Compare

Recipe Spellbook next to the app you use now.

Written by the people who make Recipe Spellbook, so each page says plainly where the other app is the better pick. Every fact about another app is dated and linked to where it came from.

LAST CHECKED OCTOBER 29, 2026

Every app, side by side

Prices in USD, as of October 29, 2026. Scroll sideways to see every app.

Feature	Recipe Spellbook	Paprika 3	AnyList	Mela	Plan to Eat	Crouton	Samsung Food
Price	$6.99 once, for every device	$4.99 on iPhone, $29.99 on Mac, $29.99 on Windows, each once	$9.99 a year, $14.99 for a household	$6.99 on iPhone and iPad, $14.99 on Mac, each once	$49 a year or $5.95 a month	Crouton Plus $24.99 once; Discover $14.99 a year	Food+ $59.99 a year or $6.99 a month
Free version	No recipe limit, no time limit	Windows trial: 50 recipes, no sync	5 recipe imports from websites	Free download, one purchase unlocks everything	14-day trial	Free download	Yes, with ads
Subscription	None	None for Paprika 3; new Paprika 4 features will need one	Yearly	None	Yearly or monthly	Optional (Discover)	Optional (Food+)
Android				No		No
iPhone and iPad
Mac			In Complete		Web		Web
Windows			Web, in Complete	No	Web	No	Web
Linux		No	Web, in Complete	No	Web	No	Web
Meal planner	Free		In Complete
Recipe scaling	Free		In Complete	Not listed	Not listed		Not listed
Family sharing	Up to 5 people, in Premium	Coming in Paprika 4	Household plan	Shared iCloud libraries	One shared account	Household iCloud sync	Shared meal plans
Import its export into Recipe Spellbook	·		By link or text

One app at a time

Recipe Spellbook vs Paprika

Is there a Paprika alternative that works on every device for one price?

Phone and computer: Recipe Spellbook:$6.99 once, every device; Paprika:$34.98: $4.99 on iPhone plus $29.99 on Mac or Windows
Free version: Recipe Spellbook:No recipe limit; Paprika:Windows trial: 50 recipes, no sync
Analytics: Recipe Spellbook:None; Paprika:Usage data, per its App Store label

Paprika is still the better pick for a long track record, sync included with each copy, and a built-in browser for saving recipes.

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Recipe Spellbook vs AnyList

Is there an AnyList alternative without a yearly fee?

Recipe imports from websites: Recipe Spellbook:Unlimited, free; AnyList:5 free, unlimited in Complete
Meal planner: Recipe Spellbook:Free; AnyList:In Complete
Paid plan: Recipe Spellbook:$6.99 once; AnyList:$9.99 a year, or $14.99 for a household

AnyList is still the better pick for a grocery list first: Apple Watch, Siri and Alexa, store filters, item prices and online ordering from stores like Walmart and Instacart.

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Recipe Spellbook vs Mela

Is there a Mela alternative for Android and Windows?

Runs on: Recipe Spellbook:Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Linux; Mela:iPhone, iPad and Mac
Price: Recipe Spellbook:$6.99 once, every device; Mela:$6.99 on iPhone and iPad, $14.99 on Mac
Sync: Recipe Spellbook:Premium, with an account; Mela:iCloud, free, no account

Mela is still the better pick for an all-Apple home: free iCloud sync with no account, no data collected, and plans and lists that live in Calendar and Reminders.

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Recipe Spellbook vs Plan to Eat

Is there a Plan to Eat alternative with a free version?

Free version: Recipe Spellbook:Yes, no time or recipe limit; Plan to Eat:No, a 14-day trial
Price: Recipe Spellbook:$6.99 once; Plan to Eat:$49 a year, or $5.95 a month
Runs on: Recipe Spellbook:Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Linux; Plan to Eat:iPhone, Android and the web

Plan to Eat is still the better pick for planning from any web browser, one account for the whole household on any number of devices, and grocery delivery from the list.

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Recipe Spellbook vs Crouton

Is there a Crouton alternative for Android and Windows?

Runs on: Recipe Spellbook:Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Linux; Crouton:iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro
One-time unlock: Recipe Spellbook:$6.99 once; Crouton:Crouton Plus, $24.99
Subscription: Recipe Spellbook:None; Crouton:Optional: Discover, $14.99 a year

Crouton is still the better pick for Apple Watch and Vision Pro, iCloud sync with your household, and meal plans it can build for you.

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Recipe Spellbook vs Samsung Food

Is there a Samsung Food alternative without ads or a subscription?

Ads: Recipe Spellbook:None; Samsung Food:In the free version; Food+ removes them
Paid plan: Recipe Spellbook:$6.99 once; Samsung Food:Food+, $59.99 a year or $6.99 a month
Runs on: Recipe Spellbook:Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Linux; Samsung Food:Android, iPhone and the web

Samsung Food is still the better pick for a big recipe catalog to browse, cooking communities, a web app, AI meal plans, and a Food+ offer for Samsung device owners.

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Still choosing? Start with the question.

Which recipe apps can you buy once, with no subscription?An honest list of recipe managers you can buy once or use free, and which ones need a subscription, with prices checked in October 2026. Recipe Spellbook is $6.99 once for every device.

Try it next to the one you use now.

Free, with no recipe limit and no account needed. Premium is $6.99 once.

Download free See the import guide