Blue Apron and Dinnerly represent the widest price gap you will find between two recognizable meal kit brands. Blue Apron charges $9.99 to $15.99 per meal. Dinnerly charges $4.99 to $8.99 per meal. That is not a rounding error. Over a month, the difference for a 2-person household eating 3 nights per week is $160 to $240. The question this comparison has to answer honestly: is Blue Apron worth that much more?
Last updated: June 2026. Prices verified against each service’s current website.
Quick verdict: Dinnerly wins on price by a wide margin and is a genuinely good meal kit for what it costs. Blue Apron wins on culinary quality, ingredient sourcing, and wine pairing. For most budget-conscious households, Dinnerly is the rational choice. For households where culinary craft and the wine pairing experience matter enough to pay double, Blue Apron delivers on that premium. Be honest about which category you fall into before subscribing.
- Dinnerly uses digital-only recipe cards. You access them through the app or website, not a printed card in the box. This is how they reduce costs.
- Dinnerly shipping is $8.99, cheaper than Blue Apron’s $10.99. Every cost element at Dinnerly is stripped to the minimum.
- Blue Apron wine add-on ships separately every 4 weeks and is an optional add-on, not included in the base meal subscription cost.
- Dinnerly is owned by Marley Spoon AG. If you want the premium Marley Spoon experience at a higher price, the same parent company offers it.
Ratings Scorecard
| Category | Blue Apron | Dinnerly |
|---|---|---|
| Price per meal | 3/10 | 10/10 |
| Culinary depth per recipe | 9/10 | 5/10 |
| Ingredient quality | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Wine pairing add-on | 9/10 | 0/10 |
| Shipping cost | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Beginner-friendliness | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Good for tight budgets | 2/10 | 10/10 |
| Recipe ambition | 9/10 | 4/10 |
Blue Apron vs Dinnerly at a Glance
| Category | Blue Apron | Dinnerly |
|---|---|---|
| Price per meal | $9.99–$15.99 | $4.99–$8.99 |
| Shipping | $10.99 | $8.99 |
| Recipe cards | Printed in-box | Digital-only (app/website) |
| Ingredients per meal | Varied, chef-curated | 5–6 focused |
| Wine add-on | Yes | No |
| Recipes per week | ~16 | ~25+ |
| Parent company | Blue Apron (NYSE: APRN) | Marley Spoon AG (ASX: MMM) |
| Best for | Culinary enthusiasts | Budget-first households |
Pricing: The Real Weekly Math
Dinnerly’s cheapest plan starts at $4.99/meal. Blue Apron’s cheapest plan starts at $9.99/meal. That is a 2x multiplier at the floor. Add in Dinnerly’s $8.99 shipping versus Blue Apron’s $10.99 shipping, and the weekly gap widens further:
| Plan (2 people, 3 meals/week) | Blue Apron | Dinnerly |
|---|---|---|
| Per meal | $11.99–$12.99 | $5.49–$6.99 |
| Weekly food cost | ~$72–$78 | ~$33–$42 |
| Shipping | $10.99 | $8.99 |
| Weekly total | ~$83–$89 | ~$42–$51 |
| Monthly savings with Dinnerly | ~$130–$190/month | |
Over a year, Dinnerly saves a 2-person household $1,500 to $2,300 compared to Blue Apron for equivalent delivery frequency. That is a car payment, a vacation, or several months of groceries. The financial case for Dinnerly is not subtle.
How Dinnerly Keeps Costs Low
Dinnerly’s cost reduction strategy is intentional and transparent. Digital-only recipe cards eliminate printing and insertion costs. Meals use 5 to 6 core ingredients instead of 8 to 12, reducing sourcing complexity. Packaging is functional without premium elements. The result is a meal kit that produces genuinely good weeknight dinners: a chicken tikka masala that takes 35 minutes, a beef taco bowl with fresh salsa, a lemon pasta with peas and parmesan. None of these are culinary adventures. All of them work as reliable weeknight dinners.
Blue Apron: What the Premium Actually Buys
Blue Apron’s per-recipe investment delivers visibly: chef-developed techniques, ingredient variety (fregola, japchae, duck breast, brown-butter finishes), printed recipe cards with technique explanations, and a curated wine pairing add-on. The cooking experience is more ambitious and more rewarding for cooks who want that. A 45-minute Blue Apron recipe teaches something. A 35-minute Dinnerly recipe feeds you efficiently. Both have value. The question is which you are paying for.
Try Dinnerly: Get Dinnerly for $2.99 per meal on your first box.
Try Blue Apron: Get 3 free meals on your first Blue Apron box.
