Unlike the other meal planning apps in this roundup, Paprika, which is created by Seattle-based Hindsight Labs, isn’t a subscription. Paprika has more than 27,000 reviews in Apple’s App Store and sports a rating of 4.7/5 stars. Since the data is stored locally, you don't need Wi-Fi to access recipes. The grocery list and pantry functions make it easy to organize your shopping list and keep track of ingredients you already have on hand. You can also add your own personal recipes. There aren’t any built-in recipes in the app, but the platform’s built-in browser allows you to easily link to numerous popular food and recipe sites, including Serious Eats, Cook’s Illustrated, Epicurious, and The New York Times. Whether you want to build an entire database of carb-rich comfort foods or recipes that cater to a paleo diet, how you customize the app is entirely up to you. Paprika feels like a digital version of an old-school family recipe box. Pros Quick and easy access to materials Easy download and sync capabilities Cons Extensive user's guide can seem overwhelming No chance to try before you buy the app Why We Chose It: Paprika doesn’t require a subscription, and its highly customizable user interface makes downloading and organizing recipes from other websites a cinch.
