Crouton has three levels: Free, Plus, and Discover. Purchases are made through your Apple ID in the App Store, which matters for restoring, canceling, and refunds. This guide explains what each level includes and how to solve the most common purchase questions, starting with the one we hear most: why a paid feature still looks locked.

What each level includes

✨ Everything in Plus is also included with Discover. ✨

The most common mix-up: Smart Import needs Discover, not Plus

If you tap Smart Import, the AI option that builds a whole recipe from a photo, PDF, or pasted text, and Crouton asks you to upgrade, this is almost always the reason. Smart Import is a Discover feature. A one-time Plus purchase does not include it.

• If you have Free or Plus: importing from a website link, adding recipes manually, and scanning text into the ingredient or step fields from the manual recipe flow all work. The AI Smart Import (a whole photo, PDF, or pasted recipe at once) does not, and it will show an upgrade prompt. That is expected.
• There is a free scan built into manual recipe entry: a scan button in the ingredient and step sections lets you pull text off a physical recipe without Discover. What needs Discover is the AI Smart Import that reads an entire recipe at once. Some people assume the paid AI import replaced the free scan buttons, but it did not.

“I paid, but my features are still locked” (purchase not recognized)

This is usually a matter of restoring the purchase to the right Apple ID, especially after reinstalling the app or switching devices.

Try these in order:

1. Make sure you are signed into the same Apple ID you used to buy Crouton. Purchases are tied to that Apple ID.
2. Open Settings inside Crouton and choose Restore Purchases.
3. If you recently reinstalled or moved to a new device: reinstall Crouton, sign in with the same Apple ID, then run Restore Purchases again.
4. If the locked feature is photo, scan, PDF, or paste import, check that you have Discover, not just Plus (see the section above).

Different prices on different devices, or bought it twice

Two things can make the price look different from one device or day to the next:

• Plus EarlyBird: a lower price on Plus during the first 24 hours after you download the app.
• Regional pricing: Apple sets prices by country and store.

Plus is a one-time purchase tied to your Apple ID, so you do not need to buy it again on a second device. Install Crouton on the other device, sign in with the same Apple ID, and use Restore Purchases to unlock it there at no extra cost.

“Too many claims,” or Discover annual will not let me subscribe

This can happen for accounts that already have a lifetime purchase or that previously used a discount code. It is not something you can clear from inside the app. Update your app to the most current version, and if it’s still not working, reach out (see the final section), and we can look into your account.

Canceling, turning off auto-renew, or requesting a refund

Because Crouton is purchased through Apple, these are all handled in your Apple ID settings, not inside Crouton:

• Cancel or turn off auto-renew (Discover): on iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, then Crouton. On a Mac, open the App Store, click your name, then Manage Subscriptions. Plus is a one-time purchase and does not auto-renew, so only Discover appears here.
• Refunds: Apple processes App Store refunds. Request one at reportaproblem.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID.

Household sharing: who needs to pay?

Household sharing gives your family one shared recipe library, and it is included with Plus and Discover.

• One person buys Plus or Discover and invites household members. Members reach the shared library through that invitation, so everyone does not need to purchase separately.
• Sharing runs on Apple iCloud, so each member needs an Apple device signed into iCloud. There is no Android version of Crouton, so an Android phone cannot join the shared library.
• If a household member is missing recipes that others can see, that is usually a sync question rather than a purchase one. Confirm they are signed into iCloud on an Apple device first, then contact support if recipes are still missing.

Checking current pricing

Plan prices vary by country and can change, so the most accurate figures are always the ones shown in the App Store listing and on the upgrade screen inside the app.

When to contact Crouton support

If your purchase still is not recognized after you have restored it, or you hit a “too many claims” message, reach out, and we will help. To sort it out quickly, please include:

• The Apple ID email you purchased with
• A screenshot of your App Store receipt or purchase confirmation
• Which plan you bought (Plus or Discover) and roughly when
• Your Crouton version and your iOS or macOS version

You can find your version and device details on the support screen inside the app, which fills most of this in automatically when emailing via the feedback/support links in the app.

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