Frive vs Calo UK: Meal Quality, Service, Cost & Reviews Compared
The UK meal prep market is booming, projected to reach £8.7 billion by 2027, with brands like Frive, Prep Kitchen, Simmer Eats and Calo competing for attention. Among them, Frive and Calo stand out as two of the most talked-about services, but they take very different approaches.
Frive is known for chef-prepared, nutritionist-approved meals made with no ultra-processed ingredients. Frive offers 40+ weekly dishes covering breakfasts, mains and snacks, catering to a range of dietary plans including balanced diets, high protein, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free. With tailored plans for weight loss, muscle gain and balanced eating, it has become one of the most inclusive and sought-after options in the UK.
Calo takes a different route, using AI and nutritionist expertise to personalise meals around macros, health goals and taste preferences. Its mix of fresh and freezer-friendly dishes offers flexibility for users seeking structured, goal-driven eating with a tech-led twist.
In this article, we’ll compare Frive vs Calo across quality, nutrition, variety, pricing, delivery and customer reviews so you can decide which service best fits your lifestyle.
| Category | Frive | Calo |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | The only UK meal prep provider using 100% natural ingredients with no ultra-processed foods. Chef-prepared and nutritionist-approved. Many meals contain 40g+ protein. | Nutritionist-approved meals. Mix of fresh and freezer-friendly meals. |
| Variety | 40+ dishes weekly including breakfasts, snacks, lunches and mains. Options for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and halal diets. | Around 20–25 rotating dishes, covering breakfasts, mains and snacks. Highly customisable through AI but less emphasis on culinary variety. |
| Delivery | Four delivery days (Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu). Meals last up to 7 days in the fridge. Split deliveries maximise freshness and flexibility. | Customers can select delivery days (depending on availability). Meals include both fresh and freezer-friendly options for longer storage. |
| Cooking | Fully cooked, ready in less than 5 minutes in the microwave. All meals can also be oven-heated in under 40 minutes. | Fully cooked, heats in minutes in the microwave. Some meals are freezer-friendly. |
| Price | 6-meal plan costs £47.10 (~£7.85 per meal). Student and Blue Light discounts available. | 6-meal high-protein plan est. to costs £51 (~£8.50 per meal). Discounts are less frequent. |
| Reputation | 4.5/5 on Trustpilot (9k+ reviews). | 4.1/5 on Trustpilot (100+ reviews). |
| Dietary Requirements Supported | Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, halal. | Vegetarian and high-protein options available. Broader coverage is limited compared to Frive. |
| Diet Plans Available | High Protein (40g+), Low Carb, Low-Calorie, Balanced. | Plans tailored through AI, including Balanced, Low Carb, and High Protein, but structure leans toward performance-focused. |
| Additional Factors | Customer Rewards Club: earn points every time you order (“the more you eat, the more you save”). Strong eco-focus with recyclable, portion-controlled packaging. | Offers recyclable packaging and flexible subscriptions. AI-driven personalisation is the main differentiator, but no loyalty or rewards scheme. |
| Tech Compatibility | All meals are barcode-scannable and fully compatible with MyFitnessPal for easy calorie and macro tracking. Orders via website or app. | Orders via website or app, with AI-driven personalisation built into meal planning. |
| Best For | Fitness-focused users, busy professionals, couples, families, eco-conscious customers, and busy parents who want fresh, all-day variety. | Customers who value AI personalisation and are willing to accept a more functional, performance-led style of meal. |
Brand Overviews
Frive
Frive, rebranded from Lions Prep in 2024, has become one of the UK’s leading healthy meal delivery services. All meals are chef-prepared, nutritionist-approved, and made with 100% whole ingredients and no ultra-processed fillers.
With 40+ dishes rotating each week and tailored plans for weight loss, muscle gain, or balanced eating, Frive appeals to fitness enthusiasts, busy professionals, parents, couples and families alike.
Flexible delivery across multiple days, eco-friendly packaging, and more than 9,000 Trustpilot reviews (4.5/5) position Frive as one of the UK’s most trusted providers.
Calo
Calo is a foodtech startup that entered the UK market after acquiring Fresh Fitness Food and Detox Kitchen. It offers AI-personalised, nutritionist-approved meals tailored to macros, health goals and taste preferences.
Customers can choose between fresh and freezer-friendly options with flexible plans and subscriptions. Calo holds a 4.1/5 Trustpilot score from 100+ reviews, and is praised for convenience and personalisation.
Detailed Comparison
Meal Quality & Ingredients
Ingredient quality and flavour play a big role in whether a meal delivery service becomes a long-term habit or something you drop after a few weeks. Frive and Calo both position themselves as healthier alternatives to supermarket ready meals, but they take different approaches.
Frive
Frive meals are made from 100% whole-food ingredients with no ultra-processed fillers or artificial additives. Every dish is chef-prepared and nutritionist-approved, with many containing over 40g of protein. The focus is on clean nutrition and flavour, aiming to deliver a restaurant-style experience at home.
