We make Recipe Spellbook, so read this with that in mind. It says plainly where AnyList is the better choice, and every fact about AnyList is dated and linked to where it came from.
Recipe Spellbook is a recipe manager with a meal planner and shopping lists, on Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows and Linux. Its free version has no recipe limit and includes unlimited imports, the meal planner, scaling and recipe photos. Premium is $6.99 once. AnyList is a shopping list app first: its free plan allows 5 recipe imports from websites, and the meal planner, scaling, recipe photos, the Mac app and the web app are in AnyList Complete, at $9.99 a year or $14.99 a year for a household (October 2026).
How much do Recipe Spellbook and AnyList cost?
AnyList prices as of October 2026, from anylist.com/features.
| Recipe Spellbook | AnyList | |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | Unlimited recipes and imports, meal planner, scaling, photos, live shared lists | Lists and list sharing, recipes, 5 recipe imports from websites |
| Paid plan | Premium, $6.99 once | AnyList Complete, $9.99 a year |
| Household | Family sharing for up to 5 people, in the same $6.99 Premium | $14.99 a year |
| On a computer | Windows, Mac and Linux apps, free | Mac app and web app, in Complete |
| Cost over 3 years | $6.99 | $29.97, or $44.97 for a household |
How do the features compare?
AnyList features as of October 2026, from the free and Complete table on anylist.com/features.
| Feature | Recipe Spellbook | AnyList |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Linux | iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple Watch; Mac and web in Complete |
| Import recipes from websites | Unlimited, free | 5 free, unlimited in Complete |
| Import from photos, PDFs and other apps | Yes, from 14 recipe apps | Copy and paste |
| Recipe photos | Free, including step-by-step photos | In Complete |
| Scaling | Free | In Complete |
| Meal planner | Free: month, week or day | In Complete, with Google Calendar sync |
| Cooking mode | Free, with voice control and timers | Free, and you can switch between recipes |
| Shared shopping lists | Free, live | Free |
| Shopping list extras | Sorted by aisle, pantry items left off | Categories, favorites, Siri and Alexa free; stores, filters, prices and folders in Complete |
| Nutrition | Yes, with product barcode scanning | Not listed |
| Community cookbooks | Browse, download and publish | Not listed |
Where is AnyList better?
- The grocery list itself. Item photos, prices, store filters, folders and reminders when you are near a store, in Complete. If the list is what you live in, AnyList has more of it.
- Voice and wrist. Add items with Siri or Alexa on the free plan, and see lists on an Apple Watch with Complete.
- Online ordering. Send a list to Walmart, Instacart, Kroger and other stores, even on the free plan.
- A web app. AnyList Complete runs in any modern browser on a PC. Recipe Spellbook has desktop apps instead, and no web app.
Where is Recipe Spellbook better?
- Recipes are the point. Unlimited imports from links, social video, photos, PDFs and 14 other recipe apps, all free.
- The planner is free. Meal planning by month, week or day, scaling and recipe photos need no upgrade.
- Pay once. $6.99 once instead of a yearly fee. Over three years that is $6.99 against $29.97, or $44.97 for a household.
- Family sharing included. The same Premium purchase shares cookbooks and a meal plan with up to five people.
- Desktop apps on every system. Windows, Mac and Linux, free.
How do I switch from AnyList?
- Recipes you saved from websites: paste the original link into Recipe Spellbook. The app pulls the title, ingredients, steps, times and photo again.
- Recipes you typed in: copy the recipe text out of AnyList and paste it into a new recipe.
- A lot of recipes at once: use the AI converter. Paste the text into the AI assistant you already use with the app's prompt, then paste the answer back.
- Shopping lists: start fresh, or add a recipe's ingredients to a list from the recipe.
FAQ
Is there an AnyList alternative without a yearly fee?
Yes. Recipe Spellbook is free with no recipe limit, and its meal planner, recipe scaling and unlimited imports are all in the free version. Premium, with sync, backups and family sharing for up to five people, is a one-time $6.99 purchase. AnyList Complete is $9.99 a year, or $14.99 a year for a household.
How many recipes can I import for free?
In Recipe Spellbook, as many as you like, from websites, photos, PDFs and other apps. AnyList allows 5 recipe imports from websites on its free plan and unlimited imports with AnyList Complete.
Can Recipe Spellbook import my AnyList recipes?
Not from an AnyList file. Paste the original link for recipes you saved from websites, and paste the text for the rest. For a big batch, the AI converter in the import guide turns copied text into recipes.
Can my household share a shopping list?
Yes, in both. Recipe Spellbook has live shared shopping lists on the free version, and Premium adds shared cookbooks and meal plans for up to five people. AnyList shares lists for free, and the household plan of AnyList Complete is $14.99 a year.