For those passionate about mixology, whether you’re a seasoned bartender or a cocktail enthusiast at home, finding the best bartender app can elevate your drink-making game. With an array of options available, each app offers unique features, from extensive recipe libraries to personalized cocktail suggestions.

Understanding your specific needs – be it exploring new recipes, managing your bar inventory, or mastering the art of cocktail making – is key to choosing the right app.

In this article, we delve into 11 top bartender apps, highlighting their distinct functionalities and how they cater to different aspects of bartending and cocktail crafting.

Craft Perfect Drinks: 11 Top Bartender Apps

1. Bartender

The Bartender App is a comprehensive cocktail recipe app designed for iPhone users. It boasts a vast collection of hundreds of cocktail recipes from expert bartenders worldwide, catering to a variety of tastes and occasions. Whether you’re looking for a classic cocktail, a party punch, or an innovative concoction, this app has it all.

Main Features:

• Extensive range of cocktail recipes including classics like Cosmopolitan, Mojito, and Margarita.
• Recipes for popular cocktails like Pina Colada, Long Island Iced Tea, and Apple Martini.
• Options for classic, party, and original drinks.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Wide variety of recipes, user-friendly interface, and educational content about cocktail history.
• Cons: Limited functionality without a subscription.

Best For: Ideal for cocktail enthusiasts and party hosts looking for a diverse range of recipes and those interested in the history behind popular cocktails.

Pricing:

• Free with in-app purchases.
• Subscription options: $4.99/week, $9.99/month, $49.99/year.

2. BarTender

BarTender is a barcode label printing and management solution, primarily designed for productivity rather than sobriety or cocktail mixing. It allows users to print labels directly from their iPhone or iPad, connecting to BarTender Print Portal sites or BarTender Cloud.

Main Features:

• Print labels from mobile devices.
• Connect to BarTender Print Portal or Cloud.
• Add real-time data to labels.
• Print to Bluetooth printers.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Useful for business and organizational purposes, supports Bluetooth printing.
• Cons: Not related to cocktail mixing or sobriety, more of a professional tool.

Best For: Best suited for professionals and businesses needing a portable solution for barcode label printing and management.

Pricing: Free.

3. Mixit Cocktails

Mixit Cocktails is an iPhone app that serves as a rich library of cocktail recipes from around the world. It includes a variety of cocktail types, from classic to unique, and allows users to mix cocktails using the ingredients they have.

Main Features:

• Extensive cocktail recipe library with various types like classic, sour, and strong.
• Search functionality by name, spirit, origin, or ingredients.
• Features like ‘Signature’ for rare and unique cocktails and ‘Find my cocktail’ for personalized recommendations.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Wide range of recipes, personalized cocktail suggestions, and the ability to create and share your own recipes.
• Cons: Some users may find the app’s focus on cocktails limiting if they are looking for non-alcoholic options.

Best For: Perfect for cocktail lovers and aspiring mixologists who want to explore a wide range of recipes and create their own cocktails.

Pricing:

• Free with in-app purchases.
• Subscription options: $4.99/month, $20.99/6 months, $29.99/year.

4. 8,500+ Drink Recipes

The “8,500+ Drink Recipes” app is a comprehensive cocktail recipe resource for iPad and iPhone users. It offers an extensive collection of over 8,500 drink and cocktail recipes, making it a valuable tool for both amateur and professional mixologists. The app is designed to help users discover what goes into their favorite drinks and explore new recipes.

Main Features:

• A vast collection of over 8,500 drink and cocktail recipes.
• Ability to add favorite recipes to a personalized list.
• Indexed list and search bar for easy recipe navigation.
• Category-based drink exploration and random drink selection feature.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Large recipe database, user-friendly interface, and free access to many recipes.
• Cons: Some recipes are locked behind ads or require a subscription.

Best For: Ideal for cocktail enthusiasts and bartenders seeking a wide range of recipes and those interested in experimenting with new drink concoctions.

Pricing:

• Free with in-app purchases.
• Subscription options: $4.99/month after a free trial, $49.99/year.

5. Bartender School

“Bartender School” is an educational app designed to teach users about the ingredients of the most popular cocktails in the world. Based on “The World’s Best-Selling Classic Cocktails” research by Drinks International, this app is both a guide and a simulator for aspiring bartenders.

Main Features:

• Ingredient memorization for popular cocktails.
• Comprehensive guide with quizzes on bartender tools, glassware, liqueur, cocktail garnish, and beer types.
• Updated content with new cocktails and video demos.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Educational content, interactive quizzes, and a wide range of cocktail knowledge.
• Cons: Limited to cocktail ingredients and basic bartending knowledge.

Best For: Best suited for beginners in bartending or those looking to expand their knowledge of cocktail ingredients and basic bartending skills.

Pricing: Free with in-app purchases. Subscription option available at $6.99.

6. Perfect Drink

“Perfect Drink” is an innovative, interactive cocktail mixing app that works in conjunction with the Perfect Drink scale. It guides users through the cocktail-making process, ensuring precise measurements and perfect results every time.

