Mealie vs Vanilla Cookbook
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted recipe managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Mealie
Self-hosted recipe manager and meal planner
VS
Vanilla Cookbook
Recipe manager designed with complexity under the hood, keeping the
| Feature | Mealie | Vanilla Cookbook |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Recipe Managers | Recipe Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 12,932 | ★ 153 |
| First released | 2020 | 2026 |
| Replaces | Paprika, Plan to Eat | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Vanilla Cookbook if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Mealie or Vanilla Cookbook better?
Mealie is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Vanilla Cookbook if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mealie and Vanilla Cookbook free and open-source?
Yes. Mealie is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Vanilla Cookbook under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mealie and Vanilla Cookbook with Docker?
Mealie: yes. Vanilla Cookbook: yes.