Pluck vs Mela: AI Recipe App Alternative for iOS & Android
Mela is a beautifully designed recipe manager for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Since January 2025 it can pull a recipe out of a YouTube, TikTok or Instagram description, and it scans printed recipes. What it doesn't do is watch or listen to the video, run on Android, or answer questions while you cook, and it hasn't had an update since June 2025. Pluck covers those, on both iOS and Android.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Pluck | Mela |
|---|---|---|
| Web recipe extraction | AI (reads the page) | Yes (recipe parser) |
| Instagram recipes | Yes (Reels, video posts, carousels) | Yes (from the description) |
| TikTok recipes | Yes (watches & listens) | Yes (from the description) |
| YouTube recipes | Yes (watches & listens) | Yes (from the description) |
| Facebook recipes | Yes (videos, Reels) | No |
| Reads the video itself | Frames, on-screen text, audio and caption | No (description text only) |
| Photo / image extraction | AI vision (incl. handwriting) | Yes (OCR of printed recipes) |
| AI cooking assistant | Yes, in cook mode (paid plans) | No |
| Cook mode | Yes (step timers, ingredients per step) | Yes (with timers) |
| Meal planning | Yes (in the app) | Yes (via Apple Calendar) |
| Grocery list | Yes (merged, sorted by aisle) | Yes (via Apple Reminders) |
| Shared recipe library | No (share single recipes by link) | Yes (iCloud shared libraries) |
| Offline access | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iPhone, iPad, Mac (no Android) |
| Last update | Actively developed | June 2025 |
| Price | Free; paid plans from $2.99/mo | Free download; Mela+ $6.99 (iOS) and $14.99 (Mac), one-time each |
Where Mela falls short
Apple devices only
Mela runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac. If you or anyone you cook with uses Android, it isn't an option. Pluck runs on both iOS and Android.
Reads the description, not the video
Mela's social import (YouTube, TikTok and Instagram) extracts the recipe from the post's description with on-device machine learning. When a creator says the recipe out loud or shows it on screen and the description is thin, there's nothing for Mela to read. It also has no Facebook import.
No AI help while you cook
Mela has a good cook mode with timers and can translate a recipe, but there's no assistant to ask about a substitution, scaling or a technique mid-recipe.
No recent updates
Mela's last App Store update was version 2.6.2 in June 2025. It still works, but new platforms and features haven't arrived since.
What Pluck does differently
Works on every phone
Pluck runs on iOS and Android, so a household with mixed phones can all use it.
Reads the whole video
Pluck watches the frames, reads on-screen text, listens to the narration and reads the caption together, so a recipe that's only spoken or only shown still comes through. It works on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
AI cooking assistant in cook mode
Stuck mid-cook? Tap "Ask about this step" for a substitution, a scaled quantity or a technique tip. The assistant knows your recipe and the step you're on.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pluck import my existing Mela recipes?
Yes. Pluck reads Mela's .melarecipes and .melarecipe exports directly: Settings → Data → 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 iOS and Android phones. It has no Mac app, which Mela does.
Doesn't Mela save from TikTok and Instagram now?
It does, since January 2025: Mela reads the recipe from the video's description on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Pluck reads the description too, and also watches the frames, reads on-screen text and listens to the audio, which is where many creators actually put the quantities. Pluck also handles Facebook videos and photo carousels.
Is Pluck's interface as nice as Mela's?
Mela's design is one of its best features, and taste is personal. Pluck is designed around reading while you cook: large-text cook mode, the ingredients for each step, and timers you start from the step.
Why should I switch from Mela to Pluck?
If you're happy on Apple devices and your recipes come from blogs or well-written descriptions, Mela still works well. Switch if you need Android, want recipes from what's said and shown in videos, or want an AI cooking assistant. Your Mela backup imports directly.
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.
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