The UK’s meal delivery scene has exploded in recent years as people search for easier, healthier ways to eat well around busy schedules. Between full workdays, family routines and rising food costs, convenience has become just as important as nutrition.
If you love good food but hate the midweek cooking scramble, Frive and Gousto are two household names that stand out. Both promise convenience and flavour, yet both are different in certain aspects.
Gousto provides recipe boxes with fresh ingredients and step-by-step cooking instructions. Frive skips straight to the best part with fully cooked, ultra-processed ingredient-free, nutritionist-approved meals that heat in minutes.
The question is, do you fancy cooking or eating well without all of the prep fuss?
Below, we take a look at how Frive and Gousto compare on prep time, nutrition, pricing, quality, customer reviews and more, so you can decide which one fits best with your lifestyle and goals.
| Category | Frive | Gousto |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | The only UK meal prep provider using 100% natural ingredients with no ultra-processed foods. Chef-prepared and nutritionist-approved. | Gousto recipe boxes include fresh, high-quality ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes, helping you cook great-tasting meals at home. |
| Reputation | 4.5/5 on Trustpilot (9k+ reviews). | 3.5/5 on Trustpilot (47k reviews). |
| Variety | 40+ dishes weekly, including breakfasts, snacks and mains. | Over 175 recipes each week, covering cuisines from around the world. |
| Delivery | Four delivery days (Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu). Meals last up to 7 days in the fridge. Split deliveries mean fresher food and greater flexibility. | Flexible delivery options across most of the UK, with next-day delivery available for first boxes in some areas. |
| Cooking | Fully cooked and ready in under 5 minutes in the microwave. Meals can also be oven-heated in under 40 minutes. | Cook-it-yourself format. Recipes take around 10 to 50 minutes, depending on the dish. Customers need basic cookware like pots and pans, and pantry staples like oil, herbs, and spices. |
| Price | A 6-meal plan costs £47.94 (£7.99 per meal). 40% off week 1 and 20% off weeks 2 & 3. Student and Blue Light discounts are also available. | Prices vary by box size, ranging from roughly £18.99 to £61.49 per box. For example: £44.75 for 2 people with 5 recipes. Delivery is £3.99 after the first free box. |
| Dietary Requirements Supported | Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, halal. | Vegetarian and vegan options, plus dairy-free and gluten-free recipes. No halal or kosher sourcing. |
| Meal Plans Available | High Protein (40g+), Low Carb, Low-Calorie, Plant-Based, Balanced. | No fixed meal plans. Users build boxes by selecting individual recipes that suit their goals or dietary preferences. |
| Additional Factors | Customer Rewards Club: earn points every time you order (“the more you eat, the more you save”). Strong eco-focus with recyclable, portion-controlled packaging. | Certified B Corp with a commitment to sustainability. Packaging is recycled or recyclable, with Eco-Chill insulation. Claims 23% lower CO₂ than a typical supermarket shop. |
| Tech Compatibility | All meals are barcode-scannable and fully compatible with MyFitnessPal for easy calorie and macro tracking. Orders via website or app. | Recipes are managed through the Gousto app or website, which includes information on nutrition and dietary filters. No barcode or fitness tracker integration. |
| Best For | Fitness-focused users, busy professionals, couples, families, eco-conscious customers, and busy parents who want fresh, all-day variety. | Home cooks who enjoy trying new recipes, want control over ingredients, and prefer flexible weekly meal planning with lots of choice. |
Brand Overviews
Frive
Founded as Lions Prep in 2016 and rebranded in 2024, Frive offers premium, chef-made meals designed to make healthy eating simple. Every dish is approved by a nutritionist and free from ultra-processed ingredients, seed oils and artificial additives.
With more than 40 rotating options each week, including breakfasts, mains and snacks, Frive helps people eat well without cooking or compromise. Meals arrive fresh and ready to heat in under five minutes.
Gousto
Launched in 2012, Gousto is one of the UK’s leading recipe box services, delivering fresh ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes straight to customers’ doors. It offers more than 175 recipes each week across global cuisines and dietary preferences, from quick 10-minute meals to more complex dishes.
With 100% British meat, responsibly sourced produce and recyclable packaging, Gousto helps home cooks enjoy variety and quality while cutting back on meal planning and supermarket trips.
