Everytable vs Freshly: My Real Verdict

Between teaching, writing, and running a Youtube channel, I get busy, just like most of us. And I also happen to love fresh food- especially local food.

The problem is I often forget or miss out on my local farmer’s market. And while I’m doing better by going as often as I can, the reality is I live in Ohio, and it’s hard to get fresh food year-round.

Even in the supermarket, produce tends to decline a bit in quality in the colder months. So I see why companies like Everytable and Freshly- who claim to deliver fresh, nutritious food- are a good choice for many of us.

Whether you’re a busy professional or have a hectic schedule with your family, both Everytable and Freshly are meal subscriptions that offer balanced, nutritious meals- or do they? Today I’m taking a candid look at how Everytable vs Freshly compare.

Ultimately. I’ll give you my honest opinion on how these meal delivery options stack up, and which is worth your money.

Editorial Update Re: Freshly is No Longer Available

Freshly just announced that they will no longer be offering their meal delivery service. If you are looking for some great alternatives, Everytable is a better option (we’re sticking with our original opinion here).

Freshly also recommends you try Factor (which our testers loved) and have a coupon code to get 50% off your order — GOFACTOR50! So, that’s a good one to try as well!

Bottom Line Up Front Summary

While both Everytable and Freshly offers a nice variety of fairly balanced meals, if you’re local to California or New York, Everytable is a stronger choice.

Its meals are a bit fresher, bolder in flavor, and affordable, and they have a simply excellent mission of serving local communities and food deserts. 

Freshly needs to resolve a few issues before I can fully recommend it. If you’re outside of the region where Everytable serves, Home Chef is a reasonable alternative. 

Main Differences Everytable vs Freshly

  • Everytable serves California and New York, while Freshly serves 48 states
  • Everytable food is fresh and robust, while Freshly meals are generally tasty and average
  • Everytable offers to pick up, delivery and catering, while Freshly is subscription-only
  • Everytable delivers weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, while Freshly delivers more meals, more often

Everytable or Freshly: Which is Worth Your Money?

Both Everytable and Freshly say they offer fresh, nutritious food. So I wanted to know: Just how much do these two meal delivery services have in common? I investigated Everytable and Freshly’s claims- and found some surprising results. Here’s my take on how these meal delivery services stack up.

Company Mission and History

While this by no means guarantees that it’s going to be an excellent meal delivery service, I do think that the company’s mission tells you what kind of food and service they’re trying to deliver. And with Everytable vs Freshly, there are some dramatic differences- but also compelling similarities.

Everytable

Everytable

Everytable’s mission is to provide “fresh, nutritious.. and accessible” food. I found it interesting how they’re marketing themselves as an alternative to ubiquitous fast food options, and I love their mission of service locations that are considered food deserts.

They’re likewise focused on affordable pricing so that more people can either pick up or order delicious and healthier food. They started up in 2013 and have been slowly but surely growing.

Freshly

Freshly

The founder of Freshly wanted to provide convenient but healthy food options.

Though Freshly is less upfront about its mission, the mission is simple: provide easy meals for busy Americans that are loaded with nutrition. It was founded just a year before Everytable, in 2012, and an emphasis on recycling and sustainability is still part of the company’s mission.

Winner: Everytable

There’s certainly nothing wrong with Freshly’s mission. I get busy- we all do- and having a convenient and fairly healthy meal delivered is a great option to have. But I do think there’s a lot more depth, dimension, and passion behind Everytable’s mission.

That doesn’t make it the better service for everyone- it just distinguishes it from your average meal delivery service.

Delivery Regions and Policies

The first thing so many of us think about is what’s on the menu, but there’s a reason why I’m addressing delivery policies before the food options. Everytable and Freshly are quite different in terms of the areas they service. Plus, safe and clear delivery and shipping are a must for fresh, delicious meals delivered to your door.

Everytable

Everytable is focused on delivering and serving local communities. Admirable as that mission may be, it does limit their delivery radius. If you live in Los Angeles, Orange County, Inland Empire, San Diego, or Manhattan, then you’re covered.

They also have physical storefronts within those same regions. As of mid- 2022, however, other areas aren’t serviced. When you type in your zip code, you’ll get the same message I did: that delivery isn’t available for the area. They do look like they’re planning to continue expansion- but for now, delivery is pretty limited.

I do love their shipping flexibility, with the ability to skip up to 8 weeks at a time. Every delivery comes between 7 am and 9 am with recyclable packaging.

