Factor Review 2023: Did It Live Up to the Hype?

Overview

I’ve explored many meal delivery services and witnessed significant advancements in the industry over the past couple of years. Factor stands out among a sea of competitors with its tasty prepared meals. Its dishes are nutritious and can support a fitness-oriented lifestyle. But you may want to get the full scoop in my Factor review.

I wanted to find out the truth about the company and the quality (or if it’s a case of style over substance). Curiosity got the best of me, so I ordered some meals for myself. I tried out the meals and also looked at overall meal variety, customization options, pricing, ease of use, delivery, unboxing, what extras are available, and customer service.

I wasn’t surprised to find that Factor lives up to the hype. It offers plenty of health-focused prepared meals that are either keto-friendly, high-protein, carb-conscious, or plant-based. They’re easy to heat up in about 2 to 3 minutes. You also get a bunch of extras, add-ons, sides, snacks, and keto-friendly desserts.

What’s on the Factor Menu

Meal Options

Factor caters to the needs of busy individuals striving to uphold a healthy lifestyle. Each carefully crafted meal focuses on incorporating lean protein, carbs, and fresh vegetables, resulting in tasty options like Shredded Chicken Taco Bowl and Chipotle-Rubbed Pork Chop.

It offers a diverse selection of over 35 meals on its menu each week, all of which are promised to be of "restaurant quality." To further accommodate various dietary preferences, customers can opt for the Chef’s Choice plan, which encompasses the entire menu, or select specific meal plans such as Keto, Calorie-Smart, Protein Plus, Flexitarian, or Vegan & Veggie.

Factor takes pride in its commitment to providing high-quality meals. I like the focus on protein-packed meals and minimal use of fillers or preservatives.

You also have the option to add breakfast items, smoothies, snacks, sides, and extra proteins for an additional cost. The smoothies are great for a tasty snack on the go and the sides can make your meals extra filling.

The availability of breakfast add-ons is great for getting a nutritious start to your day. Whether it's a protein-packed breakfast bowl, a satisfying egg scramble, or a grab-and-go breakfast option, you can kickstart your mornings with a fuss-free, balanced meal.

Factor's menu impressed me with its clarity and user-friendly layout. Navigating through the options is a breeze, thanks to the clear organization and intuitive design. The menu uses color-coded tags to show whether a recipe is keto, low-calorie, vegetarian, vegan, or high protein.

I also like the chili pepper icon used to identify particularly spicy dishes. It’s on the Turkey Chili & Zucchini dish, which is a keto option, as it doesn’t include beans. It includes smoked Spanish paprika and roasted guajillo chiles to make a spiced and warming dish.

Unfortunately, vegetarian and vegan dishes are in short supply, which is strange considering it has a specific Vegan & Veggie plan. Considering the minimum order is 6 meals per week, it looks like you will have to repeat some of your choices, which isn’t ideal. Factor seems to cater to those looking for a mainly meat-based diet.

If you’re looking more for plant-based meal kits and prepared meals, check out Purple Carrot. Its entire menu is vegan, which is a better choice if plant-based is your preferred diet. Learn more about Purple Carrot in my colleague’s review.

Keep in mind that the Gourmet Plus dishes come at a gourmet cost as well. So if you’re drooling over the Roasted Garlic Filet Mignon & Shrimp or the Parmesan & Basil Mahi Mahi, remember these aren’t part of the standard plan you sign up for. All Gourmet Plus dishes incur a surcharge of $9.99.

There appears to be at least 1 new recipe on the menu every week. You can see 3 weeks’ worth of menus, so you know what’s coming up next. I like that new dishes are added to increase the variety on the menu.

Customization

Factor is a prepared meal service, so ingredient customization is not possible. Since the meals are pre-prepared, the ingredients used in each dish are already determined and cannot be altered on an individual basis.

I recommend reviewing the ingredients list for each meal before making a selection, particularly if you have specific dietary restrictions or need to exclude certain ingredients. This gives you the chance to choose a different meal from the available options that better align with your dietary needs.

