MealBoard vs Substitutions
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MealBoard
Organize recipes, plan meals, and generate smart grocery lists. Track pantry inventory, set reminders, and sync data across devices. Customize categories and store aisles for a personalized experience.
- Recipe import and organization
- Automated meal planning
- Smart grocery list generation
- Pantry inventory management
- Recipe scaling and measurement conversion
- Cross-device data syncing
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MealBoard helps you organize your recipes, automatically build grocery lists, manage your pantry, and now—use AI to create meal plans for you. AI looks at your recipes and past meal plans to suggest what you could eat next, so you spend less time deciding what’s for dinner. RECIPE MANAGEMENT • Import recipes from websites and social media apps (Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, YouTube) • Scan recipes from cookbooks and magazines • Add and organize your own recipes • Search by name or ingredient • Scale recipes and convert measurements MEAL PLANNING • Generate balanced, varied meal plans with AI • Or manually plan meals by day and meal type • Reuse meal plans with templates • Set prep notifications so you stay on track • Mark leftovers and adjust your schedule easily • Export meal plans to your calendar app SMART GROCERY LIST • Automatically generate grocery lists from your meal plan • Combine similar ingredients into one item • Organize items by store aisle • Track prices and estimate total cost • Support for multiple stores • Check off items as you shop • Move purchased items directly to your pantry PANTRY & INVENTORY • Keep track of what’s in your pantry and avoid buying what you already have • Set quantities, locations, and expiration dates • Scan barcodes to quickly add items • Move out-of-stock items to your grocery list • Find recipes based on ingredients you need to use SYNC & SHARE • Sync your data across devices (with account) • Back up your recipes and plans • Share recipes, meal plans, and shopping lists • Import content from other MealBoard users • Print recipes, plans, and lists • Access recipes and meal plans from your computer via web interface NOTES: • The free version is limited to 30 recipes • Upgrade to unlock unlimited recipes and cloud sync (one-time purchase) • Sample recipes are included for demonstration purposes Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Substitutions
This app provides a comprehensive database of nearly 1500 food and drink substitutions. It's designed to help users find alternatives for various dietary needs, allergies, and cooking requirements.
- Extensive substitution database
- Search functionality
- Covers allergies
- Supports dietary needs (gluten-free, vegan, low carb)
- Includes baking and cooking aids
- Categorized by ingredient type
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Substitutions. Food & Drink. iOS 11 or later. Now nearly 1500 substitutions. Search! Alcohol. Allergy. Baking. Cooking. Dairy. Gluten-Free. Herbs. Spices. Low Carb. Low Fat. Low Sodium. Migraine. Seafood. Meat. Utensil. Vegan. Twitter: @Gormaya
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: MealBoard at Free against Substitutions's $1.99. MealBoard also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.4) and review sentiment (91% vs 60%). Substitutions's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#38 vs unranked). On ads and device support 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
MealBoard is free to download; Substitutions costs $1.99 up front. MealBoard sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Substitutions asks for nothing beyond the download.
MealBoard holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MealBoard has 3.1K ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of MealBoard's written reviews are positive against 60% of Substitutions's.
MealBoard ships an update weekly, Substitutions every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.
| Parameter | MealBoard | Substitutions |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (3.1K ratings) — better | 3.4 (29 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 90.7% of reviews — better | 59.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3.1K — better | 29 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #38 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Ray Bernardo | Gormaya |
Customer experience
MealBoard
Substitutions
Bugs and requests
MealBoard
Reported bugs
3 issues- Syncing issues between devices
- Recipes not importing correctly
- Pantry management feature not working as expected
Requested features
5 requests- Add ability to track nutrition/calories
- Improve syncing and sharing capabilities
- Enhance recipe import functionality
- Provide more customization options
- Add support for more languages
Substitutions
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
MealBoard
- Full Version Upgrade$12.99
Substitutions
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is MealBoard free?
Is Substitutions free?
Which has better reviews, MealBoard or Substitutions?
Do MealBoard or Substitutions have ads?
Which is updated more often, MealBoard or Substitutions?
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