Tandoor is arguably the most powerful self-hosted recipe and meal-planning app there is: open source, endlessly configurable, with superb shopping lists, multi-user spaces, and granular ingredient handling. Self-hosting fans love it, and it earns that love.
All that power sits behind a server you run (or a paid hosted plan) and an account. Gratin takes the own-your-data ethos the other way: a native app you download, recipes on the device itself, no account, and no box to keep online.
Gratin vs Tandoor, side by side
Based on how each product generally works today. Product names belong to their owners. Visit Tandoor ↗
Tandoor is free to self-host (its hosted plan is a few dollars a month to fund the project), and Gratin's app is free too, with the sync relay self-hostable. Our $12 a year or one-time $39 only covers hosting that relay for you. On raw price it's a wash for self-hosters; what you're really weighing is a server you maintain versus a native app that needs none.
See how Gratin is priced, and why →What Tandoor gets right, and where it grates
Where Tandoor shines
- Open source (AGPL-3.0) and self-hostable
- Powerful meal planning, shopping lists, and multi-user spaces
- Granular ingredient and unit handling; imports from thousands of sites
Where it can frustrate
- Self-hosting means running a server (Docker); the hosted plan is a subscription
- Web only, with no native desktop or mobile apps
- So feature-rich it has a real learning curve
Why people move to Gratin
No server, no setup
Tandoor means Docker, a database, and upkeep, or a hosted subscription. Gratin is a native app you download; your recipes are on the device, with nothing to host.
Simple by default
Tandoor is powerful but has a learning curve. Gratin is a calm recipe book you can use in a minute, with meal plans and aisle-sorted grocery lists built in.
Own your data without the ops
You get the local-first payoff, no account, offline, exportable, without becoming your own sysadmin. Optional sync is a small encrypted relay you can still self-host.
The verdict
Tandoor is the king of self-hosted meal planners, and if you love running your own server, it's hard to beat. Gratin is for people who want to own their recipes without owning a server: a native, offline-first app, no account, and sync you can self-host if you want to.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gratin as powerful as Tandoor for meal planning?
Tandoor is deeper and more configurable, especially for power users. Gratin covers meal plans, menus, and aisle-sorted grocery lists in a simpler, faster package. Want maximum control? Tandoor. Want calm and quick? Gratin.
Do I have to self-host Gratin like Tandoor?
No. Gratin runs locally with no server. Sync is optional: use our hosted relay, or self-host just the small encrypted relay, rather than a whole recipe server.
Is Gratin open source like Tandoor?
Not fully yet; it's in progress. Tandoor is open source (AGPL-3.0) today, so if open source is non-negotiable right now, it's the safer choice.