Overview

OurGroceries is a shared grocery-list app for households that want shopping plans and recipes in one place. It is best suited to people coordinating a common list across devices; its broad free feature set is appealing, though ads and the lack of private lists may be deal-breakers.

Founded in 2009, it centers on lists that update for everyone signed in to the same account. Recipes, item details, and several ways to organize or add items make it more capable than a basic checklist, without changing its focus on household grocery coordination.

Key features

Shared lists and store organization

Household members see changes to shared lists instantly, a useful arrangement when several people contribute or shop. Items can include quantities, notes, photos, categories, and barcodes. Categories or aisles help group a list, and manual reordering lets shoppers arrange it around their route through a store. Barcode scanning adds a quick way to enter products, but its U.S.-centric coverage makes it a less dependable draw elsewhere.

Everyone sharing lists uses the same account. That keeps the collaboration model simple, but it does not suit households that need private lists alongside shared ones. Price tracking and private lists are planned capabilities, not current ones.

Recipes, voice, and delivery

Users can keep recipes and add either selected ingredients or a whole recipe to a shopping list. That makes the app a sensible fit for households that want meal planning to feed directly into shopping, though it is not a substitute for a dedicated price-tracking tool.

Items can be added through Amazon Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant on Android. An experimental MCP integration is also described for Claude and ChatGPT; its experimental status makes it a less established part of the everyday workflow. Lists can be sent to Instacart for delivery, but only in the United States and Canada.

Data, privacy, and support

Exports cover lists, recipes, the item master list, and categories in a ZIP containing XLSX and JSON files. They are useful for taking a copy of household data, but external edits cannot be re-imported, limiting their value for maintaining a separate, edited master file.

The company says it does not sell or share personal information, while also describing information shared with advertising partners for personalized advertising. Its privacy policy places servers and stored user information in the United States. It describes system-log review, off-site backups, encryption, and security software, while cautioning that security cannot be guaranteed. The creators say they personally read app-store reviews and respond to every email; support is available at support@ourgroceries.com.

Pricing

The free plan is free and includes all features and list sharing, with ads appearing on a few screens. It is the clearest choice for households willing to accept ads in exchange for access to the full feature set.

The Remove Ads monthly subscription costs 1.00 USD per month, billed monthly, and starts with a 7-day free trial. The Remove Ads yearly subscription costs 6.00 USD per year, billed yearly, and also starts with a 7-day free trial. Both remove ads for the account’s shared lists; the yearly option costs less over a year than paying monthly, while the monthly plan avoids a longer commitment. The Lifetime upgrade costs 20.00 USD per once as a one-time upgrade and removes ads for shared lists. These paid options change the ad experience rather than adding stated feature tiers.

Platforms

OurGroceries runs on Android, iOS, macOS, and the web. This range serves households mixing phones, computers, and browser access, though the listed platforms do not include Windows or Linux apps.

Who it's for

Choose OurGroceries if a household wants shared lists that update instantly, recipe-to-list support, and flexible item organization without paying for core features. It is less suitable for people who need private lists, price tracking, broad barcode coverage outside the U.S., or Instacart delivery beyond the United States and Canada.

Pros and cons

Pro: Shared lists update instantly, so household members can coordinate against a common current list.
Pro: Recipes, detailed items, aisle or category grouping, and manual ordering support different shopping workflows.
Pro: The free plan includes all features and list sharing, not a reduced feature tier.
Con: Ads remain on a few screens unless the account upgrades.
Con: Shared-list users use the same account, and private lists are not currently supported.
Con: Barcode coverage is U.S.-centric, and Instacart list sending is limited to the United States and Canada.
Con: Exports cannot be re-imported after external changes, so they are not a round-trip editing workflow.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Shopping List Apps.

Buy Me a Pie! is worth considering if a free plan capped at three lists, sharing with two other accounts, and eight color groups fits your needs better.
KitchenOwl is the alternative to consider if you want a free, open-source application with self-hosting support and a wider platform range.
AnyList may fit better if core list creation and sharing plus up to five imported web recipes meet your needs on its free plan.
GroceryShare offers a free plan with grocery lists, smart categories, shopping mode, and basic recipes.
Listonic is an option if unlimited lists on a free plan are the priority.
Bring! is an alternative with free shared shopping lists, recipes, and special offers.
BuyBye may suit someone whose needs fit its free caps of five lists, two people per list, a five-recipe box, and current-week meal planning.
Groly is another free option.

Verdict

OurGroceries is a strong fit for households that want a shared, instantly syncing grocery list with recipes and useful store organization at no charge. The main reason to choose it is that the free plan keeps all features and sharing; look elsewhere if ads, account-wide sharing, region-limited services, or the absence of private lists and price tracking conflict with how you shop.

	Koffan	OurGroceries
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial		Yes
Paid from	Free	$0.50/mo
Platforms	api, self-hosted, Web	Android, iOS, macOS, Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Shared lists	Yes	Yes
Real-time syncing	Yes	Yes
Barcode scanning		Yes
Recipe import		Yes

Koffan vs OurGroceries

Koffan

OurGroceries