Compare · Recipe Keeper alternative
Hedgehog Chef vs. Recipe Keeper: an honest comparison.
Recipe Keeper has kept people's recipes since 2013, with native apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and Windows, cookbook scanning, and a Pro upgrade you buy once for each platform. If you'd like your recipes in a browser, one price for every device, or help planning the week and keeping a pantry, here's how the two compare — including where Recipe Keeper is the better choice.
Compared using Recipe Keeper's own website and its App Store, Mac App Store, Google Play and Microsoft Store listings. Last checked November 2, 2026.
Hedgehog Chef is the better fit if you want…
- One subscription on every device, and a web app on any computer, Chromebooks included.
- On Family, two people each with their own login, sharing recipes, the plan and a list that updates instantly.
- An AI planner that turns a request into a week of meals and a shopping list.
- A pantry with expiry dates and “What can I make?”, and nutrition worked out from the ingredients.
- Cook mode with timers you set with a tap, read-aloud, and voice commands in Chrome, Edge and Safari.
Recipe Keeper is the better fit if…
- You'd rather pay once: the Pro upgrade is $19.99 on iPhone, iPad and Android and $29.99 on Mac, and no store lists a subscription.
- You want native desktop apps and offline use: it has apps for Windows and Mac as well as phones, and they work offline.
- You scan a lot: it reads cookbook pages, magazines, handwritten recipes and PDF files with OCR, several photos at a time.
- You're moving from older recipe software: it imports Living Cookbook, MasterCook, MacGourmet, BigOven, Cook'n, Pepperplate and more.
- You cook with Alexa: its skill finds your recipes and reads them step by step, hands-free (English only).
- You want a printed family cookbook: it makes a PDF with your own cover, chapters, table of contents and page numbers.
- You'd like the app in another language: it's available in 15.
Why Recipe Keeper users switch
What Hedgehog Chef does better than Recipe Keeper
Every device, one price
Recipe Keeper's Pro upgrade is bought separately for iPhone and iPad, Android, Mac and Windows, and we couldn't find a web version. Hedgehog Chef runs in any browser and installs on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Chromebook, and one subscription covers all of them. Recipe Keeper costs less in the long run, though: its upgrades for iPhone, Android and Mac come to $69.97, paid once, and Hedgehog Chef Individual is $49.99 every year.
A week planned from a request
Recipe Keeper can make a random meal plan from your hints. In Hedgehog Chef, ask the AI planner for “five quick dinners using the chicken in the freezer” and it proposes a week from your own recipes and pantry, with a shopping list and what it costs, for you to approve.
Numbers you'd otherwise type in
In Recipe Keeper you add nutrition yourself. Hedgehog Chef calculates it from the ingredients with USDA data, shows day totals against your goals on the plan, and prices each recipe, the list and the week.
Bring your Recipe Keeper library
Export your recipes from Recipe Keeper as a .zip file and import it in Hedgehog Chef: photos, courses and categories, ratings, favorites, notes and nutrition come along, and recipes you already have are skipped. Recipe Keeper isn't changed, so you can use both while you decide.
Side by side
Hedgehog Chef vs. Recipe Keeper, feature by feature
Every Recipe Keeper cell comes from Recipe Keeper's own website, help pages or app-store listing, checked on November 2, 2026.
