# CHEF iQ vs TempSpike

The clearest difference is monetization model: TempSpike at free against CHEF iQ's free with in-app purchases. TempSpike also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.4). CHEF iQ's advantage is ratings volume (34K vs 2.7K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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 TempSpike. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CHEF iQ has 34K ratings behind it against 2.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of CHEF iQ's written reviews are positive against 42% of TempSpike's.

CHEF iQ ships an update every 3 weeks, TempSpike every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | CHEF iQ | TempSpike |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chef-iq/id1496378504/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tempspike/id1616090792/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **34K** | 2.7K |
| Positive reviews | **43.2% of reviews** | 42.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 128 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RJ Brands, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1278407317) | [iTronics Co., Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482729699) |

## 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


### TempSpike

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tempspike/id1616090792)

Monitor your barbecue's temperature and time remotely using a wireless Bluetooth connection. Receive immediate alerts when your food reaches the set temperature or time.

**Highlights:** Wireless Bluetooth connectivity, Remote temperature monitoring, Remote time monitoring, Instant alerts, Set custom temperatures, Set custom times

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate temperature monitoring
- 🔧 Customizable cooking profiles
- ⏱️ Helpful time remaining estimates
- 💡 Ambient temperature tracking
- 👍 Easy to use app interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues and disconnects
- 🔋 Limited battery life
- 🔍 Confusing alarm on/off indicators
- 📱 Lack of Apple Watch support
- 🤔 Unintuitive user interface

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes after recent update
- Probe color identification reversed in app
- Cooking progress not saved when app is closed
- Estimated time remaining feature not working
- Issues with adding new cooking profiles

**Requested features**

- Add widget support for quick temperature checks
- Allow more flexibility in setting temperature alarms
- Improve data export functionality
- Enhance cooking graph to show real-time data
- Add support for more meat types and cooking profiles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CHEF iQ free?

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

### Is TempSpike free?

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

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

CHEF iQ is rated higher. CHEF iQ averages 4.7 out of 5 from 34K ratings, while TempSpike averages 4.6 from 2.7K ratings.

### Do CHEF iQ or TempSpike have ads?

Neither CHEF iQ nor TempSpike shows ads.

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

CHEF iQ ships an update every 3 weeks, and TempSpike every 5 weeks. Most recently, CHEF iQ was updated on September 25, 2026 and TempSpike 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.*