Marley Spoon vs. Sunbasket 2023: Which Comes Out on Top?

In comparison to other meal delivery services on the market, both Marley Spoon and Sunbasket offer some of the best variety of cuisines. Marley Spoon and Sunbasket are two big names in the industry right now, but which comes out on top when it comes to price, quality, and meal options?

I’ve conducted detailed research into both of these meal delivery services to see which offers the best product and service. Though very close, the winner this time around is Sunbasket. Although Marley Spoon is known for its ample weekly menu choices, my research shows that Sunbasket is better overall because it allows for greater flexibility in terms of ingredient customizations and substitutions. Ready to find out more?

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Menu Variety

Winner: Sunbasket (but it was a close call)

When it comes to menu variety, it’s a close call between Marley Spoon and Sunbasket. In terms of the number of meal choices per week, Marley Spoon comes out on top. It offers 40 weekly meal kits, whereas Sunbasket only offers around 20 meal kits. However, when I did some more research, it became clear that Sunbasket offers more choices when it comes to meal types, dietary preferences, and add-ons, so it’s more likely to suit a broader spectrum of tastes.

Sunbasket customers can choose from meal kits, 10+ prepared meals, microwave-ready, and grill-ready meals, so there are plenty of choices when it comes to cooking styles. Marley Spoon only offers meal kits so, if you’re not keen on cooking it might not be the ideal choice.

When it comes to the variety of cuisines, it’s a pretty close call. Both meal delivery services have plenty of options including standard American fare, Italian, and Mediterranean dishes which is great if you want to experiment with new flavors and liven up your weekly menu. For more adventurous tastebuds, Sunbasket offers a couple of extras including some Caribbean and Middle Eastern dishes.

With Sunbasket you also get a wider choice of extras including breakfasts, soups, desserts, snacks like Cauliflower Crisps and Organic Rosemary Garlic Crackers, pantry items, and meat/protein add-ons.

Marley Spoon’s extras are limited to desserts and meat/protein add-ons. Both brands offer speedy or low-prep kits but you can’t avoid cooking if you choose Marley Spoon.

A great feature shared by both Sunbasket and Marley Spoon is the kid-friendly meal options on offer. Sunbasket’s Family Menu is designed with healthy, kid-friendly recipes in mind. Likewise, Marley Spoon also offers a range of kid-friendly recipes like the Cheesy Spinach Pie with Crunchy Filo Topping, and family boxes designed to feed two adults and two young children.

Meal Customization

Winner: Sunbasket

There’s a clear winner when it comes to meal customization and that’s Sunbasket. Unlike Marley Spoon, Sunbasket offers lots of protein substitutions like switching out chicken or beef for lamb and a variety of fish.

For people who suffer from allergies or want to cut out specific ingredients, you can specify any allergies/dislikes during the Sunbasket signup process. Sunbasket offers gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free options. It’s important to note, however, that all recipes are prepared in a facility that handles allergens so even these options may not be suitable for those with severe allergies or intolerances like celiac disease.

Both menus cater to specific dietary preferences but, once again, Sunbasket offers more variety. Marley Spoon’s website provides “tags” like carb-conscious, low calorie, vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian to help you identify which menu options suit your dietary needs. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to filter the menu using these tags which I found a bit frustrating.

Sunbasket offers 10 meal plans to choose from. Each meal plan is dedicated to a specific dietary need such as pescatarian or paleo. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that you can filter the menu using really easy-to-use Sort dinners tags (which is a big help).

If customization is a priority for you then Sunbasket is a great option. You can specify your dietary needs during the sign-up process and filter for allergens. There’s also a good range of substitution options too.

Ordering, Delivery, Unboxing

Winner: Sunbasket but it was a close call.

Marley Spoon and Sunbasket are quite equally matched in this category. Both services have a minimum order of two meal kits for two people per week (Sunbasket also has the option of four single-serving prepared meals per week).

Although neither service offers weekend delivery, both Marley Spoon and Sunbasket come with pretty good delivery options that include flexible days and times with good availability of delivery spots. You can track your orders too with both services.

With Sunbasket, it’s easy to make changes to your weekly meals and deliveries or skip a week by navigating to My Menu in your account and clicking on Schedule. Note that all changes must be made by Noon PST (or 3 PM EST) on the Wednesday before your next delivery.

You can edit your orders with Marley Spoon by logging into your account, navigating to Orders, and selecting Edit recipes.

Marley Spoon customers can reschedule specific order delivery days (provided the order isn’t already in progress) or change their preferred delivery day for all future deliveries. This can be done in a few clicks by navigating to the Edit Delivery Slot in your online account.

Once your box arrives, you’ll have everything you need inside. Sunbasket boxes are filled with either prepared meals that are ready to pop in the microwave or meal kits comprising fresh organic produce, proteins, and sauces. Boxes arrive cold-packed at your doorstep with easy-to-follow cooking or heating instructions.

Marley Spoon recipes come with all the key ingredients pre-packaged in the right quantities but you may require some extra pantry staples on hand like vinegar, oil, butter, milk, flour, eggs, salt, and pepper.

Both Sunbasket and Marley Spoon boxes are recyclable in any curbside paper recycling bin. Inside each box are additional types of packaging, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that both Marley Spoon and Sunbasket have ensured that these too can be recycled according to regional guidelines.