Getting it and paying for it
| Feature | Hedgehog Chef | Recipe Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Hedgehog ChefIn any modern browser, installable on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Chromebook as an app | Recipe KeeperiPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and Windows apps; no web version found |
| Price | Hedgehog ChefAfter a 14-day free trial (no card): $5.99/month or $49.99/year for one person (Individual), or $9.99/month or $83.99/year for two people (Family), on every device | Recipe KeeperFree download; the Pro upgrade is $19.99 on iPhone/iPad and Android and $29.99 on Mac, bought separately for each platform |
| Sync | Hedgehog ChefYes: Real time, on every device | Recipe KeeperYes: Recipes, lists and the meal plan across iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and Windows |
| Works with no internet connection | Hedgehog ChefPartly: Your shopping list, this week's plan and saved recipes open offline, and checked-off items sync when you're back; the rest needs a connection | Recipe KeeperYes: Its apps work offline |
| Track record | Hedgehog ChefNew: launched in 2026 | Recipe KeeperIn the Microsoft Store since 2013 and on Google Play since 2014; its apps were last updated between March and May 2026 |
Planning with AI
| Feature | Hedgehog Chef | Recipe Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| Plan meals from a request | Hedgehog ChefYes: Ask for “a week of high-protein dinners under $150”; the planner proposes a plan and a list from your recipes for you to approve | Recipe KeeperPartly: A random meal plan from your hints and suggestions |
| Grocery prices | Hedgehog ChefYes: Prices on your list and plan: live prices at Kroger-family stores, community prices from Open Prices, labeled estimates otherwise | Recipe KeeperNot mentioned in Recipe Keeper's website or store listings |
| AI recipe photos | Hedgehog ChefYes: Generated for any recipe without one | Recipe KeeperNot mentioned in Recipe Keeper's website or store listings |
| Works with Claude | Hedgehog ChefYes: A Claude connector: save, search, plan and shop by talking to Claude | Recipe KeeperNot mentioned in Recipe Keeper's website or store listings |
Getting recipes in
| Feature | Hedgehog Chef | Recipe Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| From recipe websites | Hedgehog ChefYes: Paste a link, or use the bookmarklet, Android share sheet or iOS Shortcut; AI reads pages without recipe markup | Recipe KeeperYes: Hundreds of recipe websites, searched from inside the app |
| From a photo or PDF | Hedgehog ChefYes: Yes: a photo of a cookbook page or a handwritten card | Recipe KeeperYes: OCR from the camera, your photos or PDF files, handwriting included; several photos at once |
| From pasted text | Hedgehog ChefYes: Yes: paste any recipe text | Recipe KeeperYes: Paste text or import text files |
| From videos and social posts | Hedgehog ChefYes: TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest links (the recipe in the caption, or the page it links to); YouTube: the recipe in the video's description, pasted in when only the title can be read | Recipe KeeperYes: Instagram and TikTok |
| From other recipe apps | Hedgehog ChefYes: Paprika (photos included), Mela, Crouton, Recipe Keeper, MasterCook, Plan to Eat, Copy Me That and more | Recipe KeeperYes: Living Cookbook, MasterCook, MacGourmet, BigOven, Cook'n, My Cookbook, My Recipe Book, Paprika, Pepperplate, OrganizEat, Recipe Box and more |
Cooking
| Feature | Hedgehog Chef | Recipe Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| Step-by-step cooking | Hedgehog ChefYes: Full screen, one step at a time, with that step's ingredients and big type | Recipe KeeperPartly: Check off ingredients, highlight the current step and enlarge the text; the screen stays on |
| Timers | Hedgehog ChefYes: Tap a time in a step to set a timer; several at once | Recipe KeeperNot mentioned in Recipe Keeper's website or store listings |
| Hands-free | Hedgehog ChefYes: Read-aloud in cook mode, and voice commands (“next”, “start timer”) in Chrome, Edge and Safari | Recipe KeeperYes: With an Alexa device: search your recipes and cook step by step (English only) |
| Scaling | Hedgehog ChefYes: Scale by servings with real fractions; US ↔ metric | Recipe KeeperYes: By serving size; US/Imperial ↔ metric |
| Nutrition | Hedgehog ChefYes: Calculated from the ingredients with USDA data, with daily goals and day totals on the plan | Recipe KeeperPartly: Typed in by hand; you can search recipes by it |
| Printing | Hedgehog ChefYes: Full page, two columns, and 3×5, 4×6 or 5×7 index cards; print many recipes at once | Recipe KeeperYes: PDF cookbooks with your own cover, chapters, table of contents and page numbers |
Planning, shopping and pantry
| Feature | Hedgehog Chef | Recipe Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| Meal planner | Hedgehog ChefYes: Week board with drag and drop, month view, reusable menus, leftovers, a calendar feed and a kitchen display | Recipe KeeperYes: Weekly and monthly, with the whole plan added to the list in one step |
| Grocery list by aisle | Hedgehog ChefYes: Sorted by aisle, amounts merged, pantry items skipped; your aisle corrections are remembered | Recipe KeeperYes: Grouped by aisle automatically, with a list for each store and favorites for regular items |
| Pantry | Hedgehog ChefYes: Fridge, freezer, pantry and spices; expiry dates; “What can I make?” ranked by what you have | Recipe KeeperNot mentioned in Recipe Keeper's website or store listings |
| Reminders | Hedgehog ChefYes: Thaw the night before, start cooking, shopping day, use it up | Recipe KeeperNot mentioned in Recipe Keeper's website or store listings |
| Export everything | Hedgehog ChefYes: Paprika's own format, web pages, Markdown or JSON, with photos — always, even after a trial or subscription ends, plus weekly backups | Recipe KeeperPDF cookbooks for printing or sharing. Its pages don't mention it, but the app also exports a .zip of your recipes and photos, which Hedgehog Chef and other apps import |
Your household
| Feature | Hedgehog Chef | Recipe Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| Share with your household | Hedgehog ChefYes: Yes, on Family: 2 people, each with their own login | Recipe KeeperYes: A shared family recipe collection, and a meal plan you can share with the family |
| A shopping list two people use at once | Hedgehog ChefYes: Instantly: check off milk and it's checked on every phone | Recipe KeeperNot mentioned in Recipe Keeper's website or store listings |
Sources, checked on November 2, 2026:
- Recipe Keeper
- About Recipe Keeper
- Recipe Keeper on the App Store (iPhone and iPad)
- Recipe Keeper on the Mac App Store
- Recipe Keeper on Google Play
- Recipe Keeper in the Microsoft Store
Recipe Keeper is a trademark of Tudorspan Limited. Hedgehog Chef isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Tudorspan Limited. Spotted something out of date or wrong? Tell us at hello@hedgehogchef.com and we'll fix it.
