Pluck vs Mela: AI Recipe App Alternative for iOS & Android
Mela is a beautifully designed recipe manager for Apple devices. If clean UI is your top priority and you save recipes exclusively from food blogs, it's a solid choice. But Mela is limited to the Apple ecosystem, can't handle social media recipes, and has no AI features. Pluck is the cross-platform alternative with AI-powered extraction.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Pluck | Mela |
|---|---|---|
| Web recipe extraction | AI-powered | HTML scraping |
| Instagram recipes | Yes | No |
| TikTok recipes | Yes (watches video) | No |
| Facebook recipes | Yes | No |
| YouTube recipes | Yes (watches video) | Limited |
| Video recipe extraction | AI (watches & listens) | No |
| Photo / image extraction | AI vision | No |
| AI cooking assistant | Yes | No |
| Offline access | Yes | Yes |
| Meal planning | On our roadmap | Yes |
| Import from other apps | Yes | No |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Mac only |
| Price | Free (premium for AI assistant) | ~$6 one-time |
Where Mela falls short
Apple ecosystem only
Mela only works on iOS and Mac. If you or anyone in your household uses Android, you're out of luck. Pluck works on both iOS and Android.
No social media recipe extraction
Mela can clip recipes from food blogs, but can't handle Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook recipes. If you discover recipes on social media, Mela can't help.
No AI features
Mela has no AI-powered extraction, no video analysis, no photo scanning, and no cooking assistant. It relies entirely on HTML parsing for recipe detection.
What Pluck does differently
Works everywhere, on every device
Pluck runs on iOS and Android with full sync. No ecosystem lock-in, and your recipes go where you go.
AI-powered extraction from any source
Social media, videos, photos, food blogs. Pluck's AI extracts recipes from sources that Mela's HTML parser can't touch. It even watches videos.
AI cooking assistant
Stuck mid-cook? Ask Pluck's assistant for substitutions, scaling, or technique tips. It knows your recipe and helps in real time.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pluck import my existing Mela recipes?
Yes. Pluck reads Mela's .melarecipes and .melarecipe exports directly: Settings → Import Recipes in the app, pick the backup, and every recipe in it is converted automatically.
Is Pluck available on Android? Mela is Apple-only.
Yes! Pluck works on both iOS and Android with full cross-platform sync. No more being locked into one ecosystem.
Is Pluck's interface as nice as Mela's?
Pluck is designed with a clean, modern interface focused on readability while cooking. We prioritize both aesthetics and functionality, including features Mela doesn't offer.
Why should I switch from Mela to Pluck?
If you only save recipes from food blogs and use Apple devices, Mela works well. But if you discover recipes on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, or want AI-powered extraction and cooking assistance, Pluck handles sources Mela can't.
Read our in-depth Pluck vs Mela comparison.
Related reading: Best Recipe Apps 2026, How recipe apps compare, Pluck vs Deglaze, Pluck vs Paprika, Pluck vs Pestle, and Import from Mela.
Ready to try the cross-platform alternative?
Available on iOS and Android. Download Pluck free today.
Missing something from Mela? Tell us what you need. We build what users ask for.
Try our free web recipe extractor - no app needed.