# BBQ Captain vs BBQ Smoke Lab

The clearest difference is update cadence: BBQ Captain at every 2 weeks against BBQ Smoke Lab's every 2 months. BBQ Smoke Lab's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BBQ Captain sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and BBQ Smoke Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for BBQ Captain against 5.0 for BBQ Smoke Lab. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

BBQ Captain ships an update every 2 weeks, BBQ Smoke Lab every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BBQ Captain | BBQ Smoke Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbq-captain-smoker-timer/id6781492781/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbq-smoke-lab/id6784887885/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Brett Stalcup](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896199957) | [Jason Ireland](https://appshunter.io/developer/6784887887) |

## What reviewers say

### BBQ Captain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbq-captain-smoker-timer/id6781492781)

This app helps home smokers plan and execute perfect cooks by calculating start times backward from your desired dinner time. It adaptively adjusts projected finish times based on real-time temperature readings, detects the stall phase, and provides timely reminders for wrapping, pulling, and resting meat.

**Highlights:** Backward planning from dinner time, Adaptive cook time projection, Stall detection and wrap alerts, Customizable reminders for key steps, Cook history log with notes and photos (Pro), Privacy-first, no account or ads

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MeatGenius Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


### BBQ Smoke Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbq-smoke-lab/id6784887885)

This app guides users through the entire BBQ smoking process, from preparation to serving. It offers detailed information on various meats, wood pairings, rubs, and pit setups. Advanced features include Bluetooth probe support and AI analysis for a perfect cook every time.

**Highlights:** Meat cooking guides, Wood pairing recommendations, Rub builder, Pit setup instructions, Live cook timer with alerts, Bluetooth probe support, AI meat analysis

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BBQ Smoke Lab Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BBQ Captain free?

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

### Is BBQ Smoke Lab free?

BBQ Smoke Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BBQ Captain or BBQ Smoke Lab?

BBQ Captain and BBQ Smoke Lab are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do BBQ Captain or BBQ Smoke Lab have ads?

Neither BBQ Captain nor BBQ Smoke Lab shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BBQ Captain or BBQ Smoke Lab?

BBQ Captain ships an update every 2 weeks, and BBQ Smoke Lab every 2 months. Most recently, BBQ Captain was updated on October 31, 2026 and BBQ Smoke Lab on November 5, 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.*