Paprika alternatives, compared honestly
Paprika is a long-standing, well-loved recipe manager. If it isn't quite fitting how you cook now, here's what else is out there, checked against each app's own site and App Store listing in October 2026.
The best Paprika alternative depends on what you're missing. For saving recipes from TikTok and Instagram on iPhone with a free planner and list, try Cookt. For social saving on Android too, try ReciMe. For a free start across PC, Mac and phone, try Recipe Keeper. For web planning and shared lists, Samsung Food.
Get Cookt free on the App Store
What Paprika does well
As of October 2026, Paprika runs on iOS (iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch), Mac, Windows and Android, with each version sold separately; the iOS app is $4.99 on the US App Store. It imports recipes from websites through a built-in browser, writes grocery lists that combine ingredients and sort by aisle, tracks a pantry with expiry dates, plans meals by day, week or month and syncs everything between your devices. Paprika 4 is in open beta.
People usually look elsewhere for one of three reasons: they find most recipes in videos rather than on websites, they want to try an app free first, or they want a different way of cooking from the screen.
Cookt: for saving from TikTok and Instagram on iPhone
Cookt is free on iPhone and Apple Watch. Tap Share in TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or Safari, then Cookt, and the recipe lands in your cookbook as ingredients and steps. You can also paste a link, scan a cookbook page or type a recipe in.
The meal plan and shopping list are free: plan dinners onto nights and the list combines amounts, groups by aisle and skips what's in your pantry. Cook mode shows one step at a time with timers in the steps, on your Lock Screen and on your watch. Cookt Pro, billed by Apple, adds more saves and AI help.
The honest catch: no Android, Windows or Mac app. If you cook from a laptop or share recipes with someone on Android, Paprika or one of the apps below will suit you better.
ReciMe: for social saving on iPhone and Android
ReciMe runs on iPhone, iPad and Android and saves recipes from Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest, and from screenshots or photos of handwritten recipes. The free version allows 5 recipe imports a week, with the grocery list, meal plan and cookbooks free. ReciMe Plus is a paid in-app upgrade, with options from $29.99 to $59.99 on the US App Store.
ReciMe vs Paprika in a sentence: ReciMe leans towards social media saving and a subscription; Paprika leans towards a desktop-friendly library you buy once per platform.
Recipe Keeper: for a free start on every device
Recipe Keeper is closest to Paprika in spirit: one recipe library across iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows and Mac, synced between them and available offline. It's free to download, with a Pro Upgrade in-app purchase listed at $19.99 on the US App Store. It imports from websites, Instagram and TikTok, scans recipes from photos and works with Amazon Alexa.
Samsung Food, and a note on Mealime
Samsung Food runs on Android, iOS, Galaxy devices and the web, so you can plan from a laptop browser. The core app is free, with Samsung Food+ at $6.99 a month or $59.99 a year on the US App Store. It saves recipes from any website, offers shared grocery lists and has a large public recipe catalogue.
If you came here looking for a Mealime alternative: Mealime's own site says it was discontinued as of 21 October 2026, with its recipes moving to Meals Hub in the Albertsons Companies grocery apps. Any app on this page can cover weekly planning and a shopping list.
When to stay with Paprika
If you already have a large library in Paprika, you cook from a Mac or Windows PC, and most of your recipes come from websites, there's a good case for staying put, especially with Paprika 4 on the way. Switching apps only makes sense if it fixes something that bothers you every week.
Questions
Is there a free alternative to Paprika?
Yes. Cookt, Recipe Keeper, ReciMe and Samsung Food are all free to download, each with optional paid upgrades.
ReciMe vs Paprika: which is better?
ReciMe suits people who save mostly from social media and want to start free. Paprika suits people who want a library on desktop and mobile, bought once per platform.
Is Paprika a one-time purchase?
As of October 2026 the iOS app is $4.99 on the US App Store, listed with no in-app purchases, and the Mac, Windows and Android versions are each sold separately.
What are good alternatives to Mealime?
Mealime closed on 21 October 2026. Cookt, ReciMe, Samsung Food, Recipe Keeper and Paprika all offer meal planning with a shopping list.