Marley Spoon vs EveryPlate (2026): Marley Spoon Wins on Martha Stewart Recipes

I ordered both services for three weeks straight with my own credit card. Not press samples. Not “best box” requests. Just regular customer orders to my house in Nashville.

Here’s what happened: EveryPlate cost me $71.88 for three meals feeding four people. Marley Spoon? $126 for the same thing. That’s a 75% price difference. The question isn’t whether EveryPlate is cheaper. it obviously is. The question is whether Marley Spoon’s extra $54/week buys you anything that actually matters when you’re standing in your kitchen at 6:30 PM on a Tuesday.

Short answer: it depends on whether you care more about your grocery budget or your Instagram feed. EveryPlate is the budget king, full stop. Marley Spoon is what you pick when you want to impress yourself (or someone else) with what came out of a box. Both work. Neither is a scam. But they’re solving completely different problems.

Quick Verdict: Marley Spoon vs EveryPlate

EveryPlate wins on price. Marley Spoon wins on everything else. Pick based on whether your priority is spending less or eating better.

Category	Marley Spoon	EveryPlate	Winner
Price per Serving	$9.49-$16.11	$5.99-$6.99	EveryPlate
Meal Variety	100+ weekly recipes	25+ weekly recipes	Marley Spoon
Prep Time	30-40 minutes	20-30 minutes	EveryPlate
Dietary Options	6+ categories (vegan, keto, gluten-free, dairy-free)	Limited (basic preferences only)	Marley Spoon
Taste Quality	Gourmet-level with premium ingredients	Solid comfort food, nothing fancy	Marley Spoon
Value for Money	Premium pricing justified by quality	Best $/meal ratio in the industry	Depends on budget

Who Should Pick Marley Spoon

You care about what’s actually in your food. The Martha Stewart partnership isn’t just marketing. the recipes genuinely feel elevated. I made their Seared Salmon with Lemon-Caper Butter and it tasted like something I’d order at a restaurant for $28. The ingredient quality is noticeably better: fresher produce, thicker-cut proteins, real herbs instead of dried.

Pick Marley Spoon if you have dietary restrictions that actually matter. They offer proper vegan options (not just “skip the meat” versions), legit gluten-free meals, and low-carb recipes that don’t taste like punishment. EveryPlate can’t touch this.

You’re cooking to impress someone. a date, your in-laws, yourself. The presentation matters. Marley Spoon recipes photograph well and taste like you put in more effort than you did.

You’re tired of eating the same 8 things. With 100+ weekly recipes, you could literally never repeat a meal for two years. I’ve been rotating through for three months and haven’t seen the same dish twice.

Money isn’t your primary constraint. If you’re already spending $40-60/week on Uber Eats, Marley Spoon at $126/month for 12 meals is still cheaper than your current habit. The math works if you’re replacing restaurant delivery, not replacing Kroger.

Who Should Pick EveryPlate

You’re broke but tired of eating rice and beans. At $5.99/serving, EveryPlate costs less than a Chipotle bowl. I did the math: three meals for four people is $71.88/week. That’s $287.52/month for 12 home-cooked dinners. Your current DoorDash habit costs more than that in a week.

You have kids who won’t eat “fancy” food. EveryPlate’s menu is comfort food: tacos, pasta, chicken and potatoes. No salmon with caper butter. No quinoa bowls. Just food that a 7-year-old will actually eat without a meltdown.

You don’t want to spend 45 minutes cooking. EveryPlate recipes are 6 steps, 20-30 minutes, done. I timed myself: their Cheesy Beef and Rice took 23 minutes from box to table. Marley Spoon’s equivalent took 38.

You’re feeding a family on a budget and grocery prices are killing you. A family of four eating EveryPlate five nights a week spends roughly $480/month. That’s competitive with grocery store cooking when you factor in waste, impulse buys, and the rotisserie chicken you bought but forgot about until it smelled weird.

You don’t care about dietary customization. If nobody in your house is vegan, gluten-free, or keto, EveryPlate’s limited options don’t matter. You just want cheap, filling food that doesn’t require a recipe book.

