If you’ve been eyeing Factor 75 for yourself or someone else, you might’ve wondered whether their gift cards are a smart way to pay for meals. After all, Factor (aka Factor 75) is one of the biggest ready-to-eat meal delivery services out there, and a gift card sounds like an easy, flexible option. But, if you’ve ever peeked at Reddit threads or customer reviews, you may have noticed a consistent theme: Factor gift cards aren’t the great value people expect.
Here’s everything you need to know, including how Factor gift cards (gift certificates) work, what they can and can’t do, and the key reasons why many customers say they’re not worth it.
Better idea? You can get a great deal on Factor with the promo above and let the gift recipient customize their menu! You can even specify the date of the first delivery and give the box to them as a gift. View all coupons here.
How Factor 75 Gift Cards Work
Factor gift cards are digital cards that you can purchase through the company’s website. Once you buy one, you receive a code that can be applied toward a Factor subscription. Pretty straightforward: you buy a set dollar amount, you send it to someone, and they redeem the credit at checkout.
But here’s the part that often gets overlooked:
Factor gift cards don’t unlock any special pricing!
When the recipient uses the gift card, they’re still required to sign up for a subscription and choose a weekly plan at the regular price. Factor does not offer separate “gift plans,” flat-rate boxes, or discounted bundles the way some other meal delivery services do.
In other words, a $100 gift card is simply $100 of store credit. Not $100 worth of meals. Not a week of meals. Just a credit balance.
This matters because Factor isn’t cheap to begin with. Even with the largest box sizes, meals regularly run in the $11–$15 range after intro discounts have expired. So your gift card won’t stretch as far as you might expect!
Where Can You Buy a Factor Gift Card? The most popular place to buy a Factor gift card is through Giftly or On Me. However, if you buy one on eBay, make sure the seller is trusted!
Why Factor Gift Cards Aren’t a Great Deal
1. No Access to Intro Offers or Discounts
This is the biggest complaint you’ll see on Reddit. New customers typically get a large introductory deal for 50% or more off their first few boxes. (Free box?) However, if you use a gift card, the discount won’t apply!
Most users agree that the initial promotional period is the only time Factor feels reasonably priced. However, when using gift cards, you have to pay full price! Plus, you must use the entire gift card at once, and you can’t carry over the remaining balance.
So ironically, giving someone a Factor gift card might actually make their first week more expensive than if they signed up on their own with a standard promo link.
2. They Force the Recipient Into a Subscription
Factor doesn’t allow one-time purchases. Even with a gift card, the recipient must start an actual subscription, enter payment information, and remember to pause or cancel after they use their credit.
For many people, giving a gift that triggers an auto-renewing subscription feels a little awkward or even inconvenient. And for the recipient, it can be mildly stressful to manage.
3. Limited Flexibility Compared to Competitor Gift Cards
Other meal services, like Home Chef, Blue Apron, or HelloFresh, offer more traditional gift card setups. Some allow one-off boxes, fixed meal bundles, or credits that don’t require a subscription at all. Factor’s gift cards don’t offer that freedom. They’re basically prepaid account credits with strings attached.
4. Reddit Users say That They’re “Not Worth It”
While experiences vary, Reddit threads often say the same things:
- “Just let the recipient use the intro discount instead.”
- “Gift cards don’t give you anything special.”
- “It’s basically the worst way to pay for Factor.”
People aren’t criticizing the meals themselves. Factor is popular for a reason, but rather the value proposition of the gift card.
So What’s the Better Alternative?
If you want to give someone Factor meals, the best option is usually this:
Send them your referral link or let them sign up through an introductory promotion like this to get the best deal:
If you’d like to send your spouse or family member a gift card, consider just making a card for them and then sign up with them using your credit card.
They’ll save far more money, they won’t be locked into using your prepaid amount, and they’ll get the maximum benefit Factor offers to new customers. If you still want to “gift” the cost, you can simply Venmo or reimburse them for their first box.
It’s not glamorous, but cheaper and genuinely more useful!
The Bottom Line
Factor 75 gift cards sound convenient, but they fall short in real value. They don’t unlock discounts, don’t stack with promotions, and require the recipient to start a subscription anyway. For a service that’s already pricey without intro deals, gifting actual credit just doesn’t go very far.
If you want to share Factor with someone, skip the gift card and let them use the generous new-customer promo instead. You’ll both get a better deal, and they’ll get way more meals for the same amount of money.
Have you tried buying Factor gift certificates for someone? Let us know how it went by leaving a comment below.