What readers actually got

HelloFresh vs Home Chef (2026): HelloFresh for Menu Range, Home Chef for Easy Formats

Compared from each brand's published menus, prices and terms, checked September 2026. Prices change with the weekly menu.

At a glance

Menu size as each brand states it. HelloFresh also says "60+ weekly chef-designed recipes" in its homepage FAQ, so its 100+ figure includes market items. Home Chef's homepage FAQ separately mentions "20+ recipes each week".

Price

Home Chef publishes its prices. Meal kits start at $7.99 per serving and standard meals average $9.99 per serving. Premium meals, the Culinary Collection and Customize It protein swaps cost more. The minimum weekly order is $50.95 on the Home Chef plan and $82.91 on the Family plan, which comes in 4-serving portions.

HelloFresh does not list per-serving or box prices on its public plan pages. Its plans page asks for your zip code first, and its FAQ says "You'll see the shipping fee that applies to you when you select your plan and check out." Because of that, this page does not quote a HelloFresh price. Check your own quote on hellofresh.com before you compare.

For Home Chef, here is what a typical week costs at the $9.99 standard average:

Both brands lead with a new customer offer. HelloFresh advertises "Free Breakfast for Life + 10 Free Meals." The 10 free meals figure is based on the total discount on the first box of a 4-person, 5-recipe plan and expires 21 days after purchase. A smaller plan gets fewer than 10 free meals, and a bigger plan gets more. The free breakfast is one free item per box while you stay active, and it ends if you cancel. The offer does not apply to premiums, meal upgrades, add-ons, taxes or shipping.

Home Chef's offer is 18 free meals plus free shipping on the first box. In practice that means 30% off the regular price of your first 3 boxes (up to $30 off each) and 45% off the next 2 boxes (up to $45 off each). The full 18 free meals only applies if you buy 10 or more meals a week for 5 weeks, and Home Chef says most customers get 10 to 14 free meals.

Menu and formats

HelloFresh says you can choose from 100+ weekly menu and market items, with 21+ options to change, swap or upgrade proteins and sides, and to add protein to Veggie dishes. Its homepage describes quick-prep recipes ready in 20 minutes and also mentions ready-made meals. Every meal kit carries nutrition facts, including calories, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, sugar, sodium, fat and cholesterol.

Home Chef says you can choose from 35+ options on its weekly rotating menu, and it has more ways to cook. You can pick classic meal kits, Express recipes ready in 30 minutes or less, Oven-Ready meals that come in an oven-safe tray with little prep and no cleanup (they cannot be microwaved), and Fast and Fresh meals that cook in the microwave or oven. Extras include breakfast from $4.98, lunch from $9.98, dessert from $3.98, snacks from $4.98 and drinks from $6.98.

Diets

HelloFresh has the clearer diet lineup. You can set preferences such as Meat and Veggies, Veggie, Quick and Easy, Family Friendly, Pescatarian, Calorie Smart (650 kcal or less per serving), High Protein, Carb Smart, Mediterranean and Fit and Wholesome. HelloFresh says vegan options sit within the Veggie plan, gluten-free and keto options appear across its rotating menu, and it also offers GLP-1 Friendly recipes.

For Home Chef, check the current weekly menu and our Home Chef menu guide for the diet options on offer. If you have allergies, read the ingredient list for each recipe before you order from either brand.

Delivery and flexibility

HelloFresh delivers once a week, between 8 am and 8 pm, anywhere in the United States except Alaska and Hawaii. To skip a week, pause or cancel, make the change by 11:59 pm PST five days before your next delivery, or you will be charged for that box.

Home Chef delivers Sunday through Friday on the day you choose. Your first box ships free; after that a flat shipping fee per box is shown at checkout. Home Chef is owned by Kroger, and Home Chef products are also sold in select Kroger stores.

Who should pick each

• Pick HelloFresh if you want the biggest weekly selection, need a set diet preference such as Pescatarian, Carb Smart or Calorie Smart, or like to swap and upgrade proteins.
• Pick Home Chef if you want Oven-Ready trays or microwave-friendly meals on busy nights, like adding breakfast, lunch and dessert to your box, or want to see prices before you sign up.

Verdict

HelloFresh, with a MealFan score of 9.0/10, wins on menu range and diet choice. Home Chef, at 8.8/10, wins on easy formats and on price transparency, since it publishes a $9.99 standard average while HelloFresh shows prices only after you enter a zip code. Both charge shipping after the first box. Read our HelloFresh review for more on its plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Prices, menus and offers from homechef.com and hellofresh.com, checked September 23, 2026. Prices change with the weekly menu.