Last updated: 20 August 2026
SimplyCook SimplyCook
VS
HelloFresh HelloFresh

Which Meal Kit is Better in 2026?

A comprehensive comparison of SimplyCook and HelloFresh including pricing, discounts, meal variety, dietary options, and more. Find out which service is right for you.

Best for Budget: HelloFresh
Best Discount: HelloFresh

Quick Comparison

Feature
SimplyCook SimplyCook
HelloFresh HelloFresh
Founded
2014
2011
Recipes per Week
45
45
Max Discount
50%
70%
Lowest Price/Meal
-
£1.47
Offer Duration
2 weeks
1 weeks
Min Box Size
4 meals / 2 people
2 meals / 2 people
Max Box Size
4 meals / 4 people
5 meals / 2 people
Delivery Days
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
7 days a week
Delivery during offer
-
Free delivery (normally £4.99)

Pricing & Offers Comparison

Compare current new customer discounts and pricing

SimplyCook

SimplyCook

Max New Customer Discount 50%
Lowest Price per Meal -
Offer Duration 2 weeks
Total Potential Savings £10
HelloFresh

HelloFresh

Max New Customer Discount 70%
Lowest Price per Meal £1.47
Offer Duration 1 weeks
Total Potential Savings £20 - £34

Prices and discounts shown are based on current offers and may vary by box size. Check individual deal pages for exact pricing.

Pros & Cons

SimplyCook

SimplyCook

Pros

  • Very affordable at £9.99 for 4 meals
  • First box free - just pay £1.98 delivery
  • FREE RISE Coffee Box gift with every trial
  • 40-50 recipes to choose from
  • Flexible dietary options (vegan, vegetarian, meat, seafood)

Cons

  • Not a full meal kit - you buy your own fresh ingredients
  • Only one box size (4 meals) - no flexibility for smaller/larger households
  • Limited to 4 meals per box

What Makes SimplyCook Stand Out

  • Pre-portioned flavour kits - no food waste
  • Much cheaper than full meal kits
  • Free premium coffee gift with trial
HelloFresh

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

Vegan Vegetarian

SimplyCook Only at SimplyCook

Meat Seafood

HelloFresh Only at HelloFresh

Plant Based Pescatarian Healthy/Low Calorie

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 HelloFresh

Best for Variety

More recipes to choose from each week

HelloFresh HelloFresh

Best for Families

Larger box sizes for more people

SimplyCook SimplyCook

Best Discount

Highest new customer discount

HelloFresh HelloFresh

Our Overall Recommendation

Both SimplyCook 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

SimplyCook

SimplyCook

Up to 50% off

Save up to £10 on your first boxes

Get SimplyCook Deal
HelloFresh

HelloFresh

Up to 70% off

Save up to £34 on your first boxes

Get HelloFresh Deal

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