BigOven's superpower is discovery: a million-plus recipes and a genuinely clever 'use up leftovers' search. As a place to find something to cook, it's hard to beat.
As a place to keep your own recipes, it asks a lot. There are ads unless you pay for Pro, an account is required, and everything lives in BigOven's cloud. Gratin is built for the other half of the job: a private, ad-free home for the recipes that are actually yours.
Gratin vs BigOven, side by side
Based on how each product generally works today. Product names belong to their owners. Visit BigOven ↗
On price, Gratin comes out ahead: BigOven's Pro runs about $25 a year just to clear the ads, while Gratin's app is free and ad-free, with hosted sync at $12 a year or a one-time $39. The difference is where your money goes, into keeping your data yours rather than monetising it, and if you're technically inclined you can self-host sync yourself rather than pay us at all.
See how Gratin is priced, and why →What BigOven gets right, and where it grates
Where BigOven shines
- Enormous public recipe database (1M+ recipes)
- 'Use up leftovers' ingredient search
- Long-established, with a big community
Where it can frustrate
- Heavy ads and pop-ups unless you pay for Pro
- An account is required and your data lives in their cloud
- The interface can feel cluttered and dated
Why people move to Gratin
No ads, ever
Gratin has no ads and no upsell nags, not on a free tier, not anywhere. Just your recipes.
No account, no cloud lock-in
BigOven needs an account and stores your data on its servers. Gratin needs neither: your recipes live on your device, and there's nothing to sign up for.
Yours if the company vanishes
BigOven's recipes live on BigOven's servers. Gratin keeps yours on your device, and you can export them to open standards, so your collection is yours to take even if we don't.
The verdict
Use BigOven to discover, and use Gratin to keep. If the ads and account requirement have worn you down, Gratin gives you an ad-free, account-free, on-device recipe book that stays calm and stays yours.
Frequently asked questions
Does Gratin have a big recipe database like BigOven?
No, and that's deliberate. Gratin is your personal recipe book, not a recipe search engine. You add recipes from anywhere on the web; there's no ad-supported feed to wade through.
Do I need an account to use Gratin?
No. There's no sign-up. You open the app and start cooking. Sync between devices is optional and doesn't require an email or password.
Is Gratin free like BigOven's free tier, but without ads?
Yes. Gratin is free and ad-free. Optional hosted sync is $12/year or a one-time $39, or you can self-host the relay yourself if you're technical.