The right meat subscription box can help you upgrade your meal quality, manage costs, and reduce the temptation of last-minute takeout, all without adding another decision to your day. Our team tested six meat delivery services, considering aspects such as selection, variety, product quality, packaging, and customer service. Read on for our hands-on reviews.

Best Meat Delivery Service of 2026

• Best Meat Delivery Service Overall: ButcherBox
• Best Customizable Meat Delivery Service: GoodChop
• Best Butcher-Style Meat Delivery Box: Porter Road
• Best One-Time Meat Delivery Service: Backyard Butchers
• Best Meat Delivery Service for Families: Meatzy
• Best Grass-Fed Meat Delivery Service: Crowd Cow

Best Meat Delivery Service Comparison Table

Meat Delivery Service	Subscriptions or Boxes Available	Protein Options	Packaging	Shipping	Price Range
ButcherBox	Subscription with flexible frequency	Grass-fed beef, heritage-breed pork, organic chicken, wild-caught seafood, ground bison and ground lamb	Frozen	Shipping included in box price	Medium box is approximately $182
GoodChop	Subscription delivered every 4, 6, or 8 weeks	Beef (including Wagyu), pork, chicken, lamb, and seafood	Frozen	About $9.99 per box	Medium box is $149
Porter Road	Subscription with flexible frequency	Fresh (not frozen) beef, pork, lamb, and chicken	Frozen	Shipping depends on order size	Medium box is $170
Backyard Butchers	A la carte purchases available, subscribe and save 10%	Beef, chicken, pork	Frozen	Free	Subscription box is approximately $213
Meatzy	Subscription with flexible frequency	Beef, pork, chicken, and seafood	Frozen	Free shipping	Medium box is $169
Crowd Cow	A la carte purchases available, recurring subscription	Beef (including Wagyu), pork, chicken, lamb, and seafood	Frozen	Free shipping on orders over $149	Cost depends on your protein choices

ButcherBox
Subscriptions or Boxes Available	Subscription with flexible frequency
Protein Options	Grass-fed beef, heritage-breed pork, organic chicken, wild-caught seafood, ground bison and ground lamb
Packaging	Frozen
Shipping	Shipping included in box price
Price Range	Medium box is approximately $182
GoodChop
Subscriptions or Boxes Available	Subscription delivered every 4, 6, or 8 weeks
Protein Options	Beef (including Wagyu), pork, chicken, lamb, and seafood
Packaging	Frozen
Shipping	About $9.99 per box
Price Range	Medium box is $149
Porter Road
Subscriptions or Boxes Available	Subscription with flexible frequency
Protein Options	Fresh (not frozen) beef, pork, lamb, and chicken
Packaging	Frozen
Shipping	Shipping depends on order size
Price Range	Medium box is $170
Backyard Butchers
Subscriptions or Boxes Available	A la carte purchases available, subscribe and save 10%
Protein Options	Beef, chicken, pork
Packaging	Frozen
Shipping	Free
Price Range	Subscription box is approximately $213
Meatzy
Subscriptions or Boxes Available	Subscription with flexible frequency
Protein Options	Beef, pork, chicken, and seafood
Packaging	Frozen
Shipping	Free shipping
Price Range	Medium box is $169
Crowd Cow
Subscriptions or Boxes Available	A la carte purchases available, recurring subscription
Protein Options	Beef (including Wagyu), pork, chicken, lamb, and seafood
Packaging	Frozen
Shipping	Free shipping on orders over $149
Price Range	Cost depends on your protein choices

Best Meat Delivery Service Overall: ButcherBox

Our Thoughts on ButcherBox

ButcherBox is our pick for the best overall meat delivery service. It’s a certified B Corp that combines premium sourcing with reliable frozen delivery and easy subscription management. It’s a great service if you value convenience and quality over rock-bottom prices.

Glen tested this meat subscription service, rating the pricing a 5 out of 5. He reported being budget-conscious when he shops and thinks it would probably be cheaper to get comparable cuts of meat from the grocery store. However, he “appreciated the convenience and quality of ButcherBox.” 

