Comparison

Bean vs WholeBean

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bean

Discover, rate, and explore coffees and cafes worldwide. Connect with friends, share your experiences, and track your caffeine intake. Find your next favorite brew with this community-driven coffee discovery platform.

Highlights
  • Discover top-rated coffees and cafes
  • Rate and review coffee experiences
  • Socialize with friends and follow their adventures
  • Get notified about recommended coffees
  • View recent posts for cafe insights
  • Track daily caffeine intake
Features
Read full description

Bean: Your Passport to the Perfect Cup! Discover, Rate, and Savor with Bean! Whether you're a coffee connoisseur or just starting your coffee journey, there's something for everyone. From local gems to global favorites, find your perfect brew and join our vibrant community of coffee enthusiasts. • EXPLORE: Discover top-rated coffees and cafés, near and far. • RATE & REVIEW: Share your coffee experiences and earn badges. • SOCIALIZE: Follow friends and explore their coffee adventures. • GET NOTIFIED: Stay updated on the best coffees recommended by you. • CAFÉ INSIGHTS: Check out recent posts to find your next coffee spot. • CAFFEINE TRACKER: Monitor your daily caffeine intake and stay energized. Join Bean today and elevate your coffee experience!

About

WholeBean

Scan coffee bag labels to identify beans, learn their origin, roast, and flavor profiles. Build a collection of your favorite coffees and discover your personal taste preferences.

Highlights
  • Scan coffee bag labels
  • Identify bean origin and roaster
  • View detailed flavor profiles
  • Discover recommended brew methods
  • Build a personal coffee collection
  • Track tasting notes and brew methods
  • Develop a personalized taste profile
Features
Read full description

WholeBean turns every bag of coffee you discover into something you understand. Point your camera at a label, and WholeBean reads it, identifies the bean, and tells you its story—where it's from, how it's roasted, what it tastes like, and how to brew it best. SCAN ANY BAG Snap a photo of a coffee bag or label. WholeBean reads the text on-device and identifies the roaster and bean, only confirming a match when it's confident—so you can trust what you see. KNOW YOUR COFFEE Every bean gets a rich profile: • A clear, AI-written summary of what makes it special • Origin mapped visually, with process and varietal • A roast meter from light to dark • A flavor wheel showing the families it spans • A recommended brew method tuned to the bean BUILD YOUR COLLECTION Save the coffees you love and record how you enjoyed them—your tasting notes, the brew, and the cafe or shop where you found it, pinned on a map. DISCOVER YOUR TASTE The more you save, the more WholeBean learns. Your Taste Profile brings your coffee life to life with a personal flavor wheel, a world map of the origins you gravitate toward, your roast spectrum, your favorite brew methods, and a warm, AI-crafted summary of your palate. WHOLEBEAN PRO WholeBean Pro is an auto-renewable subscription that unlocks an unlimited bean collection and your personal taste profile. • WholeBean Pro (Monthly) — $5.99 / month • WholeBean Pro (Annual) — $49.99 / year Payment will be charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial, if offered, is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://wholebean.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://wholebean.app/privacy

Screenshots

Bean4 screens
WholeBean4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bean at none against WholeBean's 2. Bean also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). WholeBean's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, review sentiment 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. WholeBean sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Bean asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bean ships an update every 3 weeks, WholeBean weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Bean versus WholeBean: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBeanWholeBean
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size217 MB16 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperZachary MorganAlexandros Adamopoulos II

Customer experience

Bean

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

WholeBean

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Bean

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

WholeBean

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Pro Annual$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Bean free?
Bean is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is WholeBean free?
WholeBean is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Bean or WholeBean have ads?
Bean shows ads; WholeBean does not.
Which is updated more often, Bean or WholeBean?
Bean ships an update every 3 weeks, and WholeBean weekly. Most recently, Bean was updated on November 3, 2026 and WholeBean on October 31, 2026.

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