# Bean Box vs Coffee Journal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bean Box at none against Coffee Journal's 4. Bean Box also leads on ratings volume (757 vs 30) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). Coffee Journal's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Coffee Journal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.90 per month. Bean Box asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Bean Box against 4.9 for Coffee Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bean Box has 757 ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of Bean Box's written reviews are positive against 91% of Coffee Journal's.

Bean Box ships an update every 3 weeks, Coffee Journal every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bean Box | Coffee Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (757 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bean-box/id1452717354/reviews) | **[4.9 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coffee-journal-beanbook/id6499280064/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **757** | 30 |
| Positive reviews | 81.8% of reviews | **90.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#199** |
| Size | 33 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bean Box, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/658352431) | [Bitlever](https://appshunter.io/developer/1743046207) |

## What reviewers say

### Bean Box

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bean-box/id1452717354)

Discover and receive world-class specialty coffee from over 50 award-winning U.S. roasters. Curated by experts, this app delivers fresh, small-batch coffees to elevate your daily routine and bring you better mornings.

**Highlights:** Specialty coffee delivery, 50+ award-winning roasters, Expert curated selections, Small-batch coffee discovery, Freshly shipped coffee

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient delivery
- 👍 Excellent coffee quality
- 💡 Variety of coffee options
- 🚀 Easy ordering process
- 👍 Great customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with limited functionality
- ⚠️ Subscription management issues
- ⚠️ Inconsistent coffee selections
- 🐛 Difficulty making changes to orders

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- Unable to view account information
- Coupon codes not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Search and filtering options for coffees
- Ability to manage subscription details in-app
- Option to switch between whole bean and ground coffee
- Integration of past order history and ratings


### Coffee Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coffee-journal-beanbook/id6499280064)

**Currently charting:** #199 Top Grossing · Food & Drink (US App Store)

Log your coffee beans, track brewing parameters, and discover new recipes with AI assistance. This app helps you organize your coffee journey, from bean origin to tasting notes, and even generate recipes from web links.

**Highlights:** AI-powered coffee bean logging, Track grind settings and resting time, Organize beans with multiple views, Generate recipes from web links, Explore recipes from top baristas, Chat with a coffee expert AI

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BeanBook Pro Monthly | $7.90 | per month |
| BeanBook Pro | $35.90 | per year |
| BeanBook Pro | $49.90 | per year |
| BeanBook Pro | $49.90 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bean Box free?

Bean Box is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Coffee Journal free?

Coffee Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bean Box or Coffee Journal?

Coffee Journal is rated higher. Bean Box averages 4.8 out of 5 from 757 ratings, while Coffee Journal averages 4.9 from 30 ratings.

### Do Bean Box or Coffee Journal have ads?

Bean Box shows ads; Coffee Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bean Box or Coffee Journal?

Bean Box ships an update every 3 weeks, and Coffee Journal every 5 days. Most recently, Bean Box was updated on October 26, 2026 and Coffee Journal on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*