Main Features:

• Interactive cocktail mixing with real-time measurement feedback.
• Adjusts recipes automatically for over-pouring.
• Cabinet feature to suggest drinks based on available ingredients.
• Extensive recipe database with professional mixologist input.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Precise measurement for perfect cocktails, large recipe database, and customization options.
• Cons: Requires additional hardware (Perfect Drink scale) for full functionality.

Best For: Ideal for both beginners and experienced bartenders who want to ensure precise measurements and explore a wide range of cocktail recipes.

Pricing: Free.

7. Cocktail Flow

Cocktail Flow is a visually stunning cocktail recipe app designed for both novice bartenders and professional mixologists. It offers a user-friendly interface to explore a wide range of cocktail recipes with step-by-step guides.

Main Features:

• Personalized drink suggestions based on ingredients in your cabinet.
• Extensive categorization of drinks by base, type, strength, and color.
• Favorites feature to easily access preferred recipes.
• Regular updates with new cocktails and ingredients.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Large recipe database, beautiful presentation, and personalized suggestions.
• Cons: Some features and recipes are locked behind a subscription.

Best For: Ideal for cocktail enthusiasts looking for a comprehensive and visually appealing guide to making a variety of drinks.

Pricing:

• Free with in-app purchases.
• Subscription: $4.99/month or $24.99/year.

8. Distiller

Distiller is an app designed for spirit enthusiasts, offering a vast collection of ratings and expert reviews from the world’s largest spirits community. It’s a great companion for both casual drinkers and collectors.

Main Features:

• Barcode scanning and search by flavor profile.
• Expert reviews and user ratings for a wide range of spirits.
• Personal notes and bottle quantity tracking for collections.
• Weekly giveaways and exclusive content for Pro subscribers.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Comprehensive spirit reviews, user-friendly interface, and useful for tracking personal collections.
• Cons: Some advanced features require a Pro subscription.

Best For: Perfect for whiskey collectors, spirit enthusiasts, and anyone looking to expand their knowledge of various liquors.

Pricing:

• Free with in-app purchases.
• Pro Subscription: $4.99/month or $48.00/year.

9. Highball

Highball is an app for collecting and sharing cocktail recipes. It allows users to create custom drink images and descriptions, and share them as attractive recipe cards on social networks.

Main Features:

• Customizable recipe creation with ingredients and descriptions.
• Beautiful drink recipe card sharing on social media.
• Editable recipe cards when saved and imported.
• Simple and elegant user interface.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Great for creating and sharing personalized cocktail recipes, visually appealing design.
• Cons: Limited sorting and categorization options, no cloud backup for recipes.

Best For: Ideal for cocktail enthusiasts who enjoy creating and sharing their own recipes and those looking for a visually appealing way to catalog their favorite drinks.

Pricing: Free with optional in-app purchases for tips.

10. Beachbum Berry’s Total Tiki

Beachbum Berry’s Total Tiki is a comprehensive and definitive guide for classic and contemporary exotic mixed drinks, available on iPhone and iPad. Created by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, a renowned authority on Tiki cocktails and Polynesian Pop exotic drinks, this app is a sequel to the acclaimed Beachbum Berry’s Tiki+. It offers meticulously researched and documented drink recipes, making it an essential resource for Tiki cocktail enthusiasts.

Main Features:

• Over 290 high-quality drink recipes, including classics like the Zombie and Mai Tai.
• More than 250 vintage and contemporary drink photos.
• Ingredient inventory tracking to show which drinks you can make.
• Recipe filtering, favorites tagging, and custom list creation.
• Recipe annotations and a chronological exploration history.
• Ingredient definitions and a sync service across iOS devices.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Extensive recipe collection, beautiful presentation, and useful inventory tracking.
• Cons: Limited to Tiki-themed drinks, relatively high cost for an app.

Best For: Perfect for fans of Tiki culture and cocktails, as well as bartenders specializing in exotic drinks.

Pricing: $12.99 for the app.

11. Bartender’s Choice Vol. 2

Bartender’s Choice Vol. 2, created by the master bartenders behind New York City’s Attaboy, Diamond Reef, and Milk & Honey, is a classic cocktail app designed for both home use and professional establishments. It offers a curated selection of hundreds of cocktail recipes searchable by spirit, style, or sensation, along with practical bartending tips.

Main Features:

• Hundreds of classic cocktail recipes.
• Search functionality by spirit, style of drink, or sensation.
• Ideal for both home bartenders and professional establishments.
• Tips on ice, garnish, syrups, shaking, and stirring.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Comprehensive recipe selection, easy search functionality, and expert tips.
• Cons: Limited to classic cocktails, no advanced features like inventory tracking.

Best For: Suitable for cocktail enthusiasts looking for classic recipes and professional bartenders seeking a reliable reference.

Pricing: $4.99 for the app.

Mixing It Up: Your Guide to the Best Bartender Apps

As we explore the diverse world of bartender apps, it’s clear that each one offers something special. Whether you’re looking to expand your cocktail repertoire, organize your home bar, or dive into the world of Tiki drinks, there’s an app tailored to your needs.

Remember, the best bartender app for you is the one that aligns with your interests and enhances your mixology skills.

So, why not shake things up and try out one of these apps? Your next signature cocktail could be just a few taps away!