Who Wins: Category Breakdown
Budget: Dinnerly, decisively. Culinary quality: Blue Apron. Beginners: Dinnerly. Simple recipes, minimal ingredients. Wine pairing: Blue Apron, exclusively. Overall value for most households: Dinnerly. The quality is good enough, the price gap is too large to ignore for budget-first buyers.
The Final Call
For most households deciding between these two: Dinnerly is the rational choice on budget. The meals are solid, the process is simple, and the savings are dramatic. Blue Apron is the right call for households where cooking quality and the wine pairing experience are worth paying consistently more, and where the culinary ambition of the recipes is part of the value.
Read our full Blue Apron review and Dinnerly review. Also compare Blue Apron vs Marley Spoon for a comparison between Dinnerly’s parent brand and Blue Apron, or Blue Apron vs EveryPlate for a similar premium-versus-budget matchup.
Delivery Coverage and First Order Tips
Blue Apron operates its own distribution and ships to most continental U.S. zip codes, delivering Monday through Friday with two to three day choices in many urban markets. Dinnerly uses third-party carriers and assigns a single delivery day per zip code with limited flexibility. Neither service ships to Hawaii or Alaska. Blue Apron first boxes typically arrive within five to seven business days of completing signup; Dinnerly delivery timelines are similar.
For new Dinnerly subscribers, the digital recipe card format is the adjustment most households need to anticipate. Recipe cards are available in the Dinnerly app and website before the box ships, so previewing them in advance and keeping a device accessible in the kitchen is the practical workaround. Dinnerly does not offer printed recipe cards. The weekly cutoff falls five to six days before delivery; a recurring calendar reminder prevents default charges.
Blue Apron new subscribers benefit from exploring the recipe tier system in the first few weeks. The Signature, Wellness, and Vegetarian tiers each surface different recipe styles, and the Craft Burger series provides a reliable weekly option for households with predictable preferences. Blue Apron also offers step-by-step cooking videos in the app for select recipes. Both services process ingredient quality credits by app or email without a phone call, and acting within 24 hours of delivery gives the best outcome on credit requests for both services.
Ingredient Quality and Food Freshness
Blue Apron uses conventional sourcing but applies culinary quality standards through partnerships with restaurant-grade suppliers. Proteins are above commodity grade, produce is fresh and properly sized, and specialty items appear regularly in the catalog: housemade pasta, artisanal spice blends, chef-developed sauces. Blue Apron's recipe development team uses ingredients that reward technique, which means the quality of the finished dish often exceeds what the raw ingredient grade would suggest. The service does not have an organic program, but its culinary investment in ingredient selection and recipe design puts it in the upper tier of conventional meal kit sourcing.
Dinnerly limits each recipe to five or six ingredients specifically to reduce sourcing and packaging costs. Proteins are standard commodity cuts: ground beef, chicken breast, pork chop. Produce quality is conventional supermarket grade. There is no organic program, no specialty-sourcing commitment, and no allergen-free facility. The result is ingredient quality at the lowest tier of the meal kit market, which is a deliberate trade for its $4.99 to $6.99 per serving price point. For households where price is the primary constraint and culinary aspirations are modest, the ingredient quality is sufficient. For households accustomed to higher-grade proteins or organic produce, the downgrade is noticeable.
Ingredient quality edge: Blue Apron. Blue Apron's above-commodity conventional sourcing with a quality focus stands against Dinnerly's budget conventional sourcing focused on cost reduction, a meaningful difference that shows up in protein grade and produce freshness and is proportional to the price gap between the two services.
Who Gets the Most from Each Service
Choose Blue Apron if your household treats cooking as a genuine interest and appreciates culinary depth. Blue Apron's weekly catalog is smaller than HelloFresh (fewer options per week) but consistently more ambitious in technique and flavor development. The optional wine subscription pairs curated bottles with that week's meal selections, a feature unique to Blue Apron in the meal kit category. Blue Apron is well-suited to households that have tried a high-volume service and want fewer but more carefully curated weekly choices. The WW (Weight Watchers)-approved wellness menu is useful for households tracking specific calorie targets. At $9.99 to $15.49 per serving, Blue Apron prices similarly to HelloFresh, making the choice between them a matter of culinary style rather than budget.
Choose Dinnerly if budget is the primary driver and the five-ingredient simplicity appeals rather than constrains. Dinnerly is priced at $4.99 to $6.99 per serving, among the lowest in the market, and it delivers real home-cooked meals at that price consistently. Digital-only recipe cards (no printed materials) keep costs down; households comfortable referencing a phone or tablet while cooking find the format functional. Dinnerly works best for households of two to four where everyone eats similar food, average cooking confidence, and the primary goal is covering dinner without grocery shopping at minimum cost. For first-time meal kit subscribers on a tight budget, Dinnerly's deep welcome discount makes it a low-risk starting point.
