: 4.5 stars | Home Chef: 4.3 stars
HelloFresh: Carbon-neutral certified | Home Chef: Standard recyclable packaging
HelloFresh: 8 | Home Chef: 10+ customizable options
HelloFresh: High (choose each week) | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 0% organic certified | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 25-35 minutes | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 10+ plans | Home Chef: 10+ specialized diets
HelloFresh: Partial/Unverified | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: $120-144 (6 meals) | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 20+ meals | Home Chef: 18-20 meals
HelloFresh: Not certified | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: Non-GMO sourced (unverified) | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 0-5% certified organic | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 25% vegetarian options | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: No, standard shipping | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 4+ million customers | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: $215 (estimated) | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 4.1/5 (8,500 reviews) | Home Chef: 4.1/5 stars
HelloFresh: $4.49 (average) | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 8.5 million | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 600-850 cal | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 13 countries | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 2-4 servings | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 25-35 minutes | Home Chef: 25 minutes
HelloFresh: 8 options | Home Chef: 12+ options
HelloFresh: 4 meals | Home Chef: 2 meals
HelloFresh: $32-$48 | Home Chef: $40-$64
HelloFresh: 40-50 options | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 20-30 minutes | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 10+ dietary filters | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 550-850 kcal | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 4-6 servings | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 25–40 minutes | Home Chef: 25
HelloFresh: Calories, macros listed | Home Chef: Complete with allergens, micros
Monthly Cost (Family of 4, 3 meals/week)
HelloFresh: $420 (estimated) | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 15 years (since 2011) | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: 8+ (vegan, keto, pescatarian, low-carb, organic, calorie-controlled, gluten-free, paleo) | Home Chef: N/A
HelloFresh: N/A | Home Chef: 50+ recipes
How to choose between HelloFresh and Home Chef
HelloFresh vs Home Chef — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for HelloFresh vs Home Chef. Contains 105 attribute comparisons, 4 FAQ pairs.
HelloFresh vs Home Chef — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for HelloFresh vs Home Chef.
HelloFresh is slightly cheaper than Home Chef on standard plans. HelloFresh's 2-person plan starts at $8.99/serving (before discounts); Home Chef's 2-person plan starts at $9.99/serving. For 4-person plans, HelloFresh runs approximately $7.49/serving vs Home Chef at $8.99/serving. For the most budget-conscious meal kit option, HelloFresh's sister brand EveryPlate offers significantly reduced prices at approximately $4.99/serving — the same meals-delivered convenience at budget grocery pricing. Both companies offer substantial first-order discounts (typically 50-60% off for the first box) and regularly run promotional offers for lapsed subscribers. The full cost comparison should include delivery fees: both charge approximately $9.99 per delivery box with free delivery thresholds. Home Chef's Kroger in-store pickup option eliminates delivery fees entirely, which can make Home Chef more economical per serving for shoppers near a Kroger store.
Yes — HelloFresh makes it easy to skip any delivery week. You can skip up to 5 consecutive weeks at a time through the HelloFresh website or app. The process: log in before the weekly cutoff (typically 5 days before your delivery day), go to 'Upcoming Deliveries,' and select 'Skip Week.' No penalty, no fee, no explanation required. HelloFresh sends reminder emails before each billing cycle with a direct skip link. Some subscribers use HelloFresh seasonally — subscribing when they have more time to cook, skipping during busy travel periods or vacations. Cancellation is also straightforward (Settings → Plan → Cancel Plan) with no cancellation fee, though HelloFresh's system does try to retain you with discount offers during the cancellation process. Home Chef has similar skip functionality with comparable flexibility. Both companies' business models rely on subscriber autopay, so they intentionally make skipping (vs. canceling) very easy — keeping the subscription relationship alive while accommodating users' changing schedules.
Yes — Home Chef offers vegetarian meal options, though with fewer dedicated vegetarian recipes than HelloFresh's more comprehensive dietary filtering. Home Chef's vegetarian options are tagged and filterable on their menu, typically including 3-6 vegetarian options per week out of 30+ total. These include vegetable-forward dishes (veggie pasta, grain bowls, plant-based protein options) as well as ovo-lacto vegetarian meals. Home Chef does not currently offer a dedicated vegan meal plan, though some vegetarian options can be vegan as labeled. For vegan or plant-based specific diets, HelloFresh's Green Chef brand offers a certified plant-based plan with 100% plant-based recipes. HelloFresh's main subscription also has more extensive vegetarian and plant-based filtering options with dedicated 'plant-based' menu sections. If vegetarian cooking is a primary dietary requirement, HelloFresh's broader vegetarian selection (typically 8-12 vegetarian recipes per week vs Home Chef's 3-6) and Green Chef's plant-based plan give it an advantage.
HelloFresh portion sizes are a common point of criticism — many subscribers report that their 2-person meals are filling for two average appetites but may be insufficient for larger eaters or active individuals. The servings are calibrated to standard nutritional serving sizes (approximately 500-700 calories for most dinners) rather than generous restaurant-style portions. Specific issues cited: proteins are often 4-6 oz per person (at the lower end for a main course), sides are proportioned to complement the protein, and there's little room for additional servings. For people accustomed to larger portion sizes or serving active family members, the default serving sizes can feel light. Solutions HelloFresh offers: ordering 4-person plans even for 2 people effectively doubles portions at a lower per-unit cost, and premium 'Gourmet' recipes often include larger protein portions. Home Chef allows adding extra protein through its Customize It feature, which helps address this issue. If you're buying for anyone with larger appetites (teenagers, athletes), plan on ordering 1.5-2x the 'recommended' serving size when selecting your plan.
How to Choose Between HelloFresh and Home Chef
Subscription Flexibility: HelloFresh has Weekly commitment required, while Home Chef has No subscription required, pay-per-order.
Average Meal Cost per Serving: HelloFresh has $2.99-$3.99, while Home Chef has $3.49-$4.49.
Meal Customization: HelloFresh has Limited dietary filters available, while Home Chef has Highly customizable portions and ingredients.
Global Availability: HelloFresh has Available in 15+ countries, while Home Chef has US-focused availability.
Preparation Time: HelloFresh has 30-60 minutes average, while Home Chef has 15-30 minutes average.
Menu Variety Weekly: HelloFresh has 20-25 meal options, while Home Chef has 40+ meal options.
Sustainability Focus: HelloFresh has Carbon-neutral shipping, recyclable packaging, while Home Chef has Recyclable packaging, less emphasis.
Customer Retention Rate: HelloFresh has 72% retention, while Home Chef has 65% retention.