Best Recipe Apps in 2026

We compared 13 recipe apps on how they import recipes (social media, video, photos, websites), what they do once a recipe is saved (meal planning, grocery lists, cook mode), languages and price. Many apps now import from TikTok and Instagram, so the real question is what they read from a post and what you can do with the recipe afterwards. Facts checked against each app's store listing and help pages in October 2026. Yummly shut down in December 2024 and is no longer in the table.

Quick comparison

Feature	Pluck	ReciMe	Flavorish	Paprika	Mela	Pestle	Honeydew	Recipe Keeper	NYT Cooking	Deglaze	Allrecipes	Preplo	Osta
What the import reads	AI: video frames, on-screen text, audio, caption, photos	AI: caption, then audio; photos	AI: caption first; photos	No AI (Paprika 3 web clipper)	On-device ML on the video description; OCR	On-device AI on captions and websites	AI: audio transcript + caption; photos	No AI; web import + OCR scanning	None (saves web links)	AI: caption, audio, on-screen text (vendor claim)	MyRecipes app: method not stated	Transcript or description	Method not stated
Social Media Import	TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, incl. photo carousels	Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest	Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook	None in Paprika 3 (Paprika 4 beta adds it)	YouTube, TikTok, Instagram	Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube	TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook (Plus)	Instagram, TikTok	None	Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest	Instagram, TikTok (MyRecipes+)	YouTube, TikTok, Instagram	Instagram, TikTok
From a cooking video	Watches frames, reads on-screen text, transcribes audio	Caption, then audio transcript	Mainly caption	None (Paprika 3)	Description only	Caption only	Audio transcript + caption	Caption (likely)	None	Audio + on-screen text + caption (vendor claim)	Not confirmed	Transcript or description	Not confirmed
Photo / handwriting import	Yes: cards, cookbooks, handwriting, dish photos	Yes, incl. handwriting	Yes, incl. handwriting and dish photos	No (Paprika 4 beta adds scanning)	OCR scan	Recipe scanner	Yes (Plus)	OCR scan (photos, PDFs)	No	Cookbook photos, screenshots	Not confirmed	No	Yes (Premium)
Platforms	iOS + Android (no web or desktop)	iOS + Android + Web	iOS + Android + Web	iOS + Android + Mac + Windows	iPhone + iPad + Mac	Apple only (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch)	iOS + Android	iOS + Android + Windows + Mac	iOS + Android + Web	iOS + Android + Web	Website; MyRecipes app on iOS + Android	iOS only (Android coming soon)	iOS + Android + Mac
Meal planning	Weekly plan (free: current week)	Weekly	Weekly	Yes	Via Apple Calendar	14-day planner	Weekly or monthly, plus AI planner	Yes	Not confirmed	Yes, with calendar sync	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed
Grocery list	Merged, sorted by aisle, from a recipe or a week	By aisle or recipe, with delivery	Shared, by aisle	By aisle	Via Apple Reminders	Yes	By store section	Grouped by aisle	Yes, with Instacart	By aisle, with delivery	Not confirmed	With price estimates	Shared lists
Cook mode	Step by step, step timers, ask about a step	Yes	Multi-recipe	Yes	Yes, with timers	Guided, with timers	Hands-free	Not confirmed	Yes (added May 2026)	Multi-recipe cooking sessions	Not confirmed	Guided	Not confirmed
Search by ingredients you have	"What can I cook?" over your saved recipes (free)	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Pantry Mode (photo)	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed
AI Cooking Assistant	Chat per recipe, also inside cook mode (paid plans)	None found	No (recipe generator only)	No	No	No (Siri queries)	Yes, AI chat	No	No	No	Not confirmed	No	No
Import from other recipe apps	Paprika, Mela, Crouton, CopyMeThat, JSON-LD	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Paprika, Mela, Crouton	Not confirmed	Paprika, Pepperplate, BigOven	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed
Household sharing	No (share single recipes by link)	Shared collections	Shared grocery lists	No (Paprika 4 beta adds family accounts)	iCloud shared libraries	Households + SharePlay	Household of up to 6	Family sharing	Not confirmed	Household sharing	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Shared folders + grocery lists
Nutrition info	No (on the roadmap)	AI nutrition (Plus)	Yes	No (Paprika 4 beta adds it)	No	On TikTok imports	Calories + macros	Yes	Not confirmed	Not yet	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Yes (Premium)
App languages	6 (EN, DE, ES, FR, IT, SV)	5	English only	17	Not confirmed	7	11	15	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	English only	Not confirmed
Offline Support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Subscribers only	Yes	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed
Free Tier	3 extractions/mo, 10 recipes; meal plan, grocery list, What can I cook?	5 imports/week	Unlimited web imports; 5 each of social, photo, text	None (paid app)	Free download; Mela+ to unlock	Yes, with a save cap	Yes (social and photo imports need Plus)	Yes, with a recipe cap	None (subscription)	5 imports/week	MyRecipes: saves from websites	1 extraction	Free with ads
Paid Tier	Light $2.99/mo · Plus $6.99/mo · Pro $11.99/mo	Plus about $39.99/yr (US)	$4.99/mo or $49.99/yr	Paprika 3: $4.99 once on mobile, $29.99 on Mac or Windows	Mela+ $6.99 once (iOS), $14.99 on Mac	Pro $2.99/mo, $24.99/yr or lifetime	Plus $6.99/mo or $39.99/yr	Pro $19.99 once (iOS)	About $5/mo or $40/yr (required)	Pro $49.99/yr	MyRecipes+ $6.99/mo or $39.99/yr	$9.99/mo, $49.99/yr or $129.99 lifetime	Premium $7.99/mo, from $49.99/yr

