Gousto is cheaper than HelloFresh for every box size the two have in common, by £1.69 to £16.80 a week with delivery included. It also has the bigger weekly menu, boxes for 1 and 5 people, and a later deadline for changes. HelloFresh is the one we know from our own kitchen, and it suits families who want approachable recipes and a short list of clear preferences.
Prices checked in both box selectors on 1 October 2026. Normal prices, without the new-customer discounts.
Gousto and HelloFresh are the two biggest recipe boxes in the UK, and they work the same way: you pick your dinners each week and get the measured ingredients with a recipe. The differences are in the price, the box sizes, the menu and how much notice you need to give. This page puts them side by side, with the figures for every box size.
Gousto vs HelloFresh at a glance
| Gousto | HelloFresh | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 people, 3 meals a week | £36.24 (£6.04 a serving) | £37.93 (£6.32 a serving) |
| Cheapest serving | £3.40 (4 people, 5 recipes) | £4.24 (4 people, 5 meals) |
| Delivery | £3.99 per box | £4.99 per box |
| Box sizes | 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 people | 2, 3 or 4 people |
| Meals a week | 2 to 5 (2 or 3 for 5 people) | 2 to 5 |
| Weekly menu | More than 175 recipes | More than 50 recipes |
| Deadline for changes | Midday, 3 days before delivery | 11:59pm, 5 days before delivery |
| Delivery frequency | Weekly, fortnightly or monthly | Weekly, skip any week |
| Gluten-free and dairy-free filters | Yes | No dedicated preference |
| New-customer offer | 50% off your first box, then 40% and 20% | 50% off your first box, plus free treats |
| Cooked by us | Not yet | Yes, repeatedly (in the Netherlands) |
Which is cheaper, Gousto or HelloFresh?
Gousto, every time. We compared all 12 box sizes that both services sell, with delivery included. The gap is small for a couple and large for a family.
| Box a week | Gousto | HelloFresh | Gousto saves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 people, 2 meals | £31.99 | £34.95 | £2.96 |
| 2 people, 3 meals | £36.24 | £37.93 | £1.69 |
| 2 people, 4 meals | £42.51 | £47.31 | £4.80 |
| 2 people, 5 meals | £50.49 | £54.89 | £4.40 |
| 3 people, 2 meals | £37.43 | £40.93 | £3.50 |
| 3 people, 3 meals | £46.44 | £49.90 | £3.46 |
| 3 people, 4 meals | £56.95 | £61.27 | £4.32 |
| 3 people, 5 meals | £66.44 | £72.34 | £5.90 |
| 4 people, 2 meals | £39.49 | £44.91 | £5.42 |
| 4 people, 3 meals | £51.24 | £58.87 | £7.63 |
| 4 people, 4 meals | £58.99 | £73.63 | £14.64 |
| 4 people, 5 meals | £67.99 | £84.79 | £16.80 |
For the popular box for 2 with 3 meals, Gousto is £1.69 a week cheaper, about £88 over a year. For a family of 4 with 4 or 5 meals the difference is £14.64 to £16.80 a week, which comes to £760 to £870 a year. That is a real reason to choose Gousto if you cook for a family.
Every box size, per serving and per month, with a calculator for your own household: how much does Gousto cost and how much does HelloFresh cost.
The new-customer offers compared
Both give a big discount on the first box. The difference is what comes after it.
- Gousto: 50% off the first box, 40% off the second, then 20% off for the rest of the first two months. On the box for 2 with 3 recipes, taken weekly, that is about £68 off over eight boxes. On 1 October Gousto also showed free delivery on the first box.
- HelloFresh: 50% off the first box, which is £16.47 off the same size of box, plus free treats for two months.
If you plan to keep a box for a couple of months, Gousto's offer is worth considerably more. If you only want to try one box, they are about level. Current codes and conditions: Gousto discount code and HelloFresh discount code.
Menu and recipes
Gousto advertises more than 175 recipes a week, the widest menu of any mainstream UK recipe box. HelloFresh says more than 50. When we counted the HelloFresh menu for 19 to 25 September 2026 it held 92 main recipes, so the real gap depends on how you count, but Gousto still offers more.
