As a busy photographer and home cook, I’ve gotten fed up with my weekly trips to the grocery store—not to mention the price of my grocery bill!
If you, like me, are always on the lookout for quality groceries but resent time lost to wandering the aisles week after week, you've probably come across Misfits Market and Thrive Market, two grocery services that deliver high-quality food right to your doorstep.
In an effort to simplify my life without compromising on what I eat, I put both of these services to the test to see which I prefer to keep my refrigerator and pantry well-stocked.
Keep reading to find out which service I think is the hands-down winner in the grocery delivery space!
If You Hate Having to Shop Around for Everything You Need… Misfits Market
While I was able to get a lot of pantry goods, as well as some meat and seafood with my Thrive Market subscription, I wasn’t able to get fresh produce.
This meant that I still had to go to a grocery store to get my produce for the week, which kind of defeats the purpose of a grocery delivery service.
Misfits Market did give me the option to order fresh produce. In my first order, I was able to get organic yellow onions, organic broccoli, baby bella mushrooms, pasture-raised chicken, grass-fed ground beef, canned goods, snacks, and much more for less than grocery store prices.
Outside of their selection of fresh fruits and veggies, Misfits Market has everyday pantry staples, sustainably sourced snacks, dairy items, high-quality meats and seafood, and more. I was easily able to find everything on my list, which is more than I can say for my experience with Thrive.
If You Need More Bang for Your Buck… Misfits Market
To get access to their marketplace, Thrive Market charges a membership fee of $12 per month (or $59.95 per year). Misfits Market, on the other hand, has no membership fees, saving you money that can go right towards your groceries instead.
While both services beat out grocery store prices, Misfits Market’s prices were more competitive. In my first order, I got 24 items—including fresh vegetables, sauces, and chicken tenders—for less than $75.
If You Need a Flexible Subscription Plan… It’s a tie
Both Misfits Market and Thrive Market offer good flexibility in their subscription models, allowing subscribers to adjust their weekly orders and pause deliveries. As someone who travels a lot for work, this flexibility was key.
If You Care About Sustainability… Misfits Market
I was shocked to learn that perfectly delicious produce could go to waste because it isn’t “pretty” enough for grocery store shelves.
While Thrive Market has some sustainable practices, Misfits Market takes a stand against food waste by sourcing high-quality products directly from farmers and food producers. Because those top-notch items might occasionally be unusual-looking, have packaging errors, or are just excess supply, Misfits Market can pass the savings on to you while eliminating waste.
I received some broccoli from Misfits that included some mixed sizes (one of the bunches was smaller than the rest!), but still super fresh—and absolutely delicious once I cooked it as part of a stir fry I was making.
My Overall Winner…Misfits Market
After trying both of these services, I found Misfits Market to be the clear winner. While Thrive Market met some of my needs, Misfits Market won me over with their no-frills approach to membership, commitment to more sustainable practices, fantastic food options, and great prices.
I also appreciated the straightforward process of ordering from Misfits Market. They give you a shopping window of about three days to add any of their 700+ items to your cart, and will automatically add high-quality staples they think you’ll love (which you can change or remove).
Once the shopping window closes, your order will arrive in 2-3 business days. For me, they only required a $15 minimum per order and offered free shipping on orders over $60, though these minimums might vary a bit by zip code.
For how much time and money Misfits Market saves me, I’ll be sticking with them as my go-to grocery delivery service!