For example, the wild-caught seafood and grass-fed beef were big positives for Glen. “I enjoyed the variety of cuts available for selection, ranging from staples like chicken breast to cuts sure to please during summer grilling season, like ribeye and sirloin cap,” he said.

He rated the variety a 5 out of 5 as well. “There’s something for just about everyone; you can select steaks if you want to grill, pick out a beef or pork roast if you want to braise in the Dutch Oven, even opt for a whole chicken if you want to break it down yourself and simmer the bones for a savory soup stock,” Glen said. He also appreciated the options for days when you don’t feel like doing much prep work—sausages and breaded chicken strips are great for that.

Our tester rated the packaging quality a 4 out of 5. ButcherBox used recycled cardboard insulation and dry ice to keep the meat frozen, and the cuts were vacuum-sealed. “I did have to use a little care to prevent the dry ice from making a mess in the kitchen as I unpacked everything,” Glen said. “One of the three pieces of chicken breast did have a small tear in the corner of the packaging, though, as each piece was separately sealed, that didn’t impact the other two. But overall, it appeared care was taken to ensure the meat was safely delivered, and all the items I defrosted and cooked looked good and tasted flavorful.”

Looking for complete, frozen meals to be delivered directly to you? Check out our list of the best frozen meal delivery services.

Best Customizable Meat Delivery Service: GoodChop

Our Thoughts on GoodChop

GoodChop is our pick for the best customizable meal delivery service. The brand offers three plan sizes (medium, large, or extra large) that can be delivered every four, six, or eight weeks. You get to select every product in your box, with options ranging from filet mignon to lamb chops. GoodChop also offers desserts, compounded butter, and some sides to complement your meals. 

I tested GoodChop, rating the pricing a 4 out of 5. I received six types of meat for $149; I opted for the medium-sized box. This is a great deal, in my opinion, especially because I received both ground wagyu and wagyu top sirloin, along with ground lamb. The convenience of the service (selecting exactly what I want, getting it delivered, and the high-quality cuts) makes it completely worth the higher price. I doubt I could find wagyu and lamb at my local grocery store, so this is great.

The variety GoodChop offers earned a 5 out of 5 rating. Options such as poultry, seafood, pork, beef, lamb, desserts, appetizers, and more were included. Plenty of different cuts were available (lamb chops, porterhouse steak, flank steak, crab legs, wagyu steaks, bacon, etc.). Everything was in stock. 

I rated the packaging quality a 5 out of 5 as well. The box came with ice packs and a giant dry ice pack on top. It came in a cardboard box. The box was in fantastic condition. Dry ice can be kind of tricky to manage, but I understand why the brand uses it.

Looking for a full meal delivery service, including veggies, sides, and more? Check out our review of the best food subscription boxes.

Best Butcher-Style Meat Delivery Box: Porter Road

Our Thoughts on Porter Road

Porter Road is our pick for the best butcher-style meat delivery service. Shopping with them feels like ordering from your high-end neighborhood butcher—they have less-common cuts, ship many products fresh and not frozen, and offer dry-aged beef. Porter Road offers both a la carte ordering and subscription options that range from delivery every two weeks to every eight weeks, perfect for when you’re traveling or simply out of room in your fridge.

Ann tested Porter Road, trying the Best of Porter Road box. She rated the pricing a 4.5 out of 5. The box cost $170, and she noted that if she went to the grocery store to buy the same amount of meat, her total would be around $80. “The quality of the meat that I received from Porter Road exceeds the quality and freshness of what I can get at the store down the street,” she said. “It’s similar to your local butcher’s quality. In that case, if I were to go to a premium store or a butcher, I would be looking at around $130. While I paid more for Porter Road, the quality and convenience are worth it, in my opinion.”

She rated the variety of her selection a 5 out of 5. “There are plenty of options under each category of products,” Ann said. “For example, under beef, there are over 35 different options to choose from. However, you don’t get to choose the cut size. I did notice that a few options were out of stock.”

