Overview

OurGroceries is a grocery-list app for households that want shopping coordination and recipes in one shared space. It is a strong fit when several people update the same list; the trade-off is that it does not offer private lists.

Key features

Shared shopping and organization

Members signed in to the same account see changes to shared lists instantly, making it practical for households that split shopping or add items as they run out. Items can include quantities, notes, photos, categories, and barcodes. Shoppers can group items by category or aisle, then manually reorder them to follow a preferred route through a store. Barcode scanning adds convenience, but its product coverage is U.S.-centric, limiting its usefulness elsewhere.

Recipes, voice, and delivery

Recipes can be kept in the app, with either selected ingredients or a whole recipe added to a shopping list. Voice entry works with Amazon Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant on Android. An experimental MCP integration for Claude and ChatGPT is also described, but its experimental status makes it a less dependable foundation for a routine. Lists can be sent to Instacart for delivery in the United States and Canada; shoppers elsewhere cannot use that connection.

Export, privacy, and support

Users can export lists, recipes, the item master list, and categories in a ZIP containing XLSX and JSON files. That makes the data portable for reference or analysis, but the export cannot be re-imported after external changes, so it is not a reliable round-trip editing workflow. The privacy policy says the company does not sell or share personal information, while also describing some information shared with advertising partners for personalized advertising. Servers and stored user information are in the United States. Security measures include system-log review, off-site backups, encryption, and security software, though 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.

OurGroceries dates to 2009 and was shaped by its creators’ own household coordination needs. Price tracking and private lists are requested features planned for a future update, not current capabilities.

Pricing

The free plan is free and includes all features and list sharing, with ads appearing in a few screens. That makes it a capable starting point for households willing to accept advertising; there are no feature or list-sharing caps in the plan terms.

The Remove Ads monthly subscription costs 1.00 USD per month, billed monthly, and removes ads for the account’s shared lists. It starts with a 7-day free trial. The Remove Ads yearly subscription costs 6.00 USD per year, billed yearly, with the same ad removal and 7-day free trial; it suits users who expect to keep the app and prefer the lower annual cost. The Lifetime upgrade costs 20.00 USD per once as a one-time upgrade and removes ads for shared lists without a recurring subscription. The paid options change advertising, not the included features or sharing.

Platforms

OurGroceries runs on Android, iOS, macOS, and the web, giving household members a way to use shared lists across phones, computers, and browsers.

Who it's for

Choose OurGroceries if your household needs a shared, instantly updated shopping list with recipes and flexible item organization, and if a free plan matters. It is a weaker choice for people who need private lists, price tracking, dependable barcode coverage outside the United States, or Instacart access beyond the United States and Canada.

Pros and cons

Pro: Real-time shared lists and all features are included on the free plan, so households can coordinate without a subscription.
Pro: Recipes, item details, aisle grouping, and manual ordering make the app useful from meal planning through a store trip.
Pro: Monthly, yearly, and one-time ad-removal choices accommodate different preferences for recurring costs.
Con: Private lists and price tracking are not current features, so it is not suited to shoppers who need either.
Con: Barcode coverage is U.S.-centric, and Instacart integration is limited to the United States and Canada.
Con: Exported files cannot be re-imported after external changes, constraining editing outside the app.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, see Shopping List Apps. Choose Buy Me a Pie! if a free plan capped at three lists, sharing with two other accounts, and eight color groups fits your needs. GroceryShare is an option for Android, iOS, or macOS users seeking free grocery lists, smart categories, shopping mode, and basic recipes. Pick List Buddy if its free plan’s unlimited lists and two-person list cap match your household, and you want its stated meal, event, AI-add, and photo allowances. Pepperjack is worth considering for iOS households that want a free plan with two lists, unlimited guests, shared lists, and real-time sync. KitchenOwl suits readers looking for a free, open-source option with self-hosting and broader platform support, including Linux and Windows. Choose AnyList if importing up to five web recipes on its free plan is the priority. Listonic offers unlimited lists on its free plan for users who prioritize that allowance. mitlist may suit households wanting a free plan with up to four members, attachments, and a self-hosted option.

Verdict

OurGroceries is a sound choice for households that want to coordinate shopping and recipes without paying for core features. Its shared lists, cross-platform availability, and clear ad-removal options make the case; look elsewhere if private lists, price tracking, broader barcode coverage, or export-and-reimport editing are essential.

	OurGroceries	Smart Grocery
Free plan	Yes
Free trial	Yes
Paid from	$0.50/mo	$0.83/mo
Platforms	Android, iOS, macOS, Web	iOS, macOS
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Shared lists	Yes	Yes
Real-time syncing	Yes
Barcode scanning	Yes	Yes
Recipe import	Yes	Yes
Recurring items		Yes

OurGroceries vs Smart Grocery

OurGroceries

Smart Grocery