Comparison

Cha Qi · 茶气 vs Steep

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

Head to head
About

Cha Qi · 茶气

This app helps gongfu cha drinkers calculate tea session scores, estimate caffeine and L-theanine, and forecast sleep impact. It offers personalized brew recommendations based on desired mental states and includes a session timer and diary for logging experiences.

Highlights
  • Gongfu cha session calculator
  • Caffeine and L-theanine estimation
  • Sleep impact forecast
  • TCM nature and Qi profile analysis
  • Goal-driven brew recommendations
  • Gongfu infusion timer
  • Session diary and notes
Features
Read full description

Cha Qi · 茶气 is a calculator and notebook for the gongfu cha drinker. WHAT IT DOES • Cha qi score on Lu Tong's Seven Bowls scale • Caffeine and L-theanine estimate • Sleep forecast — when you can fall asleep by 11pm • TCM nature 性 of the brew: cool, neutral, warm, hot • Qi profile: calm vs focus vs euphoria balance • Goal-driven recommendation: what to brew for the state you want SIX TABS • Session: pick your tea, vessel, and grams — see the calculation • Goal: set a state ("Bright focus", "Soft relaxation", "Deep dive", "Cha zui euphoria") and get a brew plan • Timer: gongfu infusion timer • Diary: log sessions, taste notes, mood • A/B: compare two brews side by side • Teas: library of 40 known varieties + your personal stash PRIVACY All your data — library, diary, notes — stays on your device. Nothing is uploaded. LANGUAGES Russian, English, Chinese (Simplified) with locale-aware tea names. OFFLINE Works without internet.

About

Steep

Features
Read full description

Steep is the tea app for people who care how their tea is brewed. Set a precise timer for green, black, oolong, white, or puerh — with smart presets for temperature and time. In gongfu mode, Steep tracks each short infusion in sequence, auto-bumping the next steep and counting down right on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, so your hands stay on the gaiwan. Build your stash by photographing a tin or pouch — Steep reads the label and fills in type, origin, vendor, and harvest year for you to confirm. See your whole collection at a glance, track quantity and value, and mark aging puerh cakes you're saving. Journal every session: log each infusion, dictate tasting notes hands-free, and let on-device intelligence organize them into aroma, body, and finish. Suggestions, never appraisals — your palate stays the authority. When your shelf is worth showing off, export a beautiful tea-shelf card to share with your community. Everything syncs privately across your devices with iCloud. Nothing leaves your phone for our servers. Free to brew with built-in timers and a starter stash. Steep Pro unlocks unlimited teas and sessions, label scanning, AI notes, value tracking, and unbranded cards — monthly, annual, or a one-time lifetime unlock. Steep your tea. Remember it. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://brainrash.com/privacy

Screenshots

Cha Qi · 茶气4 screens
Steep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cha Qi · 茶气 at none against Steep's 2. Cha Qi · 茶气 also leads on iOS requirement (16.1 vs 26.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Steep sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Cha Qi · 茶气 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Cha Qi · 茶气 versus Steep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCha Qi · 茶气Steep
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequency—Every 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.1 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUMAR SEMENOVJustin Pruskowski

In-app purchases

None

Cha Qi · 茶气

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Steep

Subscriptions2
  • Steep Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Steep Pro Annual$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Cha Qi · 茶气 free?
Cha Qi · 茶气 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Steep free?
Steep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Cha Qi · 茶气 or Steep have ads?
Neither Cha Qi · 茶气 nor Steep shows ads.

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