# CHEF iQ vs Protein Planner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CHEF iQ at none against Protein Planner's 2. Protein Planner's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Protein Planner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. CHEF iQ asks for nothing beyond the download.

CHEF iQ ships an update every 3 weeks, Protein Planner every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CHEF iQ | Protein Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (35K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chef-iq/id1496378504/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **35K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 42.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 128 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RJ Brands, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1278407317) | [思文 成](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895938537) |

## 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


### Protein Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/protein-planner-meal-prep/id6765662452)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Pro | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Pro | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CHEF iQ free?

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

### Is Protein Planner free?

Protein Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do CHEF iQ or Protein Planner have ads?

Neither CHEF iQ nor Protein Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CHEF iQ or Protein Planner?

CHEF iQ ships an update every 3 weeks, and Protein Planner every 9 days. Most recently, CHEF iQ was updated on October 30, 2026 and Protein Planner on October 15, 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.*