# Culinary Backstreets vs Eater

The clearest difference is rating: Eater at 4.1 against Culinary Backstreets's 2.6. Eater also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Culinary Backstreets's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (68% vs 42%). On price, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Culinary Backstreets sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Eater asks for nothing beyond the download.

Eater holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Eater has 60 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Culinary Backstreets'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.

Culinary Backstreets ships an update every 2 months, Eater weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Culinary Backstreets | Eater |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/culinary-backstreets/id534876766/reviews) | **[4.1 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eater/id6469005148/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **60** |
| Positive reviews | **67.7% of reviews** | 41.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 16 MB | 154 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Culinary Backstreets](https://appshunter.io/developer/534876809) | [Vox Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457274452) |

## What reviewers say

### Culinary Backstreets

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/culinary-backstreets/id534876766)

Discover authentic local eateries in major food cities worldwide. This app provides curated reviews and integrated maps to help you find hidden culinary gems beyond typical tourist spots. Explore unique regional cuisines and enjoy offline access to content.

**Highlights:** Curated local food reviews, Integrated maps for easy navigation, Offline content access, Vivid food and people photography, Content from global food correspondents

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Istanbul | Free | one-time |
| Rio | Free | one-time |
| Istanbul | $3.99 | one-time |
| Athens | $3.99 | one-time |
| Barcelona | $3.99 | one-time |
| Shanghai | $3.99 | one-time |
| Mexico | $3.99 | one-time |


### 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 Culinary Backstreets free?

Culinary Backstreets 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, Culinary Backstreets or Eater?

Eater is rated higher. Culinary Backstreets averages 2.6 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Eater averages 4.1 from 60 ratings.

### Do Culinary Backstreets or Eater have ads?

Eater shows ads; Culinary Backstreets does not.

### Which is updated more often, Culinary Backstreets or Eater?

Culinary Backstreets ships an update every 2 months, and Eater weekly. Most recently, Culinary Backstreets was updated on October 10, 2026 and Eater on October 9, 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.*