In terms of cuisines, you’ll find plenty to choose from. You’ll find options including Latin American, classic American, Italian, French, and even Filipino. There’s also a great selection of different proteins including salmon, chicken, pork, beef, and even veggie options like beans.

I’d say that most of the meals are fairly kid-friendly. Though each dish is nicely spiced, I don’t find them to be too over-the-top. However, the single-serving nature of this service makes it less suitable for families.

Speaking of proteins, you can add quite a few extra proteins to your order. Choose from chicken wings, extra salmon, sausages, chicken breast, filet mignon, and lots more. These come at an additional cost.

Factor cannot guarantee that any of its meals are free from any allergens. It states its meals are “produced in a facility that processes eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.” Any allergens are clearly listed on each recipe, so check the details before making your selection.

If you are following a gluten-free diet, I also advise being careful. Although there are options on the menu that don’t contain gluten, Factor can’t guarantee its meals are 100% gluten-free. If you are severely allergic, Factor isn’t the choice for you. The best way to customize your meals is by selecting the most appropriate plan when you sign up. 

By choosing a plan, your weekly menu will display the most relevant dishes first. This makes it really easy to select recipes that align with your dietary needs. However, you can choose from all options on the menu (mix and match). This is great if you fancy a change or want to treat yourself to something different.

Unboxing

Meals are delivered in a recyclable cardboard box and must be chilled on arrival. They will stay fresh in your refrigerator for 7 days until your next delivery. Alternatively, you can freeze meals if you want them to last longer. 

Factor doesn’t officially “recommend” freezing, so there’s no information about how long the meals will stay good frozen. However, in my professional experience as a culinary chef, I can say that I wouldn’t recommend freezing them for longer than 5 to 7 days.

In terms of sustainability, Factor is actually pretty good. I appreciate that most of Factor's packaging is easily recyclable. There are just a couple of materials (like the cotton insulation and gel packs) that aren’t recyclable, but these can at least be reused.

It’s great that the plastic containers and each meal’s cardboard sleeve can be recycled, too. Generally, there’s much less packaging to dispose of compared to meal kit delivery services. 

Cooking and Eating with Factor

If you aren’t a fan of cooking, then you’re in luck with Factor. With prepared meals, all you need to do is pop them in the microwave or oven. This means you can have a nutritious, hearty meal on the table in just a few minutes. Just check the heating times on the back of the packet. 

One thing I have to say, though, is that the portion sizes are just…sad. I’m a 6 feet 2 inches tall male and weigh 190 lbs. The meals clock in at an average of about 500 to 750 calories, so I find myself having to eat 2 of these meals to be satisfied.

Shortlist of My Favorite Meals

I tried out some of the meals myself to see what Factor is all about. However, I was away for a few days, so I had to freeze the meals. I also don’t own a microwave, so I heated everything up in my oven using a temperature of 350°F for about 1 hour.

Please be aware that you won’t have to use your oven, though. Simply heat your meals in the microwave for about 2 to 3 minutes directly from the fridge. It’s also not recommended to freeze your meals. Personally, I like using an oven because I find the meals to come out more true to their intended taste.

That said, I gave 3 meals a try – Indian Style Butter Chicken, Fiery Beef & Black Bean Chili, and Roasted Garlic Chicken. All 3  meals were pretty surprising. Stick around to find out which dishes I liked the most!

Indian-Style Butter Chicken with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

This was a great dish, though it turned out exceptionally oily (presumably from the butter). The flavor was true to any other butter chicken I’ve had at some of the best restaurants here in Ontario, Canada. As a matter of fact, some butter chicken dishes I’ve had at some fancier restaurants were far worse than this from Factor, which says a lot.

The cauliflower rice was tasty, but at the end of the day, I prefer real basmati rice. I’m not vegan or vegetarian, and I’m certainly not a low-calorie or carb-conscious dieter. Give me the real stuff, I say!

Still, the chicken was tender and tasty, and the “rice” was very aromatic and flavorful (though, there could’ve been more). Again, the portion sizes are too small.

