Comparison

Menu Explain vs View Menu

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

Head to head
About

Menu Explain

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
Read full description

"Spaghetti alla Nerano." Your phone translates that as... "spaghetti alla Nerano." It is fried zucchini, basil and provolone del Monaco, melted into a sauce on the Amalfi Coast. You would have read past it and ordered the carbonara. Translation gives you the name. Menu Explain gives you the dish. Point your camera at any menu, in any language. Every dish comes back explained, pictured, and flagged for allergens. WHAT YOU GET, ONE PHOTO AT A TIME • Detailed summary of the dish • Ingredient breakdown • Food photos • Calorie estimates • Allergen Flags • Translations Menu Explain reads the dish, not just the word. Disclaimer: Descriptions, images, calories and allergen flags are informed estimates based on the dish name and can be wrong. If you have a serious allergy, always confirm with restaurant staff. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

View Menu

Instantly translate foreign language menus using your phone's camera. See dish photos, check ingredients, and save translated menus for future reference. Explore new cuisines with confidence, even with handwritten menus.

Highlights
  • Instant menu translation by photo
  • Dish photos and descriptions
  • Handwritten menu support
  • Multi-language support (50+ languages)
  • Save translated menus
  • Ingredient and preparation details
Features
Read full description

View Menu – Your Smart Menu Translator & Food Guide! Ever struggled with a menu in a foreign language? Want to know exactly what you're ordering without guessing? View Menu is your ultimate dining companion! Instantly translate menus, see dish photos, check ingredients, and make informed choices wherever you go. Why You’ll Love View Menu: - Instant Menu Translation – Snap a photo of any menu, and we’ll translate it for you in seconds. No more confusion! - Dish Photos & Descriptions – See what your food looks like before you order. Get details on ingredients and preparation methods. - Save menus – Save your translated menus for the next visits. - Works in Multiple Languages – Supports English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Russian, and 50+ other languages! - Handwritten Menu Support – Even if a menu isn’t printed, View Menu can still translate it for you. Who is View Menu for? - Travelers & Tourists – Don’t let language barriers stop you from enjoying local food. Order like a pro anywhere in the world! - Food Lovers & Adventurers – Explore new cuisines, try authentic dishes, and make every meal a great experience. - Health-Conscious Diners – Find meals that fit your diet without worrying about unknown ingredients. - Language Learners – Improve your language skills by seeing how menus are translated in real time. How It Works: 1. Open the app and take a picture of a menu. 2. Get instant translations with dish names, ingredients, and descriptions. 3. Browse photos to see what your meal will look like. With View Menu, eating out in a new place is fun, easy, and stress-free. Say goodbye to confusion and hello to amazing food experiences! Download View Menu now and enjoy every meal with confidence! ___________ Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. SUBSCRIPTION PRICING AND TERMS Subscription Options: Weekly Premium Membership offers $5.99 weekly subscription for unlocking: Instant menu translations, ai dish recommendations, ai-generated dish photos, save & revisit menues Yearly Premium Membership offers $39.99 yearly subscription for unlocking: Instant menu translations, ai dish recommendations, ai-generated dish photos, save & revisit menues Terms of Service: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V1zUJFQuemwRooPH7KOQl2Iq9FfPHrXhRxI_VUL2LA8/edit?usp=sharing Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g6tMTWBKNBE1bQisvA75o0wdlWrvmiVdtrfhiVMDJQE/edit?usp=sharing

Screenshots

Menu Explain4 screens
View Menu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Menu Explain at 93% against View Menu's 6%. Menu Explain also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.1) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). View Menu's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 10 days) and ratings volume (30 vs 8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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 Explain sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and View Menu sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Menu Explain holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 30 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Menu Explain's written reviews are positive against 6% of View Menu's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Menu Explain ships an update every 10 days, View Menu every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Menu Explain versus View Menu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMenu ExplainView Menu
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (8 ratings) — better3.1 (30 ratings)
Positive reviews93.3% of reviews — better6.3% of reviews
Number of ratings830 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMentioned In, LLCNikita Velichko

Customer experience

Menu Explain

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive93.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.7%

View Menu

All ratings30 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral6.7%
Negative43.3%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive6.3%
Neutral12.5%
Negative81.3%

Bugs and requests

Menu Explain

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

View Menu

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Unable to read any menus uploaded
  • Onboarding process is overly long and bloated
  • Lifetime subscription offer not available as advertised

Requested features

2 requests
  • Improve menu reading capabilities
  • Ensure transparent and ethical business practices

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Menu Explain

Subscriptions4
  • Full Access - Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Full Access - Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Full Access - Yearly$9.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Full Access - Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time6
  • 5 Scan Credits$0.99
  • Scan Pack - 10$0.99
  • 3-Day Pass$2.99
Show 3 more
  • Scan Pack - 50$3.99
  • 7-Day Pass$4.99
  • 14-Day Pass$7.99
3 purchases

View Menu

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • LifetimeFree

Questions

Is Menu Explain free?
Menu Explain is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is View Menu free?
View Menu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Menu Explain or View Menu?
Menu Explain is rated higher. Menu Explain averages 4.5 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while View Menu averages 3.1 from 30 ratings.
Do Menu Explain or View Menu have ads?
Neither Menu Explain nor View Menu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Menu Explain or View Menu?
Menu Explain ships an update every 10 days, and View Menu every 4 days. Most recently, Menu Explain was updated on October 4, 2026 and View Menu on October 3, 2026.

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