Tumsy vs Paprika: which fits your kitchen now?

Paprika has been the recipe manager to beat for years, and Paprika 4 just changed how you pay for it. Here is how it compares with Tumsy on what you can do for free, where your recipes come from, and who shares the shopping.

By the Tumsy team · Updated November 7, 2026

We make Tumsy. This comparison uses our product documentation and the vendor sources linked below. It is not an independent review or a measured import-speed test.

The differences that affect daily use

Published features checked November 7, 2026. Sources follow the table.
What matters	Tumsy	Paprika 4
Devices	iPhone, iOS 18+. Public recipes can be read on the web.	iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, and Windows, plus Apple Watch.
Free use	Unlimited saved recipes, lists, planner, and household sharing; 5 smart imports per week.	Up to 50 recipes, one grocery list, one cookbook, and no cloud sync.
Paid plan	Tumsy Plus subscription, monthly or annual, with a 7-day free trial on the annual plan for eligible users.	Premium subscription. Earlier buyers get a free Standard tier with unlimited recipes and sync.
Recipe sources	Websites, TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube links, pasted text, and recipe photos.	Websites free; social-media posts, cookbook scanning, and clipboard import with Premium.
Sharing	Up to six people, each with their own account. Items show who added and checked them.	Family accounts: the owner plus five members share one collection. Inviting members needs Premium.
Grocery list	Voice entry, multiple lists, grouped by store section, live household updates.	Sorted by aisle or recipe, with a pantry. Sync runs on a schedule and after changes.
Moving an archive	Re-import links or paste text. No Paprika file import.	Imports many formats, including MasterCook, MealMaster, and Copy Me That; exports HTML.

Sources: Paprika features and platforms, Paprika 4 plans, Paprika family accounts, and Paprika import, export, and sync settings. For Tumsy, see our import guides and plan questions.

Choose around how you cook

Consider Tumsy if recipes come from your feed

If most of what you cook starts as a TikTok or Reel, Tumsy reads the caption, any linked recipe page, the available audio, and cover text, so a talk-through video can often still become a recipe. The free plan has no recipe limit, and a partner can join the shared grocery list on their own account without paying.

Consider Paprika if you cook from a computer

Paprika runs on Mac, Windows, and Android as well as iPhone, and it has deep tools for a large library: a pantry, reusable menus, and imports from many older recipe apps. If you already own Paprika 3, the free Standard upgrade keeps your library and sync without a subscription.

What Paprika 4 changed

Until November 2026, Paprika was the usual answer to “a recipe app without a subscription”: you bought each platform once. Paprika 4 replaced that with one account across every device.

New users start on a free version limited to 50 recipes, with no cloud sync.
Earlier buyers of any Paprika version get Standard free: unlimited recipes, sync, and every platform.
Premium is a subscription that adds the newer features, including social-media and scanned imports. Family members share the owner's subscription.

If you want to avoid subscriptions entirely, see our guide to free and pay-once recipe apps.

Test both with recipes you actually cook

An import feature on a pricing page doesn't tell you how well it handles your favorite creator. Try the same three recipes in both apps:

A blog recipe with a clear ingredient list.
A public TikTok or Reel with quantities in the caption.
A video where the amounts are only spoken.

Compare quantities, servings, and missing steps with the original. In Tumsy, a recipe may be labeled “Found via web search” or “AI steps” when a fallback was needed; review those before cooking. Our TikTok saving guide explains the workflow and its limits.

Questions before switching

Is Paprika still a one-time purchase?

Not for new users. Paprika 4, released November 6, 2026, is free to download with a 50-recipe limit and no cloud sync. A Premium subscription unlocks every feature. People who bought any earlier version get a free Standard upgrade with unlimited recipes and sync, and a discount on Premium.

Which free plan is more generous?

It depends on what you save. Tumsy's free plan has no recipe limit, includes household sharing for up to six people, and allows 5 smart imports a week. Paprika's free version caps you at 50 recipes, one grocery list, and no sync, but website imports are not counted against a weekly allowance.

Can I move my Paprika recipes into Tumsy?

Tumsy has no Paprika file importer. Re-import a recipe from its original link, or copy the recipe text out of Paprika and paste it into Tumsy. Start with the recipes you cook most and check quantities before relying on the new copy.

Which app should I choose if I cook from a laptop?

Paprika. It has apps for Mac and Windows as well as iPhone, iPad, and Android. Tumsy runs on iPhone with iOS 18 or later; its public recipe pages can be read on the web, but your cookbook and lists live in the iPhone app.

More comparisons

Head to head

Try a week of cooking with Tumsy

Free grocery lists, meal planning, household sharing, and 5 smart recipe imports a week. For iPhone, iOS 18 or later.

Download on the App Store