Meal delivery services have become a lifeline for anyone juggling a busy schedule with a desire to eat well. Two popular options, CookUnity and Factor, promise chef-crafted, heat-and-eat convenience, but which one actually delivers the goods for your needs?
As someone who trains daily and lives for high-protein meals, I’ve put both services through their paces to see how they stack up for active folks like me and everyday eaters alike.
Let’s break down everything from customization options to taste quality, helping you figure out which service deserves space in your fridge or if there’s an even better alternative out there.
Quick Verdict
CookUnity offers gourmet variety and bold flavors but falls short with inconsistent portions and higher costs. Factor delivers reliable convenience and value but lacks customization and has smaller servings.
For athletes and performance-focused eaters, Trifecta Nutrition is the superior choice, offering organic, high-protein meals with precise macros and no prep, perfect for training and recovery.
| Feature | Winner |
|---|---|
| Customization | CookUnity |
| Meal Kits and Variety | CookUnity |
| Taste and Quality | CookUnity |
| Packaging | Draw |
| User Reviews | Draw |
| Cancelation Process | Draw |
| Price | Factor |
Winner
Based on my experience with each meal delivery service, neither CookUnity nor Factor hold a light to Trifecta Nutrition.
Trifecta caters to any allergies or dietary preferences and has a Performance Line with meals that don’t skimp on protein or calories.
They are high protein, moderate carb, and lower in fat making them perfect for muscle building, fat loss, or sports performance related goals. Use code “liftbig40” for 40% OFF.
What Is CookUnity?
CookUnity, launched in 2015, is a subscription-based meal delivery service that partners with over 70 renowned chefs to deliver fresh, restaurant-quality meals.
Operating from kitchens in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, it serves most of the U.S., though rural areas may be excluded. The weekly menu boasts over 200 single-serving, fully prepared meals spanning worldwide cuisines.
Options cater to dietary needs like keto, gluten-free, and vegetarian, with high-protein picks for fitness buffs. Meals arrive fresh in eco-friendly, recyclable trays, ready to heat in 2-3 minutes (microwave) or 10-15 minutes (oven).
You can customize by filtering preferences or let CookUnity choose based on your profile. Flexible plans range from 4 to 16 meals weekly, with easy pausing or skipping. It’s ideal for foodies and busy professionals craving gourmet convenience without prep.
My CookUnity review goes into detail about my experience.
Pros
- Over 200 chef-crafted meals with diverse, restaurant-quality flavors
- Strong customization with filters for protein type and dietary needs
- High-protein options (30-50 grams) ideal for athletes
- Flexible plans with easy pausing or skipping
Cons
- Inconsistent portion sizes, some meals too light
- Occasional taste misses (e.g., dry dishes)
- Limited delivery in rural areas
What Is Factor?
Factor, part of the HelloFresh family since its 2013 debut, is a subscription meal delivery service focused on fresh, fully prepared meals for health-conscious eaters.
Serving the contiguous U.S. and select Canadian provinces, it offers around 45 chef-crafted meals weekly, organized into categories like Protein Plus, Keto, Calorie Smart, and Fiber Filled. High-protein options deliver 30-40 grams, perfect for active lifestyles, while vegan and vegetarian choices add variety.
Meals are ready in 2-3 minutes (microwave) or 7-11 minutes (oven), arriving fresh in recyclable packaging with ice packs.
Factor uses hormone-free meats and non-GMO ingredients, though it’s not organic. Free dietitian consultations and app integration (e.g., MyFitnessPal) enhance its appeal.
Customization is limited to meal selection, but the service suits busy professionals, athletes, and diet followers seeking no-fuss nutrition with solid taste.
My Factor review goes into detail about my experience.
Pros
- Convenient 2-minute heat-and-eat meals
- High-protein Protein Plus options (30-40 grams) for fitness buffs
- Solid taste with hormone-free meats and non-GMO ingredients
- Free dietitian consultations and app integration
Cons
- Limited customization, no ingredient swaps
- High sodium levels (800-1000 mg) in some meals
- Portions can feel small for bigger appetites
CookUnity vs. Factor Key Differences
Customization
Both services are about picking meals rather than tweaking ingredients, but they approach it differently.
With CookUnity, I liked how I could get specific about proteins (beef, chicken, pork, seafood) and filter for dietary needs like gluten-free or keto. The “high-protein” and “fitness fuel” filters caught my eye as someone who hits the weights hard.
You can hand-pick every meal or let CookUnity choose based on your preferences. The only annoying bit was having to click into each meal to check protein content rather than seeing it up front.
Factor keeps it simpler with category-based selection. You browse through Protein Plus, Calorie Smart, Keto, Chef’s Choice, and other categories, picking 6-18 meals weekly.
