# Menu Explain vs Menu Decoder

The clearest difference is rating: Menu Decoder at 5.0 against Menu Explain's 4.5. Menu Decoder also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10). Menu Explain's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 6 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Menu Explain sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Menu Decoder asks for nothing beyond the download.

Menu Decoder holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Menu Explain has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Menu Explain ships an update every 10 days, Menu Decoder every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and June 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Menu Explain | Menu Decoder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/menu-explain-scan-and-translate/id6738362380/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/menu-decoder/id6741658903/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 93.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 59 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mentioned In, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761411971) | [EzLife Limited Liability Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735160271) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Menu Decoder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/menu-decoder/id6741658903)

Translate menus from foreign languages using your camera. Get detailed descriptions of dishes, including flavor profiles and estimated calories. Save your favorite finds for future reference.

**Highlights:** Visual menu translation via camera, Multi-language support for translation, Detailed dish descriptions and cultural context, Flavor profile insights with icons, Save menus and dishes for later

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Menu Explain free?

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

### Is Menu Decoder free?

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

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

Menu Decoder is rated higher. Menu Explain averages 4.5 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Menu Decoder averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Menu Explain or Menu Decoder have ads?

Menu Decoder shows ads; Menu Explain does not.

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

Menu Explain ships an update every 10 days, and Menu Decoder every 6 months. Most recently, Menu Explain was updated on September 3, 2026 and Menu Decoder on June 26, 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.*