Factor and EveryPlate solve the same problem — getting food on the table without a grocery run — but they do it in fundamentally different ways. Factor delivers fully cooked meals you microwave in 2–3 minutes. EveryPlate delivers raw ingredients with recipe cards that you cook yourself in 30–45 minutes.
The price difference is real: EveryPlate starts around $4.99/meal vs Factor's $11–15/meal. But price is only half the equation. When you add up cooking time, ingredient quality, and what you actually want from your weeknight dinners, the right choice gets clearer fast.
Factor
8.6
/ 10 — TopMealBoxes Score
Best for: busy adults, no-cook convenience, weight loss plans, high protein
EveryPlate
7.2
/ 10 — TopMealBoxes Score
Best for: budget households, beginner cooks, families who enjoy cooking together
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category |
Factor |
EveryPlate |
| Price per meal |
$11–$15 |
$4.99–$7.49 Cheaper |
| Cooking required |
None — microwave 2–3 min Wins |
Yes — 30–45 min per meal |
| Shipping |
$9.99/week |
$9.99/week |
| Meals per week |
6–18 meals |
3–5 meals, 2–4 servings each |
| Ingredient quality |
Dietitian-designed, hormone-free Wins |
Standard quality, budget-sourced |
| Diet plans |
Keto, Calorie Smart, Vegan, Protein+, Chef's Choice More options |
Limited — mostly classic recipes |
| Avg. protein per meal |
35–50g Wins |
20–35g (cook-dependent) |
| Calorie control |
Precise — labeled per meal Wins |
Approximate — varies by cook |
| Taste consistency |
Consistent — professional kitchen prep Wins |
Varies with your cooking skill |
| Family-friendly |
Individual portions only |
✅ 2–4 serving options Wins |
| Cooking experience |
None provided |
✅ Builds cooking skills Wins |
| Skip / pause |
Yes — easy online |
Yes — easy online |
Who Wins in Each Category?
The honest breakdown — where each service wins:
EveryPlate
Price: EveryPlate is dramatically cheaper on sticker — $4.99–$7.49/meal vs Factor's $11–15/meal. For a budget household, that gap matters. Both charge $9.99/week for shipping.
Factor
Convenience: Factor wins entirely here. Zero cooking — just microwave 2–3 minutes. EveryPlate requires 30–45 minutes of active meal prep per recipe. If you're busy, Factor saves you hours every week.
Factor
Nutrition precision: Factor's meals are dietitian-reviewed with precise calorie and macro labeling. Their Calorie Smart and Keto plans are purpose-built for specific health goals. EveryPlate provides nutritional estimates, but actual intake varies by how you cook.
Factor
Protein: Factor's meals average 35–50g protein, with Protein+ plan options consistently hitting the high end. EveryPlate meals average 20–35g — enough for general wellness but not optimized for fitness goals.
EveryPlate
Family portions: EveryPlate offers 2- and 4-serving options per recipe, making it genuinely economical for families. Factor sells individual portions only — ordering for 4 people means ordering 4 separate meals.
EveryPlate
Cooking education: If you want to build kitchen skills, EveryPlate's step-by-step recipe cards deliver it. Factor is intentionally skill-free — great for convenience, but you won't learn anything new.
Factor
Ingredient quality: Factor uses hormone-free meats and dietitian-approved sourcing. EveryPlate is a budget service — ingredients are standard quality, not premium. You get what you pay for.
Tie
Flexibility: Both allow easy skipping, pausing, and cancellation online. Neither locks you into a long-term contract.
Factor: Full Snapshot
Factor (formerly Factor 75) is a fully-prepared meal delivery service owned by HelloFresh. You order meals, they arrive chilled in a refrigerated box, and you microwave them in 2–3 minutes. No chopping, no pans, no cleanup beyond a container.
Who should choose Factor:
- Busy professionals who have no time to cook during the week
- Anyone following a specific diet plan (keto, calorie control, high protein) who wants precision without meal prep
- People who live alone and don't want to buy groceries in bulk or deal with food waste
- Anyone recovering from surgery, illness, or a life event where cooking isn't realistic
- Fitness-focused individuals who want dietitian-reviewed, protein-dense meals without cooking
Factor limitations:
- Significantly more expensive than EveryPlate per meal
- Individual portions only — not ideal for feeding families economically
- No cooking involved — if you enjoy cooking, Factor removes that entirely
Factor Bottom Line
Factor is the better choice if your time is worth more than the price difference. For busy single adults or couples who want professional-quality, diet-precise meals with zero effort, Factor justifies its premium. It's not cheap — but when you account for the time saved, it often is.