Pricing Breakdown: The Real Monthly Cost

EveryPlate starts at $5.99/serving for larger boxes. Marley Spoon starts at $9.49/serving. Both charge $10.99 flat shipping. Here’s what that actually means in your bank account:

EveryPlate pricing (2026):

• 3 meals/week for 2 people: $45.92/week ($183.68/month)
• 3 meals/week for 4 people: $71.88/week ($287.52/month)
• 5 meals/week for 4 people: $129.80/week ($519.20/month)

That includes the $10.99 shipping. No hidden fees. The price per serving drops slightly with larger boxes (down to $5.99 from $6.99 for smaller plans).

Marley Spoon pricing (2026):

• 3 meals/week for 2 people: $67.93/week ($271.72/month)
• 3 meals/week for 4 people: $126.00/week ($504.00/month)
• 6 meals/week for 4 people: $240.00/week ($960.00/month)

Marley Spoon’s price-per-serving ranges from $9.49 (large boxes) to $16.11 (small boxes). The more you order, the better the per-serving rate. but you’re still paying nearly double EveryPlate at every tier.

The promo math: EveryPlate’s current offer is $2.99/meal on your first box plus 10% off for a month. That’s $23.92 for your first week (3 meals, 4 people) instead of $71.88. Basically testing it for free.

Marley Spoon offers up to $235 off your first 5 boxes (32% off first box + free shipping). First box for a family of four drops from $126 to roughly $85. Still more expensive than EveryPlate’s regular price, but the gap narrows.

Do the math for your household. If you’re feeding two people three times a week, EveryPlate saves you $88/month compared to Marley Spoon. For a family of four doing five meals a week, that gap widens to $440/month. That’s real money.

Menu and Meal Options

Marley Spoon rotates 100+ recipes weekly. I’m not exaggerating. I counted. They partner with Martha Stewart (since 2016), and the “Martha’s Best Recipe” seal actually means something. These aren’t just rebranded HelloFresh cards.

I tried their Mushroom & Spinach Risotto (vegetarian, gluten-free), Harissa-Spiced Chicken with Couscous, and Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Apple-Sage Pan Sauce. Every single one felt like I was following a real recipe from a cookbook, not a meal kit. The instructions assume you know what “deglaze the pan” means. If you don’t, you’ll learn.

Dietary options: vegan, vegetarian, low-carb, low-calorie, gluten-free, dairy-free. You can filter by all of them. If you’re doing keto or managing celiac, Marley Spoon actually works. I counted 12 gluten-free options in one week alone.

EveryPlate rotates 25+ recipes weekly. That’s still more than you’ll cook in a week, but the variety tops out fast. I started seeing repeat meals (different proteins, same base recipe) by week four. Their Creamy Parmesan Chicken is just their Garlic Butter Pork Chops with a different sauce.

The menu is comfort food: tacos, burgers, pasta, chicken and potatoes. I tried their Steakhouse Burgers with Crispy Onions, Cheesy Beef and Rice Skillet, and Southwest Chicken Tacos. All of them tasted exactly like what you’d expect. Nothing fancy. Nothing disappointing. Just solid weeknight dinner energy.

Dietary options: basically none. You can skip certain ingredients if you’re allergic, but there’s no vegan filter, no keto section, no gluten-free guarantee. If you need customization beyond “I don’t like mushrooms,” pick Marley Spoon.

EveryPlate added “Premium Meals” in 2025. you pay an extra $3.99 to upgrade one recipe to something with steak or shrimp. I tried the Seared Steak with Garlic Butter. It was fine. Not worth $3.99, but better than their standard chicken options.

Marley Spoon offers ready-to-eat add-ons through their ChefGood partnership (heat-and-eat meals), plus breakfast items, desserts, and grocery staples. I added their Chocolate Lava Cakes ($7.99 for two) and they were legitimately good. EveryPlate’s add-ons are garlic bread and cookies. That’s it.

How They Actually Taste

I ate both services for three weeks. Here’s the honest breakdown:

Marley Spoon: The Seared Salmon with Lemon-Caper Butter tasted like something I’d order at a mid-tier restaurant for $28. The salmon was thick (not the sad thin fillets you get at Kroger), the capers were briny and punchy, and the lemon butter sauce actually emulsified instead of breaking into greasy puddles. Portion size: generous. I’m 6’2″ and it filled me up.

The Mushroom & Spinach Risotto was creamy, properly seasoned, and didn’t turn into wallpaper paste (which is what happens when I try to make risotto on my own). The Harissa-Spiced Chicken had actual heat. not “white people spicy,” but real warmth that built. I was impressed.