Our tester rated the packaging a 5 out of 5. The box arrived in great condition. “There were plenty of ice packs in the box, and I appreciated that the packaging was not plastic or made of otherwise harmful materials,” Ann said. “The packaging looked like paper and wool. What makes Porter Road different is that most of the meat is not fully frozen (freezing meat can cause it to become tough). My box arrived very cold, but the contents were not completely frozen,” she said. “That was great. I didn’t have to wait for anything to thaw before cooking.”

Porter Road includes some very useful information on why they ship some products frozen (such as ground beef, sausage, larger roasts) and the rest are not, explaining: “Meat is made up of fibers that are like little ropes. As meat freezes, the water in the muscles turns to ice. Ice is a crystal. As the crystals form, they cut into the muscle fibers. When you thaw the meat, the ice melts into your bowl and not into the meat. That said, never waste good meat! If you need to preserve the steak or can’t use it right away, definitely freeze it instead of tossing it,” per the website. This is such helpful information for folks who may be beginners at buying meat through an online subscription.

If you’d like to order groceries to complement your meat order, consider trying one of our picks of the best grocery delivery services to make your life even more convenient. 

Best One-Time Meat Delivery Service: Backyard Butchers

Our Thoughts on Backyard Butchers

Backyard Butchers is our pick for the best one-time meat delivery service. The brand offers three boxes: The Backyard, The Steakhouse, and The Farmhouse. Each includes over 30 meals that are primarily beef, though you can receive chicken and pork with The Farmhouse. Each box comes with a special offer: as of this writing, 24 free beef patties. We think Backyard Butchers is a great way to stock up your freezer for summer grilling season—shipping is free, and most of the products are from pasture-raised, Texas cattle. 

Gwen tested Backyard Butchers, specifically The Farmhouse box, which came with sirloin steaks, boneless beef tenderloin tips, bone-in pork chops, marinated chicken breasts, and free burgers. She rated the pricing a 4 out of 5, saying, “This box isn’t cheap, but it still seems cheaper than the grocery store, especially if you’re buying the same quality of meat (pasture raised, grass-fed, and grass-finished).” Gwen had never purchased this much meat at one time before, but thinks it’s on par with Whole Foods’ quality, which would certainly cost more for the amount she received. 

She rated the variety a 4 out of 5. “Backyard Butchers does not offer seafood, but it does have pork, beef, and chicken, which is a good amount of variety,” Gwen said. While you don’t get to build your own box, the three different box options involve a variety of cuts, including strip steaks, tenderloin tips, filet mignon, and more. “Unfortunately, the brand does not specify the leanness of the meat,” Gwen added. 

Our tester rated the packaging quality a 5 out of 5. “The packaging was great. This one came in a box with dry ice and temperature-regulating packaging. Everything was frozen solid when it arrived, with absolutely no melting whatsoever. The box was in perfect condition when it arrived, too,” Gwen said.

Best Meat Delivery Service for Families: Meatzy

Our Thoughts on Meatzy

Meatzy is our pick for the best meat delivery service for families because it has bulk orders of consistent-quality meat that’s U.S.-raised, grass-fed, grain-finished, USDA Choice or higher, and hormone- and antibiotic-free. Each box contains between nine and 14 pounds of meat, which is a solid amount of meat that won’t overwhelm your freezer. We also like that the cuts of meat are vacuum sealed, which makes it simple to pull out only what you need each time you cook for the family. 

Emily tested Meatzy, selecting and receiving a custom box. She picked chicken breasts, salmon filets, NY strip steaks, ribeye steaks, tri-tip steaks, and a chuck roll roast, which totaled $169. Emily rated the pricing a 3 out of 5. “When added up, everything totaled about 9.8 lbs of meat, including fish, chicken, and beef,” she said. “That comes to about $17.24 per pound. For more expensive cuts like NY strip, that seems like a good deal, though it seems less of a great deal for products like chicken.”

