# KitchenOwl vs Helmarr

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: KitchenOwl at none against Helmarr's 19. KitchenOwl also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 76%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 26.0). Helmarr's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (172 vs 5). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Helmarr sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. KitchenOwl asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for KitchenOwl against 4.9 for Helmarr. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Helmarr has 172 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of KitchenOwl's written reviews are positive against 76% of Helmarr's.

KitchenOwl ships an update every 6 weeks, Helmarr weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KitchenOwl | Helmarr |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kitchenowl/id1557453670/reviews)** | [4.9 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helmarr/id1638624921/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **172** |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 75.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 48 MB | 170 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tom Bursch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1489947420) | [Florian Ernst](https://appshunter.io/developer/979192685) |

## What reviewers say

### KitchenOwl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kitchenowl/id1557453670)

Manage your groceries with an open-source, self-hosted list application. Keep your shopping organized and accessible.

**Highlights:** Grocery list organization, Open-source, Self-hosted, User-friendly interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Helmarr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helmarr/id1638624921)

Manage all your self-hosted services from a single, native iOS interface. Seamlessly integrate and control applications like Sonarr, Radarr, and Unraid with advanced features and customization.

**Highlights:** Unified experience for multiple services, Smart multi-network connectivity, Deep customization options, Home screen widgets, Unraid control, Push notifications, SSH & SFTP access, Download management

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

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Helmarr Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Ultra Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Helmarr Pro Yearly Subscription | $17.99 | per year |
| Bazarr | $3.99 | one-time |
| Deluge | $4.99 | one-time |
| Plex | $4.99 | one-time |
| Transmission | $4.99 | one-time |
| NZBGet | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lidarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unraid | $4.99 | one-time |
| SABnzbd | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tautulli | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sonarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Radarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Seerr | $4.99 | one-time |
| qBt | $4.99 | one-time |
| Prowlarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Helmarr Pro - Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is KitchenOwl free?

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

### Is Helmarr free?

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

### Which has better reviews, KitchenOwl or Helmarr?

KitchenOwl is rated higher. KitchenOwl averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Helmarr averages 4.9 from 172 ratings.

### Do KitchenOwl or Helmarr have ads?

Neither KitchenOwl nor Helmarr shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, KitchenOwl or Helmarr?

KitchenOwl ships an update every 6 weeks, and Helmarr weekly. Most recently, KitchenOwl was updated on September 23, 2026 and Helmarr on October 12, 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.*