# Tasting Grounds vs Coffee Journal

The clearest difference is monetization model: Tasting Grounds at free against Coffee Journal's freemium. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tasting Grounds sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Coffee Journal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.90 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Tasting Grounds against 4.9 for Coffee Journal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47 and 27 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Tasting Grounds's written reviews are positive against 88% of Coffee Journal's.

Tasting Grounds ships an update every 9 days, Coffee Journal every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on August 19, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tasting Grounds | Coffee Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tasting-grounds/id1526958511/reviews) | **[4.9 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coffee-journal-beanbook/id6499280064/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **47** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | 84.2% of reviews | **88.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #192 | **#177** |
| Size | 62 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tasting Grounds, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526958513) | [Bitlever](https://appshunter.io/developer/1743046207) |

## What reviewers say

### Tasting Grounds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tasting-grounds/id1526958511)

**Currently charting:** #192 Top Grossing · Food & Drink (US App Store)

This app helps specialty coffee enthusiasts brew better coffee by logging brew details, tasting notes, and ratings. Connect with friends and the wider coffee community to share experiences, discover new coffees and roasters, and learn about coffee origins and processing methods.

**Highlights:** Log brew details and tasting notes, Rate coffees like a professional, Share brews and methods with friends, Discover coffee origins and processing, Explore new roasters and brewing techniques, See community tasting notes and ratings

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tasting Grounds Pro - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Tasting Grounds Pro - Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


### Coffee Journal

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

**Currently charting:** #177 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 Tasting Grounds free?

Tasting Grounds is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Coffee Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Tasting Grounds or Coffee Journal?

Coffee Journal is rated higher. Tasting Grounds averages 4.9 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while Coffee Journal averages 4.9 from 27 ratings.

### Do Tasting Grounds or Coffee Journal have ads?

Neither Tasting Grounds nor Coffee Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tasting Grounds or Coffee Journal?

Tasting Grounds ships an update every 9 days, and Coffee Journal every 5 days. Most recently, Tasting Grounds was updated on August 19, 2026 and Coffee Journal on September 22, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Tasting Grounds or Coffee Journal?

Tasting Grounds currently peaks at #192 in the App Store charts, and Coffee Journal at #177. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*