# Fermentation Journal vs Fermentation Lab

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Fermentation Lab at none against Fermentation Journal's 5. Fermentation Lab also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fermentation Journal sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Fermentation Lab asks for nothing beyond the download.

Fermentation Journal ships an update monthly, Fermentation Lab every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fermentation Journal | Fermentation Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Size | 105 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Drobinin Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1713029153) | [Antonio Lice](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888002310) |

## What reviewers say

### Fermentation Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fermentation-journal-fermento/id6470132496)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter Culture Pro Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Culture & Probiotic Pro | $7.99 | per month |
| Culture & Probiotic Pro | $59.99 | per year |
| HACCP Safety Compliance Pro | $179.99 | per year |
| Lifetime (Personal) | $199.99 | one-time |


### Fermentation Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fermentation-lab/id6761143434)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fermentation Journal free?

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

### Is Fermentation Lab free?

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

### Do Fermentation Journal or Fermentation Lab have ads?

Neither Fermentation Journal nor Fermentation Lab shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Fermentation Journal or Fermentation Lab?

Fermentation Journal ships an update monthly, and Fermentation Lab every 5 weeks. Most recently, Fermentation Journal was updated on September 10, 2026 and Fermentation Lab on September 23, 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.*