Cancellation, Pausing, and Subscription Management
Both Blue Apron and Dinnerly allow cancellation through account settings with no contract and no cancellation fee. Blue Apron allows cancellation or pausing in account settings; the optional wine subscription can be paused independently of the meal kit subscription. Dinnerly allows cancellation through account settings; a brief exit survey is required before the cancellation is finalized and recorded. Both services charge for deliveries when the weekly ordering cutoff is missed, typically five to six days before your delivery date, so setting a recurring calendar reminder prevents unwanted charges. Account credits for ingredient quality issues are available from both services; contacting customer service within 24 hours of a delivery produces the fastest resolution on either platform.
Packaging and Delivery Experience
Blue Apron: Blue Apron uses an insulated box with a gel-ice liner and color-coded bags per recipe. The packaging skews premium, thick recipe cards, well-printed ingredient labels, and proteins in vacuum-sealed portions. Blue Apron has made commitments to reduce plastic and now ships some items without individual portion bags. The box handles 24-hour unattended delivery in most climates.
Dinnerly: Dinnerly keeps packaging minimal by design, this is part of how the service delivers at $4.99/serving. The insulated liner is thinner than premium brands, and recipes arrive with digital-only cards (no printed recipe cards included in the box). Ingredients are labeled and grouped per recipe. Portion bags are minimal. The approach is intentionally stripped-down, which reduces waste but also reduces the premium unboxing feel.
Packaging: roughly even. Blue Apron: Premium presentation, improving on plastic reduction. Cold chain is reliable; packaging reflects the higher price point. Dinnerly: Minimal by design, thinner liner, no printed recipe cards. Keeps costs down but not for those who value premium packaging.
App and Digital Experience
Blue Apron: Blue Apron's app (iOS 4.6 / Android 3.9) covers meal selection, upcoming deliveries, and a recipe archive. Video content and wine pairing suggestions are useful extras. The Android version has historically lagged behind iOS in stability. Account management is functional but the UI feels slightly dated compared to HelloFresh or Factor.
Dinnerly: Dinnerly's app (iOS 4.5 / Android 3.8) is functional for meal selection and delivery management. Since Dinnerly relies on digital recipe cards (accessed via app or browser), the recipe-browsing experience is important, and it's adequate but not exceptional. The Android version has received more mixed reviews. Weekly meal selection is straightforward; the interface is simple and loads quickly.
App: both functional. Blue Apron: Decent on iOS, inconsistent on Android. The wine pairing and video recipe features stand out, but the overall UX needs a refresh. Dinnerly: Functional, the app doubles as your recipe card library, which is either a feature or a friction point depending on your kitchen setup.
Customer Service and Account Management
Blue Apron: Blue Apron offers live chat and email support on weekdays, with more limited weekend availability. Phone support has been phased out for most U.S. accounts. The self-service portal handles skips and pauses, though the cancel flow requires navigating several confirmation screens. Refund processing is reliable; credits typically appear within 48 hours.
Dinnerly: Dinnerly offers email and chat support during business hours. Response times are decent but slower than HelloFresh-owned brands. The self-service portal handles skips and plan changes, though the cancel flow is more involved than budget competitors like EveryPlate. Refund credits are issued for quality issues within 2–3 business days.
Customer service: comparable. Blue Apron: Adequate, chat support is helpful but weekday-only. No phone option. Cancel flow is deliberately multi-step. Dinnerly: Adequate but not standout. Slower than HelloFresh-family brands; the cancel flow adds friction. Email-first support.
Dietary Options and Special Diets
Blue Apron offers a standard meal selection alongside a Wellness menu that includes WW (Weight Watchers)-approved meals and lower-calorie options. Ingredients are conventionally grown; there is no organic certification program. Vegetarians will find a consistent weekly selection, though dedicated vegan meals are less common. Blue Apron publishes complete nutritional information for every dish, covering calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates. For households following specific certifications or strict dietary protocols, the options are narrower than dedicated health services.
Dinnerly keeps recipes to five ingredients to hold costs down. The weekly menu includes a small vegetarian selection but no dedicated specialty diet plans, no organic sourcing, and no allergen-free facility. Digital-only recipe cards (no printed materials in the box) contribute to the cost savings. Allergen information is published on the website, but strict allergen accommodation is not offered. Households following specific health protocols, tracking macros, or prioritizing organic will find Dinnerly too limited. It serves households where price and simplicity are the priorities.
Getting Started: Welcome Offers and First Box Experience
Blue Apron typically offers 50 percent or more off the first box, with reduced pricing on the second and third boxes. After the introductory period, prices run $9.99 to $15.49 per serving. The wine subscription add-on pairs curated bottles with that week's meal selections, a feature unique to Blue Apron in the meal kit category. Week-by-week skipping is available in the account portal; cancellation is completed online with no fee.
