8 Best Recipe Apps: Build Your Cooking Inspiration in 2023

Cooking your own meal could be an individual’s best choice as you don’t have to be dependent on anyone. One can be sure of the ingredients they are putting in and can control the seasoning amount. It saves money and time and is probably the best choice for health, but the question arises of where one can start? This is where the best recipe apps enter.

These apps can play a significant role as it offers plenty of recipes. Before technological innovation and mobile app development, there were cookbooks running the food world. 

But, today is different because of a few inventions in the cooking world; flipping pages to find recipes is now considered to be “old school”. The recipe app offers several features, including search features that can help an individual with the recipes. 

What is a Recipe App?

A recipe application is a digital platform that offers users a diverse collection of culinary instructions for preparing various dishes. With features like recipe search, user profiles, meal planning, cooking timers, and step-by-step instructions, these apps provide a convenient and enjoyable way to explore new recipes and improve cooking skills.

Recipe Apps Market size was valued at USD 342.10 Million in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 1,098.22 Million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 13.24% from 2021 to 2028.

Users can save their favorite recipes, rate dishes, and leave reviews, creating a sense of community within the app. Recipe apps also allow for easy sharing of recipes with friends and family through social media or the app’s network. Overall, these applications have become popular among home cooks and food enthusiasts, offering a user-friendly and efficient solution for discovering, organizing, and sharing recipes.

The Best Recipe Apps

These apps can set a great example of how technology is evolving in 2022. Let’s take a look at the 8 best recipe apps.

1. Allrecipes Dinner Spinner

With Allrecipes Dinner Spinner, it is clear that millions of individuals enjoy cooking, whether as a pastime or just for fun. 

This app gathers recipes from a community of more than 50 million users, so each recipe has its own flavor. Along with recipes, individuals also offer pictures, reviews, and ratings.

You can create a shopping list, save any recipes you like, or look for particular recipes using Allrecipes. If you’re in a hurry or adhere to a strict diet, you may also restrict your search results by cooking time and diet. You can also filter out meals you dislike on Allrecipes.

However, this recipe app’s unique function allows us to look up which items are currently on sale in your area. It also informs you of the least expensive dishes you can prepare on a particular day. 

Additionally, it has agreements with specific retailers, so the app will suggest recipes when you enter one.

App	Allrecipes Dinner Spinner
Category	Food & drink
Price	Free; In-app purchases
Downloads	5,000,000+ downloads
Ratings	4+
USP	It offers quick suggestions, recipes, and a handy shopping list that can be accessed offline too.

2. BBC Good Food

The BBC is a British television network that features many food-related shows. Since then, the network has expanded its scope and produced one of the top recipe applications available. 

You get access to over 10,000 recipes through the BBC Good Food app, which includes dishes created by users, well-known chefs, and the BBC Good Food team.

It contains all the standard features you’d expect from a recipe app, including the option to review recipes and store favorites into personal collections. 

Since the recipes are in a step-by-step style, they are very simple to understand. You must, of course, create an account, but there is no fee for doing so.

One can save and categorize their favorite recipes, so now you can access your dishes offline. Also, you can share your recipes with your family and friends.

App	BBC Good Food
Category	Food & drink
Price	Free; In-app purchases
Downloads	5,00,000+ downloads
Ratings	3+
USP	It serves straightforward recipes, contains a library of over 10,000 recipes by users and professional and celebrity chefs, and can be shared easily with friends and family.

3. BigOven

Ever find only a few ingredients to work with when you open your refrigerator or pantry? BigOven is the ideal recipe app if you are too busy to go out and get more ingredients. You may find recipes with this app by searching for the items you have on hand. 

Choose three ingredients you want to use, and the app will propose several cuisines you may make with those ingredients.

To get access to the best collections from professional and celebrity chefs, one can upgrade to BigOven pro. Even without the pro subscription, BigOven is the best app where one can quickly and easily acquire an array of recipes.

Choose three ingredients you want to use, and the app will propose several cuisines you may make with those ingredients.

Browse through BigOven’s enormous recipe collection—which now numbers over 350,000. You can use the app to look for recipes, make a shopping list, and even upload pictures of your recipes. 

BigOven is a recipe app that integrates cooking and social networking. You can also watch other people’s recipes in real-time.

App	BigOven
Category	Food & drink
Price	Free; In-app purchases
Downloads	10,00,000+ downloads
Ratings	4+
USP	It’s a free account that allows you to make a recipe list and let you add your Facebook friend’s recipe. One can choose any 3 ingredients, and the app will automatically suggest a dish out of them.

4. Cookpad

When you sign up with Cookpad, you receive a profile that you can use to explore the recipes that other users have posted. 

