TL;DR: HelloFresh sends ingredients and recipe cards for you to cook; Frive sends chef-crafted meals, cooked and ready in about three minutes. We are 100% UPF-free; HelloFresh makes no UPF-free claim. Our median meal carries 44g of protein and 1.6g of salt, against 41g and 2.9g for a HelloFresh serving, and its recipes take a median 35 minutes to cook. HelloFresh is cheaper per portion, at £6.08 delivered for two people and three recipes; six Frive meals cost £47.40 delivered, £7.90 each. Living alone? HelloFresh's smallest box serves two.
HelloFresh is the UK's best-known recipe box, and if you enjoy cooking for a household, it's easy to see why. It's built around households, too: HelloFresh says its smallest box serves two people. Frive does something different. We cook chef-crafted, nutritionist-approved meals from 100% natural ingredients; we are 100% UPF-free, and every meal arrives fresh, as a single portion, ready in about three minutes. Our main meals carry a median of 44g of protein, and we score 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
Below, we compare the two on ingredients, nutrition, menu and plans, delivery and cooking time, price and reviews, then help you decide which one suits you. We checked HelloFresh's prices, menu and nutrition on its own website, so the numbers compare like with like.
Frive vs HelloFresh: a quick comparison
| Frive vs HelloFresh at a glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Frive | HelloFresh |
| What arrives | Cooked meals, ready to heat | Ingredients and recipe cards; you cook |
| Ordering for one | Yes: every meal is a single portion | No box for one; the smallest box serves two people |
| Time on the night | About three minutes in the microwave | 10 to 55 minutes cooking, median 35 |
| Ingredients | 100% natural; we are 100% UPF-free | No UPF-free claim and no statement on processing found; all meat and poultry farm assured |
| Protein per meal (median) | 44g across 43 main meals | 41g per serving across 24 dinner recipes |
| Protein per 100 calories (median) | 9.0g | 5.7g |
| Salt per meal (median) | 1.6g | 2.9g per serving |
| Price | £7.90 a meat meal; six meals £47.40 delivered | 2 people, 3 recipes (6 portions): £36.48 a week delivered, £6.08 a portion |
| Delivery | £6; free on orders of £40 or more; four days a week | £4.99 a box; seven days a week |
| Flexibility | Weekly subscription; skip or cancel any time | Subscription only; weekly, every two weeks or every four weeks; changes by 11.59pm five days before delivery |
| Dietary plans | High protein, weight loss, low carb, balanced, vegetarian, vegan, halal and GLP-1 | Preferences including Calorie Smart, Protein Rich, Vegetarian and Pescatarian; says it can't offer gluten-free, dairy-free or guaranteed halal plans |
| Trustpilot | 4.4 from 13,133 reviews | 3.1 from 109,624 reviews |
| Best for | Living alone, no cooking, high protein and calorie counting | Households of two or more who enjoy cooking |
Deep dive: head-to-head comparison
Here's how they compare where it matters.
Meal quality and ingredients
With any meal service, quality comes down to what's in the food, including the parts you don't make yourself.
Frive
This is the biggest difference between us. We are 100% UPF-free, and every meal we make is chef-crafted and nutritionist-approved. That means 100% natural ingredients and no artificial ingredients, from the sauce up. Our chefs cook with whole cuts of meat, never mixed or processed meats, and only with olive, avocado and sesame oils. Our beef, chicken and turkey are Red Tractor approved, our leafy greens are UK-grown, our herbs are locally sourced, and our fish is ASC assured. Nothing's left to your cupboard: what arrives is the whole meal.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh says all of its meat and poultry is farm assured, and its ingredients arrive pre-portioned. What it doesn't say is whether any of them are ultra-processed. We couldn't find a UPF-free claim on its website, and its FAQ says nothing about processing. The spice blends, stock pastes and sauce sachets in each box arrive ready-made. If UPFs matter to you, ask HelloFresh directly. You also add your own oil, butter and seasoning, so the finished meal depends partly on your cupboard.
