Comparison

BarrelBook vs Whiskey Thief Journal

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

Head to head
About

BarrelBook

Catalog your whiskey and bourbon collection, log tasting notes, and track your wishlist. Analyze your collection's value and tasting history with detailed insights. Features include bottle scanning, privacy mode, and iCloud syncing.

Highlights
  • Track bottle details (proof, distillery, age, price)
  • Log tasting notes and rate pours
  • Build and prioritize a wishlist
  • Scan bottle labels to auto-fill data
  • Collection value and tasting analytics
  • Infinity bottle tracking
  • iCloud sync across devices
Read full description

BarrelBook: Know thy shelf. BarrelBook is the whiskey collection app for whiskey lovers who want their whiskey neat, and their data even neater. Website: https://www.barrelbookapp.com Discord: https://discord.com/invite/nfgGYnGWfA 5-minute overview: https://youtu.be/WQjhyPm62KA Full walkthrough: https://youtu.be/yY71ND7r3hs -------------------- YOUR COLLECTION -------------------- - Track every bottle: proof, distillery, age, price, and barrel finish - Monitor bottle status: open, sealed, or finished - Sort and filter by any attribute in seconds - Scan a bottle's label with the camera or from a photo to fill in name, proof and age (beta) - Sync with a CSV file for desktop management (Premium) - Privacy mode hides individual prices and total collection value -------------------- LOG EVERY POUR AND TASTING -------------------- - Record nose, palate, and finish with guided tasting notes - Rate every pour on a 1-10 scale - Pick flavor profiles on an interactive flavor wheel - Browse your tasting history in journal or calendar view -------------------- YOUR WISHLIST -------------------- - Build and prioritize your hunt list with target prices - Track which stores carry your wishlisted bottles and set your target price for each one - Set replacement candidates for bottles you have finished -------------------- ANALYTICS AND INSIGHTS -------------------- - Collection value, proof distribution, and price breakdowns - What you paid and what your shelf is worth on the secondary market, side by side - Tasting coverage: see exactly what you have opened and what you have not - Tap any chart to see the bottles behind the numbers - Export your full collection as a CSV anytime (Premium) -------------------- INFINITY BOTTLE TRACKING -------------------- - Track every whiskey added, proof calculations, and remaining volume - Log tastings as your blend evolves over time -------------------- IPHONE, IPAD AND ICLOUD -------------------- - Built for iPad too, with a sidebar and your list and details side by side - Your collection syncs between iPhone and iPad through your own iCloud - See which of your devices have BarrelBook and when each last synced -------------------- PRIVACY AND OWNERSHIP -------------------- - Your data lives on your devices and in your own iCloud: no account, and nothing reaches us - Free for up to 5 bottles and 2 tastings. One-time $7.99 unlocks everything. No subscription, ever -------------------- Website: barrelbookapp.com Discord: discord.gg/nfgGYnGWfA Support: support@barrelbookapp.com Terms of Use: https://github.com/Eroxx/BarrelBook/blob/main/TermsofService.md

About

Whiskey Thief Journal

Features
Read full description

Your whole whiskey shelf, free. No bottle limits, no account, no ads. Whiskey Thief is the private whiskey journal with an AI palate — your collection never leaves your phone. Log every bottle you own, whether that's ten or a thousand, and keep the notes, ratings, and pours that make each one yours. FREE: YOUR WHOLE SHELF • Unlimited bottles — the whole collection, not a sample of it • Tasting notes and ratings for every bottle • Pour logging • Collection value tracking • A pour picker that chooses tonight's bottle from your own shelf • The Vault: collection stats and badges to earn • A distillery map of where your whiskey comes from • Backups, including to your own iCloud No account to create. No ads. No tracking. WHISKEY THIEF PRO Pro adds an AI palate that learns what you love. Start with a free 7-day trial, then $4.99 a month or $34.99 a year. • Shelf Check: scan a bottle in the store and get a Buy / Try First / Pass verdict grounded in your own ratings • Palate analysis that names the through-lines in your taste • Tasting-note assist • Compare bottles side by side • Cigar pairing • Market value estimate • Identify from photo (first scan free) — it helps read handwritten labels and pull in what it can Built by a collector, for collectors. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation. Your subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period; manage it anytime in your Apple ID settings. Privacy Policy: https://getwhiskeythief.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://getwhiskeythief.com/terms For adults of legal drinking age. Please enjoy responsibly.

Screenshots

BarrelBook4 screens
Whiskey Thief Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

BarrelBook and Whiskey Thief Journal are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. BarrelBook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Whiskey Thief Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BarrelBook ships an update every 3 days, Whiskey Thief Journal every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
BarrelBook versus Whiskey Thief Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBarrelBookWhiskey Thief Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB87 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperEric LinderGlenn Capps

In-app purchases

1 purchases

BarrelBook

One-time1
  • BarrelBook Premium$7.99
2 purchases

Whiskey Thief Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Whiskey Thief Pro7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Whiskey Thief Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$34.991 Year

Questions

Is BarrelBook free?
BarrelBook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Whiskey Thief Journal free?
Whiskey Thief Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BarrelBook or Whiskey Thief Journal have ads?
Neither BarrelBook nor Whiskey Thief Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BarrelBook or Whiskey Thief Journal?
BarrelBook ships an update every 3 days, and Whiskey Thief Journal every 4 days. Most recently, BarrelBook was updated on October 24, 2026 and Whiskey Thief Journal on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons