Medifast VS South Beach Diet Comparison

UPDATED Dec. 2024
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Choosing between South Beach Diet and Medifast, you are faced with a rather difficult task. Both services have unique qualities that make them highly popular among hungry customers nationwide. However, that does not mean that the choice is impossible to make, as one of these services does have a bit more to offer. Our South Beach Diet VS Medifast comparison below allows you to discover what it is that makes these two services different from each other, as well as which one constitutes a better choice.

South Beach Diet
Healthy & Affordable Weight Loss Program
VS
Medifast
Healthy weight-loss made simple

Highlights

South Beach Diet
South Beach Diet promises to help you lose weight quickly and easily by enjoying its healthy, low-carb meals and snacks that are available at excellent prices.
  • Price Range: $$
  • Average Price Per Meal: $10.71
  • Shipping Cost: $0
  • Delivery Area: 50 states
Medifast
Medifast is an effective, personalized weight loss solution recommended by thousands of doctors and available at affordable prices.
  • Price Range: $$
  • Average Price Per Meal: $2.36
  • Shipping Cost: $0 *
  • Delivery Area: 50 states
*for orders over $300

Compare Features

South Beach Diet
Best For
Best for dieters looking for a healthy and budget-friendly weight loss meal delivery
Menu/Meal Plans
South Beach Diet offers a single standard menu and 3 meal plans, including Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
Recipes/Meal Options
The South Beach Diet menu includes 21 breakfasts, 49 entrees, and a dozen of snacks.
Meal & Recipe Variety
South Beach diet offers low-carb, high-protein breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. Its menu includes shelfish-free and wheat-free items, as well as several gluten-free items. It offers a number of vegetarian-friendly meals and is suitable for diabetics.
Food Quality
South Beach Diet uses healthy, wholesome, nutrient-dense ingredients free from artificial colors and flavors. Its meals are low in added sugars and have reduced sodium content.
Nutritional Value & Portion Size
South Beach Diet offers doctor-designed, portion-controlled meals low in carbs and rich in lean protein and healthy fats. Its meals do not contain refined carbs but instead include good carbs from vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. The portions are not large, but you get to eat 6 times a day.
Subscription Flexibility
South Beach Diet offers a 35% discount and free shipping to customers who opt for automatic deliveries. However, if you cancel your subscription before you pay for your second shipment, you will be charged $125 for the discount received upon your first shipment. After your second shipment, you are free to cancel your subscription at any time, with no extra charges.
Refunds
South Beach Diet does not offer returns or refunds.
Medifast
Best For
Best for people who want to lose weight fast
Menu/Meal Plans
Medifast offers several plans, including Go, Flex, and Thrive Healthy Living. It also has several plans for special diets.
Recipes/Meal Options
Medifast offers more than 65 meals on its menu.
Meal & Recipe Variety
Medifast offers an abundance of tasty, healthy, low-calorie breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, desserts, bars, shakes, and smoothies. Its meal selection includes gluten-free, low-carb, low-fat, senior-friendly, diabetic-friendly, and vegetarian meals, all designed to promote fat burning. Most menu items are certified kosher and some of them are soy-free, dairy-free, whey-free, and lactose-free.
Food Quality
Medifast does not provide much information on ingredient sourcing but does generally use healthy, natural products when creating its meals. It uses natural colors like beta-carotene and annatto.
Nutritional Value & Portion Size
Medifast offers dietitian-designed meals that are low in calories and fat and rich in fiber, lean protein, and nutrients. The meals do not come in large portions since the program is designed to allow you to enjoy a light meal every 2 or 3 hours.
Subscription Flexibility
With Medifast, you can modify or cancel your order whenever you wish, but you must inform the company by 6 p.m. Eastern Time the day before your order processing date.
Refunds
Medifast has a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you are not happy with your order, just return the items within 30 days for a full refund. The company will not refund you for shipping and handling fees.