Frive vs Gousto: A Detailed Comparison
Meal Quality & Ingredients
Quality and sourcing are what separate a quick meal from one that actually supports your health. Both Frive and Gousto prioritise fresh ingredients, but one delivers finished, balanced meals with consistent results, while the other hands you the ingredients to cook from scratch.
Frive
Frive focuses on nutrition, freshness and ingredient integrity. Every meal is made from 100% natural ingredients with no ultra-processed additives, seed oils or artificial additives.
Dishes are cooked fresh, never frozen, and developed by nutritionists to provide balance, energy and flavour in every portion. Around 30% of ingredients are organic, and all recipes are built around whole foods for clean, balanced nutrition.
Gousto
Gousto’s focus is on freshness and choice. Ingredients are pre-portioned for each recipe and sourced from trusted UK suppliers, including 100% British meat and dairy from Yeo Valley and Yester Farm Dairies. While most ingredients are fresh, customers do the cooking themselves, so results can vary based on skill and the quality of pantry items.
Summary
Both brands deliver high-quality food made with fresh, responsibly sourced ingredients, but it’s the format that defines the experience here. Frive offers ready-to-eat meals made without ultra-processed ingredients, while Gousto delivers the same level of freshness for those who enjoy the process of cooking.
Menu Variety & Specialisation
Menu variety is where personal preference really comes into play. Some people like having endless recipes to pick from, while others prefer a curated and reliable range they can trust to taste great every time.
Frive
Frive has something for everyone, offering over 40 dishes each week that rotate regularly to keep things fresh. The range spans breakfasts, mains, snacks and sides, with clear filters for high-protein, low-carb, balanced, low-calorie and plant-based options.
Each dish is portioned and macro-balanced, making it easy to build a plan that caters to your goals without overthinking it. New meals appear often, and all are ready to heat in minutes, so there’s no compromise between variety and simplicity.
Gousto
Gousto takes the opposite approach, focusing on scale and choice. With more than 175 recipes available each week, it’s designed for people who like to get stuck in and experiment in the kitchen.
The menu includes everything from classic comfort food to global flavours, as well as quick-prep ranges like “10-Min Meals.” Gousto also highlights health-focused categories like “Health Hub” and “Protein Hit” for those watching calories or macros.
Summary
Frive’s menu is smaller but curated for convenience, nutrition and reliability. Gousto offers a large variety and more creative freedom, but it comes with extra prep and cleanup time. The question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to explore recipes or have your week’s meals sorted without the effort.
Order Now: Frive’s Roasted Sea Bass
Preparation & Delivery
Convenience is where these two services differ the most. Both aim to make mealtimes easier, but how much effort you put in (and how much time you get back) depends entirely on which one you choose.
Frive
Frive offers four delivery days each week (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday) to keep meals fresh throughout the week. Everything arrives fully cooked, chilled and portioned, ready to heat in under five minutes in the microwave or around 40 minutes in the oven. Meals stay fresh for up to seven days in the fridge and can also be frozen if needed. There’s no prep, no chopping and no washing up, just fresh, healthy food ready when you are.
Gousto
Gousto keeps you hands-on in the kitchen while making delivery flexible. Boxes can be scheduled on multiple days throughout the week, with next-day delivery available for first orders in some areas.
Each box includes the exact ingredients you need and a step-by-step recipe card. Cooking times vary between 10 and 50 minutes depending on the meal.
Summary
Frive offers true heat-and-eat convenience with meals that slot easily into any schedule, including those short on time or wanting a break from cooking. Gousto turns dinner into an activity, offering the satisfaction of making something from scratch without the hassle of meal planning or shopping.
Read our guide to find out how long prepped meals actually last in the fridge.
Pricing & Value
Cost is important, but so is the value you get in return. Think about the time you have in your day-to-day life and how predictable you want your nutrition to be.
Frive
Like its service, Frive keeps pricing simple. A 6-meal plan costs £47.94 (£7.99 per meal), reflecting the quality of whole-food ingredients and chef-prepared convenience. Delivery is free for new customer plans, and thereafter free on orders over £40.
New customers can enjoy 40% off in week one and 20% off in weeks two and three. Student and Blue Light discounts help bring costs down even more, while the Rewards Club adds ongoing value.