App-by-app breakdown

Pluck Our pick (surprise!)

Yes, we're reviewing our own app. Where Pluck is strongest: it reads a cooking video's frames, on-screen text, audio and caption together, turns Instagram and TikTok photo carousels into one recipe, and reads handwritten cards. Once a recipe is saved you get a weekly meal plan, a merged grocery list sorted by aisle, cook mode with step timers, and a free "What can I cook?" search over your own recipes. Paid plans add an AI cooking assistant that knows the recipe and the step you're on, from $2.99/month. You can bring recipes over from Paprika, Mela, Crouton or CopyMeThat, and the app comes in 6 languages. Where it falls short: phone only (no web or desktop app), no household sharing or shared grocery lists yet, no nutrition info, no grocery delivery, and it's newer and smaller than most apps on this list.

ReciMe

One of the biggest apps in the category (its site claims 15M+ cooks). Imports from Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest by reading the caption and then the video's audio, plus photos and handwritten recipes. Has a web app, a weekly meal plan and a grocery list with delivery. The free plan allows 5 imports a week; Plus is about $39.99/year in the US. Compared with Pluck it doesn't read what's shown on screen, and we found no AI cooking chat.

Read the full Pluck vs ReciMe comparison →

Flavorish

An AI recipe app on iOS, Android and the web. Imports from Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook, mainly from the caption (if there's no recipe there, its AI writes a suggested one), and reads photos and handwritten recipes. Generous free tier with unlimited web imports; Premium is $4.99/month or $49.99/year. Has nutrition and shared grocery lists, but it's English only and has no AI cooking chat.

Read the full Pluck vs Flavorish comparison →

Paprika

The long-standing recipe manager, with a web clipper, meal planner, aisle-sorted grocery list and real desktop apps for Mac and Windows. Paprika 3, the current release, has no AI, no social import and no photo scanning. It costs $4.99 once on iOS or Android and $29.99 each on Mac and Windows. Paprika 4 is in open beta with photo scanning, social import, nutrition and family accounts, and premium features will move to a subscription.

