# Eater vs Menu Explain

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Eater | Menu Explain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (59 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eater/id6469005148/reviews) | **[4.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/menu-explain-scan-and-translate/id6738362380/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **59** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 41.6% of reviews | **93.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 154 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vox Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457274452) | [Mentioned In, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761411971) |

## 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


### Menu Explain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/menu-explain-scan-and-translate/id6738362380)

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.

**Highlights:** Instant menu breakdown, Food images, Menu translation, Allergy & intolerance detection, Calorie estimates, AI dining companion

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access - Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Full Access - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Full Access - Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Full Access - Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| 5 Scan Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| Scan Pack - 10 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 3-Day Pass | $2.99 | one-time |
| Scan Pack - 50 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 7-Day Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| 14-Day Pass | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Eater free?

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

### Is Menu Explain free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Eater or Menu Explain?

Menu Explain is rated higher. Eater averages 4.1 out of 5 from 59 ratings, while Menu Explain averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.

### Do Eater or Menu Explain have ads?

Eater shows ads; Menu Explain does not.

### Which is updated more often, Eater or Menu Explain?

Eater ships an update weekly, and Menu Explain every 10 days. Most recently, Eater was updated on September 26, 2026 and Menu Explain on September 3, 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.*