Factor vs. HelloFresh 2024: Ease or Variety?

Both brands are owned by the same parent company, but they cater to distinctly different dining preferences. As someone considering your options, it’s important to understand the core differences. 

Factor specializes in prepared, single-serving meals that only require heating, making it a go-to for convenience and health-focused eating. HelloFresh offers meal kits that include pre-measured ingredients and recipes for you to cook at home. 

After comprehensive comparisons and testing by my colleague, the verdict leans slightly towards Factor. However, if your priority is the cooking experience itself, HelloFresh stands out as an excellent choice. The decision ultimately hinges on what you value most in your mealtime routine.

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Menu Variety: HelloFresh Has Over 100 Options on the Menu

HelloFresh stands out with its extensive menu offerings, providing over 100 different options each week. This variety ensures that no matter your culinary preferences or cooking skill level, there's likely a recipe that fits your needs. 

Cuisine variety also plays a significant role in the appeal of both services. HelloFresh spans a global palette, drawing from culinary influences such as Vietnam, Italy, and Mexico. The robust and customizable menu ensures that there is something for everyone, regardless of your dietary preferences or needs.

You can view HelloFresh’s menu 6 weeks in advance, giving ample time to plan your meals. Recipes are categorized by difficulty (easy, medium, or hard), so you can pick suitable dishes based on your comfort in the kitchen. For a quick and effortless meal is the One-Pan Santa Fe Pork Tacos, rated as easy and taking just 20 minutes to prepare.

In contrast, Factor's menu, though more limited with over 35 dishes weekly, still offers a robust selection tailored to specific dietary preferences. Factor excels in catering to niche diets, especially with its keto-friendly options.

You can explore Factor’s menu 3 weeks ahead, which includes well-crafted keto-friendly meals like Stroganoff-Style Beef Burger, Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken, and Creamy Pesto Pork Chop. Additionally, Factor’s full add-ons menu is available for viewing at any time, featuring a variety of snacks, smoothies, and more to complement your main dishes.

Dietary accommodations are a strong point for both services, with each offering specialized plans such as low-calorie and vegetarian options. 

HelloFresh also markets itself as more family-oriented, with many meals designed to be kid-friendly and suitable for family dining. Its top-rated family dishes include Spinach Ricotta Lasagna Roll-Ups, diverse pasta dishes, tacos, and burgers, catering to a broader audience.

Factor allows immediate access to its entire range of add-ons. These include keto-friendly snacks, desserts, smoothies, breakfasts, and bundles. HelloFresh requires you to create an account before you can view its Market, which includes an assortment of bundles, special offers, desserts, and more.

Overall, while HelloFresh provides a wider range of choices catering to various tastes and cooking experiences, Factor offers sufficient variety with a focus on convenience and special diets. This makes Factor an attractive option for those with specific nutritional goals or limited time to cook.

Sample Meals 

Factor 

Factor’s menu gives you a great choice of healthy, prepared meals. There are helpful tags to help guide your choices too. The dish pictured is our reviewer’s favorite meal from Factor. In fact, they couldn’t believe the Black Pepper & Sage Pork dish was so packed with flavor!

• Best high-protein dish: Black Pepper & Sage Pork Chop

• Best vegan dish: Peanut Buddha Bowl

• Best low-calorie dish: Roasted Garlic Chicken

• Best comfort dish: Nonna's Sunday Beef Bolognese

HelloFresh

HelloFresh’s huge menu is easier to browse from your account. You can see all the meals when you’ve picked your plan preferences. Like Factor, it uses tags to help you choose the most suitable meals. Our reviewer's favorite dish on the menu was the one shown below because it had all the flavors of an authentic street cart.

• Best high-protein dish: Honey Sriracha Pork Filet

• Best vegan dish: Vegan Streetcart-Style Chickpea Bowls

• Best low-calorie dish: One-Pot Mexicali Black Bean Soup

• Best comfort dish: Epic Nacho Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Meal Customization: Both Offer Menu Customization Options 

Both services offer customization options but in very different ways. Factor is preferable for those who require strictly controlled diet plans and individual servings, while HelloFresh offers a more flexible and family-oriented meal service with its ability to customize recipes and cater to larger groups.

Factor takes a structured approach to menu customization, which is particularly beneficial for individuals with specific dietary needs. Although you cannot customize individual meals, Factor offers a variety of plans tailored to dietary preferences, such as keto, vegan, or low-calorie.

There are detailed tags on each Factor recipe, which simplifies the process of selecting meals that align with your dietary requirements. Meals are sorted by plan in your account making it easy to select the dishes to suit you.