The recipes are divided into many categories, which makes browsing simple. You may check your Cookplan on Cookpad without an internet connection as well.

One of the recipe applications that smoothly blends a social aspect to cooking is Cookpad, formerly known as All the Cooks. 

You may read recipes that other people have published and liked on Cookpad once you log in. Recipes you have created yourself can be uploaded, along with any images you like. You may also like and comment on other people’s recipes, and they can do the same for you.

In addition, interacting and exchanging ideas with other enthusiasts who share enthusiasm is a great approach to advancing your abilities.

App	Cookpad
Category	Food & drink
Price	Free; In-app purchases
Downloads	10,000,000+ downloads
Ratings	4+
USP	Recipes are organized under many headings (main dishes, desserts, side dishes, etc.), and you can even do an ingredient-based search. Additionally, a whole section is allocated to drinks and bartending.

5. Food Network Kitchen

There are more than 70,000 recipes from celebrity chefs on Food Network Kitchen. There are recipes for every meal, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This app’s recipes also include videos to help new chefs who find it difficult to follow written instructions.

Finding recipes is also not difficult. A recipe can be found by its ingredients or the cook who prepared it. Similar to a traditional cookbook, the app also enables you to make comments, such as any suggestions or substitutes. 

The Food Network Kitchen allows you to create a shopping list directly from the recipe page, just like other recipe applications.

Additionally, the app includes a detailed list of everything you need. Individuals don’t have to worry about forgetting essential kitchen tools or ingredients. 

For instance, if an individual doesn’t have a tool, it shows the list of recipes that don’t include the need for that tool.

App	Food Network Kitchen
Category	Food & drink
Price	Free; In-app purchases
Downloads	50,00,000+ downloads
Ratings	4.5+
USP	It offers 40+ live classes per week. The chef and professionals will answer your questions in real-time and will get to follow other users’ questions, so we are growing together.

6. Kitchen Stories

KitchenStories is the ideal app if the majority of individuals frequently rely on pretty pictures. Every recipe includes step-by-step image instructions, and some even include videos. The in-house chefs of KitchenStories have built a significant recipe collection.

One can also help other users by giving them tips on their recipes. There’s a large list of original and unique content in the form of videos and articles. 

Kitchen Stories is a free app that doesn’t need a subscription, and users can reap its benefits for the best.  

Another amazing feature, it contains a shopping list maker that you can export to the reminders on your phone. KitchenStories emphasizes recipes using common ingredients. 

Additionally, there is original content available in the form of articles and videos that you may draw inspiration from.

App	Kitchen Stories
Category	Food & drink
Price	Free; In-app purchases
Downloads	10,00,000+ downloads
Ratings	4.5+
USP	One can scroll through step-by-step instructions and videos, so you can cook your food appropriately. It offers a practical serving sizing converter if you’re cooking just for yourself or a huge crowd.

7. Paprika

Paprika, available for iOS, macOS, and Windows, functions more like a recipe organizer than an app with a great collection of recipes. 

This app is different from other recipe apps on this page as it’s a recipe manager app rather than an app full of recipes. 

You may store recipes you find online with the assistance of the Paprika app. You may also upload pre-existing recipes to Paprika’s library if you have them.

One can import their recipe directly from other desktop and mobile apps and can share recipes through email. 

In addition, this app offers grocery lists, meal planning, and creating menus depending on the selected recipe. One can also go for a built-in kitchen timer so they can not overcook and keep track of their recipes.

The app also enables you to create meals using your preferred meal plans, grocery lists, and meal planning.

Additionally, this app allows you to scale ingredients up or down based on the number of servings you want to cook. 

App	Paprika
Category	Food & drink
Price	$ 4.99
Downloads	1,00,000+
Ratings	4.5+
USP	You can plan meals, create grocery lists, and organize your recipes using this app.

8. Tasty

An individual can search the internet or scroll through social media feeds and find at least one Tasty video. BuzzFeed-owned Tasty is one of the best recipe apps that began by producing cooking videos and has subsequently expanded with an app.

You can easily hunt for recipes, especially those you’ve passed on your timeline and neglected to save for later. You may select the recipes according to your diet as well. 

It also suggests meals you may prepare on particular days, including significant holidays. If one is looking for recipe apps, Tasty is a great recipe app to discover.

Delicious dishes include easy-to-follow instructions and are delicious. Additionally, it ensures that your phone is active the entire time, saving you from having to repeatedly unlock it every few minutes while holding anything in your hands.

The ability of the app to shop for ingredients online at Walmart may be its most intriguing feature. Simply put the things in your bag and choose the day you wish to pick them up.

App	Tasty
Category	Food & drink
Price	Free
Downloads	10,000,000+ downloads
Ratings	4.5+
USP	They display recipe videos from above the counter so that customers can watch how to prepare food.

