# Bon Appetit vs Eater

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Eater at none against Bon Appetit's 10. Eater also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and review sentiment (42% vs 28%). Bon Appetit's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.4 vs 4.1). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bon Appetit sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Eater asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bon Appetit holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 270 and 59 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 28% of Bon Appetit's written reviews are positive against 42% of Eater's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Bon Appetit ships an update every 5 months, Eater weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bon Appetit | Eater |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (270 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bon-appetit/id453809428/reviews)** | [4.1 (59 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eater/id6469005148/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **270** | 59 |
| Positive reviews | 28.0% of reviews | **41.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#130** | — |
| Size | 19 MB | 154 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/289380416) | [Vox Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457274452) |

## What reviewers say

### Bon Appetit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bon-appetit/id453809428)

**Currently charting:** #130 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers, #198 Top Grossing · Food & Drink (US App Store)

Explore the intersection of food and culture with this digital magazine. Discover recipes, fashion, travel, technology, and design inspiration from a leading lifestyle brand. It offers a curated selection of articles for all readers, with unlimited access for subscribers.

**Highlights:** Recipe testing, Culinary inspiration, Fashion and style, Travel guides, Home and design, Technology in food

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One Month Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Discounted Subscription Holiday 2015 | $9.99 | per year |
| One Year Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| January 2014 | $4.99 | one-time |
| March 2012 | $4.99 | one-time |
| May 2012 | $4.99 | one-time |
| January 2013 | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2013 | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2014 | $4.99 | one-time |
| January 2015 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Visually appealing design
- 🚀 Smooth navigation
- 💡 Interactive features
- 🌟 Great content and recipes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 🔍 Difficult to find and access recipes
- 📱 Not optimized for larger screens
- 🔑 Login and subscription issues

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes
- Inability to download or access issues
- Login and subscription problems
- Incompatibility with certain devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to save and bookmark recipes
- Landscape mode support
- Better recipe search and organization
- Seamless integration with website and other platforms


### Eater

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eater/id6469005148)

Discover top restaurant and bar recommendations curated by expert editors. Find new places in any city, get personalized suggestions, and easily make reservations. Never have a bad meal again with trusted insider picks.

**Highlights:** Editor-curated restaurant picks, Personalized recommendations, Insider community connection, Smart search functionality, Create and share custom lists, Direct table reservations

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient access to Eater content
- 🚀 Curated restaurant recommendations
- 💡 Ability to save/reference restaurant lists

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes/won't open for some users
- 🔒 Forced opt-in for data tracking
- 🗺️ Outdated restaurant information
- 🌍 Limited to certain regions/cities

**Reported bugs**

- Search and account icons smushed on main map page
- Location settings get stuck after disabling tracking

**Requested features**

- Add filters and sorting for map/list view
- Allow sharing of restaurant lists
- Improve font size and layout on map view


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bon Appetit free?

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

### Is Eater free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bon Appetit or Eater?

Bon Appetit is rated higher. Bon Appetit averages 4.4 out of 5 from 270 ratings, while Eater averages 4.1 from 59 ratings.

### Do Bon Appetit or Eater have ads?

Eater shows ads; Bon Appetit does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bon Appetit or Eater?

Bon Appetit ships an update every 5 months, and Eater weekly. Most recently, Bon Appetit was updated on September 23, 2026 and Eater on September 21, 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.*