It’s straightforward but offers less variety than CookUnity’s massive selection. Both services let you pause or skip deliveries easily when life gets hectic.
Neither service lets you swap ingredients or modify dishes, which is a bummer if you’ve got specific allergies or are super picky.
That said, CookUnity’s broader selection (200+ vs. Factor’s 45 options) gives you a better chance of finding exactly what you want without needing to customize.
Meal Kits, Recipes, and Variety
The difference in menu size here is huge. CookUnity crushes it with over 200 weekly options compared to Factor’s 45 meals. CookUnity’s chef-driven approach brings legit restaurant-quality dishes like Korean beef bowls and chicken tikka masala from big names like Esther Choi.
Factor offers solid options too, especially in their Protein Plus line with dishes like Grilled Chicken with Garlic Herb Cream and Smoky Bacon Pork Tenderloin.
Both services cover keto and calorie-conscious options, but CookUnity simply has more cuisine variety.
Neither service involves cooking—both deliver fully prepared, heat-and-eat meals. Factor meals take 2-3 minutes in the microwave or 7-11 minutes in the oven, while CookUnity runs about the same times. Both offer breakfast add-ons, though Factor has more extras like smoothies and snacks.
For us protein-focused folks, both services deliver meals packing 30-50 grams per dish in their higher-protein options. Neither is great for strict vegans or vegetarians, though CookUnity offers slightly more plant-based choices.
Taste & Quality
Both services surprised me with flavors that beat typical heat-and-eat expectations, but there are some differences worth noting.
CookUnity’s chef-driven meals really do taste restaurant-quality. The barbacoa beef I tried shredded perfectly, and the chimichurri sauce tasted freshly made. Most meals held up well after reheating, especially using the oven method.
However, the consistency wasn’t perfect, as I got a salmon dish that was on the dry side, and portion sizes jumped around between meals.
Factor’s meals brought solid flavor too, particularly the Protein Plus options. The Grilled Chicken with Garlic Herb Cream stayed juicy, and the Smoky Bacon Pork Tenderloin delivered real flavor, not just salt.
They use hormone-free meats and skip GMOs and refined sugars, though they’re not organic. Some dishes hit 800-1,000 mg of sodium, which didn’t bother me as an active guy but might be a concern if you’re watching salt.
Both use quality ingredients, though neither is fully organic. CookUnity’s chef approach creates more complex flavors, while Factor delivers reliable taste without trying to be too fancy.
Both do better heated in the oven than microwaved, but the difference isn’t huge when you’re in a rush.
Packaging
Both services prioritize keeping your food cold and fresh during shipping, with some eco-friendly efforts thrown in.
CookUnity sends meals in a sturdy cardboard box (or reusable tote in some cities) with foil lining and ice packs. Each meal comes in a compostable tray made from sugarcane fiber, wrapped in a recyclable paper sleeve with all the details—chef’s name, heating instructions, nutrition info.
There’s a thin plastic film over each tray that goes in the trash, and some meals have small sauce cups that can be recycled.
Factor packs meals in an insulated box with ice packs, with each meal in a BPA-free plastic tray with a film lid.
According to them, the trays, liners, and ice packs are recyclable depending on your local rules. It’s functional but creates a pile of plastic, especially if you’re ordering a lot of meals.
Both kept my food properly chilled during shipping, and both clearly labeled everything so I knew what I was eating and how to prepare it. Neither is perfect environmentally, but CookUnity’s compostable trays are a nice touch that makes it slightly greener.
Price
Pricing for both services depends on the number of meals ordered, with larger plans lowering per-meal costs.
CookUnity is generally pricier, reflecting its chef-driven focus, while Factor offers a slightly more budget-friendly option. Both usually include free shipping, though CookUnity may charge $9.99 in some areas.
Below is a comparison of their main pricing tiers:
| Meal Delivery Service | Meals per Week | Price per Meal | Total Weekly Cost |
| CookUnity | 4 | $14.23 | $56.92 |
| 8 | $12.29 | $98.32 | |
| 16 | $11.09 | $177.44 | |
| Factor | 6 | $12.99 | $77.94 |
| 10 | $11.99 | $119.90 | |
| 18 | $10.99 | $197.82 |
Cancelation Process
The good news is that both services make canceling painless without forcing you to make awkward phone calls.
With CookUnity, you just log into your account on their website or app, hit settings, find the subscription section, and click cancel. They ask why you’re leaving through a simple dropdown menu, then email a confirmation within minutes.
Just make sure you do this 4-5 days before your next scheduled delivery, or you’ll get (and pay for) one more box. Pausing is super easy too; just toggle it in the app if you need a break.