Cooking from fresh ingredients does put you in control of the meal, and that's a real plus.
Frive is best if you want every part of the meal, sauce included, made with no UPFs. HelloFresh suits you if you like cooking from fresh ingredients yourself.
Nutrition and protein
Calories are the easy bit. Protein and salt decide whether dinner works for you every day.
Frive
Protein is what we build our meals around. Across the 43 main meals on this week's menu, the median carries 44g of protein, and 39 of the 43 carry 30g or more. Taken meal by meal, that's 9.0g of protein for every 100 calories, in a median meal of 548 calories with 1.6g of salt. Every meal is a fixed single portion with its calories and macros already worked out, so if you're counting calories or chasing a protein target, there's nothing to weigh or guess.
HelloFresh
Every HelloFresh recipe shows its nutrition per serving. Across the 24 dinner recipes we checked from one week's menu, the median serving carries 41g of protein, and 18 carry 30g or more, but it comes with more calories: a median of 619, up to 1,262. That's 5.7g of protein per 100 calories. The median serving carries 2.9g of salt, around half the 6g a day the NHS says adults shouldn't go over. HelloFresh also offers a Calorie Smart preference for recipes under 650 calories.
Protein per serving is close, 41g against our 44g. HelloFresh servings carry more fibre, a 7.75g median against our 5.8g, and MoneySavingExpert's 2026 test found HelloFresh gave the most calories per portion of the five recipe boxes it tried.
| Nutrition per meal | ||
|---|---|---|
| Measure | Frive (43 main meals) | HelloFresh (24 dinner recipes, per serving) |
| Protein, median | 44g | 41g |
| Protein, range | 16g to 56g | 16g to 63g |
| Meals with 30g of protein or more | 39 of 43 | 18 of 24 |
| Protein per 100 calories, median | 9.0g | 5.7g |
| Calories, median | 548 | 619 (506 to 1,262) |
| Salt, median | 1.6g (highest 2.7g) | 2.9g (highest 5.7g) |
| Fibre, median | 5.8g | 7.75g |
Frive is best if you want more protein for every calorie, with less salt. HelloFresh suits you if you want bigger, more filling dinners with more fibre.
Menu variety and plans
Choice keeps dinner interesting; the plans decide whether it fits how you eat.
Frive
We put 40+ main meals on the menu each week, and it changes weekly, so you're not eating the same thing on repeat. Alongside them, you'll find breakfasts, snacks and desserts, sides, protein smoothies, juices and shots, so you can cover the whole day, not just dinner. Our plans follow how you eat: high protein, weight loss, low carb, balanced, vegetarian, vegan, halal and GLP-1.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh has a big weekly menu of recipes to cook, with preferences for Calorie Smart, Quick Cook, Protein Rich, Carb Smart, Vegetarian, Pescatarian and Family Friendly, and a Market of add-ons such as breakfasts, snacks, desserts and drinks. Its FAQ says it can't offer a gluten-free or dairy-free preference, and that because some of its meat suppliers are halal certified and others aren't, it can't guarantee a meal plan for a halal diet.
HelloFresh's menu does give you more recipes to choose from each week than ours.
Frive is best if you need a high-protein, GLP-1, halal, vegetarian or vegan plan, or want breakfasts and snacks made for you too. HelloFresh suits you if you want the widest choice of recipes to cook.
Delivery, cooking time and flexibility
A meal service only works if it fits your week: when it arrives, how long it keeps and how long dinner takes.
Frive
Our meals arrive cooked, fresh and chilled, never frozen, and keep up to seven days in the fridge. You can freeze them too, though they're at their best fresh. Dinner takes about three minutes in the microwave, with no prep, no pans and nothing to wash up but a fork. We deliver four days a week: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Choose a 3, 5 or 6-day plan, skip a week or cancel any time, and manage it all on our website or in the Frive app.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh delivers seven days a week, between 8 am and 9 pm as standard, for £4.99 a box, with extra charges for some areas and time slots. You can choose weekly, every two weeks or every four weeks, and skip up to four weeks at a time, as long as changes are made by 11.59 pm five days before delivery. Then there's the cooking: the recipes on its menu take 10 to 55 minutes, with a median of 35.
