Comparison · the same week at both · read Oct 17
Home Chef vs Blue Apron: the same week, two prices
For 2 people eating 3 dinners, Home Chef totals $59.94 before unpublished shipping; Blue Apron totals $84.93 with shipping, by this site's math on brand figures read October 17 and October 19, 2026.
- $59.94 Home Chef, at the $9.99 average, shipping not published
- $84.93 Blue Apron, with $9.99 shipping
| Line | Home Chef | Blue Apron |
|---|---|---|
| Week, full price | $59.94 | $84.93 |
| A serving, delivered | $9.99 | $14.16 |
| Price used | $9.99 × 6 | $12.49 × 6 |
| Shipping | not published | $9.99 |
| First box | $41.96 | — |
| First 5 weeks | $191.82 | — |
| A month after the deal | $259.54 | $367.75 |
| Price basis | brand’s average | median dish on this week’s menu |
| New-customer deal | 30% off boxes 1–3, 45% off boxes 4–5 | $25 off the first 2 orders |
| Read on | homechef.com · Oct 17, 11:55 UTC | blueapron.com · Oct 17, 11:56 UTC |
- Home Chef: shipping not published, not in the week.
Side by side
What do the prices actually mean?
Home Chef's home page, read October 17, 2026, lists meals from $7.99 a serving, a lower bound, and an average of $9.99. Blue Apron's menu, read October 17, 2026, has a $12.49 median. The weekly comparison uses the average and median.
Blue Apron's page lists $9.99 shipping per order on October 19, 2026. Home Chef's shipping amount is not published and is left out. Sales tax is excluded; no ZIP code was entered.
Bottom lineCompare the weekly figures with their shipping limits, rather than treating the two headline serving prices as equivalent.
| Home Chef | Blue Apron | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Meal kit | Meal kit |
| Price | from $7.99 | median $12.49 |
| Shipping | not published | $9.99 |
| Minimum order | $50.95 | — |
| New-customer offer | 30% off boxes 1–3, 45% off boxes 4–5 | $25 off the first 2 orders |
| Diet labels | Vegetarian, Keto or low carb, Gluten free, Calorie label | — |
| Delivery | — | — |
Other plan sizes
What changes for a larger household?
For 4 people eating 4 dinners, this site's math gives Home Chef $159.84 before shipping and Blue Apron $209.83 with shipping. These use Home Chef's average and Blue Apron's menu median read October 17, 2026, plus Blue Apron's shipping listed October 19, 2026.
Home Chef's shipping amount remains not published. Change people and dinners in the calculator to match your week; for Home Chef, you can also switch between its average and “from” price.
Bottom lineHome Chef’s food total stays lower in the larger example, but its delivery charge still needs checking.
- Home Chef · 2 people, 3 dinnersat the $9.99 average, shipping not published$59.94
- Blue Apron · 2 people, 3 dinnerswith shipping$84.93
- Home Chef · 4 people, 4 dinnersat the $9.99 average, shipping not published$159.84
- Blue Apron · 4 people, 4 dinnerswith shipping$209.83
The first five boxes
What happens when the discounts end?
Home Chef's home page on October 17, 2026 lists new-customer discounts of 30% on boxes 1–3, capped at $30.00 each, and 45% on boxes 4–5, capped at $45.00 each. First-box shipping is free; later shipping is not published.
By this site's math, the example returns to $59.94 before shipping from box 6. Blue Apron's home page on October 19, 2026 lists WELCOME25 for $25.00 off the first 2 orders and free shipping; that offer is not totaled here.
Bottom lineBudget for the regular week, not just the discounted boxes.
- You pay
- Offer discount
- Shipping not published: boxes 2–5 and week 6 on
Five boxes: $191.82 instead of $299.70. 30% off boxes 1–3 (up to $30 each), 45% off boxes 4–5 (up to $45 each), free shipping on box 1.
| Box 1 | $41.96, $17.98 off (free shipping) |
|---|---|
| Box 2 | $41.96, $17.98 off (shipping not published) |
| Box 3 | $41.96, $17.98 off (shipping not published) |
| Box 4 | $32.97, $26.97 off (shipping not published) |
| Box 5 | $32.97, $26.97 off (shipping not published) |
| Week 6+ | $59.94 (shipping not published) |
Skipping and cancelling
Can you skip or cancel?
