Homebrew Timer vs Brewfather
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Homebrew Timer
This app assists beer brewers by sending timely notifications for adding ingredients during the boiling process. It offers a comprehensive list of ingredients, custom additions, and the ability to save and import recipes.
- Brew day notifications
- Extensive ingredient list
- Custom ingredient additions
- Save and import recipes
- Background notifications
- Apple Watch integration
Read full descriptionHide full description
Homebrew Timer is a brew day app for beer brewers – it pushes notifications to your iPhone or iPad when it's time to add ingredients while your wort is boiling. Select from an extensive list of hops, spices, fruits, herbs, and adjuncts included in the app, or easily add your own custom ingredients. Recipes are saved to your iPhone so they are ready to go next time you brew your favorite beer. Create and save recipes. Import recipes via beerXML files from your favorite homebrew recipe development software. Once started, Homebrew Timer will show the time remaining to add each ingredient and will push a notification to your device's screen Notifications work while app is in the background or closed. Notifications will appear on your Apple Watch if it is set up to mirror notifications for Homebrew Timer. Tap the “?” button on any screen for instructions. Let Homebrew Timer keep track of your brew day so you don't have to while you make great beer. Cheers!
Brewfather
This app helps homebrewers design recipes, track batches, and manage ingredients with a powerful, intuitive interface. It offers extensive tools for calculations, fermentation monitoring, and integration with brewing devices. Access a vast recipe library and sync across multiple devices, even offline.
- Recipe designer
- Batch tracking
- Ingredient inventory
- Fermentation charts
- Recipe library
- Brew timer
- Device integrations
Read full descriptionHide full description
Powerful and easy to use tool for your brewing needs. Easily create and manage your recipes. Keep track of all the details in your batches and your ingredients inventory. Brewfather is made from the ground up to give you the best recipe design and brewing experience on both desktop and mobile devices. With a modern design that is easy to use. Get your recipes done in no time! With automatic synchronization between all your devices and offline support. Combining a powerful recipe designer with intuitive batch tracking and inventory management to make your brew-day easier. Integrated with many popular devices to aid your brewing. Explore the recipe library with hundreds of quality recipes. Features: * Powerful, intuitive and easy to use interface with dark mode support * Multi-device support - one app everywhere - always! * Offline support, auto-saving, and automatic synchronization * Fully-featured and easy to use recipe designer * Complete batch tracking - log every step of your brew * Fermentation chart * Recipe library with hundreds of quality recipes available for you * Brew timer with alarms and notifications for your brew day! * Profiles for your equipment, mash schedule, fermentation steps, and water * Highly customizable equipment profile to suit any brewing system * Large customizable ingredients database with thousands of ingredients * Inventory stock & cost tracking * Multiple style guidelines (BJCP, Brewers Association, Norbrygg, SHBF, DØDL) * Supports custom style guidelines * Print your recipe or batch to PDF * Import and export BeerXML * Metric and US/Imperial units * Scale recipes up/down * Easily share recipes * Estimate your Final Gravity based on many variables * Calculate every important detail of your recipes and batches * Easy to use yeast amount and yeast starter calculator * Integrated water adjustment calculator with mash pH * Strike temperature calculation * Proper calculation of hop-stand bitterness And many more tools and features to help your brewing. Integrations: * Remote logging from Tilt, RAPT Cloud, iSpindel, Brewpiless, MyBrewbot, Plaato Airlock, Plaato Keg, Floaty, Brewbrain and Custom Stream * Webhook support * Brewtools Cloud integration * Recipe sending to Brewtools brewers * Full SmartPID two-way integration, for brew-day and fermentation control * Programmable API for custom integrations Happy brewing! --- Brewfather is free to use, with an optional Premium subscription to unlock premium features and unlimited recipes/batches. New accounts get 30 days of free Premium access. Brewfather Premium: * Unlimited number of recipes * Unlimited number of batches * Import and export features * Integrate with devices * Create your public profile and add recipes to the recipe library * Ingredient cost tracking * Custom style guidelines * Ability to restore deleted recipes and batches * Add manual readings for the fermentation chart Your payment will be charged to your iTunes Account once you confirm your purchase. Your iTunes account will be charged again when your subscription automatically renews at the end of your current subscription period unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours prior to end of the current period. Any unused portion of a trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. You can manage or turn off auto-renew in your Apple ID account settings any time after purchase. --- Privacy Policy: https://docs.brewfather.app/legal/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://docs.brewfather.app/legal/tos Got any questions? Get in touch at hello@brewfather.app
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Brewfather at Free against Homebrew Timer's $2.99. Brewfather also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.0) and update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months). Homebrew Timer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Brewfather is free to download; Homebrew Timer costs $2.99 up front. Brewfather sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Homebrew Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Brewfather holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brewfather has 756 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Homebrew Timer's written reviews are positive against 94% of Brewfather's.
Homebrew Timer ships an update every 7 months, Brewfather monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Homebrew Timer | Brewfather |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.0 (8 ratings) | 4.9 (756 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 93.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 756 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Freemium — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #61 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 68 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Mary Ann Burt | Warpkode AS |
Customer experience
Homebrew Timer
Brewfather
Bugs and requests
Homebrew Timer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Brewfather
Reported bugs
2 issues- Share button not working as expected
- App freezing or crashing on certain devices
Requested features
3 requests- More Australian malt and ingredient options
- Automated fermentation temperature monitoring and alerts
- Improved recipe sharing and collaboration features
In-app purchases
Homebrew Timer
No in-app purchases
Brewfather
- Premium$2.991 Month
- Premium Plus$4.991 Month
- Premium$29.991 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Premium Plus$49.991 Year
Questions
Is Homebrew Timer free?
Is Brewfather free?
Which has better reviews, Homebrew Timer or Brewfather?
Do Homebrew Timer or Brewfather have ads?
Which is updated more often, Homebrew Timer or Brewfather?
Other comparisons















