Fresh N Lean vs. Factor 2024: An Obvious Winner

Both Fresh N Lean and Factor offer single-serving prepared meals that can be heated in minutes. Both services cater to health-conscious dieters, and both offer a large, varied weekly menu. But which is right for you?

I’ve tried out these meal delivery services to figure out the differences in their menus, packaging, pricing, and – most importantly – taste! Both services are similar in many ways but after testing them for myself, I’ve got a clear favorite. 

Ultimately, Factor came out on top. I preferred the meals, it worked out as better value, and the ordering process was smooth and easy. I had a nightmare with my Fresh N Lean delivery, but that aside, it may still be the right choice for those following certain diets (like paleo or Mediterranean) and people looking for an all-organic service. Read on and find out which one best suits your needs.

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Menu Variety: Factor Offers Many Different Cuisines

Both services offer good choice and rotate their menus to keep things interesting over time. At a glance, it looks like Fresh N Lean has the larger menu, however, Factor offers a similar number of entrees, as well as a better range of cuisines and add-ons. 

Menu Size: The Numbers Can Be Misleading

Fresh N Lean’s meals are split across different plans, each of which offers 11-20 choices per week. If you choose a set diet plan, you can only choose from that menu. If you want the ability to mix and match, you’ll have to go for the Unlimited plan, which gives you access to the entire menu. Fresh N Lean didn’t offer this for a long time, so this is an exciting change. 

Fresh N Lean’s 100+ menu sounds like the largest. However, when I ordered, there were only 42 entrees, 16 breakfasts, and 20 add-ons. Factor advertises 35+ meals each week but it had 40 mains and 67 add-ons when I ordered. So both services actually have very similar-sized menus where it counts. You can also easily mix and match across Factor’s whole menu.

Cuisine Types & Extras: Factor Is Slightly More Adventurous

Factor offers American classics along with Italian, Indian, Mexican, and other international cuisines. You can also order breakfast, mains, desserts, sides, snacks, and beverages, including a selection of high-protein smoothies.

Fresh N Lean has some international dishes but I found that the meals lean more toward American favorites, with an occasional nod to Mexican or Italian food. Fresh N Lean also provides breakfast, main entrees, snacks, veg sides, and protein add-ons.

Both Only Offer Single-Servings

Both services provide single-serving prepared meals, and I found that Fresh N Lean’s menus were geared more toward athletic individuals. For this reason, neither Factor nor Fresh N Lean is particularly good for feeding families.

The only exception is if you have households with different dietary needs: for example, a vegan teen, a keto mom, and a gluten-free dad. In those cases, single servings can be a practical choice to cater to everyone’s needs and tastes.

Hungry households where everyone eats the same thing will do better with one of the companies on our list of the best family meal delivery services. These tend to be meal kits as opposed to prepared meals, as they better cater to larger households.

Sample Meals: I Had a Better Experience With Factor

Factor’s Meals

It’s easy to browse Factor’s weekly menu. The color-coded tags help to give some extra information about the meal, such as whether it's vegetarian or calorie-smart, for example. If you choose a dietary preference at sign-up (or in your account), the menu will be ordered with the most relevant meals first, but you’ll still get to browse the whole menu each week. 

I tested more than 12 dishes in our latest reorder, and here are my top 3 (pictured left to right above):

• Black Pepper & Sage Pork Chop: This is my top Factor meal and it even beats out the Gourmet Plus steak I tried in the same order! The grill flavor comes through and is authentic, and the pork was a luxuriously thick-cut chop that was still juicy and not overcooked after reheating. The chop was on a bed of Brussels sprouts in a cream sauce, which was a yummy way to incorporate vegetables. (This was the last of the 12 meals I tested, and it was still fresh and tasty.)

• Mexican-Style Beef & Refried Beans: I was looking forward to this dish because I knew beef and beans would reheat well in the microwave. It’s hard to make refried beans look appealing in a photo, so you’ll have to take my word for it that the flavors and aromas of these components are spot-on for Tex-Mex. I also added my own tortilla to this dish, which I would recommend if you’re not on a strict diet.

• Dijon Cream Chicken Thighs: I cooked this dish in the oven, and it really helped get some nice crispiness. The side dish of sautéed mushrooms, for example, may have become slimy in the microwave, but they came out perfectly in the oven. I enjoyed the mustard-forward flavor of the chicken in this one, although I’d have preferred it if it came in one large piece.

Fresh N Lean’s Meals

Fresh N Lean shows dishes with tags like “Premium” or “New” at the top, and then it’s just in a default order. You can browse by diet category, though, so it’s easy to see the meals that suit your dietary needs.