Both mix quick dinners, family favourites, vegetarian dishes and lighter options. HelloFresh works with a short set of preferences, such as Family Friendly, Calorie Smart, Quick Cook and Protein Rich, which steer its suggestions. Gousto uses filters and collections such as Calorie Controlled, Protein Hit and Veg Boost across the bigger menu.
For special diets Gousto is the better fit. It has gluten-free and dairy-free filters. HelloFresh says it cannot offer dedicated gluten-free or dairy-free preferences and does not guarantee vegan options every week. With a serious allergy, check every recipe at either service. HelloFresh says it cannot guarantee that recipes are free from traces of other allergens.
Box sizes: who can order what?
- On your own: only Gousto has a one-person box, from £8.20 a serving including delivery. At HelloFresh you order for two and keep the second portion. More options in recipe boxes for one person.
- Couples and households of three: both work. Both sell a 3-person box, which is cheaper per serving than a 2-person box at both services.
- Families of four: both work, and this is where Gousto's lower prices count most.
- Five people: only Gousto, with 2 or 3 recipes a week.
Flexibility and delivery
Both are subscriptions you can skip, pause or cancel online without a fee. The difference is how far ahead you need to decide. Gousto lets you change an order until midday three days before delivery. HelloFresh closes at 11:59pm five days before, so for a Saturday box you need to decide by Monday night.
Gousto also lets you switch to fortnightly or monthly deliveries, and it delivers seven days a week in supported areas, usually between 8am and 7pm. At HelloFresh you take a box every week and skip the weeks you do not want.
What we know from cooking them
This part is not equal, and it is fair to say so. HelloFresh we have cooked many times over several years, through Too Many Foodboxes and our Dutch sister site Foodboxen.nl, most recently with family boxes of five dinners for four people in January and June 2026. Those tests were in the Netherlands, so we do not use them for UK prices or menus. What carries over is the cooking: clear recipes that less experienced cooks can follow, dishes that are easy to adapt for children at the table, and a box that genuinely takes the planning off your hands. The downsides were a lot of packaging and a full fridge with the big boxes.
Gousto we have not tested ourselves yet, so we cannot judge its ingredients or portions first-hand. Good Food tested it in 2026 and rated it highly for choice and flexibility, but found that ingredients were not packed per recipe and that some quantities needed topping up.
Gousto or HelloFresh: which should you choose?
Choose Gousto if price matters, especially for a family. Also if you live alone, cook for five, want the widest menu, need gluten-free or dairy-free options, or like to decide close to the delivery day.
Choose HelloFresh if you want approachable family recipes from a box we have cooked many times, you like a few clear preferences rather than a very long menu, or you want extras such as snack or wine boxes with your order. For a couple ordering 3 meals, the extra cost is £1.69 a week.
Want something healthier or more specialised than either? Green Chef has a real keto plan and Mindful Chef is mostly gluten-free, both at a higher price. All UK boxes are side by side in our recipe box comparison.
Gousto vs HelloFresh: frequently asked questions
Is Gousto cheaper than HelloFresh?
Yes. For all 12 box sizes both sell, Gousto was cheaper on 1 October 2026, delivery included. For 2 people with 3 meals it is £36.24 against £37.93 a week.
Which has more recipes, Gousto or HelloFresh?
Gousto. It advertises more than 175 recipes a week, HelloFresh more than 50. We counted 92 main recipes on one recent HelloFresh menu.
Which is better for one person?
Gousto, because it has a real one-person box. HelloFresh's smallest box is for two people.
Which is better for a family?
On price, Gousto: a family of 4 with 5 meals pays £67.99 a week against £84.79 at HelloFresh. HelloFresh's strength for families is its approachable recipes, which we have found easy to adapt for children.
Is it easier to skip or cancel Gousto or HelloFresh?
Both are free to skip or cancel. Gousto gives you more time: midday three days before delivery, against 11:59pm five days before at HelloFresh.
Further reading
- The full guides: Gousto and HelloFresh
- Thinking of leaving HelloFresh? The best HelloFresh alternatives in the UK
- Not sure which box fits your household? Try our recipe box chooser
