Which Meal Kit is Better in 2026?
A comprehensive comparison of Gousto and Frive including pricing, discounts, meal variety, dietary options, and more. Find out which service is right for you.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2016 |
| Recipes per Week | 80 | 40 |
| Max Discount | 32% | 24% |
| Lowest Price/Meal | £1.05 | £4.39 |
| Offer Duration | 8 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Min Box Size | 2 meals / 1 people | 1 meals / 1 people |
| Max Box Size | 5 meals / 5 people | 4 meals / 4 people |
| Delivery Days | 7 days a week | Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu |
| Delivery during offer | Free delivery: first week only (normally £3.99) | - |
Pricing & Offers Comparison
Compare current new customer discounts and pricing
Gousto
Frive
Prices and discounts shown are based on current offers and may vary by box size. Check individual deal pages for exact pricing.
Pros & Cons
Gousto
Pros
- Value messaging (Gousto advertises from ~£3.20/portion depending on box)
- strong variety focus
- subscription is explicitly flexible (skip/cancel/pause)
Cons
- Still a cook-at-home kit (time + washing up)
- some recipes may rely on basic pantry staples
- packaging/waste considerations remain
Frive
Pros
- Ready-to-eat (no prep/cooking)
- meals heat in ~3 minutes
- positioned around chef-prepared + nutritionist-approved meals
Cons
- Not a cook-at-home mealkit experience (less ‘cooking’/family activity)
- menu/customisation can feel narrower than recipe-box brands
- typically higher cost-per-meal than cooking from scratch
Dietary Options
Compare available dietary plans and restrictions
Both Offer
Only at Gousto
Only at Frive
Both services allow you to filter recipes by dietary preferences when selecting your meals each week.
The Verdict
Our recommendations based on your priorities
Best for Budget
Lowest price per meal after discounts
Best for Variety
More recipes to choose from each week
Best for Families
Larger box sizes for more people
Best Discount
Highest new customer discount
Our Overall Recommendation
Both Gousto and Frive are excellent meal kit services. The best choice depends on your specific needs and preferences. For the most affordable option, we recommend Gousto. If recipe variety is important to you, Gousto offers more choices.
Pro tip: Try both services using their new customer discounts! Start with one, then switch to the other when your discount ends. This way, you get the best of both worlds and save money on every box.
Ready to Try One (or Both)?
Get exclusive new customer discounts on both services
Money-saving tip: Try one service first, then switch to the other when your discount ends to keep saving!
Compare More Services
See how other meal kit services stack up against each other