# Sous Chef vs PantrIQ

The clearest difference is ads: PantrIQ at none against Sous Chef's shown. PantrIQ also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months). Sous Chef's advantage is ratings volume (338 vs 2) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.1). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sous Chef sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and PantrIQ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PantrIQ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sous Chef has 338 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Sous Chef ships an update every 3 months, PantrIQ every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sous Chef | PantrIQ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sous-chef-cook-tools-and-timer/id496365430/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pantriq/id6746662127/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **338** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 21 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ChuChu Train Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/415772087) | [Kayvan Zahiri](https://appshunter.io/developer/1817729260) |

## What reviewers say

### Sous Chef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sous-chef-cook-tools-and-timer/id496365430)

This kitchen helper offers a suite of tools for meal preparation, including multiple configurable timers that function even when the app is closed. It also features a servings calculator and a handy conversion chart to simplify cooking tasks.

**Highlights:** 5 configurable timers, Timers work in background, Servings calculator, Popular conversions chart, Stores notes and favorite websites

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| KS - Remove Ad Banner | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Reference Entries | $9.99 | one-time |
| Enable All Timers | $9.99 | one-time |
| All Features | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⏱️ Multiple simultaneous timers (5 timers)
- 🏷️ Ability to label each timer
- 📱 Portable and convenient to use
- 🔊 Loud and audible alerts
- 📊 Useful conversion charts included

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Inconsistent alert volume levels
- 🔔 Alert only rings briefly then shows notification
- 📵 Doesn't ring when phone is locked
- 📺 No landscape mode support
- 🎵 Limited and repetitive alarm sounds

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently during use
- Timer doesn't alert when phone is in lock mode
- Accidental timer reset when phone placed in pocket
- Pop-up ads appear during timer setup
- Free version upgrade doesn't convert to Pro (requires repurchase)

**Requested features**

- Custom alarm sounds for each timer
- Different ringtones/tones for different timers
- Count-up feature after timer reaches zero
- Larger readout/display text
- Cooking temperature reference charts


### PantrIQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pantriq/id6746662127)

This AI-powered kitchen assistant helps you plan meals, reduce food waste, and utilize ingredients you already have. It offers personalized recipe suggestions, smart grocery lists, and pantry tracking to simplify your cooking and organization.

**Highlights:** AI recipe suggestions from pantry items, Personalized weekly meal planning, Automatic smart grocery lists, Pantry inventory tracking, Discover feed for culinary inspiration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PantrIQ Premium Access | $9.99 | per month |
| PantrIQ Premium Access | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sous Chef free?

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

### Is PantrIQ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sous Chef or PantrIQ?

PantrIQ is rated higher. Sous Chef averages 4.5 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while PantrIQ averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Sous Chef or PantrIQ have ads?

Sous Chef shows ads; PantrIQ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sous Chef or PantrIQ?

Sous Chef ships an update every 3 months, and PantrIQ every 2 days. Most recently, Sous Chef was updated on November 1, 2026 and PantrIQ on October 5, 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.*