Questions
Recipe Keeper vs. Hedgehog Chef: common questions
Does Recipe Keeper have a web version?
We couldn't find one: Recipe Keeper's website links to its App Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store and Mac App Store apps only. Hedgehog Chef runs in any browser and installs on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Chromebook.
Is Recipe Keeper a one-time purchase?
Recipe Keeper is free to download, with a Pro upgrade sold in the app: $19.99 on iPhone and iPad, $19.99 on Android and $29.99 on Mac. None of the store listings shows a subscription, and each platform is a separate purchase.
Can I move my recipes from Recipe Keeper?
Yes. Export your recipes from Recipe Keeper as a .zip file and import it in Hedgehog Chef: photos, courses and categories, ratings, favorites, notes and nutrition come along. Recipe Keeper isn't changed.
Does Recipe Keeper use AI to plan meals?
Recipe Keeper can create a random meal plan from your hints and suggestions, and its scanning uses OCR; we couldn't find other AI features. Hedgehog Chef's AI planner proposes a week of meals and a shopping list from a plain request, for you to approve.
Does Recipe Keeper work with Alexa?
Yes. Its Alexa skill, in English only, searches your recipes, reads them step by step and adds items to your shopping list. Hedgehog Chef has no Alexa skill; its cook mode reads steps aloud, with voice commands in Chrome, Edge and Safari.
Is Hedgehog Chef free?
For 14 days. Every new kitchen gets a free trial with everything included and no card needed. After that, it's $5.99/month or $49.99/year for one person (Individual), or $9.99/month or $83.99/year for two people (Family), on every device: unlimited recipes, binders, meal plans, shopping lists and the pantry, the AI planner and grocery prices at your stores (live at Kroger-family stores), with no ads. Your recipes are always yours to export, even if you stop.
Bring your Recipe Keeper recipes along.
Export them from Recipe Keeper as a .zip file, import it in Hedgehog Chef, and plan a week with both open. Recipe Keeper isn't touched.
More comparisons
Weighing up other apps too?
- Hedgehog Chef vs. Paprika Paprika for fully offline native apps; Hedgehog Chef for AI planning, the web and cooking as a pair.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. AnyList AnyList for the cheapest shared list and store delivery; Hedgehog Chef for AI planning, a pantry and cook mode.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. Plan to Eat Plan to Eat for offline phone use and bulk import; Hedgehog Chef for AI planning, a pantry and a login each.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. Samsung Food Samsung Food for a big recipe catalog and Samsung appliances; Hedgehog Chef for your own recipes, no tracking and everything on both plans.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. Mealime Meals Hub to keep Mealime's recipes; Hedgehog Chef to plan around your own recipes, with your household.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. Mela Mela for a one-time price and Apple-only privacy; Hedgehog Chef for Android and the web, AI planning and a smarter list.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. Copy Me That Copy Me That for the lowest price and a one-click clipper; Hedgehog Chef for cook mode, cookbook photos, nutrition and a login each.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. Eat This Much Eat This Much for plans built to calorie and macro targets; Hedgehog Chef for planning your own recipes, alone or as a pair.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. ReciMe ReciMe if your recipes are often only spoken in videos, or for a free plan; Hedgehog Chef for the web, a login each, cook mode, nutrition and a pantry.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. Crouton Crouton for an all-Apple home and hands-free cooking; Hedgehog Chef for Android and the web, AI planning, a pantry and nutrition.
- Hedgehog Chef vs. Ollie Ollie for dinners planned and groceries ordered by text; Hedgehog Chef for your own recipes, cook mode and a pantry.
- The 7 best Recipe Keeper alternatives in 2026 Every Recipe Keeper alternative we looked at, ranked, with who each one suits.
- All comparisons Every app we've compared, and who each one suits best.
Dinner, looked after.
Start with the recipes you already love: bring your favorite sites, your Paprika library and the person you cook with. 14 days free, no card needed.