I tested 10 meals in my latest Fresh N Lean order, and the results were a mixed bag. I’ve highlighted a few of my favorites below (pictured left to right above), but I also had a few fails where I didn’t eat the dish!

• Chipotle Lime Shrimp with Southwestern Cauliflower Rice: This dish surprised me. Normally I avoid any sort of processed seafood but the shrimp in this dish was decent. The texture wasn’t even rubbery, which often happens with reheated shellfish (although I did cook this in the oven, which may have helped). I loved the Mexican-influenced tastes. I’d have preferred regular rice over cauli rice, but I can’t complain as this makes it suitable for low-carb dieters. 

• Greek Lemon Garlic Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Feta: This was my highest-scoring meal of the week with Fresh N Lean. The chicken came out really tender and the flavors were good. I also much preferred the quinoa over cauli rice. 

• Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta with Chicken and Ratatouille: This felt like a premium dish with the pine nuts and large chunks of high-quality chicken. The chicken did dry out a bit when I cooked it in the microwave, so I’d try heating it another way if I had the time. 

Meal Customization: Fresh N Lean Has Better Allergen Filters

Neither Fresh N Lean nor Factor lets you swap or leave out ingredients in their prepared meals. However, Fresh N Lean’s handy filters let you avoid meals that contain many common allergens, which makes it easier to quickly identify suitable dishes when creating your menu.

Allergies: Fresh N Lean’s Filters Let You Exclude Ingredients

Fresh N Lean gives you the option of omitting up to 3 ingredients per meal plan from a choice of over 20 ingredients. This list includes allergens like soy, tree nuts, eggs, dairy, sesame, and shellfish, as well as other items like bell peppers, red meat, quinoa, mushrooms, turkey, and cilantro.

Factor suggests that you examine the ingredient list for each meal to determine if it contains something you don’t want or can’t eat. Factor also prepares and packs all its meals in 1 location, which means there’s a cross-contamination risk. Those with serious sensitivities will do better by checking out our best allergy-friendly meal delivery services.

Diet Plans: The Same Number, But Different Diets

Factor offers 8 plans, but you’re free to choose from any item on the menu. The plans work more as filters, arranging the menu with the most relevant dishes first. In addition to its general Chef’s Choice plan, you can also find Factor dishes for the following diets:

• Keto

• Protein Plus

• Calorie Smart

• Vegan & Veggie

• Flexitarian

• Fiber Filled

• GLP-1 Balance

Fresh N Lean offers 8 distinct meal plans. However if you don’t follow a strict diet and want to mix and match, you’ll have to choose the FNL Unlimited plan. The meal plans include:

• Protein+

• Keto

• Paleo

• Standard Vegan

• Whole30 Approved

• Vegetarian

• Mediterranean Diet

• Bulk

Ingredient Quality & Nutrition: Fresh N Lean Only Uses Organic Ingredients

Both services use high-quality ingredients and share plenty of nutritional information upfront to allow you to make the right choice for your diet and needs. While Factor gives more detail and has premium upgrades, I gave Fresh N Lean the win for better clarity around its ingredients and organic quality.

Ingredient Sourcing: Fresh N Lean Is More Transparent

Fresh N Lean sources locally produced, whole-food, organic ingredients as standard. I really like the fact that Fresh N Lean prioritizes organic ingredients. For animal proteins, it holds suppliers to high animal welfare standards. 

Factor is pretty sparse on the details regarding ingredient sourcing. You can find some info on the website around its animal welfare policy and how it works with US farms and ranches. It has also shared its full Chicken Welfare policy online, but I’d like to see this level of transparency extended to other proteins and produce.

It’s worth noting that Factor does offer Gourmet Plus meals that feature fancier, more premium proteins like Filet Mignon or mahi-mahi for a surcharge. Typically, you'll find 6 of these elevated options on Factor's weekly menu.

Factor Has More Detailed Ingredient Lists

I appreciate that Factor goes the extra mile with ingredient and nutritional info. It provides an extensive ingredient list and even describes the meal for you. Fresh N Lean's labels are less detailed but useful nonetheless. Both services do a decent job with nutritional info and cooking instructions. For both, you’ll find detailed information once you select the meal.

Ordering, Delivery, Unboxing: No Issues With Factor

Factor offers a mobile app for extra convenience, but Fresh N Lean doesn’t. Ordering and unboxing were pretty similar, but I had problems with my Fresh N Lean delivery.

Ordering: Both Offer Simple Subscription Models, But I Preferred Factor

After placing your first Factor order, the subscription feature will be activated. Each week, orders are automatically processed immediately after the weekly cutoff, which is 11:59 pm CT on the day listed on your My Menu page. You also have the option to skip weeks.

Any changes you need to make to your order can be done before the weekly cutoff time. The minimum order for Factor is 6 meals per week. But you can select up to 18 each week, which gives a better per-meal value.

