# CHEF iQ vs Masterbuilt

CHEF iQ and Masterbuilt both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 43% of CHEF iQ's written reviews are positive against 13% of Masterbuilt's. CHEF iQ also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Masterbuilt's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for CHEF iQ against 4.6 for Masterbuilt. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 34K and 12K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of CHEF iQ's written reviews are positive against 13% of Masterbuilt's.

CHEF iQ ships an update every 3 weeks, Masterbuilt every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | CHEF iQ | Masterbuilt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chef-iq/id1496378504/reviews)** | [4.6 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/masterbuilt/id1587962574/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **34K** | 12K |
| Positive reviews | **43.2% of reviews** | 13.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 128 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RJ Brands, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1278407317) | [PREMIER SPECIALTY BRANDS, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1281287625) |

## What reviewers say

### CHEF iQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chef-iq/id1496378504)

This app acts as a culinary companion for smart cooking appliances, offering guided recipes, remote control, and ingredient shopping. It connects users with a community of home cooks and provides over-the-air updates for enhanced features.

**Highlights:** Remote appliance control, Thousands of pre-programmed settings, Guided cooking recipes with videos, Instacart integration for ingredient delivery, Save favorite recipes and configurations, Appliance sharing with friends and family, Community forum for cooks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate temperature readings
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Guided cooking makes cooking easy
- 🚀 Helpful for new cooks
- 👍 Versatile for different meats

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues with WiFi and Bluetooth
- 🔒 Requires account verification to use
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with data access
- 🐛 Inconsistent notifications
- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Firmware update failures
- Inability to connect to WiFi
- Incorrect temperature conversions
- Cooking time and liquid amount miscalculations

**Requested features**

- Live Activity support for cooking status
- Ability to adjust temperature and time during cooking
- Cooking history and data tracking
- Landscape mode support for iPad
- More generic cooking options beyond recipes


### Masterbuilt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/masterbuilt/id1587962574)

Control your smart grill or smoker remotely. Adjust temperature, monitor cooking progress with real-time graphs, and receive alerts. Explore a vast recipe library to elevate your outdoor cooking experience.

**Highlights:** Remote grill and smoker control, Set and adjust temperature and time, Monitor meat probes and view graphs, Receive cooking notifications and alerts, Access a recipe library, View cooking history

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great smoker and grill
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔥 Excellent flavor from charcoal and wood
- 🍽️ Versatile (smoking, grilling, baking)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues with app
- 🔌 App frequently disconnects from smoker
- 🔍 App lacks important features (e.g. temperature history, notifications)
- 🔢 Inconsistent temperature readings
- 🤖 App is buggy and unreliable

**Reported bugs**

- App frequently loses connection to smoker
- Temperature settings not always reflected in smoker
- Probe temperature selection options are limited
- App crashes when trying to access certain features

**Requested features**

- Add ability to set custom probe temperatures
- Improve app connectivity and reliability
- Add more detailed cooking data and history
- Provide better notifications and alerts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CHEF iQ free?

CHEF iQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Masterbuilt free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CHEF iQ or Masterbuilt?

CHEF iQ is rated higher. CHEF iQ averages 4.7 out of 5 from 34K ratings, while Masterbuilt averages 4.6 from 12K ratings.

### Do CHEF iQ or Masterbuilt have ads?

Neither CHEF iQ nor Masterbuilt shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CHEF iQ or Masterbuilt?

CHEF iQ ships an update every 3 weeks, and Masterbuilt every 3 months. Most recently, CHEF iQ was updated on September 25, 2026 and Masterbuilt on September 25, 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.*