Will Bishop’s Pestle is a slick app for iOS and Mac with one real standout. Give it an Instagram or TikTok video and its on-device AI turns it into a proper recipe.
But the free version stops at about 15 recipes, then you need Pestle Pro ($24.99/year or ~$40 lifetime). There’s no Windows or Android app, and sync is tied to iCloud. Gratin is free with no limit, on all four platforms.
Gratin vs Pestle at a glance
Figures come from each app’s public pricing and help pages. Trademarks belong to their owners. Pestle website ↗
Gratin’s Hosted sync ($12/year) is less than half the price of Pestle Pro ($24.99/year). Our $39 one-time sync is close to Pestle’s ~$40 lifetime upgrade, and also works on Windows and Android. The app itself is free, with no 15-recipe limit.
See Gratin’s pricing and the 5-year Pay-once guarantee →What Pestle does well, and what gets in the way
What Pestle does well
- Saves recipes from websites, Instagram and TikTok using AI that runs on your device
- Hands-free guided cooking with voice control, SharePlay and Handoff
- Clean design made for Apple devices, with meal planning built in
What gets in the way
- Made for Apple devices, with no Windows or Android app
- Photo and handwriting scanning can be hit-or-miss
- Unlimited recipes and all features need Pro
Why people switch from Pestle to Gratin
Unlimited recipes, free
Pestle’s ~15-recipe free tier is really a short trial. Gratin has no recipe limit.
Works on Windows and Android too
If you use a Windows PC or share recipes with someone on Android, Gratin works on every device.
AI on your device, plus Claude and ChatGPT
Gratin’s on-device AI tags recipes and works out nutrition. With Hosted sync it also connects to Claude or ChatGPT.
Take your whole cookbook with you
Export your cookbook with photos in a standard recipe format, or single recipes as Cooklang files.
Bottom line
Buy Pestle Pro if you’re on iOS and get most recipes from TikTok and Instagram. Otherwise, try Gratin.
Questions about Pestle and Gratin
Can Gratin save recipes from food websites?
Yes, from any recipe link or with the desktop browser extension, including NYT Cooking and other paywalled sites you subscribe to. It doesn’t pull recipes from Instagram or TikTok videos today.
How does Gratin’s sync price compare with Pestle Pro?
Hosted sync is $12/year, less than half of Pestle Pro’s $24.99/year, or $39 once for the life of Gratin 1. Running your own sync server is free.
Does Gratin use on-device AI too?
Yes. Tagging, recipe cleanup and nutrition estimates all run on your device.