“I didn’t think the cuts themselves were anything I couldn’t find at the local grocery store, and the quality seemed average. Here’s where I could see a box like this being an advantage: If you typically need to drive to different stores for different grocery items, including your proteins (e.g., fish, chicken, beef), then having it all delivered at once could be worth the price. I found the pricing average overall, though; I expect there to be a markup when there’s a convenience factor involved,” Emily said.

She rated the variety a 4 out of 5. “The selection was pretty good overall, covering mostly the basics. There’s nothing fancy; I liked that Meatzy offered hangar steak, but there’s no filet mignon. It seems they’re offering the most commonly used proteins,” Emily said. “Of 21 options total, there were two seafood (shrimp, salmon), seven types of steak, chuck roast, baby back ribs, two types of ground beef plus premade burger patties, four chicken options (breasts, thighs, drumsticks, ground), and three types of pork (tenderloin, Italian sausage, ground).” This is a lot less variety than other options on our list (for example, Porter Road offers 35 types of beef, GoodChop has Wagyu and lamb), but we think the basics will cover everything needed to feed a typical, meat-eating family. 

The packaging was less than ideal; Emily rated it a 2 out of 5. “The meat arrived in a cardboard box with an empty dry ice bag—the dry ice had evaporated. The box was in good condition. However, all the salmon filets were nearly fully thawed. One had even lost its vacuum seal, so it slid around inside the packaging. The filets were on the smaller side, so they apparently thawed quickly when the dry ice was gone. The thicker cuts of meat were still fully frozen. And some items were partially thawed, like the chicken and tri-tip steak (a smaller cut). It seemed like the company could have added more in the way of insulation, or more ice packs instead of dry ice, which evaporates,” Emily reported. This presents some food safety issues. 

Emily contacted Meatzy’s customer service, who were very helpful to her. They provided information about safety based on her experience, and also offered to provide replacement products, given her negative experience in this area.

Best Grass-Fed Meat Delivery Service: Crowd Cow

Our Thoughts on Crowd Cow

Crowd Cow is our pick for the best grass-fed meat delivery service because it offers 100% grass-fed beef, along with pasture-raised and grass-finished options as well. Crowd Cow says that its grass-fed beef is “raised entirely on pasture for cleaner flavor and lean, nutrient-rich beef,” and that it’s always hormone- and antibiotic-free. The brand also notes that “grass-finished cattle are raised on a diet of exclusively mother’s milk and forage, containing more healthy fats than grain-finished beef.”

Ben tested Crowd Cow—he ordered a custom box of a frenched rack of lamb along with a Spanish frenched rack of lamb, which totaled $146.48 (shipping was free). He rated the price a 4 out of 5. “This is more expensive than what I would get at the grocery store, but the quality of meat is much higher, and I know that I am paying for the convenience of having it delivered right to my door,” Ben said.

He rated the variety of options available a 5 out of 5. “The brand has beef, Japanese Wagyu, poultry, seafood, pork, and specialty meats like lamb, bison, and boar,” he said. “There’s a wide selection for each protein option, which covers everything I would typically see at the grocery store and more.”

The racks of lamb were packaged in a cardboard box with plenty of ice packs. “My meals were still ice cold and frozen by the time I received them,” Ben said. “There weren’t any tips included in the box, but everything was in excellent condition,” he said, rating packaging quality a 5 out of 5.

How We Tested and Selected the Best Meat Delivery Box Services

We tested six meat delivery box services, considering factors such as customization, product quality, taste, protein variety, ordering and shipping process, and value. Here are some more details about how we tested these categories.

Plans & Customization

We checked each meat delivery service to see what kinds of subscription options they offered—could you get a box every two weeks, up to every eight weeks? Could you purchase the meat on a one-off basis to stock up your freezer? We also considered whether the brand had preset meat boxes or if you could customize and build your own box.

Meat Quality 

We reviewed the meat quality offered by the delivery services, considering factors such as USDA organic certification, grass-fed certifications, grain-fed certifications, sustainably sourced seafood, international vs. domestic sourcing, and more. 

