# The Recipe Extractor vs Cold Case Trace

The clearest difference is update cadence: Cold Case Trace at every 9 days against The Recipe Extractor's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Recipe Extractor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Cold Case Trace sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

The Recipe Extractor ships an update every 2 months, Cold Case Trace every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Recipe Extractor | Cold Case Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cold-case-trace-redstring/id6788852743/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **64** |
| Positive reviews | — | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 1 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Mathew Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895696338) | [Oguzhan Yildirim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1685663174) |

## What reviewers say

### The Recipe Extractor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-recipe-extractor/id6768546046)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $99.99 | per year |


### Cold Case Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cold-case-trace-redstring/id6788852743)

Uncover the truth by examining a simulated phone's messages, photos, and data. Connect clues on an evidence board and accuse the killer in this interactive detective story. Your first case is free to play.

**Highlights:** Simulated phone with chats, photos, and data, Interactive live chat with client, Evidence board with red string connections, Escalating hint system, Multiple European case locations, Unlockable cases via subscription

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Redstring Pass — Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Pass — Special Offer | $19.99 | per year |
| Redstring Pass — Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| Reveal the Answer | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5 Reveals | $4.99 | one-time |
| 10 Reveals | $7.99 | one-time |
| All Cases — Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Recipe Extractor free?

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

### Is Cold Case Trace free?

Cold Case Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do The Recipe Extractor or Cold Case Trace have ads?

Neither The Recipe Extractor nor Cold Case Trace shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Recipe Extractor or Cold Case Trace?

The Recipe Extractor ships an update every 2 months, and Cold Case Trace every 9 days. Most recently, The Recipe Extractor was updated on October 25, 2026 and Cold Case Trace on November 1, 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.*