# Eater vs The Oyster Journal

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Oyster Journal at 100% against Eater's 41%. The Oyster Journal also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.1) and ads (none vs shown). Eater's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 7 months). On price, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

The Oyster Journal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Eater has 64 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Eater's written reviews are positive against 100% of The Oyster Journal's.

Eater ships an update weekly, The Oyster Journal every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Eater | The Oyster Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eater/id6469005148/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-oyster-journal/id6478179690/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **64** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 41.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 154 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Vox Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457274452) | [The Oyster Journal, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1732131392) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### The Oyster Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-oyster-journal/id6478179690)

Discover, track, and share your oyster experiences with a global community. Explore over 600 oyster varieties, log tasting notes and photos, and see what others are enjoying.

**Highlights:** Explore 600+ oyster varieties, Track oyster count, variety, location, Create personalized journal entries, Add tasting notes and photos, Browse community journal entries, Submit new oyster varieties

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Oyster Journal Premium Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Oyster Journal Premium Yearly | $56.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Eater free?

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

### Is The Oyster Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Eater or The Oyster Journal?

The Oyster Journal is rated higher. Eater averages 4.1 out of 5 from 64 ratings, while The Oyster Journal averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do Eater or The Oyster Journal have ads?

Eater shows ads; The Oyster Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Eater or The Oyster Journal?

Eater ships an update weekly, and The Oyster Journal every 7 months. Most recently, Eater was updated on October 30, 2026 and The Oyster Journal on October 27, 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.*