Gousto
Gousto’s price varies by box size and recipes. Typical totals range from about £18.99 to £61.49 per box, for 1–5 people and 2–5 recipes. For example, a box for two people with five recipes comes to £44.75.
The first delivery is often free, then a £3.99 charge applies. You’ll also need to spend money on pantry basics like oil, butter, salt and pepper, and you’re trading money saved on per-portion cost for time spent prepping, cooking and washing up.
Summary
Frive’s pricing is slightly higher; however, it reflects the convenience of ready-made, nutritionist-approved meals that can save up to 7 hours per week. Gousto offers lower per-portion costs, especially with first-box discounts, but you pay back in time spent cooking.
Read our guide “How Much Does Meal Prep Delivery Really Save You?” to find out more.
Customer Satisfaction
Customer feedback can reveal what really works once the service reaches people’s kitchens.
Frive
Frive holds an impressive 4.5 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot from over 9,000 reviews.
Customers love the freshness, taste and convenience of the meals, with many saying it helps them stay on track with healthy eating without extra effort. The focus on real ingredients and balanced nutrition has also caught the attention of Cosmopolitan and Glamour, with famous fans ranging from Rita Ora to Simon Pegg and Olympian Niamh Emerson.
Gousto
Gousto scores a lower 3.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot, based on a much larger pool of reviews.
Many praise the variety and freshness of the recipes, plus the ease of having pre-portioned ingredients ready to go. Some reviewers mention the fun of discovering new dishes, but others flag issues with delivery or customer service.
Past celebrity supporters include Joe Wicks and Katherine Ryan.
Summary
Frive earns higher marks for reliability and overall experience, whereas Gousto’s feedback reflects both its popularity and scale, albeit with much more variety. If you value consistent freshness and ready-made ease, Frive comes out on top for customer satisfaction.
Tech compatibility
Technology plays a bigger role than ever in how people plan their meals and stay on top of nutrition. The best services make managing orders, tracking goals and staying organised as simple as possible.
Frive
Frive’s digital setup is built with everyday tracking in mind. Each meal has a barcode that syncs directly with MyFitnessPal, so you can log calories, protein and macros in seconds. Subscriptions are easy to manage through the website or app, allowing you to edit meal plans, pause deliveries or switch options without hassle.
Gousto
Gousto’s website and app are focused on planning and recipe management. Customers can browse 175+ dishes, filter by diet or cooking time and schedule deliveries straight from their phone. Each recipe includes nutritional information, but there’s no direct link to fitness-tracking platforms like MyFitnessPal.
Summary
Making nutrition tracking effortless, Frive comes out on top for tech-enabled convenience, designed for those who want to stay consistent with their health and weight-loss goals without overthinking it. Gousto’s app is great for browsing and planning recipes, though it leans more toward meal planning than anything else.
Order Now: Frive’s Firecracker Chicken Thighs
Additional Factors
The small details often make the biggest difference when choosing a meal delivery service. Beyond food quality and pricing, it’s how flexible, sustainable and easy-to-manage the service feels week to week that really counts.
Frive
- - Flexible subscriptions with the option to pause, skip or cancel anytime.
- - Meals last up to 7 days in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 28 days.
- - The Customer Rewards Club lets you earn points and savings with every order.
- - High focus on sustainability with recyclable, portion-controlled packaging to reduce waste.
- - Uses locally sourced ingredients that are up to 30% organic to support British agriculture.
- - Inclusive dietary range covering high protein, low carb, low calorie, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and halal options.
- - MyFitnessPal barcode integration for effortless calorie and macro tracking.
Gousto
- - B Corp certified with strong sustainability goals and recyclable packaging.
- - Claims that a weekly box results in 23% lower CO₂ emissions than buying the same food at a supermarket.
- - Health Hub filters help you choose recipes that are either under 600 kcal, high in protein or fibre, or provide 3 of your 5 a day.
- - Protein Hit and XL Protein options cater to fitness and health-focused eaters.
- - Uses 100% British meat and responsibly sourced fish for higher welfare standards.
- - Recipes are clearly labelled for allergens and dietary preferences (vegetarina, vegan, non-dairy, gluten-free), but are not halal or kosher certified.