EveryPlate: Full Snapshot
EveryPlate is HelloFresh's budget-focused meal kit brand. It delivers pre-portioned ingredients and recipe cards at the lowest per-meal price in the meal kit category. Recipes are simple — typically 5–6 ingredients, 6 steps, 30–45 minutes start to finish.
Who should choose EveryPlate:
- Budget-conscious households that want structured meal planning without full grocery shopping
- Beginner cooks who want simple, low-risk recipes to build confidence
- Families where cooking together is part of the evening routine
- People who genuinely enjoy cooking but want to reduce the shopping and planning overhead
- Anyone looking to avoid takeout and eat more home-cooked meals at an affordable price
EveryPlate limitations:
- Requires 30–45 minutes of cooking per meal — not practical for time-strapped schedules
- Limited diet plan customization compared to Factor
- Ingredient quality is standard — not premium or organic
- Nutritional precision is lower since calorie counts depend on how you cook
EveryPlate Bottom Line
EveryPlate is the right choice if budget is your primary concern and you're comfortable (or want to learn) cooking. For families who want structured home-cooked meals at sub-$7/meal, it's the best meal kit value on the market. Just be realistic about the time commitment.
The Real Cost Comparison: Time Is Money
EveryPlate's $4.99 sticker price is hard to argue with. But let's run the real math for a single person ordering 5 meals/week:
- EveryPlate: $4.99 × 5 meals = $24.95 + $9.99 shipping = $34.94/week + ~3 hours of cooking time
- Factor: 6-meal plan ≈ $13/meal × 6 = $78 + $9.99 shipping = $87.99/week + ~18 minutes of reheating
The gap is real — $53/week. But if you value your time at even $20/hour, 3 hours of cooking = $60 in time value. Suddenly the services are roughly equivalent in total cost. For higher earners, Factor becomes the obvious economic choice.
The Final Verdict: Factor vs EveryPlate
Choose Factor if: You're busy, you hate cooking, you care about protein and macro precision, or you're following a specific diet. The premium price buys back hours of your week and delivers professional-quality meals with zero effort.
Choose EveryPlate if: Budget is your primary constraint, you enjoy cooking or want to learn, or you're feeding a family and want structured meals at sub-$7/meal. It's the best value in meal kits for households willing to do the cooking work.
Neither is our overall top pick. For the best combination of convenience, quality, and variety, CookUnity is our #1 rated service — 300+ chef-prepared meals weekly, flexible plans from 4–16 meals, and 50% off for new subscribers.
Our Top Pick: CookUnity
More variety than Factor, more convenience than EveryPlate. Chef-prepared meals from 100+ culinary partners — 50% off your first week.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Factor or EveryPlate cheaper?
EveryPlate is significantly cheaper on sticker price — around $4.99–$7.49/meal vs Factor's $11–15/meal. However, Factor meals require no cooking, which saves 30–45 minutes per meal. When you factor in time value, the cost gap narrows considerably for working adults.
Do you have to cook with EveryPlate?
Yes — EveryPlate delivers raw pre-portioned ingredients and recipe cards. You cook everything yourself, typically 30–45 minutes per meal. Factor, by contrast, delivers fully cooked meals that reheat in 2–3 minutes in the microwave.
Which is better for weight loss — Factor or EveryPlate?
Factor is significantly better for structured weight loss. Their Calorie Smart plan caps meals at 550 calories with precise macro tracking. EveryPlate provides general nutritional estimates, but actual intake varies by how you portion and cook ingredients.
Is EveryPlate owned by HelloFresh?
Yes — EveryPlate is HelloFresh's budget sub-brand. Factor is also owned by HelloFresh. Both are in the same family, but serve very different market segments: EveryPlate for budget-focused meal kit users, Factor for convenience-first prepared meal subscribers.
Which is better for a busy person — Factor or EveryPlate?
Factor wins clearly for busy people. Fully cooked and microwave-ready in 2–3 minutes, with no prep, no cooking, and minimal cleanup. EveryPlate requires 30–45 minutes of active cooking — not practical for people with time-pressed weekday schedules.
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