Eater vs Menu Explain
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Eater
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.
- Editor-curated restaurant picks
- Personalized recommendations
- Insider community connection
- Smart search functionality
- Create and share custom lists
- Direct table reservations
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The Eater app is the most trusted way to find great restaurants. Our editors have spent years eating at the best restaurants and bars so you always know where to go next. Get instant access to all of Eater’s restaurant picks in every major city, whether you're exploring a new neighborhood, planning a trip, or need a quick rec on the go. With the Eater app, you’ll never have a bad meal. What you’ll love about the Eater app: - Curated by editors: Trusted recommendations and reviews from people who know restaurants - Insider to insider: Follow and connect with editors, chefs, and friends, and be part of the Eater community - Ask anything: Smarter search that finds the places you actually want - Recommended for you: Eater’s take on restaurants near you and wherever you travel - Create and share: Browse Eater lists, make your own, and share your favorite spots with friends - Browse to book: Reserve tables directly in the Eater app so you’re one step closer to a great meal With the Eater app, the next great place to eat or drink is in the palm of your hand, no matter where the day (or night) takes you. Download the Eater app to find your next great meal.
Menu Explain
Instantly translate and understand any menu by simply taking a photo. Get detailed dish descriptions, images, and even identify potential allergens and calorie estimates to dine with confidence anywhere.
- Instant menu breakdown
- Food images
- Menu translation
- Allergy & intolerance detection
- Calorie estimates
- AI dining companion
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"Spaghetti alla Nerano." Your phone translates that as... "spaghetti alla Nerano." It is fried zucchini, basil and provolone del Monaco, melted into a sauce on the Amalfi Coast. You would have read past it and ordered the carbonara. Translation gives you the name. Menu Explain gives you the dish. Point your camera at any menu, in any language. Every dish comes back explained, pictured, and flagged for allergens. WHAT YOU GET, ONE PHOTO AT A TIME • Detailed summary of the dish • Ingredient breakdown • Food photos • Calorie estimates • Allergen Flags • Translations Menu Explain reads the dish, not just the word. Disclaimer: Descriptions, images, calories and allergen flags are informed estimates based on the dish name and can be wrong. If you have a serious allergy, always confirm with restaurant staff. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Menu Explain at 93% against Eater's 42%. Menu Explain also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.5 vs 4.1). Eater's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ratings volume (59 vs 8). On price, update cadence, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Menu Explain sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Eater asks for nothing beyond the download.
Menu Explain holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Eater has 59 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Eater's written reviews are positive against 93% of Menu Explain's.
Eater ships an update weekly, Menu Explain every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Eater | Menu Explain |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (59 ratings) | 4.5 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 41.6% of reviews | 93.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 59 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 10 days |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 154 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Vox Media, Inc. | Mentioned In, LLC |
Customer experience
Eater
Menu Explain
Bugs and requests
Eater
Reported bugs
2 issues- Search and account icons smushed on main map page
- Location settings get stuck after disabling tracking
Requested features
3 requests- Add filters and sorting for map/list view
- Allow sharing of restaurant lists
- Improve font size and layout on map view
Menu Explain
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Eater
No in-app purchases
Menu Explain
- Full Access - Monthly$0.991 Month
- Full Access - Monthly$1.991 Month
- Full Access - Yearly$9.991 Year
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- Full Access - Yearly$19.991 Year
- 5 Scan Credits$0.99
- Scan Pack - 10$0.99
- 3-Day Pass$2.99
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- Scan Pack - 50$3.99
- 7-Day Pass$4.99
- 14-Day Pass$7.99
