Plated Vs. Blue Apron: Which One Is Worth It?

Dietary Restrictions. Plated gives you more options to exclude ingredients based on specific dietary restrictions (like dairy-free, gluten-free, or nut-free) and preference. You can even opt out of spicy food.
Plated: 1, Blue Apron: 0.

Price. Blue Apron is more affordable at $9.99 a plate. Plated is a few dollars more; it's $12 per plate.
Plated:1, Blue Apron: 1.

Photo Modified: Flickr / Molly DG / CC BY 4.0

Delivery Time. Though neither delivery service will give you the exact time of delivery, Blue Apron will give you a delivery window ranging from as little as a four-hour span to as much as a 12-hour span. Plated doesn't project delivery times at all.
Plated: 1, Blue Apron: 2.

Pantry Items. Both Plated and Blue Apron assume you will have certain pantry staples on hand (olive oil, salt, pepper, etc.) but only Plated notes those items clearly on the recipe card so that you quickly and easily know which additional ingredients are needed before you start cooking.
Plated: 2, Blue Apron: 2.

The Food. Both services deliver equally high-quality ingredients so, not surprisingly, the quality of the finished meal is up to you and your cooking skill. Most reviews of these two home-delivery meal services report that the recipes are also equally easy to follow and execute.
Plated: 2, Blue Apron: 2.

Photo Modified: Flickr / Enric Martinez / CC BY 4.0

The Verdict. If you're considering a home-delivered meal service at a bargain, Blue Apron is probably the service for you. If you need more control over the process, it may be worth the extra money to try Plated.

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.