Home Chef says its menu closes at 12pm CT each Friday. It directs customers to Account > Account Settings on the web, or Pause My Account in the mobile app, to cancel.
Blue Apron's page read October 19, 2026 says Subscribe & Save orders can be skipped without limit. It removed Pause, but allows cancellation and re-enrollment with settings saved and no cancellation fee. Its home page also says no subscription is needed.
Bottom lineHome Chef has a stated weekly cutoff; Blue Apron allows unlimited skips for recurring orders.
| Home Chef | Blue Apron | |
|---|---|---|
| Skip or pause | Home Chef’s menu closes at 12pm CT each Friday | They removed the Pause feature and you can instead skip orders unlimitedly or cancel and re-enroll |
| Cancel | You cancel from Account > Account Settings on web or Pause My Account in the mobile app | There is no cancellation fee for Subscribe & Save and settings are saved if you re-enroll |
| Where it delivers | It delivers to 98% of the United States | — |
| Subscription | — | No subscription is needed and there is no commitment |
Which fits whom
Which fits your week?
Both meal-kit options provide ingredients and recipe cards for cooking at home. Home Chef may fit readers who want its named menu filters and an introductory discount spread across several boxes.
Blue Apron may fit readers who want a stated delivery charge or prefer ordering without a subscription. The practical choice is between the recipes you want, the regular weekly cost and the ordering terms you will use.
Bottom lineChoose around your cooking routine and recurring budget, with shipping included wherever it is published.
- Suits
Home Chef: Cooking at home
Ingredients and recipe cards; you cook.
- Suits
Home Chef: Trying it at a discount
30% off boxes 1–3 (up to $30 each), 45% off boxes 4–5 (up to $45 each), free shipping on box 1.
- Suits
Home Chef: Diet labels
Vegetarian, Keto or low carb, Gluten free, Calorie label on the menu, in the brand’s words.
- Suits
Blue Apron: Cooking at home
Ingredients and recipe cards; you cook.
- Suits
Blue Apron: Shipping stated upfront
$9.99 a box on the brand’s page.
Partner brands
Where to order
Buttons open the brand’s own site in a new tab. Prices are the brand’s, read on the date shown.
- Home ChefMeal kit · from $7.99, average $9.99 a servingRead Oct 17, 2026
Home Chef reviewSee Home Chef plans Ad - Blue ApronMeal kit · $6.50–$14.99 a dish, median $12.49 · shipping $9.99New customers: $25 off the first 2 orders
Blue Apron reviewSee Blue Apron plans Ad
About the buttons. Buttons marked “Ad” are affiliate links: if you order, this site may earn a commission at no cost to you. It never changes the order of results — lists on this site are sorted by the week price.
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Quick questions, short answers
Answers use the prices on this page, read Oct 17–19, 2026.
Is Home Chef cheaper than Blue Apron?
In this site's example for 2 people eating 3 dinners, Home Chef is $59.94 before unpublished shipping and Blue Apron is $84.93 including shipping. The calculation uses brand figures read October 17 and October 19, 2026.
Does Blue Apron require a subscription?
No. Blue Apron's home page read October 19, 2026 says no subscription is needed and there is no commitment. Its recurring Subscribe & Save option allows unlimited skips.
Does Home Chef have a minimum order?
Home Chef's home page read October 17, 2026 lists a $50.95 weekly minimum including shipping for the Home Chef Plan. It lists $82.91 including shipping for the Family Plan.
Sources
- 1Home Chef: Meal Delivery Servicehomechef.com · checked Oct 17, 2026
- 2Blue Apron: Home pageblueapron.com · checked Oct 17, 2026
- 3Blue Apron Membership and Autoship FAQsblog.blueapron.com · checked Oct 19, 2026