Is Mealime shutting down? Yes — here's what happens to your recipes and data
Mealime shuts down on 21 October 2026. What happens to your saved recipes, meal plans and Pro subscription, whether you can export anything, and how to switch to Cestio before the deadline.
The short version
- Yes. Mealime shuts down on 21 October 2026, according to the notice on its own website and App Store listing.
- Until then, Mealime Pro is free for everyone. Existing Pro subscriptions will not renew.
- Mealime has no export button. Saved recipes, meal plans and grocery lists are not transferable, and personal data is deleted when the app closes — so screenshot anything you want to keep before 21 October.
- The most direct replacement is Cestio, an AI meal planner that builds your week and grocery list around your budget, diet and supermarket, shares it with your household. Cestio is free to download, every feature is free for 3 days, and then it costs $4.99/week or $39.99/year.
If you searched “is Mealime shutting down”, the answer is yes. Mealime's own website and App Store listing say the app shuts down on October 21st, 2026, and that Pro is free for everyone as a farewell.
Key dates and facts
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Shutdown date | 21 October 2026 |
| Pro until then | Free for everyone |
| Pro subscriptions | Will not renew; no further charges |
| Export recipes or plans | Not available — no export feature |
| Your personal data | Deleted when Mealime shuts down |
| Mealime's recipe library | Reported to continue inside Albertsons' grocery apps (Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco) |
Why is Mealime shutting down?
Mealime's closing notice announces the 21 October 2026 shutdown without giving a detailed reason. Public coverage reports that Mealime's recipe library will continue inside Albertsons' grocery apps (Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco) in the US — but the standalone Mealime app, your account and your saved data will not.
Can I export my Mealime recipes?
No. Mealime never had an export feature, and the closing notice does not add one. There is no CSV, no JSON and no email export. The only way to keep your recipes is to save them yourself:
- Screenshot each favourite recipe, including the ingredient list.
- Copy the text into your notes app while the recipe pages are still online.
- Write down your settings: diets, allergies, disliked ingredients and household size. These are the fastest thing to carry over to a new planner. Full walkthrough: how to save your Mealime recipes.
What happens to my Mealime Pro subscription?
Pro is free for all users until the shutdown, and existing subscriptions will not renew. You don't need to cancel anything, but it is worth checking your App Store or Google Play subscriptions to confirm.
What should I use instead of Mealime?
If you used Mealime to decide the week's meals and get one grocery list, Cestio does the same thing with AI, for a lower price than other weekly planners:
- 21 meals a week — breakfast, lunch and dinner — built around your budget, diets, allergies, cooking time, appliances and dislikes.
- One grocery list grouped by aisle, with an estimated total in your currency.
- Shared with your household in real time, with items you can assign to a person.
- Calories, protein, carbs and fat on every meal.
- Fridge Chef and Calorie Snap photo tools included.
- 7 languages and local supermarkets in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and Greece.
- Free to download, with every feature free for 3 days — then $4.99/week or $39.99/year in the US, €19.99/year in Europe.
For a full comparison with Potto, Eat This Much, Samsung Food and Yazio, see the best Mealime alternatives. Also available in German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Greek.
Switch from Mealime to Cestio
- Save your favourite Mealime recipes and note your diet, allergy and dislike settings.
- Download Cestio and choose your supermarket, weekly budget and household size.
- Enter the same diets, allergies and dislikes — Cestio remembers them for every future plan.
- Generate your first week and invite your partner or family to the shared list.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mealime shutting down?
- Yes. Mealime shuts down on 21 October 2026. Pro is free for everyone until then.
- Why is Mealime shutting down?
- Mealime's notice announces the closure without a detailed reason. Public coverage reports that its recipe library is moving into Albertsons' grocery apps.
- Will I lose my Mealime recipes?
- Yes, unless you save them yourself. Mealime has no export feature and personal data is deleted when the app shuts down, so screenshot or copy anything you want to keep before 21 October 2026.
- Can I import my Mealime data into another app?
- No app can import Mealime data automatically, because Mealime offers no export. The quickest move is to re-enter your diets, allergies and dislikes in a new planner such as Cestio, which takes about a minute.
- What is the best app to replace Mealime?
- Cestio is the best replacement for most Mealime users: it plans the full week with AI, writes an aisle-sorted grocery list, shares it with your household, and is free to download — every feature is free for 3 days, then $4.99 a week or $39.99 a year.