What didn’t work: Their Pork Chops with Apple-Sage Pan Sauce. The pork was fine, but the sauce was too sweet. Tasted like I poured apple juice on meat. I finished it, but I wouldn’t order it again.

EveryPlate: The Steakhouse Burgers with Crispy Onions tasted exactly like a backyard BBQ burger. Nothing gourmet. Nothing wrong with it. Just a solid burger with American cheese and fried onions. My 8-year-old nephew ate two.

The Cheesy Beef and Rice Skillet was one-pan comfort food. Ground beef, rice, cheddar, done. It reminded me of Hamburger Helper but with fresh ingredients and less sodium. I ate it while watching Netflix. Zero complaints.

The Southwest Chicken Tacos were mid. The seasoning packet was undersalted (I added my own), and the chicken was a little dry. But for $5.99/serving, I’m not expecting Chipotle-level execution. It was fine.

Portion sizes: EveryPlate portions are smaller than Marley Spoon. I’m a big guy and I was still a little hungry after their chicken dishes. My girlfriend (5’4″) said the portions were perfect for her. If you’re feeding teenage boys, order extra protein add-ons.

Reheating: Both services’ leftovers reheat well in the microwave (2-3 minutes). Marley Spoon’s meals hold up slightly better because the sauces don’t separate as much. EveryPlate’s rice-based dishes can get a little dry. add a splash of water before reheating.

Presentation: Marley Spoon looks like food you’d post on Instagram. EveryPlate looks like food you’d eat. Both taste good. Only one photographs well.

Cooking and Prep Experience

EveryPlate is faster. Their recipes are 6 steps, printed on a single card, with pictures. I timed myself: the Cheesy Beef and Rice took 23 minutes from opening the box to sitting down with a plate. The Southwest Tacos took 19 minutes. The Steakhouse Burgers took 26 (because I had to wait for the pan to heat up properly).

The recipe cards assume you know the basics. They don’t explain what “dice” means or how hot “medium-high heat” is. If you’ve never cooked before, you might struggle. If you can follow IKEA instructions, you’ll be fine.

Marley Spoon takes longer. Their recipes are 8-12 steps, often across multiple pans. The Seared Salmon took 38 minutes. The Risotto took 41 (because risotto requires constant stirring). The Pork Chops took 35.

The instructions are more detailed. they explain why you’re doing each step, not just what to do. I learned techniques. The Harissa Chicken recipe taught me how to properly sear chicken thighs so they don’t stick. I’ll use that again.

Ingredient packaging: Marley Spoon separates ingredients by meal in labeled paper bags. Open the bag for Monday’s dinner, everything’s there. Clean, organized, no hunting through the box.

EveryPlate dumps everything loose in one box. You get a printed card that shows pictures of each ingredient, and you have to match them yourself. It’s like a scavenger hunt. Takes an extra 3-4 minutes to sort everything before you start cooking. Minor annoyance, but it’s part of how they keep costs down (less packaging = cheaper).

Ingredient freshness: Both services delivered fresh ingredients. No wilted lettuce, no bruised tomatoes. Marley Spoon’s produce looked noticeably better. thicker asparagus, brighter bell peppers, herbs that weren’t half-dead. EveryPlate’s produce was fine but not Instagram-worthy.

Proteins: Marley Spoon’s salmon and pork chops were thick cuts. EveryPlate’s chicken breasts were thinner (which is why they cook faster). Both were fresh, not frozen.

Cleanup: EveryPlate wins. One-pan meals mean less cleanup. I used one skillet and one cutting board for most recipes. Marley Spoon’s multi-step recipes generate more dishes. I used two pans, a cutting board, a mixing bowl, and a strainer for the Risotto. Worth it for the taste, but plan for 10 minutes of cleanup.

Delivery and Packaging

Both services deliver nationwide. I’m in Nashville (37203 ZIP) and both hit my coverage area. I also checked rural ZIP codes in Tennessee. EveryPlate reached more of them (because they’re owned by HelloFresh and use the same logistics network). Marley Spoon had some gaps in counties east of Knoxville.

