Kava vs Untappd: Why craft beer lovers should start rating their coffees too
As an Untappd user since 2012, I've rated thousands of craft beers. But I always wished there was a coffee rating app, like an Untappd for coffee – an app where I could rate coffees I tasted at specialty coffee shops around the world. Since I couldn't find one, I built Kava.
If you like coffee and are already familiar with Untappd, you'll love joining the thousands of people who are already rating coffees on Kava and sharing likes, comments, and images with friends and followers. Plus you can use our interactive map to find specialty coffee shops, wherever you travel.
In summary: Kava is a specialty coffee app that works like Untappd but specifically designed for specialty coffee. Both let you rate drinks, discover locations, and connect with friends. Key differences: Kava focuses on coffee shops (not home brewing), has advanced café search filters, and is currently strongest in Europe.
| Feature | Untappd | Kava |
|---|---|---|
| Rate drinks | ✓ (Beer) | ✓ (Coffee) |
| Interactive map | ✓ | ✓ (Plus filters) |
| Social features | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rate at home | ✓ | ✗ (Coffee shops only) |
| Profile badges | ✓ | Country flags (more coming) |
| Wishlist | ✓ (Beers) | ✓ (Cafés) |
Let's take a look at the similarities and differences between Kava and Untappd in more detail.
What Kava and Untappd have in common
As social discovery and rating apps, there are a lot of similarities between Untappd and Kava. First, the map.
Interactive map for discovery
Just like Untappd, you can easily see our curated selection of the best specialty coffee shops near you. But rather than just seeing all the map pins, on Kava you can filter results, for example:
- - Open now
- - Laptop-friendly cafés for remote work
- - Outdoor seating
- - Dog-friendly
- - Wheelchair accessible access
- - And much more...
Rating your drinks
When rating coffees you can get as geeky as you like, adding the roaster, origin, cultivar, process, brewing method, and tasting notes, as well as a picture and comment. Going for coffee with a friend? Tag them in your post.
Social features: Follow, like, comment
Like Untappd, Kava has an activity timeline where you can see all the coffees that you and your friends have rated.
Build community by following other Kava users and keeping up with coffee loving friends around the world. Show some love by liking or commenting on others' posts.
Pin your favourite rating to the top of your profile page.
Detailed analytics and stats
Like Untappd, you can see a full breakdown of your ratings and get detailed insights into your coffee preferences to help you better understand what you like and ensure you'll always order coffee you'll enjoy.
For example, you can examine your top rated:
- - Origins (Ethiopian, Colombian, etc.)
- - Roasters
- - Processes (natural, anaerobic, washed, etc)
- - Brewing methods (espresso, V60, etc)
- - Flavour profiles
- - and much more...
Collecting coffees
If you're anything like me, you'll get a little nerdy kick out of seeing your coffee count rise. I think of it like 'collecting' coffees. You'll also earn flags on your profile for each country you visit.
At the time of writing, I've rated 784 coffees at 224 coffee shops in 14 countries. Sorry, make that 785 coffees now.
Wishlist feature
Untappd and Kava both have a wishlist feature, but whereas on Untappd you can add specific beers to your wishlist, because coffees come and go so quickly, on Kava you can add coffee shops to your "want to visit" wishlist. These are then highlighted on the map, making them easy to pick out.
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What's different about Kava?
Well, of course you're rating specialty coffee, not craft beer. That goes without saying. But what else is different?
No "Kava at home"
On Kava, you can only rate coffees from coffee shops. That means there's no option to record coffees you brew at home, in the way you could select "Untappd at Home" as the location on Untappd.
This is firstly because the mission of Kava is to support independent coffee shops and help other users find the best cafés in town. But secondly, I believe there are simply too many variables and inconsistencies in home coffee brewing - compared to simply opening a can of beer - to make ratings useful for other users.
Verified venues
Kava doesn't currently have a "verified" venue status, but all our coffee shops are carefully checked by us to ensure that they are independent coffee shops serving genuine specialty coffee from an independent specialty coffee roaster.
No badges yet (but coming soon!)
Right now, Kava doesn't have quirkily named badges you can earn, but this is something I'm thinking of adding in the future. "A whole latte love"? "Espresso yourself"?
No Shop Integration (support your local cafés!)
There's no shop functionality on Kava, to purchase coffee beans for example. The mission of Kava is to support independent specialty coffee shops so we'd rather you visit your local cafés and roasteries to buy your beans, than buying through Kava.
European focus (for now)
Because the app started in Europe and there's such a strong specialty coffee scene here, for now Kava is Euro-centric. That's not to say you can't use the app in the US or elsewhere - we have thousands of cafés all around the world - It's just that the strongest community on Kava is currently in Europe.
Who should use Kava?
Kava is perfect for:
- Untappd users who want to rate coffee like they track beer
- Specialty coffee enthusiasts looking for new cafés
- Digital nomads and travelers looking for laptop-friendly spots
- Coffee lovers who want to remember great drinks and discover patterns in their preferences
- Social users who enjoy sharing experiences with friends
FAQs
Is Kava free?
Yes, Kava is completely free.
Is Kava available on iPhone and Android?
Yes, Kava is availble on both iPhone and Android.
Can I use both Untappd and Kava?
Of course, they are perfect companions and many users love tracking both their craft beers on Untappd and their coffees on Kava.
Is Kava available in the US?
Yes! While our strongest community is in Europe, we have thousands of cafés listed worldwide, including the United States.
What's different about Kava compared to other specialty coffee apps?
We've got a whole article comparing various specialty coffee apps like European Coffee Trip, Roasters, and more.
Join the community rating coffees on Kava
If you are a coffee lover and you're already rating your craft beer on Untappd, Kava is the perfect app for you.
Download Kava today and:
- - Discover specialty coffee shops near you, wherever you travel
- - Rate every coffee you drink
- - Connect with coffee lovers worldwide
- - Track your coffee journey with detailed stats
- - Earn country flags as you explore
Download the app now for free on Android or iPhone.
