Mela
An app that pulls recipes from web pages into a clean cookbook.
What Mela does
Mela is a recipe manager for iPhone, iPad and Mac from an independent developer. Its built-in browser spots recipes on web pages and shows them in a clean view, and it can scan printed cookbooks. Groceries go to Apple Reminders and meal plans to Apple Calendar.
Mela is for people who like their apps quiet and tidy. You browse a recipe site inside the app, and when Mela finds a recipe it shows you just the ingredients and steps in its own clean layout. You can also scan a page from a cookbook and turn it into text.
Instead of building its own planner and list, Mela leans on Apple's apps. Your grocery list lives in Reminders and your meal plan in Calendar, which is handy if you already share those with your family. Everything syncs through iCloud, and you can share a recipe library with other iCloud accounts. Cook mode shows bigger text and lets you run timers.
The limits are clear. It's Apple-only, and recipe import only works on sites that support it. Updates have slowed too, with the last one in mid 2025. If you live on iPhone and Mac and want a calm cookbook you pay for once, it's a lovely fit.
Alternatives to Mela
Who it's for
Skip it if: Anyone on Android or Windows.
Pricing
Mela is free to download. To use all its features on iPhone and iPad, you make a one-time Mela+ purchase, listed at $6.99 on the US App Store. The Mac version is a separate app.
Prices can vary by country. Checked 19 Oct 2026.
What people like
- Clean, distraction-free recipe view
- One-time purchase, no subscription
- Works with Apple apps you may already use
- Scans printed recipes
Watch out for
- Apple devices only
- Imports only work on sites that support it
- Mac version is a separate app
- Fewer updates lately than some rivals
Want a recipe box that looks exactly how you like it? Build your own.
Describe your app idea and Bilt builds it. Free to start, on your phone in minutes.
Try this idea: “a simple app where I paste a recipe link and get a clean card with just the ingredients and steps”
Questions people ask
Is Mela free?
You can download it free, but full features need a one-time Mela+ purchase ($6.99 on iPhone and iPad in the US).
Is Mela on Android?
No. Mela is made for Apple devices: iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Where does Mela keep my grocery list?
In Apple Reminders. Meal plans go into Apple Calendar.