CookUnity vs. Factor: Which Is Better?

CookUnity and Factor Meals are food delivery services that prepare premade meals made by professional chefs using high-quality, fresh ingredients. Both are known for their quality and practicality. CookUnity and Factor meals work with subscriptions and deliver pre-ordered meals to your doorstep in a special insulation box. Depending on your health and lifestyle, both CookUnity and Factor meals offer different menus adapted and tailored to your needs. So, what are the differences between CookUnity and Factor meals?

Both CookUnity and Factor meals offer high-quality food made of fresh ingredients free from refined sugars and preservatives. They are very close in quality, though CookUnity offers significantly more choices per week. In terms of cost, the two services are priced very competitively with one another.

Depending on how often you order, Factor meals and CookUnity could be either a very cost-effective solution or a very pricy one. Feeding an entire family on pre-prepared meals could drain your budget. On the other hand, having these meals for one person could save a few pennies. In the following paragraph, I will compare CookUnity and Factor meals to help you decide which would be the better choice for you.

CookUnity vs. Factor: Differences

Even though CookUnity and Factor work similarly, some differences between them could influence your decision. The delivery time, prices, ingredients, and variety are huge decisive factors when deciding whether to choose CookUnity or Factor.

Prices

Currently, CookUnity and Factor have very similar pricing models, though their minimum order requirements differ.

The minimum number of meals you can order from Factor is generally six, while CookUnity allows a minimum of four.

Factor’s pricing operates on a sliding scale. For a standard box of 6 meals, you will pay around $13.49 per meal. As the number of meals per week increases, the price per meal decreases to approximately $10.99 per meal for their largest boxes (18 meals).

CookUnity offers a minimum of 4 meals and a maximum of 16 meals per week. If you choose four meals per week, you will pay approximately $13.59 per meal. The price for 16 meals a week drops to roughly $11.09 per meal. (Note: Both services typically charge a shipping fee of around $10.99).

Therefore, CookUnity is actually the more flexible solution for smaller batches (since you can order just 4), while both offer similar savings for larger batches.

Ingredients

In this regard, CookUnity and Factor meals are equally good, though their focus differs. Both services pay close attention to detail. Factor focuses on grass-fed, pasture-raised, and antibiotic-free meats, prioritizing non-GMO ingredients.

CookUnity connects you with individual local chefs who source their own ingredients. While many chefs use organic or local produce, it varies by chef and meal.

The quality of the products determines the quality of the meals. So both CookUnity and Factor prioritize the quality of their services.

Variety

Both CookUnity and Factor offer a wide variety of options. They have keto menus, low-carb menus, menus adapted to a specific health condition, and meals made with certain ingredients that the customer prefers.

However, in terms of variety, CookUnity takes the prize. CookUnity offers hundreds of meal choices per week across various cuisines, whereas Factor typically offers around 35 different meals per week.

regarding diets, Factor now offers a dedicated Vegan & Veggie plan. However, CookUnity still wins on sheer volume of choice, offering a massive selection of vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo options tailored by different chefs.

Delivery

Factor meals deliver your food on specific days of the week (often Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday), depending on your area code. The meals arrive at your door safely packed in an insulation box.

CookUnity also delivers on different days depending on the area code and local courier availability. The meals arrive at your doorstep packed in an insulated bag or box with ice packs to keep the food safe during transit.

Packaging

In this field, there are distinct differences. Factor meals come in plastic trays that are vacuum-sealed (skin-packed). This removes the oxygen, allowing the meals to stay fresh in the fridge for a full 7 days.

CookUnity meals come in compostable trays with a recyclable plastic lid. They look more like restaurant takeout containers. Because they are not vacuum-sealed, they are often fresher in taste but have a slightly shorter shelf life.

Both services deliver their food cold (refrigerated) in insulated boxes with gel packs. Neither service delivers warm food. You must heat the meals in a microwave or oven before eating.

Nutrition and Taste

This is the one area where it is impossible to compare CookUnity and Factor meals objectively. Both services prepare delicious, nutritious, and healthy food.

Factor is generally considered the better option for strict dieters (specifically Keto and High-Protein), as their macros are very strictly controlled.

CookUnity is generally considered the “foodie” option. Because real chefs prepare the food in local kitchens, it tastes more like a restaurant meal than a standard meal delivery service.

Shelf-Life

Factor meals have a slight advantage here due to their vacuum-sealed packaging. Factor meals last 7 days in the refrigerator. They also freeze very well.

CookUnity meals typically have a shelf life of 4 to 7 days (expiration dates are printed on the package). CookUnity advises against freezing many of their meals, as they often contain fresh herbs, salads, or delicate sauces that do not thaw well.