Mealie vs What To Cook?
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
What To Cook?
Get a recipe to cook today, based on the ingredients you have at home
| Feature | Mealie | What To Cook? |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Recipe Managers | Recipe Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 12,932 | ★ 67 |
| First released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Paprika, Plan to Eat | — |
Why pick each one
Choose What To Cook? if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Mealie or What To Cook? better?
Mealie is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider What To Cook? if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mealie and What To Cook? free and open-source?
Yes. Mealie is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and What To Cook? under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mealie and What To Cook? with Docker?
Mealie: yes. What To Cook?: yes.