Mealie vs Recipya: Which Recipe Manager to Self-Host?
Quick Verdict
Mealie is the better choice for most people. It has a polished interface, better recipe organization, grocery list integration, and a more active community. Recipya wins on simplicity — a single container with no database dependencies — making it ideal for users who want the lightest possible setup.
Overview
| Aspect | Mealie | Recipya |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Python (FastAPI) | Go |
| Database | SQLite or PostgreSQL | SQLite (embedded) |
| Dependencies | None (single container) | None (single container) |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Docker Image | ghcr.io/mealie-recipes/mealie | reaper99/recipya |
| Latest Version | v2.6.0 | v1.2.2 |
| GitHub Stars | 8,000+ | 2,500+ |
| First Release | 2020 | 2023 |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mealie | Recipya |
|---|---|---|
| Recipe Import (URL scraping) | Yes (schema.org + custom parsers) | Yes (schema.org) |
| Manual Recipe Entry | Yes (rich editor) | Yes (basic editor) |
| Meal Planning | Yes (weekly calendar, drag-and-drop) | Yes (basic planner) |
| Shopping Lists | Yes (per-recipe + custom, aisle grouping) | Yes (generated from meal plan) |
| Recipe Scaling | Yes | Yes |
| Nutritional Info | Yes (per ingredient) | No |
| Recipe Sharing | Yes (public links) | Yes (basic) |
| Print View | Yes | Yes |
| PDF Export | Yes | Yes |
| Cookbook/Collection Organization | Yes (cookbooks, categories, tags) | Yes (categories, tags) |
| Multi-User | Yes (households, groups) | Yes (individual accounts) |
| API | Full REST API with OpenAPI docs | Basic API |
| Mobile App | PWA (installable) | PWA (installable) |
| Dark Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Search | Full-text search | Basic search |
| Recipe Timeline/Feed | Yes | No |
| Webhook Support | Yes | No |
| LDAP/OIDC Auth | Yes | No |
| Backup/Restore | Built-in (automatic scheduled) | Manual export |
| Import from Other Apps | Tandoor, Paprika, Chowdown | URL import only |
| Multi-Language | 20+ languages | English + limited i18n |
Installation Complexity
| Aspect | Mealie | Recipya |
|---|---|---|
| Containers | 1 | 1 |
| External Services | None required | None required |
| RAM Usage | ~300-500 MB | ~100-200 MB |
| Disk Space | 1-2 GB | 500 MB |
| First-Start Setup | Web wizard, admin account | Registration page |
| Configuration | 20+ environment variables | 5-10 environment variables |
| Maintenance | Low | Very low |
Both are single-container deployments with embedded SQLite. Recipya is lighter because Go compiles to a single binary with minimal runtime overhead, while Mealie runs Python with more dependencies.
Performance and Resource Usage
| Metric | Mealie | Recipya |
|---|---|---|
| RAM (Idle) | 300-500 MB | 100-200 MB |
| RAM (Active) | 500-800 MB | 150-250 MB |
| CPU | Low-Medium | Very Low |
| Startup Time | 5-15 seconds | 1-3 seconds |
| Recipe Import Speed | 2-5 seconds per URL | 1-3 seconds per URL |
| Docker Image Size | ~500 MB | ~50 MB |
Recipya is significantly lighter. On a Raspberry Pi or low-RAM VPS, the difference matters.
Community and Support
| Metric | Mealie | Recipya |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Stars | 8,000+ | 2,500+ |
| Contributors | 200+ | 30+ |
| Discord/Community | Active Discord server | GitHub Discussions |
| Documentation | Comprehensive docs site | README + Wiki |
| Release Frequency | Monthly | Quarterly |
| Plugin Ecosystem | None (API extensible) | None |
Use Cases
Choose Mealie If…
- You want the most feature-complete recipe manager
- Meal planning with grocery list generation is important
- You need nutritional information for recipes
- Multiple family members will use it (household/group support)
- You want LDAP or OIDC authentication integration
- You plan to import from Tandoor, Paprika, or other recipe apps
- You need webhook support for automation
Choose Recipya If…
- You want the lightest possible deployment (50 MB image, 100 MB RAM)
- You’re running on a Raspberry Pi or minimal VPS
- Simple recipe storage and meal planning is all you need
- You prefer a Go binary over a Python application
- You don’t need nutritional data or advanced organization features
- Minimal maintenance is a priority
Final Verdict
Mealie is the default recommendation for self-hosted recipe management. It does everything a household recipe system should: import from any website, plan meals for the week, generate shopping lists organized by store aisle, and support multiple family members with their own logins. The interface is polished and the community is active.
Recipya earns its place as the lightweight alternative. If Mealie feels like overkill — you just want to save recipes from the web and plan a few meals — Recipya does that in a fraction of the resources. The Go binary deploys in seconds and uses less RAM than most background services.
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