# TeaTime vs Pastel Journal

The clearest difference is monetization model: Pastel Journal at free with in-app purchases against TeaTime's subscription. Pastel Journal also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). TeaTime's advantage is ratings volume (105 vs 8). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TeaTime sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Pastel Journal sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pastel Journal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TeaTime has 105 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.

TeaTime ships an update every 4 months, Pastel Journal every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TeaTime | Pastel Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (105 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/teatime/id577140803/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pastel-journal/id1453922315/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **105** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 19.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 22 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hoffman Media LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/577123524) | [PEAK MEDIA PROPERTIES LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1502572904) |

## What reviewers say

### TeaTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/teatime/id577140803)

Access America's top tea magazine on your iPad. Explore inspirational tea party menus, recipes, table-setting ideas, travel destinations, and traditions. Discover tea pairings, expert advice, and fascinating articles on global tea experiences.

**Highlights:** Inspirational tea party menus, Recipes and table-setting ideas, Tea-focused destinations and events, Tea traditions and expert advice, Tea pairings and global tea experiences, Digital magazine on iPad

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month \| TeaTime | $1.99 | per month |
| TeaTime | $2.99 | per 2 months |
| 6 Months \| TeaTime | $10.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year \| TeaTime | $17.99 | per year |
| TeaTime | $27.99 | per year |
| March/April 2013 | $3.99 | one-time |
| January/February 2013 | $3.99 | one-time |
| January/February 2014 | $3.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2016 | $4.99 | one-time |
| November-December 2016 | $4.99 | one-time |
| January-February 2017 | $4.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2025 (pp:1059730) | $4.99 | one-time |
| September/Octo... (pp:1059746) | $4.99 | one-time |
| TeaTime Favorites 2013 | $7.99 | one-time |
| French Teatime ... (pp:980384) | $7.99 | one-time |
| Teatime Holiday... (pp:981594) | $7.99 | one-time |
| Tea Holidays 2024 (pp:1059738) | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Love the magazine content
- 👍 Customer service helpful (sometimes)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App constantly crashing
- 🐛 Unable to access purchased issues
- 🐛 Subscription issues not loading
- 🐛 Lost years of past issues
- 🐛 Frustrating login problems

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes
- Cannot open issues
- Unable to restore purchases
- Subscription issues not loading
- Login failures

**Requested features**

- Allow paper subscribers access to digital at no extra cost
- Fix the app
- Change app back to previous version
- Fire person who updated app
- Improve app functionality


### Pastel Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pastel-journal/id1453922315)

This digital magazine caters to pastel artists, offering insights for professionals and hobbyists alike. Explore techniques and inspiration through single issues or an annual subscription.

**Highlights:** Coverage for working pastelists, Content for pastel hobbyists, Single issue purchases, Annual subscription option, Automatic renewal management

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month \| Pastel Journal | $2.99 | per month |
| 1 Year \| Pastel Journal | $24.99 | per year |
| November/December 2018 issue | $7.99 | one-time |
| 2019 July August | $7.99 | one-time |
| 2019 November December | $7.99 | one-time |
| 2021 January February | $7.99 | one-time |
| Spring 2021 | $7.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2019 issue | $7.99 | one-time |
| 2020 November December | $7.99 | one-time |
| Summer 2021 | $7.99 | one-time |
| 2020 May June | $7.99 | one-time |
| Spring 2022 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Summber 2022 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Fall 2022 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2027 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Spring 2026 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Spring 2023 | $10.99 | one-time |
| Summer 2023 | $10.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2024 | $10.99 | one-time |
| Fall 2023 | $10.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TeaTime free?

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

### Is Pastel Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TeaTime or Pastel Journal?

Pastel Journal is rated higher. TeaTime averages 4.6 out of 5 from 105 ratings, while Pastel Journal averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do TeaTime or Pastel Journal have ads?

Neither TeaTime nor Pastel Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TeaTime or Pastel Journal?

TeaTime ships an update every 4 months, and Pastel Journal every 6 months. Most recently, TeaTime was updated on October 23, 2026 and Pastel Journal on October 24, 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.*