Comparison

I've Been Cooking vs Menu & Muse

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

I've Been Cooking

Discover global recipes with powerful filters for cuisine, nutrition, and dietary needs. Save favorites, get step-by-step guidance, and view detailed nutrition facts. Features dark mode for comfortable cooking.

Highlights
  • Global recipe discovery
  • Filter by cuisine, nutrition, dietary needs
  • Save favorite recipes
  • Step-by-step cooking instructions
  • Detailed nutrition facts
  • Dark mode support
Features
Read full description

Craving inspiration in the kitchen? I’ve Been Cooking is the recipe app you've been waiting for! Discover mouthwatering dishes from around the world, all in one place. Perfect for every home cook, from beginners to pros, our app lets you explore recipes with ease. Use powerful filters, save favorites, and enjoy step-by-step guidance to make every meal memorable. Features that make cooking easier: Global Flavors at Your Fingertips Explore thousands of recipes from different cuisines. Whether it’s Italian, Mexican, Asian, or beyond, we’ve got it covered! Filter by Cuisine, Nutrition, or Dietary Needs Searching for low-calorie, high-protein, vegan, or gluten-free options? Use our smart filters to find the perfect dish in seconds. Instantly Save Recipes Found something delicious? Save recipes instantly and keep your favorites just a tap away. Detailed Nutrition Facts for Every Dish Stay on top of your health goals with detailed nutrition information for every recipe. Cook with Confidence Step-by-step instructions and clear ingredient lists make every recipe easy to follow, so you can cook with confidence. Dark Mode Support Cook anytime, day or night! Enjoy a sleek dark mode for easier viewing and a modern look. Why Choose I’ve Been Cooking? With I’ve Been Cooking, you’re not just getting recipes—you’re unlocking a world of culinary possibilities! We prioritize clear guidance, nutrition transparency, and a streamlined experience, making it the top recipe app choice for food lovers everywhere. Download I’ve Been Cooking and turn your kitchen into a world of flavors. Let’s get cooking!

About

Menu & Muse

Design harmonious 4-course dinner parties with curated dishes and wine pairings. Start with an idea and build a complete, balanced evening. Receive step-by-step recipes and chef tips to elevate your hosting.

Highlights
  • 4-course menu design
  • Wine pairing suggestions
  • Customizable by ingredient, style, cuisine
  • Step-by-step recipes
  • Chef-style presentation tips
  • Adjustable courses while maintaining harmony
Features
Read full description

Create a Dinner Party in Perfect Harmony Menu & Muse helps you design a beautifully balanced 4-course dinner — where every dish complements the next and every wine feels thoughtfully chosen. No mismatched courses. No last-minute uncertainty. Just a menu that flows naturally from beginning to end. Start with One Idea. Build a Whole Evening. Choose: • Your main ingredient • A cooking style • A cuisine • How simple or elaborate you’d like the menu • Wine pairing — one variety for the evening, a different wine for each course, or no wine Menu & Muse brings everything together into a harmonious dining experience: • A welcoming cheese & charcuterie suggestion • A refined starter • A carefully composed main course • A dessert that completes the story • Specific wine varietals selected to enhance the flavors Each course supports the next. Nothing feels random. Adjust Without Losing Balance. Want to change one course? You can refresh a single dish while maintaining the overall harmony of the evening. The menu remains cohesive and thoughtfully connected. When you’re ready to cook, receive: • Step-by-step recipes • Clear, practical instructions • Chef-style tips to elevate presentation and flavor Perfect for home cooks who want their dinner parties to feel polished and beautifully put together. Menu & Muse isn’t about daily meal planning. It’s about creating an evening where flavors, courses, and wine come together in harmony — and your guests notice. Before You Begin, please take a moment to read the “How to Use the App” and the “Disclaimer” sections inside the app. They contain important information about how menus are generated, how to get the best results, and important notes regarding ingredients, dietary restrictions, and wine recommendations. The App is designed to inspire and guide your creativity — but thoughtful cooking and responsible hosting always begin with informed choices. The App is free to download and browse. Because each personalized menu is generated through advanced GPT processing — which involves real-time API usage and associated infrastructure and API call costs — an active subscription is required to create full menus. We offer three subscription tiers to match different needs. For most home hosts and occasional dinner parties, the Standard plan provides more than enough flexibility and generation capacity. For a demo of Menu & Muse, please visit https://menumuse.ca. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime through your App Store account settings. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at the time of purchase confirmation. For more information, please see our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Privacy Policy: https://menumuse.ca/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://menumuse.ca/terms

Screenshots

I've Been Cooking4 screens
Menu & Muse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: I've Been Cooking at none against Menu & Muse's 3. I've Been Cooking also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). Menu & Muse's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Menu & Muse sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. I've Been Cooking asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for I've Been Cooking against 5.0 for Menu & Muse. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

I've Been Cooking ships an update every 5 months, Menu & Muse every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
I've Been Cooking versus Menu & Muse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterI've Been CookingMenu & Muse
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB48 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperLnkDr Inc.LMMO Consultancy Inc.

Customer experience

I've Been Cooking

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Menu & Muse

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

I've Been Cooking

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Menu & Muse

Subscriptions3
  • Standard$1.991 Month
  • Plus$3.991 Month
  • Premium$6.991 Month

Questions

Is I've Been Cooking free?
I've Been Cooking is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Menu & Muse free?
Menu & Muse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, I've Been Cooking or Menu & Muse?
I've Been Cooking and Menu & Muse are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do I've Been Cooking or Menu & Muse have ads?
I've Been Cooking shows ads; Menu & Muse does not.
Which is updated more often, I've Been Cooking or Menu & Muse?
I've Been Cooking ships an update every 5 months, and Menu & Muse every 4 days. Most recently, I've Been Cooking was updated on October 6, 2026 and Menu & Muse on October 8, 2026.

Other comparisons