ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks: The Best Meat and Seafood Subscription Service in 2024

By Insider Envy Staff

In today’s fast-paced world, convenience and quality are two cornerstones that consumers seek when it comes to sourcing their groceries, especially when it comes to meat and seafood. With the rise of subscription-based meat delivery services, home cooks and health-conscious individuals have found a novel solution to their culinary needs. While there are many options available, ButcherBox and Omaha Steaks have emerged as two of the most popular options, each vying for the attention of protein lovers seeking premium cuts delivered straight to their doorstep.​

In this comprehensive comparison between ButcherBox and Omaha Steaks, we delve into the factors that matter most, including sourcing transparency, options available, pricing, and overall value in order to determine which of these two services is the best.

Quality: ButcherBox shines with transparency

For many consumers, knowing exactly where their food comes from and how it’s produced is paramount. ButcherBox stands out in this regard, offering a level of transparency that instills confidence in their products. They proudly showcase their commitment to quality on their site, sourcing 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic or pasture-raised heirloom chicken, humanely raised pork, and wild-caught seafood. What’s more, their products are free of added hormones and antibiotics, aligning with the highest standards for ethical and sustainable farming practices. As a B Corp certified company, ButcherBox sources exclusively from partners with 3rd party animal welfare certifications, ensuring that every item in their subscription boxes meets the highest quality standards. 

On the other hand, our investigation into Omaha Steaks’ sourcing practices revealed a lack of transparency on their website. We did find on their site that their beef is grass-fed, grain-finished, but the absence of detailed information about where their meat comes from beyond that raises questions about the sourcing and production standards behind their products. With the higher price point of their meat and seafood, we expected to find more transparency behind Omaha Steaks’ sourcing practices, and the lack of information raises a red flag for us.

Available options: customization and flexibility

Both ButcherBox and Omaha Steaks offer custom and curated plans, but the level of choice and variety differs between the two services. Omaha Steaks boasts a wide array of meat options, including steaks, burgers, chicken, pork, seafood, and desserts. However, when it comes to their custom box subscription plan, the selection is surprisingly limited. With only 14 cuts to choose from (with very few non-beef options), subscribers may find themselves with less flexibility in tailoring their box to their preferences.

In contrast, ButcherBox impresses with over 50 meat and seafood options, including unexpected items like black bean burgers, chicken nuggets, and smoked salmon. This diverse selection caters to a range of dietary preferences and culinary preferences, offering a more extensive array of choices for subscribers. After members subscribe, ButcherBox offers countless different add-ons and special member deals, expanding the selection to over 100 possible cuts you can choose in your box, and yes, you can switch up your box selections each order if you want (we’re looking at you, adventurous eaters).

Price: the most value for your dollar

To gauge the value offered by each service more specifically, we dove into a comparable curated box and a comparable custom box offered by both services. 

Beginning with the curated box, ButcherBox’s curated box costs $146 for 11 lbs of meat, which comes out to approximately $13 per pound. Omaha Steaks’ curated box is priced at $335 for 13.5 lbs of meat, equating to roughly $25 per pound, however when we went to their site they were offering the box at a discounted price of $160, equating to roughly $12 per pound, which is slightly lower than ButcherBox. We will note however that ButcherBox almost always runs a promo for free meat in your box for a certain amount of time (sometimes it’s a year, sometimes it’s even for life), which brings down the price per pound.

On the custom box side, Omaha Steaks’ box costs $149 while ButcherBox’s costs slightly more at $169. When comparing the custom box plans, we chose the same cuts from each site: ground beef, chicken breasts, NY strip steaks, burgers, and hot dogs. We had one additional choice with ButcherBox so we went with pork chops. Omaha Steaks’ box also includes two filler items (a seasoning and potatoes), but we excluded them from the comparison given the low value of the items. The big difference between the two was the amount of meat included: Omaha Steaks’ box had just 5.75 lbs of meat which came out to $26/lb, while ButcherBox’s box had 12.25 lbs of meat which came out to roughly $14/lb.

ButcherBox emerges as the clear winner

Our comparison of ButcherBox and Omaha Steaks subscription services reveals that ButcherBox excels in quality, customization, and price. With a transparent sourcing process, a wide variety of high-quality options, and competitive pricing, ButcherBox emerges as the clear winner for consumers seeking top-notch meats and seafood delivered conveniently to their doorstep.

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by Insider Envy Staff