Fiery Beef & Black Bean Chili with Cilantro Sweet Potato + Corn Salsa

I do love myself some chili, and this didn’t disappoint, at all. If you’re into spicy foods, this is definitely for you. I wouldn’t necessarily call it “too hot to be comfortable,” but it sure does pack a “fiery” punch. Just something to be aware of.

The flavors were great, but I found the corn salsa to be a bit lackluster and unnecessary. Just a large portion of chili would have been a lot better than cheap, corn-based salsa – at least in my opinion. I must say that there was a lot more beef than beans, which gets 2 thumbs up from me. There’s nothing worse than a company being cheap when it comes to the “good stuff”. 

Roasted Garlic Chicken with Sour Cream & Onion Mashed Potatoes

This was another favorite of mine. However, it was a bit dry (as you would expect from chicken breast). This could also be because I heated it in the oven. The longer you cook/heat chicken breast, the dryer it gets. If you use your microwave, it’ll probably taste a lot better.

The sour cream & onion mashed potatoes were also delicious, and probably the star of the dish. Every bite was packed to the brim with flavor, and I truly had an enjoyable experience eating this. 

Recipes Summary

Prices

The lowest price per meal from Factor is $6.19, but that’s for the largest order of 18 single-serving meals per week. If you decide to go for orders containing fewer meals, you’ll pay more per serving.

Each smaller box size you go for will increase your price by 50 cents. For example, choosing 14 meals instead of 18 will cost you 50 cents more, and so on and so forth. 

However, you can always use our coupon code – Get 50% OFF your 1st box + 20% OFF the next 4 boxes! – to help you with the cost of your first box. Shipping fees are $10.99 per delivery wherever you are located. This means that placing a larger order will save you more money in the long run, as you are paying for fewer deliveries. 

As mentioned, the add-ons are priced separately and the cost varies. As a guide, you can expect to pay $10.99 for the Chorizo & Chive Scrambled Eggs and $9.99 for the Pancake recipes. Protein add-ons range from $9.99 to $24.99 for the Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi. Keto desserts like the Keto Cookies cost $14.99 and cheesecakes are $19.99. 

The Wellness Shots, Juices, and Smoothies start at $23.99. You can also order picnic packs, which make a great lunch option on the go starting at $12.99.

There’s also a money-back guarantee. After speaking with a live chat agent, I was reassured that if I was unhappy with my delivery or the standard of my meals, then I would be compensated. If you have any concerns, you can reach out to customer services.

Shipping & Delivery

Here in Ontario, Canada, Factor gave me a delivery date, yet it showed up a day early. That’s pretty cool – but don’t rely on this information to expect the same thing. You may be located here in Canada, or somewhere in the US, so shipping experiences could differ significantly depending on your location.

That said, Factor delivers to all 48 contiguous states. You’ll be informed of your delivery day when you sign up based on your location. The specific delivery carrier will vary depending on your location too. 

You don’t need to be home to receive your delivery. According to Factor, its insulated boxes and gel packs have been tested “in all seasons across all climates.” Don’t worry if your gel packs have melted slightly on arrival as the cool air in the box will keep your meals cold enough until you put them in the fridge.

Deliveries can be skipped and orders edited easily via your online account. Any changes must be made before the cutoff time of Wednesday 11:59 pm Central Time. 

How Factor Works

Factor offers a simple subscription where you can select between 6 and 18 meals per week. You can conveniently explore the available menu options before you sign up. Let’s take a look at how easy it is to place your first order.

How to Sign Up

1. Click Get Started and set your preferences. You’ll be able to change your order size in the future if you want to.

2. Choose your preferences. Pick your menu (meals can be mixed and matched) and select the number of meals you want for the week. 

3. Enter your email address and choose a password.

4. Enter your address. In order to see available delivery days, enter your address.

5. Pay and choose your meals. Choose a credit card or PayPal as your payment method, check out, and choose your meals!

Managing Your Subscription

It’s easy to manage your subscription either on the website or using Factor’s app. Just select the date of the delivery you want to edit in your account. You can add or remove meals and choose any add-ons. Just remember to save it so any changes are logged. 

