Act Four vs Coffee Journal | Dialed In
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Act Four
Learn to brew perfect espresso with video guidance and taste analysis. The app tracks your brew automatically, helping you adjust your machine and recipe for your ideal cup. Designed for both beginners and experienced baristas.
- Video-guided brewing workflow
- Speed and taste analysis
- Machine and grinder adjustment guidance
- Automatic recipe tracking
- Hands-free operation
- Brew Weight and Timing adjustments
Read full descriptionHide full description
Let’s brew amazing espresso. New to espresso? Act Four’s video-guided workflow is designed to quickly walk you through the same steps used by professional baristas. We’ll analyze the speed and taste of each brew to tweak your machine, grinder, and brew recipe until you land on your ideal cup. Espresso pro? Let’s dial in by taste. After each brew, we’ll dive into the tasting experience to drive adjustments to Brew Weight and Brew Timing. Each brew iterates on the previous until we hit that magic cup. Act Four’s minimal workflow is designed to be hands-free and out of your way. Just open the app for automatic recipe, preinfusion, brew, and flow rate tracking. Privacy Policy: https://actfour.coffee/privacy Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Coffee Journal | Dialed In
This app helps home baristas and coffee professionals improve their espresso by tracking shots, managing recipes, and recording bean details. It features a built-in timer and allows users to monitor equipment for consistent results.
- Record espresso shot parameters
- Built-in espresso timer
- Save coffee bean details
- Create and manage espresso recipes
- Monitor multiple machines and grinders
- Rate shots and track improvement
- Add detailed notes
Read full descriptionHide full description
Make better espresso with this Dialed In, for home baristas and coffee professionals. Track shots, manage recipes, and dial in your perfect extraction. Your Complete Espresso Tracking Solution === - Record espresso shots: dose, yield, time, and ratio - Built-in timer to perfect your espresso shots - Save coffee bean details: roast date, origin, and roaster - Create espresso recipes for consistent results - Monitor multiple grinders and espresso machines - Rate your shots and track improvement - Add detailed notes for future reference - Simple, clean interface built for daily use Perfect for === - Home baristas dialing in coffee - Coffee enthusiasts tracking their progress - Specialty coffee shops training staff - Anyone pursuing the perfect espresso shot Equipment Management === - Track multiple espresso machines - Log grinder settings and adjustments - Support for manual and automatic machines - Compatible with all major brands Coffee Bean Organization === - Log origin, roaster, and roast date - Track light, medium, and dark roasts - Organize single origin and blend coffees - Mark favorites for quick access - Support for a wide range of roast levels (e.g., Nordic, Cinnamon, Light City) Recipe Features === - Save successful espresso recipes - Record traditional and ristretto profiles - Track recipe modifications - Easy recipe sharing A professional-grade tool for serious coffee lovers, without the complexity. Download now and start your journey to better espresso!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Coffee Journal | Dialed In at none against Act Four's 3. Act Four's advantage is chart position (#196 vs unranked) and ratings volume (17 vs 3). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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. Act Four sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Coffee Journal | Dialed In asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Act Four against 5.0 for Coffee Journal | Dialed In. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Act Four has 17 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Act Four | Coffee Journal | Dialed In |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (17 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 17 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | Every 8 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #196 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | AIV, LLC | Bart Jacobs |
Customer experience
Act Four
Coffee Journal | Dialed In
In-app purchases
Act Four
- Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- SwitchBot Integration$19.99
Coffee Journal | Dialed In
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Act Four free?
Is Coffee Journal | Dialed In free?
Which has better reviews, Act Four or Coffee Journal | Dialed In?
Do Act Four or Coffee Journal | Dialed In have ads?
Which is updated more often, Act Four or Coffee Journal | Dialed In?
Other comparisons















