# FlameTamer vs BBQ Captain

The clearest difference is update cadence: BBQ Captain at every 2 weeks against FlameTamer's every 4 months. FlameTamer's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FlameTamer sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and BBQ Captain sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for FlameTamer against 5.0 for BBQ Captain. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FlameTamer has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

FlameTamer ships an update every 4 months, BBQ Captain every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FlameTamer | BBQ Captain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flametamerthe-smart-bbq-timer/id6739212369/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbq-captain-smoker-timer/id6781492781/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 49 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Didier Sand](https://appshunter.io/developer/1784248456) | [Brett Stalcup](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896199957) |

## What reviewers say

### FlameTamer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flametamerthe-smart-bbq-timer/id6739212369)

This app helps grill masters perfectly time multiple food items so they are all ready simultaneously. It aims to reduce stress and ensure guests enjoy perfectly cooked food without the host constantly monitoring the grill.

**Highlights:** Simultaneous food timing, Stress-free grilling, Perfectly cooked food, Guest entertainment focus, Smart timer functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Filet Mignon Steak | $0.69 | one-time |
| Salmon | $0.69 | one-time |
| Tuna fish | $0.69 | one-time |
| Mahi Mahi | $0.69 | one-time |
| T-Bone Steak | $0.69 | one-time |
| Burger Family Bundle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Steak Family Bundle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Chicken Family Bundle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pork Family Bundle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Fish Family Bundle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mega Bundle | $3.49 | one-time |


### BBQ Captain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbq-captain-smoker-timer/id6781492781)

This app helps home smokers plan and execute perfect cooks by calculating start times backward from your desired dinner time. It adaptively adjusts projected finish times based on real-time temperature readings, detects the stall phase, and provides timely reminders for wrapping, pulling, and resting meat.

**Highlights:** Backward planning from dinner time, Adaptive cook time projection, Stall detection and wrap alerts, Customizable reminders for key steps, Cook history log with notes and photos (Pro), Privacy-first, no account or ads

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MeatGenius Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FlameTamer free?

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

### Is BBQ Captain free?

BBQ Captain is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, FlameTamer or BBQ Captain?

FlameTamer and BBQ Captain are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do FlameTamer or BBQ Captain have ads?

Neither FlameTamer nor BBQ Captain shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FlameTamer or BBQ Captain?

FlameTamer ships an update every 4 months, and BBQ Captain every 2 weeks. Most recently, FlameTamer was updated on September 23, 2026 and BBQ Captain on October 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.*