Calo
Calo offers nutritionist-approved meals tailored through AI personalisation to match macros, health goals and taste preferences. Its menu combines freshly prepared dishes with freezer-friendly options for longer storage. Flavour feedback is generally positive.
Summary
Frive is best suited to those who value whole-food freshness, flavour and clean nutrition without compromise. Calo appeals more to people who want personalisation, even if that means accepting a more functional style of meal.
Find out more about meal prepping in our guide ‘How to Meal Prep Like a Pro’.
Frive’s Shoyu Chicken Thighs, high in fibre and protein (41 grams)
Menu Variety & Specialisation
A diverse menu helps keep meal delivery sustainable over time. If dishes feel repetitive, sticking to a plan becomes harder. Both Frive and Calo provide variety, but in different ways.
Frive
Frive offers 40+ dishes each week, covering breakfasts, snacks, lunches and dinners. Customers can choose plans tailored to weight loss, muscle gain or balanced eating, with dietary options including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free. Weekly updates with seasonal flavours keep menus fresh while supporting a wide range of goals.
Calo
Calo’s menu is customisable, built around personalised nutrition plans that adjust to your macros and goals. It offers breakfasts, mains and snacks, combining fresh dishes with freezer-friendly meals for added storage flexibility.
Summary
Frive is ideal for those who want variety across all meals of the day and flexibility for different dietary preferences or fitness goals. Calo works better for people who prioritise tailored plans and structured nutrition.
Preparation & Delivery
Convenience is one of the main reasons people choose meal delivery, and how meals arrive can make all the difference to whether the service feels seamless or disruptive.
Frive
Frive delivers on four days each week (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday), giving customers greater flexibility and fresher meals spread across the week. Meals are delivered in recyclable packaging and last up to 7 days in the fridge. They heat in less than 5 minutes in the microwave or in under 40 minutes in the oven.
Calo
Calo allows customers to select delivery days that suit them, depending on availability. Meals are freshly prepared, with some freezer-friendly options included for added flexibility.
Summary
Frive is best suited for those who want flexibility with delivery times and freshness balanced throughout the week, with minimal reliance on the freezer. Calo suits customers who also want flexible delivery days and the option of fresh or frozen storage.
Read our guide to find out how long meal prep really lasts.
Pricing & Value
For most people, cost decides whether a meal delivery service becomes a weekly habit or just a short-term trial. Both Frive and Calo sit in the mid-to-premium range, but the way they deliver value differs.
Frive
A 6-meal plan with Frive costs £47.10, which works out at around £7.85 per meal. The price reflects premium whole-food ingredients, chef-prepared recipes, and the flexibility of tailored plans for weight loss, muscle gain or balanced eating. Regular introductory discounts and loyalty rewards make Frive more affordable for new customers.
Calo
A comparable 6-meal high-protein plan with Calo costs £51, or around £8.50 per meal. The higher price includes AI-driven personalisation, tailoring meals to individual macros and goals, though discounts are less frequent.
Summary
Frive offers better value per meal while also running regular sign-up offers, making it more cost-effective for most users. Calo is pricier but appeals to those who prioritise tech-led personalisation and structured nutrition, even if it means paying extra.
Read our guide to find out how much meal prep delivery can save you.
Customer Satisfaction & Social Proof
Reviews and endorsements are one of the clearest ways to see how well a meal delivery service performs once it’s in everyday use. Looking at Frive vs Calo reviews highlights the differences in reputation and customer experience.
Frive
Frive holds a strong Trustpilot score of 4.5/5 from more than 9,000 reviews. Customers often highlight freshness, flavour and the convenience of chef-prepared, whole-food meals. The brand has been featured in lifestyle media such as Cosmopolitan and Glamour, and is endorsed by public figures including Rita Ora, Simon Pegg and Olympian Niamh Emerson.
Calo
Calo scores 4.1/5 on Trustpilot from just over 100 reviews. Customers value the personalised approach, particularly for sticking to specific calorie or macro goals. The brand has attracted coverage in foodtech and nutrition press thanks to its AI-led personalisation model.
Summary
Frive has the stronger reputation overall, with higher ratings, thousands more reviews and celebrity endorsements reinforcing its reliability. Calo appeals to a smaller but loyal audience who value customisation.
Frives Beef Gyudon Cabbage Rice Bowl packed with 40 grams of protein
Tech Compatibility
Digital tools can make meal prep services even easier to use, from tracking nutrition to managing your plan.
Frive
All Frive meals are barcode-scannable and fully compatible with MyFitnessPal, making calorie and macro tracking quick and simple. Customers can order directly through the website or app, with every meal designed for seamless logging.
Calo
Calo orders are managed through its app, with AI-driven personalisation built directly into meal planning.
Summary
Frive is the better fit for customers who want frictionless calorie and macro tracking through MyFitnessPal. Calo, on the other hand, focuses on in-app AI personalisation for meal planning, appealing to those who prefer guided, data-led nutrition support.
