Costa Vida vs Mel's Kitchen
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Costa Vida
Easily reorder favorite meals, customize orders, and filter by allergens. Stay updated on offers and enjoy a smoother delivery experience. Join the loyalty program to earn points and rewards.
- Quick reordering of past orders
- Allergen filtering for dietary needs
- Order customization options
- Easy payment processing
- Loyalty program for earning points
- QR code scanning for rewards
Read full descriptionHide full description
Welcome to the NEW Costa Vida App! We've made exciting improvements to make your Costa Vida experience even more smooth and delightful. Here's what's new: • Quickly Reorder Past Orders: Your favorite dishes, just a tap away. Reorder with ease and convenience. • Allergen Filter for Peace of Mind: Enjoy a worry-free dining experience with our new Allergen Filter. Easily find meals that suit your dietary needs. • Customize Your Order: Tailor your meal to perfection. Modify your order to your heart's content. • Easy Payment Options: Payment made simple. • Get Offers and Updates via Text Message: Stay in the loop with exclusive offers, updates, and more, delivered right to your phone. • Improved Delivery Experience: Faster, smoother, and more reliable. Get your Costa Vida favorites delivered to your doorstep hassle-free. • Exclusive Sneak Peeks: Be the first to know about exciting updates and new additions before anyone else! • Introducing the New Costa Club: Join the new Costa Club and start earning points as you savor our delicious meals. The more you earn, the better your rewards! • QR Code Scanning: Say goodbye to scanning receipts and hello to rewards! No more hassle—just let your cashier scan your personal QR code, whether you're earning points or redeeming rewards. Download the updated Costa Vida app now and explore our mouthwatering menu, unlock a world of convenience, and earn delightful rewards. It’s so good, your tastebuds will thank you.
Mel's Kitchen
Discover a curated collection of delicious recipes from an experienced chef. Subscribe to receive new culinary creations regularly and share your feedback.
- Chef-curated recipes
- Regularly updated content
- User reviews and feedback
- Recipe collection
Read full descriptionHide full description
Hey guys and gals, this is Mel! I've been cooking up a storm for over 20 years and I'm so excited to finally bring to you the best recipes I've ever made. Be sure to subscribe to get the latest recipes as I put them out and leave a review if you enjoy the food as much as I have! EULA Link https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mel's Kitchen at 100% against Costa Vida's 41%. Mel's Kitchen also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Costa Vida's advantage is ratings volume (8.5K vs 12). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Mel's Kitchen holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Costa Vida has 8.5K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Costa Vida's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mel's Kitchen's.
Costa Vida ships an update every 2 weeks, Mel's Kitchen every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Costa Vida | Mel's Kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (8.5K ratings) | 5.0 (12 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8.5K — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 103 MB | 52 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill | Trey Foster |
Customer experience
Costa Vida
Mel's Kitchen
Bugs and requests
Costa Vida
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes during ordering
- Rewards not properly tracking or applying
- Inability to create or link accounts
- Ordering process resets unexpectedly
- Geolocation requirements for receipt scanning
Requested features
5 requests- Allow customization options in the app
- Integrate rewards redemption into the app
- Improve app stability and user experience
- Offer more payment options beyond gift cards
- Provide better communication on app updates
Mel's Kitchen
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Costa Vida
No in-app purchases
Mel's Kitchen
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Costa Vida free?
Is Mel's Kitchen free?
Which has better reviews, Costa Vida or Mel's Kitchen?
Do Costa Vida or Mel's Kitchen have ads?
Which is updated more often, Costa Vida or Mel's Kitchen?
Other comparisons