For example, Marley Spoon’s horizontal box dividers are SFI certified and their ice packs, liners, paper bags, and individual ingredient packaging are all recyclable. Likewise, Sunbasket’s paper and denim insulation, ice packs, trays, containers, and films, can all be recycled either curbside or at nearby drop-off locations.

The great news is that both companies give extensive information on their respective websites, so it’s easy to recycle responsibly. I really enjoyed that both Marley Spoon and Sunbasket suggested ideas for reusing their packaging as well as recycling options.

Meal Prep

Winner: Sunbasket

In terms of meal prep, Sunbasket comes out on top for convenience and flexibility. Sunbasket offers both prepared meals and meal kits meaning that it’s suitable both for those who want to practice their cooking skills and those who don’t. Marley Spoon, on the other hand, only offers meal kits.

Sunbasket’s prepared meals arrive fresh, not frozen, and are easy to heat in as little as four minutes. Some meals can also be frozen so that you can eat them at a later date. All the information is on the individual meals so you know which ones can be frozen.

Sunbasket also recommends the order in which you should consume the meals for optimum freshness. For example, it’s suggested that meal kits with fresh seafood should be consumed first followed by Fresh & Ready meals. Sunbasket also recommends eating Pre-Prepped Meal Kits before Classic Meal Kits. All Fresh & Ready meals come individually packaged in oven-safe trays so you don’t even need to use your own.

Sunbasket’s meal kits come with all the pre-portioned produce, seasonings, sauces, and protein you need to whip up a delicious meal at home.

Similarly, Marley Spoon kits also come with pre-portioned ingredients sorted for easy storage. All meals can be prepped in six simple steps, accompanied by precise instructions and helpful photos to guide you along the way.

Customer Support

Winner: It’s a tie

I researched the customer support on offer for both Marley Spoon and Sunbasket, and the result was a bonafide tie. Both organizations offer customers a comprehensive set of FAQs, phone support, and the option to reach out via online forms so you won’t get stuck if you ever encounter an issue.

I must say that I was really impressed by Marley Spoon’s Customer Service page, which gives you the option to search through helpful topics or search for a relevant FAQ using keywords and phrases. I wanted to find out more about the recycling options so searched for that as a keyword and got some really helpful info.

Both services give prospective customers the option to make inquiries before purchasing, which is always a great sign. I tend to check this before signing up for a new service as it’s a good indicator of transparency in a business.

Likewise, both services make it easy to cancel your subscription at any time if it’s no longer working for you. You can cancel your Marley Spoon shipment by navigating to the Settings link on your Account page and selecting Stop subscription or by emailing the support team directly.

Similarly, you can cancel your Sunbasket subscription online on your account settings page. You’ll be asked why you want to cancel and offered some alternatives in an attempt to keep you subscribed but these are totally optional and you can simply reject to continue your cancellation request.

Pricing

Winner: Marley Spoon

Finally, let’s talk pricing. On average, Marley Spoon meals are less expensive than Sunbasket. Marley Spoon meals start at $2.99 per serving, whereas Sunbasket’s lowest-priced offering comes in at Price: Missing Product sunbasket per serving.

With both services, pricing will vary depending on the plans and add-ons you opt for. For example, Marley Spoon’s most expensive plan is a family plan made up of a four-serving, six-recipe weekly plan which costs $208.76 ($8.69 per serving) plus the standard $8.99 shipping charge applied to all deliveries. There’s also the option to add snacks and accessories to your box for an additional fee. In comparison, Sunbasket’s biggest plan costs $140.80 per week based on a four-serving, four-recipe plan ($8.80 per serving) plus a $9.99 shipping cost. Not only is the number of servings lower, but the cost is higher per serving.

Features Comparison: Marley Spoon vs. Sunbasket

And The Winner Is: Sunbasket

Though it was a close match, Sunbasket pips it to the post in the battle for the best meal delivery service. Sunbasket offers more flexibility when it comes to meal types (you can get prepared meals as well as meal kits) and there are more options for customization compared with Marley Spoon. 

Sunbasket offers a greater range of options for different lifestyles and individual dietary needs including paleo and diabetic-friendly options.

That said, Marley Spoon only narrowly missed out on the winning title and for some people, it might still be the better choice. If you don’t follow a restrictive diet such as paleo or suffer from any allergies then Marley Spoon’s a great option with affordable prices to boot.

FAQ

Do Marley Spoon and Sunbasket offer the same types of meals?

Though there are many similarities between Marley Spoon and Sunbasket, the main difference between these two meal delivery services is that Marley Spoon doesn’t offer a prepared meal option. If you’re looking for microwave and oven-ready meals as well as meal kits then Sunbasket is a better choice.

Do Marley Spoon and Sunbasket cost the same? 

On average Marley Spoon is less expensive than Sunbasket. Marley Spoon’s starting price for meals is $2.99 per portion whereas Sunbasket meals start at Price: Missing Product sunbasket per portion. It’s important to note, however, that prices will vary depending on the plan you choose, the number of people you want catered for, and any additional add-ons you add to your order.

Is Marley Spoon good for weight loss?  

Marley Spoon may not be the best fit if you have very specific dietary needs or weight loss goals. Even though the meals are designed to be balanced, the company doesn’t offer any specialized meal plans. 

Sunbasket, on the other hand, is a great option and offers a range of prepared meals for different dietary requirements including meals for a low-calorie or low-carb diet and a good range of ingredient substitutions.