How to Develop a Recipe App?

Developing a recipe application involves several steps. Here’s a high-level overview of the process:

Idea and Conceptualization: Define the core concept of your recipe app. Decide on the key features, target audience, and unique selling points that will set your app apart.

Market Research: Study existing recipe apps to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Identify opportunities for differentiation and improvement.

Define Features and User Flow: Create a detailed list of features your app will offer, such as recipe search, user profiles, meal planning, etc. Design the user flow and how users will navigate through the app.

Design and User Interface: Create wireframes and mockups for the app’s user interface. Design a visually appealing and intuitive layout that aligns with your brand.

Choose Development Approach: Decide whether you’ll develop a native app (iOS and Android) or a cross-platform app (using frameworks like React Native or Flutter).

Backend Development: Develop the server-side components that handle data storage, user profiles, recipe information, etc. Set up databases, APIs, and authentication systems.

Frontend Development: Implement the app’s user interface based on the design. Build screens for recipe browsing, search, user profiles, recipe details, and other features.

Recipe Management System: Create a robust system to manage recipes, including fields for ingredients, steps, images, categories, and nutritional information.

Search and Filtering: Implement a powerful search mechanism that allows users to search recipes by ingredients, cuisine, dietary preferences, etc.

User Profiles and Social Features: Develop the user registration and profile management system. Implement features for saving favorite recipes, rating dishes, leaving reviews, and sharing content.

Meal Planning and Shopping Lists: Design and develop tools for users to plan meals and generate shopping lists based on selected recipes.

Testing: Thoroughly test the app to identify and fix bugs, glitches, and usability issues. Test on different devices and operating systems.

Deployment: Once testing is complete, deploy the app to app stores (such as the Apple App Store and Google Play Store). Follow their guidelines for submission.

Marketing and Promotion: Develop a marketing strategy to promote your app. Utilize social media, content marketing, and other channels to create awareness and attract users.

Feedback and Iteration: Gather user feedback and analyze app usage. Use this information to make improvements and add new features over time.

Maintenance and Updates: Continuously monitor the app’s performance, fix issues, and release updates to keep the app relevant and functional.

Must-Have Features of a Recipe Application?

Recipe Search: An efficient search function that allows users to find recipes based on ingredients, cuisine types, dietary preferences, or cooking time.

Recipe Collections: Organized categories or collections of recipes, making it easy for users to explore and discover dishes they might be interested in.

User Profiles: The ability for users to create profiles to save favorite recipes, rate dishes, and leave reviews or comments.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Detailed instructions with images or videos for each recipe to guide users through the cooking process.

Cooking Timers: Built-in timers to help users keep track of cooking times for specific recipes.

Meal Planning: Tools for users to plan their meals for the week or month and generate shopping lists based on selected recipes.

Shopping Lists: The option to create and manage shopping lists within the app, streamlining the grocery shopping process.

Social Sharing: The ability to share favorite recipes with friends and family through social media or within the app’s community.

Offline Access: The capability to access saved recipes and basic functionalities even without an internet connection.

Recipe Recommendations: Personalized recipe suggestions based on the user’s preferences and past interactions with the app.

Ingredient Substitutions: Information on possible ingredient substitutions to accommodate dietary restrictions or ingredient availability.

Nutritional Information: Displaying nutritional data for each recipe, helping users make informed choices about their meals.

Cooking Tips and Techniques: Additional tips and techniques to assist users in honing their cooking skills.

Multi-Platform Availability: Compatibility across various devices and operating systems, ensuring users can access the app on their preferred platform.

Support and Updates: Regular updates and customer support to address issues and enhance user experience.

Final Words

The best approach to learning how to prepare new foods from other cuisines is by using the best recipe apps. While some individuals find it interesting to experiment with their food, using a guide may save you time and help you make fewer mistakes. 

A recipe app on your phone also enables you to view the correct measurements for various serving sizes.

Recipe apps are unquestionably a blessing for home chefs everywhere. In today’s technological era, recipe apps are advanced and modern cookbooks.

If you’re interested in getting app development services, contact  Idea Usher, as they offer exceptional digital experiences and help you make it big in the industry.

Email: [email protected] 

Phone Numbers: (+91) 946 340 7140, (+91) 859 140 7140, and (+1) 732 962 4560

FAQs

Q. Why should recipe apps be used?

A. These applications replace typical kitchen equipment by assisting users in converting weight, volume, and temperature, or setting a timer for what is cooking in the oven. 

A weekly recipe plan can be created here. This app is designed specifically for individuals who are health-conscious.

Q. How much does it cost to build a recipe app?

A. To create an app like BBC Good Food, BigOven, Tasty, and others might be greater or lower, based on your company’s specific requirements.