Fresh N Lean also has a subscription-based model that renews every week. Any changes to your order or subscription cancelations need to be done by Friday, before 12 pm PST for the following week’s delivery. Fresh N Lean’s minimum weekly order is for 5 meals, and it lets you skip up to 3 deliveries.

I didn’t love Fresh N Lean’s account page. The logged-out homepage, account page, and contact page all opened new URLs, so you have to navigate multiple windows and tabs. The account page had a lot going on with ads and upsells that made it feel more cluttered than Factor.

My Delivery Experience: Smooth With Factor, Issues With Fresh N Lean

Factor’s delivery options depend on your zip code. I had 4 options (Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed) for my NYC address. When I tested other zip codes I found that Saturday is also an option in some places. Factor delivers to the continental United States only. 

Factor used Axlehire to ship my delivery. I got an email when it shipped and then the tracking switched to “out for delivery.” The initial time slot was broad, but it arrived shortly after I got the notification it was out for delivery. There was also an email with a photo of where it was delivered, which is handy if you live in an apartment block. Overall, delivery was fast and smooth.

Fresh N Lean delivers to all states, including Alaska and Hawaii – and that’s where the good times end. When I tried the service, I couldn’t choose my delivery date. There’s also a tracker on your account page but mine didn’t update. If you click on the tracking button, you’ll just get a tracking number for your carrier, which you have to copy and paste on their website.

My carrier was UPS, although this will vary by region. I didn’t have a great experience. My first box was held by UPS when I didn’t answer the door, even though you don’t need to be in to receive the delivery. The box was diverted to a collection point over the weekend, but by then it had been 4 days and the food wasn’t safe to eat.

I reached out to customer services about this (more on that later), and the second box arrived with a sticker instructing the courier to leave it no matter what. This box arrived without incident, but the mix-up meant I didn’t get any of my original meal choices. To be fair, this is more of an issue with the carrier than with Fresh N Lean, but it was still annoying!

Unboxing: No Complaints With Either Service

Each service delivers boxes that come with insulating layers to keep your meals fresh. Each Factor meal should be put into the fridge immediately and lasts for about 7 days. The website says Fresh N Lean’s meals stay fresh in the fridge for about 7 to 10 days, but they can be kept fresh for up to 8 weeks in the freezer. My Fresh N Lean meals all had the same best-before date, which was 2 weeks after delivery.

Both send neatly labeled meals with nutritional information provided. Each meal is organized inside the box and comes professionally packaged. Fresh N Lean comes in bowls and trays, while Factor’s meals are all in trays.

Factor’s packaging is mostly recyclable, and there’s a dedicated section in Factor’s FAQ with more details. The cardboard box is fully recyclable, and the meal containers are made with BPA-free recyclable plastic, but make sure to wash them before reusing or recycling them.

Factor’s gel packs are non-toxic and reusable. You must first drain the liquid into the trash, not the sink or toilet. There are various types of insulation used. The PET and cotton insulation should be placed in the trash, but the laminated insulation is curbside recyclable.

All of Fresh N Lean’s packaging is recyclable. This includes the boxes, insulating layers, meal containers, and the plastic seals covering the meal containers. My ice packs were drain-safe, although this contradicts what it says in the FAQ section, so it may vary by region.

Meal Prep: Both Offer Excellent Heat-and-Eat Meals

One of the key selling points of prepared services is convenience, and all of the meals I tried from both services checked that box. Depending on the wattage and the dish, your Factor or Fresh N Lean meals will take 2-4 minutes in the microwave.

Fresh N Lean has instructions for the microwave, oven, stovetop, and air fryer. The trays are microwave-safe, which is the quickest heating method, but if you want to cook them any other way you’ll need to transfer them to a different, suitable dish. With Factor, the tray is oven and microwave-safe, and cook times are given for both methods.

The benefit of these dishes is that they can be ready in minutes in the microwave, but for most meals I tested I found I had better results and textures heating them in the oven or on the stovetop. If you have the time and means, I recommend trying some of the alternative cooking methods.

While overall I prefer the taste of home-cooked meals, the convenience of prepared meals can’t be beaten for hectic days or late nights.

Customer Support:  Factor Offers a Free Dietary Consultation

I had a bad time using Fresh N Lean’s Customer service. While Factor isn’t perfect, it’s much better. It offers a quicker live chat, longer customer support hours, and a free dietitian consultation.

My Fresh N Lean Experience: Slow, Impractical, & Unhelpful

Fresh N Lean offers support between 7 am to 5 pm PST 7 days a week. It has a chatbot and email address, although you’re prompted to use the chat for a quicker response (spoiler alert: it was not quick…). 