HelloFresh delivers on more days than we do, and lets you order every two or four weeks.
Frive is best if you want dinner in about three minutes, with no prep or washing up. HelloFresh suits you if you have the time and desire to cook after work.
Pricing and value for money
Price per portion is only part of it. What you get for it, and the time it takes, count too.
Frive
A meat meal from us is £7.90, vegetarian and vegan £7.80, and seafood £8.80. Six meat meals come to £47.40 with free delivery, because that's over £40, where our delivery becomes free. That's six different, single-portion meals at £7.90 each, delivered, with nothing to top up from the cupboard and no time at the stove. Per gram of protein, that's about 18p. New customer discount available.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh prices per portion, and the price falls as the box grows. Two people and three recipes costs £31.49, or £36.48 with £4.99 delivery: £6.08 a portion. Two people and five recipes is £51.98 delivered (£5.20 a portion), and four people and five recipes is £74.98 delivered (£3.75 a portion). Oil, seasoning and staples come from your own cupboard.
So, plainly: HelloFresh costs less per portion than we do, whichever box you choose.
| What you pay, full price, delivery included | ||
|---|---|---|
| Order | Frive | HelloFresh |
| Price per meal | £7.90a meat meal£7.80 vegetarian and vegan; £8.80 seafood | £3.75 to £6.08a portion, deliveredFalls as the box gets bigger |
| Delivery | £6a boxFree on orders of £40 or more | £4.99a boxExtra for some areas and time slots |
| Six meals for onea week | £47.40£7.90 a mealSix different meat meals, free delivery | £36.48£6.08 a portion2 people, 3 recipes: £31.49 + £4.99 delivery |
| Time on the night | 3 minabout, to heat | 35 minmedian, to cook |
| From your cupboard | Nothing | Oil, seasoning and staples |
| Ordering | Weekly subscription; skip or cancel any time | Weekly, every two weeks or every four weeks |
HelloFresh is cheaper per portion at every box size. Frive costs more per meal, but every meal is cooked, different and portioned for one.
Customer reviews and reputation
Reviews are the best check on whether a service turns up complete and on time.
Frive
We score 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 13,133 reviews, and we've delivered more than 25 million meals since 2016. That trust rests on the same things every week: meals that turn up fresh, ready in about three minutes, made from 100% natural ingredients with no UPFs, and a menu that changes weekly so you don't get bored.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh scores 3.1 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 109,624 reviews. In Which?'s February 2026 comparison, HelloFresh shared the top customer score of the recipe boxes it compared, at 70%.
Frive scores higher on Trustpilot, 4.4 against 3.1. HelloFresh's score rests on far more reviews, and it shared the top customer score in Which?'s 2026 recipe box comparison.
The pivot: why Frive is the easier choice for one
Recipe boxes take the planning and shopping off your hands. The cooking, the washing up and the second helping of the same dinner stay with you. That's fine for a family who likes to cook. On your own, on a weeknight, it can be a lot.
That's what we make easier. Frive is natural, healthy eating made easy: chef-crafted, nutritionist-approved meals, made from 100% natural, whole-food ingredients, and we are 100% UPF-free. Each one is a single portion, cooked and ready in about three minutes. We launched in 2016 as Lions Prep and rebranded as Frive in 2024.
Why Frive is the brand to beat
Made for one: every meal is a single portion, so there are no leftovers to plan around.
No cooking, no washing up: meals arrive cooked and are ready in about three minutes.
100% UPF-free: every meal is made from 100% natural ingredients, with no artificial ingredients and only olive, avocado and sesame oils.
More protein per calorie, less salt: a median of 9 grams of protein per 100 calories and 1.6 grams of salt, against 5.7g and 2.9g for a HelloFresh serving.