Frive vs Gousto: Pick Your Perfect Plate
Both brands make healthy eating easier, but the best fit depends on how much time you have, how hands-on you want to be, and how much structure you need around your meals. Remember to pick the option that fits how you live, not just how you eat.
Frive is a better fit for:
- - People who value health and efficiency equally. They want to eat clean, whole food but don’t necessarily have the time or energy to cook.
- - Busy professionals, gym-goers, couples and parents who need predictable, macro-balanced nutrition throughout the week.
- - Health-focused consumers who actively avoid ultra-processed foods, seed oils and refined sugars.
- - People managing specific diets, like gluten-free, dairy-free, halal or plant-based, who want the assurance of a controlled kitchen environment.
- - Those who want consistency and convenience. They like set plans, know what they’ll get, and appreciate that everything arrives ready to eat, not ready to cook.
- - Users who track progress. MyFitnessPal barcodes, portion control and nutritionist-designed meals give measurable results if you’re trying to lose weight or gain muscle.
- - Eco-conscious customers who want minimal, recyclable packaging and local sourcing without sacrificing freshness.
Gousto is a better fit for:
- - People who enjoy the process of cooking and want the satisfaction of making fresh meals from scratch.
- - Home cooks who love variety, with 175+ weekly recipes ranging from comfort food to global flavours.
- - Singles, couples and families who want to share mealtimes or learn new dishes together.
- - Those who want flexibility can choose 2 to 5 recipes per week and select box sizes for 1 to 5 people.
- - Shoppers who are conscious of cost and waste can benefit from pre-portioned ingredients and regular introductory discounts.
- - Customers who care about sourcing and sustainability, supported by B Corp certification, 100% British meat and responsibly sourced fish.
Start a Frive plan today and take advantage of introductory discounts on chef-cooked, macro-balanced meals ready in minutes.
FAQs
What is the main difference between Frive and Gousto?
Frive delivers ready-made, chef-prepared meals that are fresh, never frozen, and ready to eat in under five minutes. Gousto provides recipe boxes with fresh ingredients and step-by-step instructions so you can cook from scratch.
Frive suits those who want nutritious meals with no prep or washing up, while Gousto is for home cooks who enjoy variety and time in the kitchen.
Is Frive healthier than Gousto?
Frive meals are nutritionist-approved and made using 100% natural ingredients, with no ultra-processed foods, seed oils or refined sugars.
Gousto ingredients are fresh and responsibly sourced, but nutrition depends on how each meal is cooked and what extras you add.
If you want predictable, balanced nutrition for everyday performance or fitness goals, Frive is the healthier choice.
Is Frive cheaper than Gousto?
Frive meals cost around £7.99 each, while Gousto portions range from £4 to £7 depending on box size and recipes.
Although Gousto appears cheaper, Frive eliminates the cost of pantry items, food waste and cooking time. For people with busy routines, Frive often delivers better overall value for money.
Which is better for busy professionals or families?
Frive is perfect for busy people who want healthy meals ready in minutes. There’s no chopping, cooking or cleaning, just fresh, chef-made food ready to heat and eat.
Gousto works best for households that enjoy cooking together and have time to prepare meals. Both offer convenience, but Frive gives you more hours back in your day.
Does Frive support more dietary needs than Gousto?
Yes. Frive supports vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and halal diets, all prepared in a controlled kitchen.
Gousto caters to vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free eaters but does not offer halal or kosher options.
Frive is the more inclusive choice for households with a mix of dietary requirements.
Where does Frive deliver to?
Frive delivers meals across most of the UK, with fast, reliable service to cities including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Cardiff, Coventry, Edinburgh, and more.
Simply enter your postcode at checkout to confirm availability. All meals are delivered in insulated, eco-friendly packaging to keep them fresh from our kitchen to your door.
How does Frive compare to other UK meal delivery brands?
Frive is regularly compared with other leading UK meal delivery services, each offering its own take on convenience, nutrition and taste.
If you’re exploring alternatives, you can read our detailed comparisons with Allplants, COOK, Simmer Eats, Prep Kitchen, Calo, Field Doctor and Prepped Pots.
Each guide compares price, nutrition, freshness and flexibility, helping you find the meal delivery service that best fits your lifestyle.
