Since 2020, I’ve been regularly cooking meals from both Dinnerly and EveryPlate – Australia’s two most budget-friendly meal kit services. EveryPlate, launched in August 2020 and owned by HelloFresh, entered the market specifically to compete with Dinnerly for cost-conscious home cooks.
After dozens of deliveries and countless meals cooked from both services, I’ve discovered that while they appear similar at first glance, they offer distinctly different experiences. Dinnerly stands out with its extensive recipe variety, while EveryPlate delivers consistently better value across all box sizes. These differences significantly impact which service might work better for your household.
This comparison aims to answer that question, helping you work out which meal kit service is right for you.
I’ll provide a brief summary of each service here, however you can also read my full reviews of Dinnerly and EveryPlate.
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Comparing EveryPlate and Dinnerly
We’ve built this handy interactive comparison tool where you can see all the key facts and features of each service to compare them directly. Feel free to review the information here, or read on for our full comparison between EveryPlate and Dinnerly.
Dinnerly vs EveryPlate: Offering
Let’s start by summarising the offerings from both Dinnerly and EveryPlate to understand their similarities and differences.
Dinnerly Offering
Service Options – Dinnerly offers a 2 or 4 person box across 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 meals per week, the same as their parent company Marley Spoon.
Meal Variety – Each week, Dinnerly provides a rotating list of 100+ recipes, with around 20 of these being vegetarian and approximately 20 labeled as “no added gluten.” Each dish has between 6-7 ingredients that arrive with your delivery. Dinnerly makes their menu available 4 weeks ahead, so you can see what meals will be available on their website.
Meal Customisation – Dinnerly offers customisation on selected meals, often limited to switching out a specific ingredient. The most common customisation elements include doubling the quantity of an ingredient, switching between meat and plant-based ingredients, or switching to low-calorie alternatives. During my testing, I found these options available on roughly 20% of weekly meals.
Delivery Options – Dinnerly delivers to all Australian states. Dates and times available will depend on your location, but your delivery slot and meal selections must be finalised at least 7 days before your delivery is due. This longer lead time requires more advance planning compared to some competitors.
Additional Extras – Dinnerly offers a marketplace that includes snacks, drinks, side dishes, lunches, and desserts. The ‘ready meals’ come from ChefGood’s range. Dinnerly’s menu also includes ‘Saver’ meals that reduce the cost of your subscription by $1.00 to $1.50 per portion. There are typically 5 of these budget options each week, though they often require more pantry staples from your kitchen.
EveryPlate Offering
Service Options – EveryPlate offers a wide range of sizes available, with boxes for 2, 4 or 6 people. These come with between 3 – 6 meals each week. This makes EveryPlate one of the most flexible services available for larger families and households who want to minimize grocery shopping throughout the week.
Meal Variety – EveryPlate is offering 30+ recipes every week. These meals do seem to return on the weekly menu quite regularly, rotating every 4-5 weeks, so there isn’t quite the variety you might find with more premium services. You’ll find an average of about 6 different vegetarian options available each week, which is a reasonable selection though you won’t get a lot of choice if you’re ordering 4-5 vegetarian meals weekly. EveryPlate also offers premium meal options with a $2.99 surcharge per serving for those who want to occasionally treat themselves to something other than basic meals.
Meal Customisation – EveryPlate does offer strong customisation options across their menu. Options include increasing the amount/upgrading the protein source, switching between meat and plant-based alternatives, swapping ingredients like sweet potato for white potato, or adding extra vegetables. This flexible approach keeps the base price low while letting you upgrade specific meals when desired, providing excellent value for money while still catering to individual preferences.
Delivery Options – EveryPlate is continuing to expand their delivery network every few months, so they are now able to deliver to significant parts of NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA, WA and with hopes of expanding to NT soon. They offer flexible delivery windows across Saturday to Wednesday, with both daytime (09:00-18:00) and overnight (12:00-07:00) slots. If you live in a rural area, it’s worth checking to see if you’re eligible for delivery.
Additional Extras – As part of their standard menu, EveryPlate offers a variety of add-ons including fruit boxes, ready-to-heat meals, soups, smoothies, and desserts that can supplement your weekly meal plan. There are also prepared meals from YouFoodz that are reasonably priced (and reasonable quality).
Dinnerly vs EveryPlate Comparison
There are several key differences to call out between these two services:
Overall, while Dinnerly and EveryPlate target the same budget meal kit market, they offer distinct advantages: Dinnerly excels in meal variety and simplicity, while EveryPlate offers better value, more flexible portion sizes, and stronger customization options.
