These Grocery Apps Make Shopping So Easy (2024)

With a near-perfect 4.9-rating out of 5 stars on the App Store, AnyList lives up to its name, especially in the grocery shopping department. You can create and share lists with family and friends via email (any changes sync instantly). You can share certain lists, but keep others private if you prefer.

The auto-complete feature suggests common items as you type, and then intuitively organizes them into categories. You can then go in and re-organize those categories so they match the layout of the grocery store. A real standout feature is that you can place an online order for your groceries directly from AnyList at popular retailers like Instacart, Walmart and Kroger. Our pros really appreciate that the app also offers a variety of sample lists for other tasks, including packing lists, house projects and more, so you can keep everything organized on one platform.

You can upgrade to a premium account for $9.99 per year for an individual or $14.99 per year for your household to unlock features like recipe web import, recipe scaling and access to your lists on Apple Watch.

Get AnyList for iOS or AnyList for Android.

List Ease is like a digital version of a schedule planner, but designed exclusively for your kitchen. If you are worried about unnecessary food waste, the app allows you to create a stock list of what you have in your kitchen at home — as well as a general shopping list for your next trip.

You can share your list with family and friends, and even track your spending by scanning and saving receipts. The list is very easy to organize and customize to what works best for you, whether you need everything sorted by grocery aisle, recipe or available grocery coupons. Another unique feature is that you can opt-in for location-based reminders so the app reminds you about your list as you approach the store.

There is no premium version, and the app itself is very basic. But for no cost at all you'll still get the ability to share your lists, add as many items as you want and organize to your liking. If you're constantly trying to inventory what you have to save money while shopping, this app is for you.

Get List Ease for iOS or List Ease for Android.

If meal planning's your jam, look no further than Mealime. This app combines a meal planning service, recipe library and grocery shopping list app all in one. Select from a variety of recipes to curate a meal plan for the week. Once you're done, the app will automatically create a grocery list of ingredients based on that meal plan. After you do your shopping and unpack your groceries, you can follow the step-by-step recipe instructions and won't have to worry about having everything on hand.

Our dietitians like that the service has meal plan options that cater to different dietary preferences, restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian, vegan, flexitarian and low carb. You can make your meal plan for two, four or six servings, allowing you to stay organized for feeding the whole family. Meals are ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish. Although it's great that the recipe list is generated in seconds, one downside is that there isn't a sharing feature for the list.

Mealime is free to download and use, but you can upgrade to the Mealime Meal Planner Pro option for $2.99 per month which includes some more exclusive recipes, advanced recipe filters, the ability to add your own recipes and more. Nutrition information for each recipe and integration with the Health app are available too, but you'll have to upgrade to the Pro version.

Get Mealime for iOS or Mealime for Android.

Your kids can easily add their favorite healthy snacks to a shared family grocery list with Cozi, but parents can also create a color-coded calendar on the app to keep track of everyone's busy schedules, plus email reminders for important events. Parents will appreciate that users can send an automated daily or weekly agenda to any family member too.

The reason our pros love this app for families is that the whole family will share one account that everyone can access using their email and a shared family password. But a real standout is in the recipe section — a "no-dim" button so your screen doesn't go dark while you're cooking.

You can upgrade to Cozi Gold for $29.99 per year to remove any ads and get a few other small features like a calendar search and birthday tracker.

Get Cozi Family Organizer for iOS or Cozi Family Organizer for Android.

OurGroceries is a popular grocery shopping list app geared towards families and allows you to share your lists with multiple users. Another great feature is that you can use the app to shop from your phone or Apple Watch and even add items easily using voice assistance.

Although the app doesn't have standing recipes, you can add your own recipes and then easily transfer those ingredients to your shopping list when needed. Users can create unlimited shopping lists, and there is an optional automatic category suggestion for any new items that you add.

Our pros really appreciate that you can put in a photo to match an item to make sure whoever does the shopping gets exactly the right one. Plus, the barcode scanner is free so you can add items at home during the week as you finish them. The premium version, available at $0.99 per month, $5.99 per year or $19.99 lifetime rate, takes away the ads.

RELATED: The Ultimate Cheap Grocery List to Save You Money

Get OurGroceries for iOS or OurGroceries for Android.

Most likely the majority of your grocery shopping list is comprised of the same items each week. When building your grocery list in Listonic, the app will suggest your favorite products first to make things simple. The app gets smarter as you use it, suggesting those more relevant products and understanding your shopping history.

The app is fairly basic but does offer some special features for free. You can share the list with family and friends which is a major benefit. But more importantly, Listonic allows you to add prices to the items on your list — that way, the app can automatically calculate your total before you head to the store. You'll have to add the prices manually, but this feature can be helpful for budget-conscious users.

A premium version is also available that essentially just removes the ads. The cost for upgrading your account starts at $0.99 per month, $8.99 per year and $13.99 one-time lifetime payment.

Get Listonic for iOS and Listonic for Android.

Make your grocery list and find deals for saving all at once with the Flipp app. You'll be able to browse thousands of weekly ads and circulars virtually through the app, making it simple to save on groceries and other necessities. You'll input your zip code and the app will find relevant deals for stores near you.