Read the full Pluck vs Paprika comparison →

Mela

A beautifully designed recipe app for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Imports from YouTube, TikTok and Instagram by reading the video description with on-device machine learning, scans printed recipes, and uses Apple Calendar and Reminders for meal plans and groceries. Mela+ is $6.99 on iOS and $14.99 on Mac. No Android, no audio or on-screen reading, and no update since June 2025.

Read the full Pluck vs Mela comparison →

Pestle

A polished Apple-only app (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch). Imports from Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube by reading the caption with Apple Intelligence, scans recipe photos, and has a guided cook mode, a 14-day meal planner, a shopping list and household sharing. Pro is $2.99/month or $24.99/year, with a lifetime option. It doesn't watch or listen to the video, and there's no Android app.

Read the full Pluck vs Pestle comparison →

Honeydew

A strong all-rounder on iOS and Android. Imports TikTok, YouTube, Instagram Reels and Facebook Reels using the video's audio transcript, reads cookbook photos, and has an AI assistant chat, an AI meal planner, Pantry Mode, nutrition and household sharing for up to 6 people. Social and photo imports need Plus ($6.99/month or $39.99/year). Of all the apps here, it's the closest to Pluck. Pluck's differences: it also reads frames and on-screen text, handles photo carousels, and costs less to start.

Read the full Pluck vs Honeydew comparison →

Recipe Keeper

A long-running organizer on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac. Imports from hundreds of recipe websites, scans photos and PDFs with OCR, and has added Instagram and TikTok import. Meal planner, aisle-grouped shopping lists, nutrition and family sharing. No AI. Pro is $19.99 once on iOS.

Read the full Pluck vs Recipe Keeper comparison →

NYT Cooking

Professionally tested recipes from the New York Times for about $5/month or $40/year. Its Recipe Box can also save recipes from other websites, it has a grocery list with Instacart, and it added Cook Mode in May 2026. No social, video or photo import, and no AI.

Read the full Pluck vs NYT Cooking comparison →

Deglaze

A fast-moving app on iOS, Android and (since May 2026) the web. Imports from Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Pinterest and says it combines the caption, audio and on-screen text, which is close to what Pluck does. Also a meal planner with calendar sync, an aisle-sorted grocery list with delivery, multi-recipe cooking sessions and household sharing. Free plan: 5 imports a week; Pro is $49.99/year. No AI cooking chat and no nutrition yet.

Read the full Pluck vs Deglaze comparison →

Allrecipes

Allrecipes.com is still a huge recipe website, but its app was discontinued around 2023. Its owner, People Inc., launched the MyRecipes app in September 2026 on iOS and Android, with recipes from Allrecipes and its sister brands. The free tier saves from thousands of websites; MyRecipes+ ($6.99/month or $39.99/year) adds Instagram and TikTok saving. It's a good fit if you mostly cook from those brands. Pluck reads video and photos and works with any source.

Read the full Pluck vs Allrecipes comparison →

Preplo

Winner of the RevenueCat Shipyard 2026 Creator Contest. An iPhone app that turns YouTube, TikTok and Instagram links into recipes from the transcript or description, with dietary tweaks, a guided cook mode, shopping lists with price estimates and cooking streaks. An Android version is announced. The free tier is a single extraction; then $9.99/month, $49.99/year or $129.99 lifetime. English only, no food blog, Facebook or photo support, no AI cooking assistant, and no update since March 2026.

Read the full Pluck vs Preplo comparison →

Osta

A well-rated recipe saver (4.8 on iOS, 4.4 on Google Play) that imports from Instagram, TikTok and websites, with photo scanning, nutrition, shared folders and shared grocery lists. The free tier has ads; Premium is $7.99/month or from $49.99/year. No YouTube or Facebook import, and it doesn't say whether it reads the video itself.