Freshly

There’s a reason why Freshly is better known: in part due to its wide delivery region. If you live in one of the 48 consecutive United States, chances are you can get Freshly. They’re simply a far larger company with more resources, staff, and national presence.

Like Everytable, meals are delivered in a small time frame (8 am to 9 am), on different days of the week, depending on your subscription. You can likewise skip any weeks you need to do logging into your account.

Winner: Freshly

While both Freshly and Everytable are thoughtful about their packaging and delivery pausing/ cancellation options, Freshly simply deliver to far more customers. Unless you live in one of the California locations or Manhattan, Everytable simply isn’t a choice right now.

Subscription Options

This is often a deal-breaker, and for good reason. I wanted to see what different subscription plans both Everytable and Freshly offered.

My hope: is that both would offer some flexibility, as well as options for different serving sizes. What works for a large family isn’t, after all, going to be the best fit for a household of two. Here’s what I discovered.

Everytable

Everytable 

Everytable has a few options: monthly, weekly, and bi-weekly subscriptions. That means the only way you can receive meals more than once a week is by signing up for a second subscription.

While that makes sense for someone like me- who usually cooks- it may not be the best solution for a busy family. Updating your meal options is easy: just browse the weekly menu and change how much you want something. You’ll pay a flat fee for shipping.

Freshly

Freshly 

As I suspected, the Freshly subscription service works a bit differently. You can order anywhere from 4 to 12 meals a week, which makes it most convenient, in my opinion, for both small and large families. Just like Everytable, you select your menu items for the week, and taxes will be added to your order.

Winner: Tie

While Freshly is going to be more practical for a family, or anyone who wants to regularly rely on meal delivery, I see the appeal of Everytable’s less frequent delivery options too.

What’s on the Menu

While both Freshly and Everytable say they offer healthy meals, made with care, I wanted to know more. So I investigated menu options, variety, lifestyle/ dietary needs, accommodation, nutrition, and where the food comes from.  To provide a clear comparison between the two, I’ve created a table below.

Meal ServiceArrives Fresh or Frozen? Dietary Needs/ Types of Meals Where/ How Food is Prepared
EverytableFresh
  • Vegetarian
  • Whole Foods
One central kitchen, in large batches
FreshlyFresh
  • Plant-Based
  • Gluten-Free
  • Dairy-Free
  • Low Carb
  • Reduced/ Low Calorie
Large Kitchens in 4 US locations, with chefs

Both offer a fairly standard blend of American food with some Italian, Asian, and Latin American ingredients. Pasta, bowls, salads, noodles, and wraps are a few main entrees.

However, another key difference is the type of meals served: while Freshly focuses on lunch and dinner, Everytable also has some breakfast options and stand-alone proteins.

The bigger downside to Freshly is that you’ll get your food in microwavable packages, and the food isn’t exceptionally known for its interesting or robust flavors.

Winner: Tie

While Everytable does have some more calorie-conscious options, as well as vegan and vegetarian meals, nothing is clearly labeled by dietary needs, as Freshly is. Freshly caters a lot more to dietary needs and preferences, and in a much more organized fashion. I do like Everytable’s selection of food- it’s interesting and versatile enough to appeal to a wide audience. And I also am happy that both Freshly and Everytable throw in fresh produce for a balanced meal.

Perks or Other Services

Coupons, discounts, credit, flexible options, and other perks are sometimes a part of meal delivery services. I just wanted to see if there was anything else that made either Everytable or Freshly stand out from their competitors.

Everytable

Everytable

Everytable isn’t just a regular meal delivery service. You can also pick up meals from their stores, order catering, and order for your workplace.

I like how they blend both meals and grab-and-go options, from yogurt to revitalizing drinks. What impressed me was their “Give $40, get $40.” Instead of a regular referral program, you’re giving $40 directly to a friend or someone in need, which aligns with their mission.

Freshly

Freshly 

If you spend time on social media, chances are you’ve at least heard of Freshly, and that’s because they have a pretty widespread affiliate program. I’m a gaming Youtuber, and I’ve even seen Freshly sponsorships there. They also sell gift cards, and you get $30 credit for every friend you refer.

Winner: Tie

I love how Everytable’s referral perk goes back to its mission of paying it forward and giving back to someone.

Plus, grab-and-go options and catering are not only handy but also further prove to me that they’re trying to place roots in their community. Freshly’s affiliate and referral programs are pretty common in the meal delivery industry- but still useful.