Taste

During testing, we recorded the flavor, taste, mouthfeel, and satisfaction each member of our team experienced after eating the meat delivery service products. We considered if it was pleasant enough that we’d order again, if the taste felt comparable to restaurant quality, and more.

Protein Variety 

When selecting our meat delivery service subscriptions, we looked at how much variety each brand offered—where different cuts of each product were offered, whether leanness was customizable, and whether it included unique proteins such as Wagyu, lamb, or bison. And we also looked at the seafood options, checking if they included just the basics, such as salmon and shrimp, or scallops, cod, crab, lobster, etc.

Ordering & Shipping Process

We recorded ease of using a brand’s website to order their meat delivery service, paying close attention to user-friendliness, transparency of pricing, menu visibility, and how sustainable the shipping and packaging were. We also considered whether shipping was baked into the box price, if it was extra, or if it was free.

Value

We considered whether the meat delivery services were more affordable than comparable cuts of meat found at the grocery store or a local butcher, also weighing the value of delivery convenience, a one-stop shop for multiple types of proteins, and more. 

Benefits of Meat Delivery Box Services

Meat delivery services have multiple benefits, particularly because they combine convenience with quality. Here are a few perks of using a service like this:

• Flexibility: Scheduling often includes bi-weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly subscriptions that can be easily modified to fit your lifestyle. 
• Transparency: Reputable meat delivery subscription services share information about animal welfare, certifications, and sourcing, so you know exactly where your proteins are coming from.
• Quality: Many meat delivery services offer grass-fed, organic, and higher-quality cuts of meat, poultry, and seafood
• Convenience: Skip the grocery store, specialty store, or butcher—you can have your selection of meats and seafood sent directly to your home, on your schedule.

What to Avoid in Meat Delivery Box Services

When shopping for a meat delivery box service, here are a few things to avoid: 

• Unclear pricing: Keep an eye on your cart and any added fees that show up at checkout, including shipping, membership, or excessive box prices.
• Undisclosed sourcing or lack of transparency: Avoid buying from brands that don’t disclose the sources of their products, are unclear about animal welfare, or have no grading information.
• Limited flexibility: If you can’t easily reschedule, modify, or cancel the service, you may want to avoid using it.

How to Find the Best Meat Delivery Box for You

We recommend that you analyze the following aspects when shopping for the best meat delivery service for you:

Your Household’s Needs

Consider your family size and appetite when selecting the best meat delivery service for you. You may want a no-frills, basic subscription option if you are cooking for a crowd or frequently repeat your tried-and-true recipes. If you are feeding fewer folks who are more adventurous (or simply not picky), consider trying a meal delivery box with less common cuts of meat or more unique seafood options.

Subscription Options 

Look for a box that comes with subscription or scheduling options that work best for your lifestyle. Some meat delivery services can be purchased as a one-off, to stock up your freezer. Some have delivery frequencies as often as every two weeks or every eight weeks.

Quality Grades & Labels

When choosing a meat delivery service, look at the brand’s FAQs or about page to see if they offer grass-fed beef, organic poultry, official USDA meat grading, or other certifications. Most brands mention animal welfare considerations, as well.

Cost

Meat can be very expensive, so be sure to factor it into your budget when selecting the best meat delivery service for you.

Prep Process

Check to see if the prep and cooking process is more involved than you’d like—consider if it arrives frozen and must be defrosted or if it arrives fresh and is ready to cook.

Frequently asked questions

Which meat delivery company is the best?

ButcherBox is our pick for the best meat delivery company overall. It’s a certified B Corp that combines premium sourcing with reliable frozen delivery and easy subscription management.

Are any meat delivery services worth it?

Yes, we’ve highlighted our top six picks in our article and described why our team thinks they’re worth it for convenience and quality in a variety of situations.

Is ButcherBox worth the money?

We think ButcherBox is worth the money. It’s not the most expensive meat delivery service out there, but it is a midrange, high-quality delivery service.