Clip deals directly to your shopping list or add your own items. Flipp will instantly find deals for the items on your list. You can even add your loyalty points and rewards for individual stores to Flipp to quickly access everything in one place during checkout.

Our pros like that you can also share those deals and coupons with friends and family, and share your shopping list with a partner to keep track of everything you need to pick up this week. Although the app does not include recipes, the platform is completely free so you'll get all its other offerings without having to upgrade.

Get Flipp for iOS and Flipp for Android.

This smart cooking app uses AI to suggest recipes based on your food preferences and lifestyle. Not sure what to make for dinner? Just snap a pic of the ingredients you have on hand to get new dinner recipe ideas or browse dishes from your favorite food sites. Anything you need gets added to an automatically organized list.

Our experts also love that you can order groceries from local supermarkets directly from the app based on your list. Plus, you can add non-food items to the list to meet all of your shopping needs in one trip. We also appreciate that the app caters to several dietary restrictions and more. The recipes even have video tutorials, timers and other handy tools.

Although the app is free to download, you'll have to pay to access everything. The cost is $4.17 per month if billed annually or $4.99 per month if billed monthly. But a one-month free trial is available if you're on the fence and want to see if the app is worth it for your lifestyle.

Get Yummly for iOS or Yummly for Android.

Picture BigOven as your giant virtual cookbook — you can find inspiration from over a million recipes, then plan your meals and create your grocery shopping lists around them. You can share the grocery list with your household and sort it by department or recipe, and enjoy the support of a massive community of home chefs just like you.

Our experts love that you can clip recipes from your favorite sites, or use the RecipeScan tool to upload and transcribe a handwritten recipe just by importing a photo. Another useful feature is the "Use Up Leftovers" tool, which discovers recipes based on what you have on hand and can help you reduce your food waste.

The Pro membership costs $2.99 per month or $24.99 per year and removes ads and gives some additional advanced search filters for recipes. You'll be able to upload an unlimited number of recipes too.

Get BigOven for iOS or BigOven for Android.

Create healthy, delicious meals at home with this innovative app from KptnCook. Every day, you'll receive three new, personalized recipes created by nutritionists and foodies. You can share the recipes with your family and friends, and save as many recipes as you want in the app.

Our pros were impressed with the high-quality images that come with each recipe so you can easily follow along. The meals are health-conscious, inventive and unique. You can easily add the ingredients for the recipes directly to your list too.

But to access most of the features and the full library of recipes, you'll have to upgrade to the premium version which costs $3.50 per month or $59.99 per year. There you'll find access to all of the plans for specific dietary preferences and lifestyles, the ability to exclude ingredients for things like allergies and dislikes, and of course access to the entire library of recipes.

Get KptnCook for iOS or KptnCook for Android.

Since most grocery list apps are free to download, you can play around and see which one works best for you and your family. But you'll also want to take the following under consideration:

✔️ Compatibility: Some apps are made exclusively for iOS, whereas others are made for Android (or both). Make sure that whichever app you select is compatible with your smartphone. If you plan to share the grocery list with other members in your household, make sure their smartphones are compatible with the app too. If you have a mix of iOS and Android in your house, look for apps that are available on both platforms (most of our top picks are).

✔️ Versatility: Are you looking for a specific app to help with grocery shopping lists, or do you prefer a larger app that allows you to make other types of shared lists with your family? You'll want to keep this in mind when selecting the best one for you and your familial needs.

✔️ Cost: Most of these apps are free to download and may even offer some sort of free trial, so you can give it a road test before committing to the full month or year subscription. You'll likely have to pay for any premium features but they may not be necessary for your specific needs.

✔️ Special features: Do you prefer an app that can auto-fill a grocery list for you? Perhaps one that can create meals from the list you create? Many apps offer unique special features like this that you may want to consider.

Need some help figuring out what to put on your grocery shopping list in the first place? Check out our ultimate healthy grocery list and our dietitian-approved grocery list for sustainable weight loss. If you're interested in more budget-friendly options, our ultimate cheap grocery list offers affordable picks that are still high quality.

If you're looking for help with meal prep, become a meal-prepping pro with your own copy of Good Housekeeping's Easy Meal Prep cookbook. Not only has each recipe been approved by the experts in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, but we're also offering tips and techniques to help you flawlessly execute batch-cooking, freeze-ahead meals, ready-to-serve dinners and more, plus a 28-day meal plan that lays out when to make each dish.

This story was written by Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Director Stefani Sassos, who handles all nutrition content, product testing and evaluation for the brand. She stays up to date on the latest research to provide evidence-based reporting on all things diet and nutrition, and she also runs large-scale tests and analysis for products ranging from protein bars and supplements to meal delivery services. Stefani upgraded from paper grocery lists to grocery list apps a few years ago when she became a mother, since she finds it much easier to coordinate with the rest of the family for their regular supermarket trips.

Samantha MacAvoy is the assistant food editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen. She most recently updated this story with the latest tips and information regarding grocery store apps. Samantha has nearly five years of experience writing about tasty recipes, testing food products and gadgets and sharing top-tested secrets for home cooking success.