If you need further customization assistance, Factor provides a consultation with a dietitian, allowing you to refine your meal choices even more closely to your personal health needs. 

HelloFresh offers greater flexibility in meal customization. At home, you can modify individual ingredients in the recipes, which is great for people who enjoy adjusting dishes to suit their tastes or who need to swap out particular ingredients because of mild allergies or dietary restrictions.

HelloFresh’s meal plans can also be mixed, offering recipes that cater to vegetarian, low-calorie, and family-friendly diets, among others. This flexibility makes it easier for households with varying tastes and dietary needs to find something suitable.

Both services provide clear labeling of common allergens on each meal. However, neither service can guarantee meals completely free from all allergens. For individuals with severe allergies, such as a gluten allergy, I recommend Green Chef with its dedicated Gluten Free plan.

Factor’s menu is focused on specific dietary plans, making it a robust choice for those with stringent dietary needs. Although it only provides single-serving meals, you can order anywhere from 6 to 18 meals a week, which makes it a good choice for single people or those who want to follow a consistent diet without food waste.

In contrast, HelloFresh caters to a broader audience with meal kits designed for 2, 4, or 6 people. This makes it a more suitable option for couples, roommates, or families. You can order up to 6 meals per week for up to 6 people, providing substantial flexibility in meal planning for larger households. 

Ingredient Quality and Nutrition: Both Offer Quality Ingredients

Both services source premium ingredients from their suppliers. Factor has high standards of welfare for the chickens and eggs used in its meals. It also encourages its suppliers to improve standards towards achieving ethical and human practices. You can learn more about HelloFresh’s suppliers from its sustainability hub on its website.

Factor also gives you the option to upgrade your meals. Factor offers Gourmet Plus tagged meals featuring filet mignon, barramundi, and shrimps. HelloFresh has Premium Picks on its menu with dishes featuring bavette steak, salmon, and trout.

Both Factor and HelloFresh make it easy to find nutritional details for their meals. Factor displays nutritional information alongside each meal description, while HelloFresh provides this data for each recipe accessible through the online menu. This ensures you can quickly assess important dietary information before choosing your meals.

Ordering and Delivery: Factor Makes the Process Super Simple

Factor slightly edges out HelloFresh in ease of signup with fewer steps to get started. Both services have a straightforward signup process, reflecting their affiliation under the same parent company. You can quickly begin exploring plans and pricing directly on Factor's website, which streamlines the initial stages of ordering.

HelloFresh has an additional step of entering your zip code before you can start your order. This might seem like a minor inconvenience, but it contrasts with Factor's more direct approach. However, HelloFresh compensates with the convenience of a mobile app, allowing you to place orders on the go, which is a plus for tech-savvy users.

Both services offer wide delivery coverage across the lower 48 states but differ in delivery flexibility. Our reviewer found that Factor provided 4 potential delivery days, whereas HelloFresh offered delivery on any day of the week. This suggests that HelloFresh may offer more adaptability depending on your location and scheduling needs.

Unboxing: Factor’s Packaging Is Organized & Eco-Friendly

Factor leads slightly in the unboxing experience due to its organized and eco-friendly packaging. Both Factor and HelloFresh provide a similar quality of packaging, but Factor's slightly more streamlined approach offers a better initial impression.

In each Factor box, you'll find individually packaged, ready-to-eat meals housed in microwaveable trays. The ingredients are not only organized efficiently but also clearly labeled, making it straightforward to identify each dish.

Storage instructions are clear, indicating whether meals should be refrigerated or frozen for later use, which is helpful for planning meals around your schedule. The packaging is designed to be eco-friendly, with most components being recyclable, including the main meal containers.

HelloFresh also delivers a well-organized box, with most of the ingredients for each recipe packed in separate, recyclable paper bags. This makes meal preparation easy, as you can simply grab a bag and start cooking. Ingredients are fresh and clearly labeled, which simplifies the cooking process.

Like Factor, HelloFresh uses plastic sparingly, mainly for items that require airtight sealing, like meats. HelloFresh has historically been committed to sustainability, aiming to minimize its carbon footprint through recyclable packaging and optimized delivery routes.

Both services take care to minimize the use of plastic and emphasize recyclability in their packaging, making them commendable options for environmentally conscious consumers. However, Factor's slightly more user-friendly packaging that allows for immediate storage gives it a slight edge in this comparison.

Meal Prep: Factor’s Meals Are Ready in Minutes!

Factor shines for its convenience, with meals ready in about 3 minutes via microwave. Designed for optimal freshness when heated directly from the fridge, Factor's meals are ideal for those with limited time or if you aren’t a fan of cooking your own meals as you get your food on the table fast.