Additional Factors
Beyond price and nutrition, extras like sustainability, flexibility, and tech tools can make one service feel like a better long-term fit.
Frive
Frive offers flexible subscriptions that can be paused, skipped, or cancelled within weekly cut-off times. Meals now last up to 7 days in the fridge, giving customers more flexibility. The brand has a strong sustainability focus, using recyclable, portion-controlled packaging to reduce food waste.
All meals are gluten-free, with additional options for vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and halal diets. Frive also runs a Rewards Club, letting customers save more the longer they stay, and all meals are barcode-scannable and compatible with MyFitnessPal for easy tracking.
Calo
Calo also allows customers to pause, skip, or cancel their plan within its weekly cut-off. Packaging is recyclable and biodegradable, though sustainability is less central to the brand identity. It offers tailored plans for balanced, low-carb, high-protein and vegetarian diets, supported by its AI-driven personalisation tools. However, there is no loyalty scheme or direct integration with MyFitnessPal.
Summary
Frive stands out for its eco-focus, wide dietary inclusivity, Rewards Club, and tech compatibility with MyFitnessPal. Calo’s strength lies in its AI-led personalisation and structured nutrition plans, appealing to those who want an AI feel over lifestyle extras.
Which service is right for you?
Frive and Calo are both strong contenders in the UK meal prep market, but they cater to slightly different lifestyles. Frive focuses on variety, whole-food ingredients and flexible plans that support both everyday health and fitness goals. Calo leans into AI-led personalisation, tailoring meals to individual macros and dietary preferences, appealing to users who want more control and structure.
Frive suits:
- - Fitness enthusiasts and gym-goers who want high-protein, nutrient-dense meals, with many dishes containing 40g+ protein.
- - Busy professionals, parents or couples who want chef-quality meals ready in minutes without the hassle of cooking.
- - Health-conscious eaters who want 100% natural meals with no ultra-processed ingredients.
- - Customers working toward weight loss, muscle gain or balanced eating, with tailored plans to support these goals.
- - Variety-seekers who enjoy having breakfasts, snacks and mains to choose from, with up to four delivery days each week.
- - Eco-conscious customers who value recyclable packaging, sustainable practices and portion-controlled meals.
- - Users who want added extras like MyFitnessPal integration, a rewards club and gluten-free as standard.
Calo suits:
- - Customers who want flexibility in choosing delivery days, with a mix of fresh and frozen meals.
- - People who value AI-driven personalisation and structured nutrition plans tailored to macros and goals.
- - Users who are prepared to pay more for precision and tech-led convenience.
- - Those who prefer functional, performance-focused meals
Try Frive today and take advantage of introductory discounts on chef-prepared meals that make healthy eating effortless, delicious and tailored to your lifestyle.
FAQs
Which is healthier, Frive or Calo?
Frive meals are made from 100% whole-food ingredients with no ultra-processed fillers, offering clean nutrition and flavour. Calo provides AI-personalised, macro-balanced meals designed to meet goals like weight loss or muscle gain. If you want whole-food freshness and natural ingredients, Frive is the better fit.
Does Frive or Calo offer more variety?
Frive offers 40+ rotating dishes each week, including breakfasts, snacks, lunches and dinners. Calo provides around 25+ meals, customised through AI personalisation, covering mains plus some breakfasts and snacks. Frive is stronger for all-day variety and dietary inclusivity, while Calo works best for users who want structured, performance-led nutrition.
How often do Frive and Calo deliver meals?
Frive delivers up to four times a week (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday), with meals lasting up to 7 days in the fridge. This allows more freshness and flexibility without relying on the freezer. Calo lets customers choose delivery days depending on availability, offering both fresh and frozen meals for added storage options.
Are meals from Frive or Calo easy to prepare?
Yes, both services provide fully cooked meals that heat in less than 5 minutes in the microwave. Frive meals are delivered chilled and can also be oven-heated in under 40 minutes. Calo meals are a mix of fresh-prepared and freezer-friendly, ready to heat in just a few minutes.
Which is cheaper, Frive or Calo?
A 6-meal plan with Frive costs £47.10 (around £7.85 per meal). A comparable 6-meal high-protein plan with Calo costs £51 (around £8.50 per meal). On larger plans, Frive’s 10-meal order comes in at £80.65 (£8.06 per meal), while Calo’s is £85 (£8.50 per meal). Frive also runs new-customer discounts more regularly, making it the more cost-effective option for most users.
What do reviews say about Frive vs Calo?
Frive scores 4.5/5 on Trustpilot with 9,000+ reviews, praised for freshness, flavour and convenience. Calo has a 4.1/5 rating from just over 100 reviews, valued for customisation. Frive is seen as more reliable overall, while Calo attracts those who want tech-led precision.
Who should choose Frive and who should choose Calo?
Frive suits fitness enthusiasts, families, and health-conscious eaters who want chef-prepared, whole-food meals with plenty of variety. Calo suits customers who prefer tech-led personalisation, more control over delivery days, and structured macro-focused plans.
