We make Recipe Spellbook, so read this with that in mind. It says plainly where Paprika is the better choice, and every fact about Paprika is dated and linked to where it came from.
Recipe Spellbook is a recipe manager for Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows and Linux. The free version has no recipe limit, and Premium is $6.99 once for every device you sign in on. Paprika 3 is sold separately on each platform: $4.99 on iPhone and iPad and $29.99 each on Mac and Windows (October 2026). Recipe Spellbook reads Paprika's export file, photos included, so moving your library over takes a few minutes.
What is changing with Paprika 4?
Paprika 4 is in beta. Paprika's help center says that once it is fully released, the new features added to
Paprika 4 will require a subscription
, that pricing is not final, and that it will most likely be a yearly fee
with a discount for existing users. People who own Paprika 3 get Paprika 4 as a free in-place upgrade and keep the
features they have, including sync, without subscribing (Paprika
help center, checked October 2026). Family sharing is one of the Paprika 4 features in its help center.
How much do Recipe Spellbook and Paprika cost?
Paprika prices as of October 2026, from the iOS and Mac App Store listings, its Windows page and Google Play.
| Recipe Spellbook | Paprika 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | Yes, with no recipe limit and no time limit | The Windows trial has no time limit but holds 50 recipes and has no sync |
| iPhone and iPad | Free, or $6.99 once for Premium | $4.99 |
| Mac | Included in the same purchase | $29.99 |
| Windows | Included in the same purchase | $29.99, bought from paprikaapp.com |
| Android | Included in the same purchase | Free to install, unlocked with an in-app purchase |
| Linux | Included in the same purchase | Not available |
| iPhone and one computer | $6.99 once | $34.98 once |
Paprika includes cloud sync with each copy at no extra cost. In Recipe Spellbook, sync between devices is part of Premium; without it, the free version can move your library to a new device by QR code.
How do the features compare?
Paprika features as of October 2026, from paprikaapp.com.
| Feature | Recipe Spellbook | Paprika 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Linux | Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows |
| Save recipes from websites | Paste or share a link, including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest | Built-in browser with a save button |
| Import from photos and PDFs | Yes | Not listed on its site |
| Import from other apps | Paprika and 13 other recipe apps | Not listed on its site |
| Meal planner | Month, week or day | Week or month, with reusable menus |
| Shopping lists | Sorted by aisle, and live lists you can share with anyone | Sorted by aisle, similar items combined, more than one list |
| Cooking | Cook mode with voice control, timers and scaling | Screen stays on, tappable timers, scaling, cross off ingredients |
| Pantry | Yes, and what you keep on hand is left off shopping lists | Yes |
| Nutrition | Yes, with product barcode scanning | Not listed on its site |
| Family sharing | Up to 5 people in Premium: shared cookbooks and meal plans | Coming in Paprika 4 |
| Community cookbooks | Browse, download and publish | Not listed on its site |
| Data collection | No ads, analytics or crash tracking (privacy policy) | Email, photos and recipes linked to you; usage data for analytics and crash data not linked to you (App Store) |
Where is Paprika better?
- A long track record. Paprika 3 has a 4.9 rating from about 54,000 ratings on the US App Store. Recipe Spellbook is much younger.
- Sync with every copy. Each Paprika purchase includes cloud sync. In Recipe Spellbook, sync is part of Premium.
- A built-in browser. Paprika lets you browse recipe sites inside the app and save with one tap. In Recipe Spellbook you paste or share the link.
Where is Recipe Spellbook better?
- One purchase for every device. $6.99 once unlocks Premium on your phone, tablet and computers, including Linux. There is no second copy to buy.
- A free version you can keep. No recipe limit and no time limit. Premium adds sync, backups and family sharing.
- No subscription. Premium is a one-time purchase, with nothing to renew.
- More ways in. Links from social video, photos of pages, PDFs, files from 14 recipe apps, and any AI assistant as a converter for anything odd.
- Family sharing today. Up to five people share cookbooks and a meal plan. Live shopping lists can be shared with anyone, even on the free version.
- Nothing watching. No ads, analytics or crash tracking, as the privacy policy says.
How do I switch from Paprika?
- Export from Paprika and choose the Paprika format. You get one
.paprikarecipesfile with every recipe. - Move the file to the device you will import on, for example by AirDrop, email or cloud storage.
- In Recipe Spellbook, tap +, then File, and pick the export.
- Review and import. Untick anything you do not want, then tap Import. Large libraries import in the background.
More detail, including what comes along, is in the import guide.
FAQ
Is there a Paprika alternative that works on every device for one price?
Yes. Recipe Spellbook runs on Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows and Linux. The free version has no recipe limit, and Premium is a one-time $6.99 purchase that unlocks on every device where you sign in. Paprika 3 is bought separately on each platform.
Can Recipe Spellbook import my Paprika recipes?
Yes. Export from Paprika in the Paprika format, which gives you one .paprikarecipes file, then open it in Recipe Spellbook with + and File. Photos, categories (as tags), ratings, notes, source links, times and servings come along.
Is Paprika going to a subscription?
Partly. Paprika says the new features in Paprika 4 will need a subscription once it leaves beta, probably a yearly fee with a discount for current users. People who already own Paprika 3 can keep what they have without subscribing. Recipe Spellbook Premium is a one-time purchase.
Do I need an account to use Recipe Spellbook?
No. Importing, meal planning, shopping lists and cook mode all work signed out. An account is only needed for cloud sync, family sharing and joining a live shared list.