Frive 
HelloFresh Which Meal Kit is Better in 2026?
A comprehensive comparison of Frive and HelloFresh including pricing, discounts, meal variety, dietary options, and more. Find out which service is right for you.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Frive | HelloFresh |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2016 | 2011 |
| Recipes per Week | 40 | 45 |
| Max Discount | 24% | 70% |
| Lowest Price/Meal | £4.39 | £1.47 |
| Offer Duration | 4 weeks | 1 weeks |
| Min Box Size | 1 meals / 1 people | 2 meals / 2 people |
| Max Box Size | 4 meals / 4 people | 5 meals / 2 people |
| Delivery Days | Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu | 7 days a week |
| Delivery during offer | - | Free delivery (normally £4.99) |
Pricing & Offers Comparison
Compare current new customer discounts and pricing
Frive
HelloFresh
Prices and discounts shown are based on current offers and may vary by box size. Check individual deal pages for exact pricing.
Pros & Cons
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
HelloFresh
Pros
- Big mainstream variety + broad appeal (family-friendly options)
- flexible subscription controls (skip/pause/cancel with a deadline)
- pre-portioned ingredients + recipe cards
Cons
- Still requires cooking time and some kitchen confidence
- easy to miss cut-off deadlines on subscription services
- packaging waste can be higher than normal grocery shopping
Dietary Options
Compare available dietary plans and restrictions
Both Offer
Only at Frive
Only at HelloFresh
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
HelloFresh Best for Variety
More recipes to choose from each week
HelloFresh Best for Families
Larger box sizes for more people
Frive Best Discount
Highest new customer discount
HelloFresh Our Overall Recommendation
Both Frive and HelloFresh are excellent meal kit services. The best choice depends on your specific needs and preferences. For the most affordable option, we recommend HelloFresh. If recipe variety is important to you, HelloFresh 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