# Recipe Keeper vs Backyard Pitmaster Pal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Backyard Pitmaster Pal at none against Recipe Keeper's 2. Backyard Pitmaster Pal also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Recipe Keeper's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Recipe Keeper sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Backyard Pitmaster Pal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Backyard Pitmaster Pal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Recipe Keeper has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Recipe Keeper | Backyard Pitmaster Pal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recipe-keeper-cooking-diary/id6743482774/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-pitmaster-pal/id6744256459/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 12 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Serhii Kravchuk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1782521114) | [James Houvener](https://appshunter.io/developer/1806697791) |

## What reviewers say

### Recipe Keeper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recipe-keeper-cooking-diary/id6743482774)

Organize and share your favorite recipes with this digital culinary journal. Create, save, and edit dishes with images and step-by-step instructions. Enjoy a stylish, intuitive interface for easy recipe management and sharing.

**Highlights:** Create and save recipes, Attach images to recipes, Organize by category, Mark favorite recipes, Advanced search functionality, Share recipes easily, Automatic data saving

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3-day Trial Then 6.99$/week | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


### Backyard Pitmaster Pal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-pitmaster-pal/id6744256459)

Log your favorite barbecue cooks and smokes with details like meat, cooker, temperatures, and notes. Get started with 8 common cooks and 3 popular smokers, all customizable. Share your recipes with others.

**Highlights:** Log meat, cooker, temperatures, and times, Record notes on spice rubs and brines, Includes 8 common BBQ cooks to start, Features 3 popular smoker types, Customizable meat and smoker lists, Edit or delete saved recipes, Export and import cook details

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Recipe Keeper free?

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

### Is Backyard Pitmaster Pal free?

Backyard Pitmaster Pal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Recipe Keeper or Backyard Pitmaster Pal?

Backyard Pitmaster Pal is rated higher. Recipe Keeper averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Backyard Pitmaster Pal averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Recipe Keeper or Backyard Pitmaster Pal have ads?

Backyard Pitmaster Pal shows ads; Recipe Keeper does not.

### Which is updated more often, Recipe Keeper or Backyard Pitmaster Pal?

Recipe Keeper ships an update every 6 weeks, and Backyard Pitmaster Pal every 6 weeks. Most recently, Recipe Keeper was updated on October 8, 2026 and Backyard Pitmaster Pal on October 30, 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.*