Read the full Pluck vs Osta comparison →

How we compared

We compared each app on the features that matter to home cooks who find recipes on social media, in cooking videos, on websites and in cookbooks. Facts come from each app's App Store and Google Play listing, help pages and release notes, checked in October 2026. Where the only source is the app's own marketing we say so, and where we couldn't confirm something the table says "Not confirmed". Our comparison covers:

What the import reads - Whether an app reads only a post's caption, also transcribes the audio, or also looks at the video frames and on-screen text. This decides what happens when the recipe is only spoken or shown on screen.
Platform coverage - Which operating systems and devices each app supports (iOS, Android, desktop, web).
After you save - Meal planning, grocery lists, cook mode, searching by the ingredients you have, household sharing and nutrition.
Pricing and value - Free tier limits, paid tier costs, and whether the pricing aligns with the feature set.
Day-to-day usability - Offline access, app languages, importing from another recipe app, sharing, and organizing tools like tags and search.

Look, we made Pluck, so obviously we think it's great. But we've tried to keep this comparison honest, and the field has moved: several apps now import from social media and transcribe the audio. We call out where competitors do things better: Paprika and Recipe Keeper's desktop apps, the web apps from ReciMe, Flavorish and Deglaze, household sharing in Honeydew, Pestle and Deglaze, and nutrition in Honeydew, Flavorish and Recipe Keeper. Prices change often; check the store before you buy. If you think we got something wrong, tell us.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best recipe app in 2026?

It depends on where your recipes come from and what you do with them. If you save cooking videos from TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or Facebook, pick an app that reads more than the caption: Pluck reads frames, on-screen text and audio; Honeydew, ReciMe and Deglaze also transcribe the audio. If you want a desktop app, Paprika or Recipe Keeper. If you're all-Apple and mostly clip from food blogs, Mela or Pestle. If you share a kitchen and want one shared list, Honeydew, Pestle or Deglaze have household sharing, which Pluck doesn't yet.

Which recipe app can extract recipes from TikTok and Instagram videos?

Several now can, but they read different things. Mela and Pestle read the caption or description. ReciMe and Honeydew also transcribe the video's audio. Deglaze says it reads the caption, audio and on-screen text. Pluck watches the frames, reads on-screen text, transcribes the audio and reads the caption together, so a recipe that's only spoken or only shown on screen still comes through. Pluck also turns photo carousels into one recipe.

Are there any free recipe apps worth using?

Yes. Pluck's free plan gives you 3 extractions a month and 10 saved recipes, plus the meal plan for the current week, grocery lists and "What can I cook?". ReciMe and Deglaze allow 5 imports a week for free. Flavorish has unlimited web imports and a few social and photo imports. Osta is free with ads. Most paid apps also offer a free tier or trial.

Which recipe apps have meal planning and a grocery list?

Most of them now. Pluck, ReciMe, Flavorish, Honeydew, Deglaze, Pestle, Paprika and Recipe Keeper all have a meal planner and a grocery list; Mela uses Apple Calendar and Reminders. Pluck's list merges duplicate ingredients across the week and sorts them by aisle. ReciMe and Deglaze can send the list to grocery delivery, which Pluck can't.

Can I search my recipes by the ingredients I have?

In Pluck, yes: type what's in your fridge and "What can I cook?" ranks the recipes you've saved by what you can make now and what you're missing. It's free on every plan. It searches your own recipe box, not a recipe database.

Can I move my recipes from another app?

Pluck imports export files from Paprika, Mela, Crouton and CopyMeThat, plus any schema.org JSON-LD file. Pestle and Recipe Keeper also import from some other apps. Our guide to switching recipe apps, linked below, walks through each one.

Is it worth paying for a recipe app?

If you save more than a few recipes a month, usually yes. Pluck's Light plan ($2.99/month) gives you 10 extractions and the AI cooking assistant; Plus ($6.99/month) gives you 50 extractions and 100 assistant messages. Most AI competitors charge about $40-$50 a year. One-time apps like Paprika 3 ($4.99 on mobile) and Mela+ ($6.99 on iOS) are good value if you mainly clip from websites.