Factor advises against freezing your meals as they are designed to be heated from fresh. However, our reviewer discovered that some meals might fare better being reheated in the oven.

The Dijon Cream Chicken Thighs benefited from oven reheating. Although it takes longer, this heating method enhances the flavor and texture, particularly with sides such as mushrooms. You can get a crispy result in the oven compared to the microwave, which suits some elements better.

Preparation and cleanup with Factor's meals are quick and simple. In contrast, HelloFresh requires more effort but aims to inspire home cooks through a more hands-on cooking experience. Preparing its meals involves active participation in every step, from chopping vegetables to preparing sauces. 

While this approach requires more time and cleanup, HelloFresh also offers quicker options like the Open-Faced Tuscan-Spiced Chicken Sandos, ready in about 15 minutes, although the quality of the microwave-heated chicken wasn’t the best.

Prep time with HelloFresh can differ from the estimated durations, depending on your cooking speed and multitasking skills. Complex dishes like the Vegan Streetcart-Style Chickpea Bowls might take longer but are particularly rewarding for cooking enthusiasts. This dish was one of the best our reviewer tried. If you enjoy cooking, this won’t be an issue for you.

Choosing between Factor and HelloFresh depends on your preferences for time and cooking involvement. Factor is best for those needing quick, effortless meals without sacrificing quality, while HelloFresh caters to those who enjoy the cooking process and are willing to invest more time and energy into meal preparation.

Choosing between meal kits and prepared meals depends on your lifestyle and how much time you want to spend in the kitchen. If you enjoy cooking, HelloFresh is a great choice. For convenience, Factor is the top option.

Customer Support: It’s Super Easy to Contact Both Services

Both Factor and HelloFresh excel in customer support accessibility. You can reach them via phone, email, or live chat, making it straightforward to get help when needed.

Customer service quality is generally very good, though experiences can vary. Agents are friendly, but our reviewer had instances of mixed responses, particularly regarding promotions, likely due to the large scale of their operations.

Cancelations are streamlined for both services. You can cancel your plan through your account settings by navigating through a few confirmation steps. This process allows you to terminate your subscription quickly without needing to speak with a representative.

Pricing: HelloFresh Is a Slightly Better Value

HelloFresh offers competitive pricing among meal delivery services. Larger meal boxes come at a higher overall cost but offer better per-serving rates, while smaller boxes cost more per serving. For instance, if you order 6 meals for 4 people, your first box costs $107.75 with our link.

Factor’s prices vary depending on how many single-serving meals you need each week. The larger the order, the lower the cost per meal. For example, its best-value box gives you 18 meals for just $103.41 on your first order if you use our link.

Both services have a shipping fee of $10.99 per order.

Additional charges apply for any meal upgrades with HelloFresh or for add-ons like pancakes. Factor’s add-ons are also priced separately. These extras add variety and enhance the meal experience, albeit at an increased cost.

Factor vs. HelloFresh – Quick Overview

And the Winner Is: Factor

Factor takes the lead, particularly excelling in convenience and dietary customization. It's perfect for those seeking quick, ready-to-eat meals and offers personalized dietary planning. Factor's efficient signup, eco-friendly packaging, and nutrition consultations highlight its appeal to individuals with busy lifestyles or specific dietary needs.

However, HelloFresh may be the better choice for some. Ideal for families or those who enjoy cooking, HelloFresh provides more economical options with a broader range of cuisines and larger servings. Its flexibility to customize recipes makes it attractive to home cooks looking for a personalized meal prep experience.

Both services stand out for their quality, affordability, and sustainability. Your choice between Factor and HelloFresh likely hinges on whether you prioritize convenience or cooking, helping you decide which service better fits your lifestyle. For more options, you can check out our list of the top meal delivery services. 

FAQ

What is the difference between Factor and HelloFresh?

Both services offer a variety of menu options. Factor provides ready-to-eat, single-serving meals designed for health and convenience, requiring only heating. HelloFresh offers meal kits that include raw ingredients and recipes for you to cook at home, catering to those who enjoy the cooking process.

How much does Factor cost per month?

Factor's pricing depends on how many meals you order each week. You can achieve better value by opting for larger meal plans, which reduce the cost per meal.  For example, you can get 18 meals for $103.41 on your first order with our link.

Which is better, Factor or HelloFresh?

The best service depends on your preferences. Choose Factor if you prioritize convenience and dietary-specific meals without cooking. Opt for HelloFresh if you prefer cooking fresh meals and want more variety and larger portions.