Plans for how you eat: high protein, weight loss, low carb, balanced, vegetarian, vegan, halal and GLP-1.
If you're feeding two or more and you enjoy cooking, HelloFresh costs less per portion than we do. Where we win is time, single portions and what's in the food.
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Frive vs HelloFresh: the final verdict
Choose Frive if you live alone, don't want to cook every night, want meals that are 100% UPF-free, or need a halal, vegetarian or vegan plan.
Choose HelloFresh if you're feeding two or more, you enjoy cooking, and the lowest price per portion matters most.
1. HelloFresh doesn't sell a box for one; its smallest box serves two people.
2. For one person, two people and three recipes costs £36.48 a week delivered, £6.08 a portion; six Frive meals cost £47.40, £7.90 each.
3. HelloFresh recipes take a median 35 minutes to cook; our meals are ready in about three.
4. Our median meal carries 1.6g of salt and 9.0g of protein per 100 calories; a HelloFresh serving 2.9g and 5.7g.
5. We score 4.4 on Trustpilot; HelloFresh scores 3.1.
Don't fancy cooking every night? That's what we're here for. Every meal is a chef-crafted, nutritionist-approved single portion, 100% UPF-free, with a median of 44g of protein, delivered fresh and ready in about three minutes. Pick a plan for high protein, weight loss, low carb, balanced, vegetarian, vegan, halal or GLP-1. New customer discount available: start your plan.
FAQs
What's the difference between Frive and HelloFresh?
HelloFresh is a recipe box: it sends ingredients and recipe cards, and you do the cooking, a median 35 minutes a recipe. Frive sends chef-crafted meals, cooked and ready in about three minutes. We are 100% UPF-free, every meal is a single portion, and our main meals carry a median 44g of protein.
Is Frive or HelloFresh cheaper?
HelloFresh is cheaper per portion: £6.08 delivered for two people and three recipes, down to £3.75 for four people and five recipes. Six Frive meals cost £47.40 delivered, £7.90 each. The difference is that Frive meals arrive cooked, as six different single portions, with nothing to add from the cupboard.
Is HelloFresh healthy, and how does Frive compare?
Each HelloFresh recipe shows its nutrition. Across 24 dinner recipes we checked, the median serving carried 41g of protein, 619 calories and 2.9g of salt, about half the NHS's 6g daily limit. Frive's median meal carries 44g of protein, 548 calories and 1.6g of salt, and we are 100% UPF-free.
Does HelloFresh do meals for one person?
No. HelloFresh says its smallest box serves two people and suggests single households use the extra portions for lunch. If you live alone, two people and three recipes gives you six portions for £36.48 a week delivered. Frive meals are single portions, and six cost £47.40 delivered, £7.90 each.
Is HelloFresh worth it?
For families of two to four who like cooking, HelloFresh is good value, from £3.75 a portion delivered. If you'd rather not cook every night, it's harder to justify: recipes take a median 35 minutes, and it scores 3.1 on Trustpilot. Frive meals are ready in about three minutes, and we score 4.4.
Are HelloFresh meals ultra-processed?
HelloFresh's FAQ doesn't say how processed its ingredients are, and we couldn't find a UPF-free claim on its website. Its spice blends, stock pastes and sauce sachets arrive ready-made, so if UPFs matter to you, ask HelloFresh directly. At Frive, we are 100% UPF-free, from the sauce up.
Where does Frive deliver?
We deliver across mainland UK, except some areas of Scotland, on four delivery days a week: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. That includes cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol and Edinburgh. Enter your postcode at checkout to confirm we cover your address.
HelloFresh prices and box sizes were checked on its website on 23 September 2026, and its menu, cooking times, recipe nutrition and policies on 6 October 2026; nutrition medians are per serving from 24 dinner recipes on its menu for 10 to 16 October 2026. All prices are full price before introductory discounts; HelloFresh says prices may vary by postcode. Frive figures are from our live menu on 28 September 2026. Prices and menus change.