Factor works similarly. Log in, go to settings, click “deactivate.” The key timing thing to remember is their Wednesday cutoff.
Miss that, and you’re on the hook for another week. Factor also lets you pause deliveries without fully canceling, which I tested and found seamless.
User Reviews
After checking out what real users think about both services, I found they both maintain mostly positive ratings overall, though with different strengths highlighted.
Factor averages 4 stars out of 5 from over 72,000 reviews as of early 2025, with about 70% giving it 4 or 5 stars. People love the convenience and taste, especially the Protein Plus meals many gym-goers rave about.
Most say the dishes taste far better than grocery store frozen meals, though some mention soggy veggies or portions feeling small. Delivery is reliable for 80-90% of folks, with 10-15% reporting late deliveries.
About half of users think the $10.99-$12.99 per meal pricing is worth it compared to takeout, especially with first-box discounts, while others find it too expensive for regular use.
CookUnity gets similar praise for its chef-crafted approach and restaurant-quality flavors. Customers especially love the huge selection (200+ weekly options) and culinary variety.
However, some point out inconsistent portion sizes as a drawback, with meals ranging from 400-1200+ calories.
Like Factor, CookUnity gets mixed feedback on value, with price being the most common complaint despite general satisfaction with quality.
Both services get mixed reviews about customer service responsiveness, usually around delivery problems or account issues. Neither is perfect, but both maintain strong satisfaction rates, especially among busy professionals and active individuals who value convenience.
My Experience With CookUnity And Factor
CookUnity’s massive variety immediately impressed me, and with over 200 weekly options, it felt almost overwhelming in a good way.
Using their “high-protein” filter, I found plenty of hearty options like barbacoa beef and pork tenderloin with chimichurri that packed 30-50 grams of protein.
The chef-driven approach wasn’t just marketing hype; these dishes had complex flavors that beat most prepared meals I’ve tried.
The inconsistent portions threw me though. Some CookUnity meals left me satisfied, while others had me raiding the pantry an hour later. On training days, this sometimes meant scrambling for extra protein.
The meals arrived fresh in those compostable trays, which I appreciated, though by week’s end the packaging pile was substantial.
Factor’s more streamlined approach meant fewer choices (about 45 weekly options), but the Protein Plus category specifically worked well for my needs.
The Grilled Chicken with Garlic Herb Cream and Smoky Bacon Pork Tenderloin became go-to’s, consistently delivering 30-40 grams of protein.
Factor’s meals felt more standardized in size, which helped with planning my daily nutrition. Everything heated quickly and kept decent texture, though some veggie sides got a bit mushy in the microwave.
Both services were massive time-savers—no cooking, minimal cleanup, just a quick reheat. Both provided solid nutrition info, helping me track macros without guesswork.
Price-wise, both definitely cost more than cooking at home. I tested Factor’s 14-meal plan at $11.19 per meal and CookUnity’s 12-meal plan at $11.79 per meal, which is not cheap, but the time saved and quality received made it worthwhile for my schedule.
For pure performance nutrition, Factor’s Protein Plus line gave me more consistent macros for recovery, while CookUnity offered better variety when I wanted something more interesting. Both kept well in the fridge for about a week, letting me plan meals around my training schedule.
Should You Pick CookUnity Or Factor?
CookUnity really nails the restaurant-quality angle with bold, complex flavors. The huge selection means you’ll never get bored, and the chef-driven approach makes meals feel special rather than just functional.
The downside is the inconsistent portion sizes, which might leave active folks like me needing to supplement, and the higher price (especially for smaller orders) puts it in the premium category.
Factor delivers solid quality with less variety but more predictability. The Protein Plus line works well for active lifestyles, and the standardized approach makes meal planning simpler. The slightly lower price point also makes it easier to stick with long-term.
But here’s the thing: for serious athletes or anyone focused on performance, I’d recommend looking beyond both services to Trifecta Nutrition.
Trifecta offers fully prepared, organic meals with 35-55 grams of protein and up to 750 calories per serving, specifically designed for recovery and gains.
At around $16 per meal, it’s pricier than CookUnity and Factor, but the macro precision and performance focus make it superior for serious training goals.
Trifecta uses premium ingredients like grass-fed beef and organic produce, offers consistent portions optimized for athletic performance and provides an app that automatically logs macros and syncs with fitness trackers.
While it lacks the culinary flair of CookUnity or the broad accessibility of Factor, its laser focus on performance nutrition makes it my top recommendation for athletes seeking every advantage.
Trifecta
Trifecta Nutrition
A clean, high protein meal delivery service that doesn’t skimp on quality or portions. Use code “liftbig40” for 40% OFF.