The chatbot puts you in a queue to speak to a real person. My first encounter was okay. I reached out after my first delivery was held. After waiting 20 minutes, Daisy responded to me. She was friendly and gave me the option of a refund or reshipment, and the whole thing was resolved quickly.

My second encounter was terrible. I reached out to see if I could get details about the replacement meals I had received. I waited a full 30 minutes in position #2 before the tab fell asleep and I was disconnected. I received an email that promised to follow up (pictured above), but never got a reply. 

Instead, I reconnected to the chat (now I was 5th) and waited a full hour before Jenny responded to me. The interface forces you to stay active on the page for however long it takes for an agent to respond to you, which is really impractical. The conversation that followed was frustrating. Jenny said no to everything I asked, then replied with boilerplate messaging until leaving the chat.

My Factor Experience: Great Hours, Response Time, & Extras

Factor has a chatbot that basically functions as a search engine to direct you to relevant information. It senses keywords in your question and tries to give you answers. You’ll see from the image that you can’t have a conversation with it, though. For most questions, you’ll be better off speaking with a person.

Factor’s live chat is available 24/7 and it’s easy to get connected to a representative (I just typed the word “representative”). I had mixed experiences with Factor’s live chat. The first time, it took less than 30 seconds to connect with a helpful representative who answered my questions in minutes. Another time, although quick to connect, I got contradictory information from the agent when I asked about the introductory offer. 

Factor also has phone support available at 888-573-5727 from 6 am to 11 pm EST on weekdays and 7 am to 7 pm weekends. These hours are generous, so it’s easy to call outside of work time. You also get a free 20-minute consultation with a dietitian with your Factor subscription, which is a great perk and useful if you need expert advice on a new diet.

Pricing: Factor’s Meals Are Slightly Cheaper, but It Charges Shipping

Fresh N Lean has a lower starting price, but for most plan sizes, you’ll spend less with Factor. However, Factor charges a flat rate of $10.99 for shipping, while Fresh N Lean’s shipping is free over $100, which is why they’ve tied.

Factor’s Prices 

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. Other than the premium range, all of the meals cost the same, regardless of your meal plan.

Fresh N Lean’s Prices

Fresh N Lean meals start at $10.66 up to $15.99 per serving. Fresh N Lean’s minimum order is 5 single-serving meals, and its maximum is 21 meals (3 meals per day). The Vegan plan is the cheapest, while the Keto and Paleo plans are the most expensive.

Fresh N Lean vs. Factor — Pros & Cons

Fresh N Lean

Pros

• Caters to a large range of health diets

• Free shipping over $100

• Organic ingredients

Cons

• Slow customer service

• Delivery issues

• Containers not suitable for ovens

Factor

Pros

• Free consultation with a nutritionist

• Premium upgrades

• Mobile app for easy ordering

Cons

• Shipping fee

• Opaque ingredient sourcing

• Can’t exclude specific ingredients from the menu

Fresh N Lean vs. Factor — Quick Overview

And the Winner Is: Factor

While these services are quite similar in terms of portions, price, and convenience, overall, I had a much smoother experience ordering and getting my meals from Factor. Factor’s interface is cleaner and I had no complaints with the delivery or packaging.

I also preferred the taste of Factor’s meals and rated them higher than Fresh N Lean’s dishes. Some sides did get repetitive, but you can avoid this by paying attention when picking your meals each week. I liked that Factor’s trays were suitable for the oven as they saved on washing up. 

Fresh N Lean might be the better choice for athletes and those on specific health diets, like paleo. Its more focused menus are designed for individuals who need to monitor their macronutrients closely and avoid specific allergens. UPS has to take most of the blame for my bad delivery experience. Fresh N Lean is also your only option if you’re based in Alaska or Hawaii!

If neither of these services is right for you, check out our Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services guide. We’ve tested the top meal delivery services, so you're equipped with the insight to make an informed choice.

FAQ

How much does Factor cost per month?

Factor’s prices depend on how many meals you order per week, with larger orders lowering the per-meal price. The best-value option offers 18 single-serving meals for $103.41 on your first purchase if you use our link. After you decide how many meals you’ll order every week, you can get a rough estimate of how much you might spend each month.

Are Fresh N Lean meals organic?

Fresh N Lean uses organic produce, grass-fed beef, wild-caught seafood, and antibiotic-free chicken. If eating organic is important to you, you can rest assured that your Fresh N Lean meal is free of pesticides and preservatives.

Is Factor good for weight loss?

Factor’s Calorie Smart menu consists of meals of 550 calories or less. If you’re trying to lose weight on the keto diet, Factor also has a very good keto menu. But if you’re signing up for a meal delivery service to lose a few pounds, you might want to check out our list of the best weight loss meal delivery services.