Customer Service: Reputation

Finally, I needed to make sure that anyone can feel confident ordering from Everytable or Freshly.

I know what a huge difference it makes to get great service or poor service- and while it isn’t a guarantee, either way, I wanted to get a handle on not just my opinions, but the general customer service policies- and honest experiences of others. And this is where Everytable and Freshly’s differences truly stand out.

Everytable

Everytable

I was pretty happy to see that other customers mostly feel like I do about Everytable. On Trustpilot, 97 percent of customers gave their experience a 5/5 star rating (650+ reviews) and they earned similarly high ratings elsewhere. Customers praised the high-quality meals, great prices, timeliness, and freshness.

Freshly

Freshly

Freshly has a strange reputation. While it has the lowest rating possible through the Better Business Bureau (F rating) due to filed complaints, customers on TrustPilot were largely pleased, with a whopping 89 percent giving it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

Customers were mostly happy with the service- but just not wowed by the food, which is akin to microwave (but freshly prepped) meals. I dug in and discovered that the failing rating is due to not resolving 9 filed complaints- but I will say that most customers are pretty satisfied with their service.

It appears that most of the complaints are about food arriving spoiled, and some stated that they were contacted or compensated by Freshly.

Winner: Everytable- With a Caveat

This is not completely fair compassion. Everytable is still too small to be widely reviewed- and accrue complaints through BBB. Plus, with a local service area, they are far less likely to run into secondary delivery issues.

The good news is that both companies mostly have positive reviews- but Everytable does come out on top. Customers were also specifically wowed by the taste and quality of the food. At its best, most feel that fresh meals are decent, but nothing spectacular.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Why is Everytable so cheap?

Answer: Everytable is not only fairly cheap for the region it serves, but it also is cheaper than some of its larger competitors. That’s because their business model doesn’t look like your average food delivery service. While other services have a large staff, Everytable operates with a much more modest staff.
Their meals are made in large batches, and, in this way, Everytable is operating both for delivery and its physical storefronts.
Standardized menu items, made in large batches, trim out costs in many ways. They may not change their menus as often, and they don’t as of now require as many people to work there. Plus, they only service a fairly modest region of the United States.

Question: Did Everytable Get a Deal on Shark Tank?

Answer: If you recognize Everytable’s name, you may be a Shark Tank fan. The start-up company proposed a $1 million deal for a 5 percent stake. That offer was made in episode 9 of season 21.
Though the initial offer wasn’t accepted, Everytable founders were able to secure $1 million for a 10 percent stake, proposed by Rohan Oza. Since the 2018 deal, Everytable has grown in value from $3.5 million to $19 million (a 200 percent increase in the span of a few years).
They’re also more than doubled their physical locations.

Question: Is Freshly a healthy choice? (sodium)

Answer: It’s always tricky to judge a delivery service by its nutrition- because it does vary from dish to dish. Fresh meals claim to have a shorter and more natural list of ingredients.
While they aren’t low in sodium, Freshly meals are moderate in sodium, with an average of 700 mg per meal (about a quarter of the recommended daily allowance). Most meals are 400 to 500 calories per serving, which is lower than many competitors.
While some ask if they can lose weight with Freshly, it’s an odd question because it depends on your caloric needs and expenditure. Bottom line: Freshly may not be the most premium in terms of nutritional value, but it’s a moderately healthy food delivery service that could help people stay on track for a healthy weight.

Final Decision: Try Everytable If You Can

Everytable impressed me in many ways, with its emphasis on quality ingredients, a mission to make food accessible and affordable, and its excellent standards.

While it’s not quite there for unique dietary preferences, it is possible to find vegetarian, vegan, and low-calorie options. They have positive reviews, with very minimal complaints.

The thing that I wish was different is their service area: it’s something I can only recommend to residents of California or Manhattan.

As for Freshly: I think in many ways it’s a reasonable alternative- but I’d like to see them first clean up their longstanding complaints and perhaps add a bit more flavor and interest to their meals. Subscribe or Learn More about Everytable Here.

Alternatives/ Final Recommendations

  • Home Chef: What I love about this option is it’s one of the few very highly rated meal services that’s not too expensive. It’s also a great option for vegetarian, low calorie, and low carb meals.
  • Dinnerly: It’s not a perfect service, but it’s mostly loved by customers and it’s one of the most affordable. I really like their kid-friendly dishes, too.
  • Little Spoon: If you have little ones- toddlers or kids- to feed, this service offers premium organic food and healthful servings of veggies in ways they’ll actually enjoy.

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