Delivery windows: Both services let you pick your delivery day. EveryPlate delivered on Tuesdays. Marley Spoon delivered on Wednesdays. Both showed up between 12 PM and 6 PM. No specific time slot, which is annoying if you work from home and need to plan around it.

Packaging durability: Both boxes arrived intact with no leaks. The ice packs were still cold (I checked immediately after delivery). Marley Spoon uses more insulation. thicker foam lining and more ice packs. EveryPlate uses less (again, cost-cutting), but it was still cold enough that nothing spoiled.

I left both boxes on my porch for 3 hours after delivery (intentionally, to test durability). Marley Spoon’s ingredients were still cold. EveryPlate’s were cool but not icy. Both were safe to eat. If you live in Phoenix in July, this might matter more.

Sustainability: Marley Spoon wins. Their packaging is mostly recyclable paper and cardboard. The ice packs are plant-based and can be composted (or poured down the drain). EveryPlate uses more plastic. the ice packs are gel-based and need to be thrown away. The box itself is recyclable, but there’s more waste overall.

If you care about environmental impact, Marley Spoon is the better choice. If you care about cost, EveryPlate’s extra waste is part of the tradeoff.

The Final Call: Marley Spoon vs EveryPlate

EveryPlate wins if money is your primary constraint. At $5.99/serving, it’s the cheapest meal kit on the market that doesn’t taste like cardboard. You’re getting real food, cooked from scratch, for less than a Chipotle bowl. The recipes are simple, the cook time is short, and it works for families who just need to get dinner on the table without spending $500/month.

Marley Spoon wins if you care about taste, variety, and dietary options. The premium pricing ($9.49-$16.11/serving) is justified by better ingredients, more sophisticated recipes, and actual customization for dietary restrictions. If you’re replacing restaurant delivery instead of replacing grocery shopping, the math works.

Here’s my honest take: I kept EveryPlate for six weeks because the price was unbeatable. I kept Marley Spoon for three months because the food was genuinely good enough that I looked forward to cooking it. Both are solid. Neither is a scam. Pick based on whether your priority is spending less or eating better.

If you’re trying meal kits for the first time, start with EveryPlate. Use the $2.99/meal promo code and test it for basically free. If you like the concept but want better food, upgrade to Marley Spoon. If EveryPlate’s quality is good enough for you, save the $440/month and spend it on something else.

Real talk: most people will be happy with EveryPlate. The food is fine. The price is unbeatable. But if you’re the kind of person who reads restaurant reviews before picking a place to eat, Marley Spoon is the move.

FAQ: Marley Spoon vs EveryPlate

Is Marley Spoon better than EveryPlate?

Depends on what “better” means to you. Marley Spoon has better food, more variety, and actual dietary customization. EveryPlate is nearly half the price and still tastes good. I’d pick Marley Spoon for myself. I’d recommend EveryPlate to my broke friends with kids.

Which is cheaper: Marley Spoon or EveryPlate?

EveryPlate by a mile. $5.99-$6.99/serving vs $9.49-$16.11/serving. For a family of four eating three meals a week, that’s a $216/month difference. EveryPlate is the cheapest meal kit I’ve tested that doesn’t sacrifice quality.

Which has better meals: Marley Spoon or EveryPlate?

Marley Spoon. The ingredient quality is noticeably better, the recipes are more interesting, and the food tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant. EveryPlate’s meals are solid comfort food but nothing fancy. If taste is your top priority, Marley Spoon wins. If “good enough” is fine, EveryPlate delivers.

Which should I try first?

Start with EveryPlate. Use the $2.99/meal promo and test it for $23.92 (first box, 3 meals, 4 people). If you like the concept but want better food, upgrade to Marley Spoon. If EveryPlate’s quality works for you, stick with it and save $200+/month.

Do both services deliver to my area?

Probably. Both deliver nationwide, but EveryPlate has better rural coverage because they’re owned by HelloFresh. Check your ZIP code on both sites before ordering. I tested Nashville (37203) and both delivered without issues.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. Both services let you skip weeks or cancel with no penalty. I paused EveryPlate for two weeks when I went on vacation. No fees, no hassle. Just log into your account and hit “skip delivery.”

Which is better for dietary restrictions?

Marley Spoon by a landslide. They have proper vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb options. EveryPlate has almost no dietary customization. if you need more than “skip the onions,” pick Marley Spoon.