Dinnerly offers a significant first-box discount for new subscribers. After the introductory period, prices hold at $4.99 to $6.99 per serving. The cost savings come partly from digital-only recipe cards, no printed materials in the box, and simpler packaging. Cancellation requires navigating to account settings and completing a brief exit survey. For subscribers comfortable with digital-only instructions and not expecting premium service features, Dinnerly maintains its low price reliably past the welcome period.
Who Gets the Best Value Long-Term
Blue Apron ($9.99 to $15.49 per serving) and Dinnerly ($4.99 to $6.99 per serving) are at opposite ends of the cooking meal kit quality spectrum. The experience gap mirrors the price gap: Blue Apron provides a culinary experience; Dinnerly provides a budget meal solution. For households that want to cook interesting, skill-building dinners and can absorb the premium, Blue Apron is significantly more rewarding. For households primarily looking to avoid grocery shopping at the lowest possible cost, Dinnerly delivers what it promises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dinnerly cheaper than Blue Apron?
Yes, significantly. Dinnerly starts at $4.99/meal with $8.99 shipping. Blue Apron starts at $9.99/meal with $10.99 shipping. A 2-person household typically saves $130 to $190 per month with Dinnerly at equivalent delivery frequency.
Why is Dinnerly so cheap?
Dinnerly keeps costs down by using digital-only recipe cards, fewer ingredients per meal (5 to 6), and a stripped-down packaging approach. The savings pass directly to the per-meal price without sacrificing functional meal quality.
Who owns Dinnerly?
Dinnerly is owned by Marley Spoon AG, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: MMM). It operates as the budget tier under the same parent company as Marley Spoon. Blue Apron is independent, listed on the NYSE (APRN).
Is Blue Apron worth twice the price of Dinnerly?
For culinary-focused cooks who want chef-developed recipes and a wine pairing add-on, yes. For budget-conscious households who want reliable weeknight dinners without the premium experience, no. The price gap is too large for most households to justify unless culinary quality is the primary driver.
2026 Pricing: Blue Apron vs. Dinnerly
Both target home cooks who want variety, but Dinnerly is significantly cheaper with simpler recipes.
| Detail | Blue Apron | Dinnerly |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price/serving | $9.99 | $4.99 |
| Recipes/week | 50+ | 25+ |
| Ingredients/recipe | 10–12 | 5–6 |
| Wine add-on | Yes | No |
| Shipping | $10.99 | $8.99 |
Dinnerly is about half the price of Blue Apron per serving ($4.99 vs $9.99). Blue Apron's recipes are significantly more complex and culinary-focused — it's the choice for people who love cooking and want to learn techniques. Dinnerly is the choice when budget is the priority and you want simple, fast meals.
Where to Order in Your City
Both services deliver nationwide. See how meal kit delivery options stack up in the largest U.S. markets:
- Meal delivery in Los Angeles
- Meal delivery in New York
- Meal delivery in Chicago
- Meal delivery in Houston
- Meal delivery in Phoenix
- Meal delivery in San Francisco
- Meal delivery in Seattle
- Meal delivery in Austin
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Apron or Dinnerly better for new cooks?
Dinnerly is better for new cooks — 5-ingredient recipes with minimal steps and straightforward techniques. Blue Apron’s recipes assume basic cooking knowledge and include more advanced techniques like building a fond, reducing sauces, or precise knife work. For your first meal kit: Dinnerly. Once you’re comfortable cooking, Blue Apron’s complexity becomes enjoyable rather than stressful.
How much can you save by switching from Blue Apron to Dinnerly?
Dinnerly starts at $4.99/serving vs Blue Apron’s $9.99/serving — saving $5/serving. For a 2-person household ordering 3 meals/week, that’s $30/week or $1,560/year. Dinnerly also has slightly lower shipping ($8.99 vs $10.99). The tradeoff is simpler recipes and fewer weekly options.
Does Blue Apron have digital recipes like Dinnerly?
Blue Apron includes printed recipe cards in every box — detailed step-by-step cards with professional food photography. Dinnerly uses digital-only recipes (via app or website) and provides no printed cards, which is a meaningful part of how it keeps costs down. If you prefer physical recipe cards over your phone in the kitchen, Blue Apron wins that feature.
Which delivers better ingredients — Blue Apron or Dinnerly?
Blue Apron uses higher-quality sourcing — more precisely portioned specialty ingredients, farm partnerships, and thoughtfully curated components. Dinnerly uses more standard grocery-level ingredients to hit its budget price point. The ingredient gap is noticeable: Blue Apron’s meals taste more restaurant-like, Dinnerly’s taste more like home cooking. Neither is bad — it depends on your expectations.
Cancel Guide Links
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