Dinnerly vs EveryPlate : The Food
Understanding what arrives in your box is just the beginning. What really matters is how those ingredients transform into your dinner. After trying dozens of meals from both services, I can tell you that food quality and taste vary between Dinnerly and EveryPlate in a few important ways.
Everyone has different preferences when it comes to flavor, so I’ll walk you through my firsthand experiences to help you decide which meal kit you might prefer.
Dinnerly Meals
Ingredients and Packaging – Dinnerly delivers ingredients loose in the box, with meats and dairy products coming in a separate cool bag with ice packs. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the consistent quality of ingredients across dozens of boxes since 2020. The vegetables arrive fresh and crisp, while the meat portions (often free-range chicken) have been consistently good quality. The main drawback is having to sort through all the ingredients to find what you need for each recipe.
Recipe Experience – Since Dinnerly doesn’t provide physical recipe cards, you need to access instructions through their app or website. The digital recipes are generally straightforward with 5-6 steps, aiming to have you cooking for about 30 minutes. However, I’ve encountered some clarity issues with portion scaling (especially confusing when cooking for 2 vs 4 people) and occasionally problematic timing in the step ordering. After cooking so many Dinnerly meals, I’ve found myself relying more on basic cooking intuition rather than following the instructions precisely.
Flavor and Satisfaction – Dinnerly consistently delivers on flavor through clever use of spice blends and sauce combinations. The dishes tend to be simpler and more familiar so think risottos, stir-fries, and pasta dishes. Portion sizes can vary significantly between meals, with some dishes being quite generous while others barely fill you up. Most meals come together in 20-30 minutes, which is perfect for busy weeknights. My overall impression is that Dinnerly creates satisfying, homestyle meals that feel like something you’d cook yourself.
EveryPlate Meals
Ingredients and Packaging – Unlike premium services that separate ingredients by recipe, all EveryPlate ingredients arrive in a jumble within your delivery box, so it can take a bit of sleuthing to find the right ingredients for each meal. This is part of their cost-saving approach, but doesn’t impact quality. Whilst you are expected to provide some standard pantry ingredients, these were all fairly standard across the industry (vinegar, oil, butter etc.) so it’s clear that EveryPlate haven’t skimped on providing lots of great ingredients. My initial inspection of ingredients has consistently shown good quality produce and reasonably sized vegetables in good condition.
Recipe Experience – The recipes come printed on small pieces of card, which makes them slightly harder to read than those from premium services. However, I really appreciate the ability to read from (and keep!) printed recipe cards. In general, the recipes are well written and easy to follow, helped by the fairly simple meals you’re cooking. There were a few times I was confused with the order/timing of certain steps, likely due to the fact they need to squeeze the recipe onto the card. Most meals can be prepared in around 30-40 minutes, making them practical for weeknight cooking.
Flavor and Satisfaction – I haven’t been blown away by any of the EveryPlate meals I’ve eaten. However, all the recipes I’ve tried have created tasty meals that I’d like to eat again. The clever use of some herbs and spices really help elevate some of the dishes, which is fantastic from a budget meal kit service. I was a little disappointed by the portion sizes in general, though I tend to eat big portions so I’m not very representative of our Australian population. For each ‘two-person’ meal, I typically ate about 75% of the food, with just enough remaining for a small lunch the next day. If you’re used to smaller portion sizes or have younger children, you won’t have any problems.
After cooking dozens of meals from both services, the differences in their approaches have become clear. Dinnerly focuses on delivering simple, familiar dishes with minimal ingredients that come together quickly. Their smart use of spice blends and sauce combinations creates satisfying flavor despite the streamlined approach. While their digital-only recipes can sometimes lack clarity, the extensive menu variety ensures you’ll always find options to enjoy.
EveryPlate offers slightly more complex recipes that require a bit more effort but often result in more developed flavors. Their physical recipe cards are helpful during cooking, even if the compact format occasionally condenses instructions. The customization options add flexibility, though the more limited weekly selection might feel repetitive for some households.
Both services deliver impressively on flavor considering their budget price points. Dinnerly portions tend to vary more significantly between meals, while EveryPlate consistently runs slightly smaller but more predictable. Neither will replace a restaurant experience, but both provide reliable weeknight solutions that balance convenience, taste, and affordability in slightly different ways.
Interested in Dinnerly or EveryPlate? Check out these discounts for new customers, specially created for Food Box Mate readers!
Dinnerly vs EveryPlate : The Cost
As I mentioned in the intro, these two services compete neck and neck on price point. After analyzing both services extensively, I’ve found that EveryPlate consistently offers better value across all box sizes.
