Best recipe apps for iPhone (2026)
We make Fixins, so we’ve put it first. Every other app here is described as fairly as we can, from its own website or app store listing.
Updated
Recipe apps for iPhone split by where the recipes come from. Fixins shows recipes from creators that you can make with what you’ve scanned. Paprika, Crouton and Mela keep a library of recipes you save from the web or a cookbook. NYT Cooking has its own tested recipes, and ReciMe saves recipes from social apps.
See what your own kitchen can make.
On iPhone. Scan your kitchen, see what you can cook tonight.
First
The short version
What to look for
If you already have recipes you love, pick a manager that imports them well. If you want new ideas, pick an app with recipes of its own. Then check the price model: paid once, free with upgrades, or a subscription.
The list
The apps, one by one
Fixins
Built for iOS 26: scan your groceries, see creator recipes you can cook tonight, cook in step-by-step mode, and send what’s missing to Instacart. The scanner also adds your own handwritten or cookbook recipes.
- Where it runs
- iPhone, iOS 26 or later (United States and Canada)source
- Price
- Subscriptionsource
- Scan your pantry with the camera
- Yes: point the camera at a grocery item or barcode and it goes into your pantry with an expiration estimate; Fixins sends expiration alertssource 1source 2
- Where recipes come from
- Recipes from creators, plus your own handwritten or cookbook recipessource 1source 2
- Missing ingredients
- A grocery list of what you're missing, grouped by aisle; one tap sends it to Instacart checkoutsource
Paprika
A recipe manager that downloads recipes from websites, with a meal planner, a pantry and aisle-sorted lists, paid once at $4.99 on the App Store.
- Where it runs
- iOS, Mac, Android and Windows; the iPhone and iPad app needs iOS 12 or latersource 1source 2
- Scan your pantry with the camera
- Not stated on its listing. It has a pantry you fill in yourself, with expiry datessource
- Where recipes come from
- Recipes you download from websites or add yourselfsource
- Missing ingredients
- Grocery lists that combine ingredients and sort them by aisle; no ordering or delivery stated on its listingsource
Crouton
Imports recipes from websites, cookbook pages and photos, with a step-by-step mode, timers and Apple Watch support.
- Where it runs
- iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro; the iPhone app needs iOS 16.1 or latersource 1source 2
- Price
- Free to download, with optional paid upgrades on the App Storesource
- Scan your pantry with the camera
- Not stated on its listingsource
- Where recipes come from
- Recipes you import from websites, cookbook pages, photos or text, or add yourselfsource
- Missing ingredients
- Shopping lists from your recipes, with Reminders integration; no ordering or delivery stated on its listingsource
Mela
A simple recipe manager with an in-app browser that spots recipes on a page, a cook mode, and iCloud sync to iPad and Mac.
- Where it runs
- iPhone, iPad and Mac, synced with iCloud; the iPhone app needs iOS 15 or latersource 1source 2
- Price
- Free to download; a one-time purchase unlocks all featuressource
- Scan your pantry with the camera
- Not stated on its listingsource
- Where recipes come from
- Recipes you save from websites and recipe blogs, or scan from a booksource
- Missing ingredients
- Groceries kept in Apple’s Reminders app; no ordering or delivery stated on its listingsource
NYT Cooking
Over 20,000 tested recipes with videos from New York Times Cooking, a recipe box and a grocery list.
ReciMe
Saves recipes from Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube into cookbooks, meal plans and grocery lists.
- Price
- Free version (5 recipe imports a week), or a premium subscription with a 7-day free trialsource 1source 2
- Scan your pantry with the camera
- Not stated on its listingsource
- Where recipes come from
- Recipes you save from Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube, or from screenshots and photos of handwritten recipessource
- Missing ingredients
- Grocery lists sorted by aisle or recipe, with in-app grocery ordering for deliverysource
Trying Fixins
Getting started with Fixins
Get Fixins on your iPhone
Fixins needs iOS 26 or later and is available in the United States and Canada.
Scan your groceries
Point the camera at a grocery item or its barcode and it goes into your digital pantry.
Add your own recipes
The same scanner adds your own handwritten or cookbook recipes, like a family recipe card or a page from a cookbook you love.
Cook tonight
See the creator recipes you can make with what you already have. Anything missing goes on your grocery list, grouped by aisle, and one tap sends it to Instacart checkout.
Questions
Questions people ask
What’s a good free recipe app for iPhone?
Crouton and Mela are free to download, with paid upgrades. ReciMe has a free version with 5 recipe imports a week. Paprika is $4.99 once. NYT Cooking and Fixins are subscriptions.
Which iPhone recipe apps also run on Mac?
Paprika, Crouton and Mela all have Mac apps. Fixins is an iPhone app.
Which ones can scan a recipe from a cookbook?
Crouton and Mela scan recipes from a book. The Fixins scanner adds your own handwritten or cookbook recipes.
Keep reading
Related guides
- Paprika alternatives (2026)Paprika recipe app alternatives: Fixins, Crouton, Mela, AnyList, Plan to Eat and ReciMe, with platforms, prices and recipe sources from each app’s own page.
- ReciMe alternatives (2026)ReciMe alternatives, free and paid: Fixins, Paprika, Crouton, Samsung Food and AnyList, with prices, platforms and recipe sources from each app’s own page.
- Best recipe apps with a grocery list (2026)Recipe apps that build your grocery list: Fixins, AnyList, Paprika, ReciMe, Plan to Eat and NYT Cooking, compared on sorting, sharing and ordering.
Cook from what you have
Facts checked on October 21, 2026. Each fact links to the page it came from. “Not stated on its listing” means that page doesn’t say.
Cook a creator’s recipe tonight.
On iPhone. Scan your kitchen, see what you can cook tonight.