Compare Plans & Pricing

South Beach Diet
South Beach Diet Plans & Pricing
Simple
ForPricePrice per day
Men and women$99.99$3.57
Silver
ForPricePrice per day
Women$289.99$10.36
Men$329.99$11.79
Gold
ForPricePrice per day
Women$329.99$11.79
Men$359.99$12.86
Platinum
ForPricePrice per day
Women$359.99$12.86
Men$389.99$13.93
Medifast
Medifast Plans & Pricing
Medifast GO!
KitOne-time delivery priceAuto-delivery price
Standard$429.00$329.00
Gluten-free$429.00$329.00
Medifast Achieve
KitOne-time delivery priceAuto-delivery price
Select$395.55$299.00
Complete$460.30$399.00
Medifast Thrive
KitOne-time delivery priceAuto-delivery price
Standard$312.90$312.90

Suitable For

South Beach Diet
Meals For Families
Meals For Kids
Meals For Seniors
Meals For One
Medifast
Meals For Families
Meals For Kids
Meals For Seniors
Meals For One

Compare Meal Options

South Beach Diet
Vegetarian Meals
Vegan Meals
Paleo Meals
Keto Meals
Low-Carb Meals
Low-Fat Meals
Meals For Diabetics
Gluten-Free Meals
Organic Meals
Weight Loss Meals
Medifast
Vegetarian Meals
Vegan Meals
Paleo Meals
Keto Meals
Low-Carb Meals
Low-Fat Meals
Meals For Diabetics
Gluten-Free Meals
Organic Meals
Weight Loss Meals

Compare Sample Meals

South Beach Diet
Medifast

Compare Extras

South Beach Diet
A La Carte Menu
Gift Cards
Marketplace
Medifast
A La Carte Menu
Gift Cards
Marketplace

Compare Ratings

South Beach Diet
FINAL RATING
9.6/10
Meal Options
Variety
Nutritional Value
Portion Size
Flexibility
Price
Medifast
FINAL RATING
9.2/10
Meal Options
Variety
Nutritional Value
Portion Size
Flexibility
Price

Compare Customer Reviews

South Beach Diet
  • Submitted By Kathy O on 03/27/2019
    Highly processed food with lots of sodium and super spicy, even breakfast. Get ready for major heartburn. Lost a pound during first week but did not feel healthy. The prepared meals stray from the original concept of the plan. And beware, $125 cancellation charge.
  • Submitted By Tim on 01/31/2019
    The food is disgusting. I've tried Nutrisystem their food is very tasty and I successful lost weight. On the first day eating South Beach Diet the meals tasted bad, it gave me indigestion and tasted like chemicals. They have a no refund or return policy, which I understand . I called to after 1 day to cancel the auto-delivery and they said they would charge me a $125 cancellation fee. As stated in their policy "as you agreed when placing your order". My guess is they have had people try to cancel the subscription after the first food delivery so they discount that order and then charge you $125 once you realize the food is disgusting. I'm going back to Nutrisystem and I suggest you try it too.
  • Submitted By Stephanie on 08/31/2018
    The food is disgusting and the portions are TINY. The meals are packed with sodium. I called to cancel after 2 weeks and they charged me a $125 cancellation fee. What a rip off.
  • Submitted By Ellie Roberts on 02/14/2018
    The meals are boring and I lost just 3 pounds in 2 weeks, not what I expected.
Medifast
  • Submitted By Michelle on 07/03/2019
    Tried this a couple of years ago. The food takes some getting used to but it works! I lost 25 lbs in about 3 mos. You have to stay on the plan or at least a modified version of it. Gained back 30 and can't seem to get it off again, even using Medifast :/
  • Submitted By Amanda on 10/07/2016
    Just wanted to work on maintaining my current weight with a diet plan that is easy to use and that doesn’t take too much time. Medifast doesn’t offer too many pre-made diet plans, but the ones they do are perfect and easy to use. Just had a go with a 30-day Select Kit and I’m very happy with the results. I’d recommend it to every health conscious person.
  • Submitted By Julian on 09/13/2016
    You rarely find a meal delivery service that is able to cater to a specific condition I’m having to live with. Chronic arthritis and gout are very hard to live with, but with the help of dedicated dietitians I’ve managed to formulize a diet plan that helped me very much. Medifast is a great choice for a plethora of people with different health conditions.
  • Submitted By Andrew on 08/05/2016
    If you’re able to get used to snacks and crunch bars, Medfast is for you. I wasn’t able to fully enjoy the flavor in any of the snacks provided in their packs. All that kept me through the program were a couple of meals with a flavor of home. And the fact that I actually started to lose weight. I guess taste and health rarely go together, will have to continue the search.

Winner

South Beach Diet meal delivery allows you to reap the benefits of a low-carb, high-protein diet that can transform your body while keeping you full all day long. It provides tasty, ready-made meals and snacks made of wholesome ingredients and designed to help you get in the best shape of your life. Discover more details in our South Beach Diet review.

* All the prices on this website are subject to change without notice. While we put a great deal of effort into making sure that all the prices are accurate, one or more products may have outdated prices. Please visit the specific product’s official website for exact prices.
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