# BarShelf vs MADBAR

The clearest difference is rating: MADBAR at 5.0 against BarShelf's 3.5. MADBAR also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 weeks). BarShelf's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.3). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BarShelf sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and MADBAR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MADBAR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

BarShelf ships an update every 2 weeks, MADBAR every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BarShelf | MADBAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barshelf-whiskey-tracker/id6754469129/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/madbar/id6759474649/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 98 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 26.3 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Define You](https://appshunter.io/developer/1831894928) | [JAMES RICHARD DE HAAN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875610044) |

## What reviewers say

### BarShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barshelf-whiskey-tracker/id6754469129)

Catalog your home bar's bottles, track pours, and discover cocktail recipes based on what you own. Get AI-powered suggestions and insights into your drinking habits. Share your collection and tasting notes visually.

**Highlights:** Catalog bottles with details (ABV, volume, fill level), Track tasting notes and ratings, AI cocktail suggestions based on owned bottles, Log drinking moments and analyze taste patterns, Create shareable collection and review cards, Visualize your digital home bar shelf

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BarShelf Pro Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| BarShelf Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| BarShelf Pro Annually | $39.99 | per year |


### MADBAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/madbar/id6759474649)

Transform your home bar into a professional cocktail lounge. This app uses AI to scan your bottles, import recipes, suggest drinks based on your inventory, and help plan parties. It offers advanced inventory tracking and smart shopping lists.

**Highlights:** AI-powered bottle scanning, Recipe import from URLs and menus, AI bartender suggestions, Event planning and party mode, Smart shopping list generation, iCloud sync for data backup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MADBAR | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BarShelf free?

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

### Is MADBAR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BarShelf or MADBAR?

MADBAR is rated higher. BarShelf averages 3.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while MADBAR averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do BarShelf or MADBAR have ads?

Neither BarShelf nor MADBAR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BarShelf or MADBAR?

BarShelf ships an update every 2 weeks, and MADBAR every 6 days. Most recently, BarShelf was updated on October 6, 2026 and MADBAR on September 25, 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.*