Combustion Inc. vs Current Backyard
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Combustion Inc.
Monitor and graph real-time food temperatures during cooking. Predict exactly when your meal will be ready using advanced sensor data and a predictive engine. Receive alerts for key cooking events and ensure food safety.
- Real-time core, surface, and ambient temperature graphing
- Predictive engine for exact 'ready' time estimation
- Advanced alerts for cooking events
- Food safety parameter setting
- Firmware updates for accessories
- Cloud connectivity for remote monitoring
- Live Activity and Apple Watch support
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See (and graph!) exact temperatures throughout your food while it cooks. Know exactly when it will be done. View and graph core, surface, and ambient temps in real time. The wireless Predictive Thermometer was built to answer a simple but important question: when will my food be ready? Combustion’s Predictive Engine™ estimates exactly when that will be, using the data from 8 onboard sensors (the most of any cooking thermometer). Important firmware updates! The Combustion App includes the latest firmware updates for Predictive Thermometers and other Combustion Accessories including Boosters, Displays, Giant Grill Gauges and other forthcoming products. Firmware updates improve core functions including time-to-cook predictions, longer battery life, and can add new features. MeatNet™ Cloud – for functionally unlimited range! Use with WiFi Accessories or with a second mobile device to stream your cook data to the cloud. Watch your cook in real-time from anywhere with internet access. Live Activity/Apple Watch support. The Combustion App works with iOS as well as iPadOS and MacOS (M1 or newer). Includes Live Activity (Dynamic Island) display feature so you can watch key temps even when the app is in the background. So handy! Combustion App Features: – Set target temp: so that your food comes out just the way you want it – See predictions in relative time (“ready in” countdown) or in absolute “clock” time – See key temps in real-time: including TrueCore®, TrueSurface™, TrueAmbient™ – Get notifications for important cooking events with advanced alerts (ready alarm, 5-minute warning, disconnect alert, low battery notification) – Set SafeCook™ parameters (integrated food-safety) – Know exactly when your food is safe to eat – Set-up WiFi connectivity for Combustion WiFi accessories – Graph your food’s temperatures in real-time! – See (and graph) temperatures from all 8 sensors with Advanced Cooking Mode – Enables multi-node MeatNet™: use any combination of Combustion accessories to extend Bluetooth signal range + strength – Use with or without Combustion Display – Export cooking data - to fine-tune your technique – Update firmware: get better performance and new features for Combustion tools – Works with most cooking appliances and cookware types – Works with all kinds of foods and most cooking appliances - BBQ smokers, ovens, ranges, grills, and more - indoors and out. – Works with or without WiFi Get more consistent results with all your favorite foods: steak, pork chops, brisket, pork shoulder, roasts, turkey, whole chicken, ribs, fish, bread, and more. Advanced graphing on the Combustion App helps you visualize exactly how heat moves through your food. You will understand the relationship between ambient cook temps and surface temps. And how surface temps really control how long things take – and how evenly food cooks. It may shock you to find out the oven temp (or grill temp) you set is not the same as the food is actually experiencing! The Combustion Inc app puts all that knowledge in front of you – with instant feedback, so you’re not just cooking better, you’re also learning as you go. And learning has never been so delicious.
Current Backyard
Enhance your outdoor cooking with smart temperature monitoring and guided recipes. Control your cook wirelessly, receive expert advice, and follow step-by-step instructions for foolproof results. Elevate your backyard gatherings with culinary confidence.
- Wireless temperature monitoring
- Real-time cook control
- Recipe guidance
- Manual temperature and timer settings
- Connected meat probe integration
- Step-by-step guided cooks
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Welcome to CURRENT. We turn your backyard into an oasis of flavor and fun with family and friends. Our app is the smart companion to your outdoor cooking experience. Entertain while having wireless control at your fingertips with in-app, real-time temperature monitoring and recipe guidance for foolproof results, every time. Featuring: • Manual Mode: Set your own temps and timers to keep a handle on your cook from your phone; add notes, monitor levels and adjust as you go. • Temperature Guides: Refine your technique with timing and doneness recommendations from connected meat probes. Just tell the app what you’re cooking and get instant expert advice according to your tastes. • Full-Guided Cooks: Access step-by-step guides from our interactive recipe library. The app automatically sets times, walks you through the process and even instructs when to flip and remove your food for perfect results. Get ready to connect to a feeling of culinary confidence, a world of elevated taste and an electrifying smart home system that seamlessly brings together the indoors and outdoors and, most importantly, family and friends. Reimagine outdoor living here, at Current Backyard.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Combustion Inc. at 4.7 against Current Backyard's 4.3. Combustion Inc. also leads on ratings volume (1.9K vs 35). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Combustion Inc. holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Combustion Inc. has 1.9K ratings behind it against 35, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Combustion Inc.'s written reviews are positive against 80% of Current Backyard's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Combustion Inc. | Current Backyard |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.9K ratings) — better | 4.3 (35 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.3% of reviews | 80.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.9K — better | 35 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 119 MB | 121 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Combustion Inc. | Current Backyard |
Customer experience
Combustion Inc.
Current Backyard
Bugs and requests
Combustion Inc.
Reported bugs
5 issues- Thermometer disconnects during use
- App unable to stop timer
- Inaccurate temperature readings
- App unable to find device
- Firmware update issues
Requested features
5 requests- Cooking history and logging
- Live status widget
- Apple Watch and Dynamic Island support
- Ambient temperature alerts
- Customizable probe labeling
Current Backyard
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Combustion Inc.
No in-app purchases
Current Backyard
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Combustion Inc. free?
Is Current Backyard free?
Which has better reviews, Combustion Inc. or Current Backyard?
Do Combustion Inc. or Current Backyard have ads?
Which is updated more often, Combustion Inc. or Current Backyard?
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