The Coffee Diary vs BeanBench
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Coffee Diary
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4 core features of The Coffee Diary 1. Coffee Logging & Journaling - Record detailed coffee entries with date, time, and location - Rate coffees on a 5-star scale - Document brewing methods (pour-over, espresso, French press, etc.) - Track coffee beans, roasters, and origin - Save flavor notes and personal observations - Attach photos to each coffee entry 2. Coffee Stats & Insights - Visualize coffee consumption patterns - Track frequency of coffee intake (daily, weekly, monthly) - Analyze preferred coffee types and brewing methods - Review average ratings by coffee type, brand, or location - Monitor caffeine consumption trends - Generate year-in-review reports (Premium feature) 3. Coffee News & Discovery - Browse latest coffee industry news - Discover new brewing techniques - Learn about coffee origins and processing methods - Stay updated on coffee equipment releases - Read expert brew guides and tips - Brand & Cafe Management 4. Save favorite coffee brands - Create a personal database of beans and roasters - Log and rate cafes and coffee shops - Map visualization of visited coffee locations Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula
BeanBench
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BeanBench is a coffee log for people who brew at home and drink out. Track the beans you buy, the cups you make, and the cafés you visit, then see how your taste develops over time. LOG BREWS, YOUR WAY - Guided timers with stage-by-stage prompts and haptics: V60, 4:6, the BeanBench House recipes, Chemex, Kalita, AeroPress, French press, Stagg [XF], cold brew, and cupping, plus any recipe you save yourself. - Quick manual logging when you already know the numbers: dose, water, temperature, grind (with your grinder's own scale), total time, and drawdown. Add a custom brew method if yours isn't listed. - Espresso too: baskets, prep, pressure profiles, and shot outcomes. BUILD YOUR COFFEE LIBRARY - Scan a bag: photograph the label and BeanBench reads it on your device, including the roaster, origin, process, variety, roast date, and tasting notes. Then you review and save. Photos never leave your phone. - Or import from an AI assistant: copy a prompt, attach your bag photos in the assistant you already use, then paste the reply back. - Track price, bag size, rest days after roast, and whether you'd buy again. Resting reminders tell you when a bag is ready. RATE WITH PRECISION - Five stars, with quarter-star steps. Tap for speed, drag for precision. CHECK IN AT CAFÉS - Log drinks at coffee shops with photos, prices, and ratings. See your visits on a map and in stats. Earn badges as your coffee map grows. SEE YOUR TASTE DEVELOP - The Coffee Passport automatically stamps countries and flavor families based on what you log. - Analytics show brew trends, spending, top coffees, and what you actually reorder. YOUR DATA, YOURS - Everything lives on your device. Optional iCloud sync uses your private iCloud account, with live sync status in Settings so you always know where things stand. We never see your data. - Full backup and restore to a single file. CSV and JSON export for everything. No account. No ads. No tracking.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BeanBench at none against The Coffee Diary's 3. The Coffee Diary's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. The Coffee Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. BeanBench asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | The Coffee Diary | BeanBench |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | — | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SEQULA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP | John Hodge |
In-app purchases
The Coffee Diary
- The Coffee Diary$1.991 Month
- The Coffee Diary$4.993 Months
- The Coffee Diary$9.991 Year
BeanBench
No in-app purchases








