# Anova Culinary vs The MeatStick

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The MeatStick at none against Anova Culinary's 2. The MeatStick also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.1). Anova Culinary's advantage is ratings volume (26K vs 1.2K) and chart position (#33 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Anova Culinary sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. The MeatStick asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Anova Culinary against 4.3 for The MeatStick. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Anova Culinary has 26K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 32% of Anova Culinary's written reviews are positive against 26% of The MeatStick's.

Anova Culinary ships an update monthly, The MeatStick every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Anova Culinary | The MeatStick |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anova-culinary/id959638683/reviews)** | [4.3 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-meatstick/id1353339890/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 1.2K |
| Positive reviews | **31.6% of reviews** | 26.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#33** | — |
| Size | 80 MB | 357 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Anova Culinary](https://appshunter.io/developer/959638682) | [Soma Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1353339889) |

## What reviewers say

### Anova Culinary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anova-culinary/id959638683)

**Currently charting:** #33 Top Grossing · Food & Drink (US App Store)

Discover and create sous vide recipes with a vast collection from professional chefs and home cooks. Control your precision cooker remotely, monitor cooking progress, and share your culinary creations. Offers guided cooking, time and temperature guides, and personal recipe saving.

**Highlights:** Largest sous vide recipe collection, Remote cooker control, Guided cooking instructions, Recipe creation and sharing, Time and temperature guides, Personalized cooking profiles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Sous Vide Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Consistent cooking results
- 🚀 Versatile for various foods
- 🚀 Game-changing cooking method
- 🚀 Convenient remote control

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues with app
- 🐛 Unreliable timer functionality
- 🐛 Glitchy app interface
- 🐛 Difficult WiFi setup
- 🐛 Lack of manual controls

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to maintain connection to device
- Timer resets unexpectedly during cooking
- Recipes not saving properly in the app
- Compatibility issues with certain WiFi networks
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Improved recipe management
- Better app integration with smart home devices
- More customization options for cooking
- Clearer instructions and troubleshooting guides
- Ability to save personal recipes


### The MeatStick

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-meatstick/id1353339890)

This app helps you achieve perfect meat cooking results every time. Monitor and control your meal remotely, ensuring your meat is never overcooked or undercooked.

**Highlights:** Monitor and control cooking remotely, Achieve meat perfection, Prevent overcooking/undercooking, Easy to use interface, Cook juicy and tender meats

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great performance and reliable
- 👍 Perfect meat all the time
- 👍 Game changer!
- 👍 Quality product
- 👍 Straightforward and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant connection issues and slow to get temp
- 🐛 Verbindung bricht ab
- 🐛 Loses connection frequently
- 🐛 Doesn't work, support is terrible
- 🐛 Doesn't work when you need it

**Reported bugs**

- Firmware update issues
- Connectivity problems
- Thermometer inaccuracies
- App crashes
- Stick failures after limited use

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to rename sticks
- Ability to edit past sessions without stick
- Simpler one-press operation to start and stop


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Anova Culinary free?

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

### Is The MeatStick free?

The MeatStick is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Anova Culinary or The MeatStick?

Anova Culinary is rated higher. Anova Culinary averages 4.4 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while The MeatStick averages 4.3 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Anova Culinary or The MeatStick have ads?

Neither Anova Culinary nor The MeatStick shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Anova Culinary or The MeatStick?

Anova Culinary ships an update monthly, and The MeatStick every 3 weeks. Most recently, Anova Culinary was updated on September 25, 2026 and The MeatStick on September 24, 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.*