Total price of a weekly meal kit
| People | Meals | Dinnerly | EveryPlate |
| 2 | 3 | $53.94 | $45.00 |
| 2 | 4 | $67.92 | $56.00 |
| 2 | 5 | $79.90 | $65.00 |
| 2 | 6 | N/A | $73.20 |
| 4 | 3 | $89.88 | $72.00 |
| 4 | 4 | $111.84 | $92.00 |
| 4 | 5 | $135.80 | $115.20 |
| 4 | 6 | N/A | $130.00 |
EveryPlate comes in around 17% cheaper on average across all box sizes, which is a substantial difference.
For a family of four ordering 5 meals weekly, that’s a savings of over $1,000 annually compared to Dinnerly.
Cost per portion comparison
When breaking down the cost per serving:
- Dinnerly ranges from $5.99-$8.99 per portion
- EveryPlate ranges from $3.98-$7.50 per portion
EveryPlate maintains a consistent price advantage across all box configurations, with the gap being most noticeable in the mid-sized boxes for 2 people. The cost per portion decreases substantially as you order more meals, making larger boxes particularly good value with either service.
Delivery Costs
| Dinnerly | EveryPlate |
| $9.99 per Delivery | $9.99 per Delivery |
Delivery costs are identical between the two services at $9.99 per box. This standard industry price reflects the costs of refrigerated deliveries across Australia, ensuring your ingredients arrive fresh and within a safe temperature range.
Value Assessment
When considering overall value:
- EveryPlate Strengths: Significantly lower base prices (up to 20% cheaper on some boxes), physical recipe cards, and more box size options including 6-person boxes.
- Dinnerly Strengths: Vastly larger menu selection (100+ vs 30+ options), more vegetarian and “no added gluten” options, and special “Saver” meals that can reduce costs by $1.00-$1.50 per portion.
- Best Value Choice: If budget is your absolute primary concern, EveryPlate offers substantially better everyday value. If menu variety and specific dietary needs matter more to you, Dinnerly’s higher cost might be justified by their extensive selection.
For a complete breakdown of meal kit costs across all Australian providers, check out my comprehensive cost comparison.
Should I buy Dinnerly or EveryPlate?
After testing dozens of boxes from both services since 2020, I’ve developed some clear insights about which budget meal kit works best for different households.
Choose EveryPlate if you:
- Want maximum value for money – With prices consistently 17% lower than Dinnerly and identical delivery fees, EveryPlate offers the most affordable meal kit experience in Australia. This makes a significant difference to your annual food budget.
- Have a large family – EveryPlate’s 6-person box option is perfect for bigger households or those wanting to minimize grocery shopping throughout the week.
- Prefer physical recipe cards – While a small detail, having printed instructions makes the cooking process smoother, especially for less experienced cooks who might not want to navigate digital recipes with messy hands.
- Like customizing your meals – EveryPlate offers robust customization options across many recipes, allowing you to upgrade proteins, add extra vegetables, or swap ingredients to match your preferences.
Choose Dinnerly if you:
- Want maximum recipe variety – With an impressive 100+ weekly recipes compared to EveryPlate’s 30+ options, Dinnerly provides significantly more choice, making it ideal for households who want extensive variety without meal repetition.
- Follow a special diet – Dinnerly consistently offers around 20 vegetarian and 20 “no added gluten” options weekly, providing much better selection for those with dietary preferences or restrictions.
- Prioritize quick, simple meals – Dinnerly’s recipes tend to be slightly simpler with fewer ingredients, making them ideal for busy weeknights when you just want to get dinner on the table with minimal fuss.
- Want additional savings options – Dinnerly’s “Saver” meals can reduce your per-portion cost by $1.00-$1.50, offering even better value on selected recipes if you’re willing to provide a few more pantry ingredients.
My personal recommendation
For most Australian households looking to save money on weeknight dinners, EveryPlate delivers the best overall value. Their combination of significantly lower prices, physical recipe cards, and flexible box sizes makes them my top recommendation for budget-conscious families.
However, if you have specific dietary needs or place high importance on meal variety, Dinnerly’s extensive menu options might justify the higher price. I particularly recommend Dinnerly for vegetarians or anyone who gets bored easily with repeated meals.
I’ve found both services deliver impressively on flavor considering their budget price points, so you can’t go wrong with either choice. Your decision ultimately comes down to whether you value maximum savings (EveryPlate) or maximum variety (Dinnerly) more in your weekly meal planning.
If EveryPlate sounds right for you, take advantage of my exclusive EveryPlate discount for new customers.
If Dinnerly seems like a better fit, claim the special Dinnerly offer for Food Box Mate readers to get started.
Why not try both services yourself? These discounts make it incredible value to give them a try.