You have until Wednesday at 12 am (midnight) CT the week before your delivery to make any changes. This includes canceling your subscription or making any necessary modifications to your order. This gives you a reasonable timeframe to adjust your plan.

Canceling your Factor subscription is a straightforward process with only a few minor steps to follow. As with many other services, there is a designated cutoff time to consider before you are billed for your upcoming shipment. 

Customer Service

You can easily reach customer support via phone (during business hours) or use the 24/7 chat. If you want to speak to a customer advisor, you can call the team at 1 (888) 573-5727. Agents are available between 6 am and 11 pm ET Monday to Friday and 7 am to 7 pm ET on weekends. 

Factor also has an FAQ page, but it’s not the most thorough I’ve seen. If you can’t find the answer to your question there, I always recommend just reaching out to a chat agent.

I've come across information stating that Factor uses GMO-free ingredients and some organic produce. The only specifics I could find were about its egg suppliers being cage-free. I inquired about this with an agent and received a response within a couple of minutes.

The response did not specify whether the food is GMO-free or organic. The fish and meat in Factor's meals are said to be sourced locally and the company is selective about its suppliers. If this is a concern for you, it would be advisable to request further details. 

The agent was very friendly, but I didn't feel my question was fully answered. I just feel as though the agent straight up didn’t know the answer(s) to my questions. Make of that what you will.

How Factor Compares to Other Meal Delivery Services

Factor vs. Green Chef

Green Chef has a similar number of recipes on the menu and is USDA-certified organic. Some people prefer meal kits over prepared meals due to the sodium content. You may also not like the idea of microwaving your meals. Additionally, it has more specialized diets like Mediterranean and Gluten Free. 

Factor vs. HelloFresh

HelloFresh offers a vast array of globally inspired recipes that cater to a wide audience, from beginners to seasoned cooks. Its user-friendly approach, coupled with pre-portioned ingredients, promotes convenient home cooking. Many consumers find HelloFresh's culinary diversity, pricing, and meal planning flexibility more appealing.

Factor vs. Home Chef

Home Chef offers customizable meals, allowing you to tweak ingredients to your liking. Its varied menu, coupled with the option to swap, upgrade, or double-up on proteins, gives you a more tailored cooking experience. Plus, it offers a more personalized touch, potentially suiting those who want more control over their dishes.

The Bottom Line: Is Factor Worth It?

I definitely recommend Factor if you have a busy lifestyle but still want to eat healthy. It’s particularly suitable for you if you follow a keto diet or want low-calorie and high-protein options. It isn’t the best choice if you prefer plant-based meals, but it’s great if you just want a few meat-free nights a week.

I also love that you can access free nutrition consultations to keep you on track. This is a nice added bonus if you’re trying to lose weight or simply control it.

But Factor sure is pricey, so I’d recommend trying it out with a discount code first to decide if the quality and convenience are worth it for you. You can also check out our 10 Best Meal Delivery Services of 2023 article to help you compare and contrast our top recommended services to find the best option for your budget.

FAQ

Is Factor a legit company?

If by “legit” you mean “does it send you great-tasting prepared meals?” then yes, it’s legit. The meals are prepared fresh and are never frozen, and you get to choose from various dietary preferences. Options include keto, high-protein, low-calorie, plant-based, and more. It also offers a bunch of extras and sides like keto desserts and breakfast goodies.

What is the downside to Factor meals?

Factor’s meals are expensive. It’s no secret that Factor’s primary objective is to offer convenient, highly nutritious, and balanced meals, not affordability. But even with that in mind, you may personally find that the meals work well for your own personal budget. Find out more about Factor’s pricing in my Prices section above.

Does Factor (meals) deliver to Canada?

Yes and no. It currently only delivers to Ontario, Canada. As a matter of fact, I’m a reviewer residing in Ontario, Canada, and I was able to get a shipment here to test out the meals for myself. Check out what I thought about my 3 favorite meals that I personally tried out.