Our Verdict
Every week , I do something I really dislike . Dislike it so much , in fact , that I ’d rather not do it . Yet there I am , week after week , repeating the process . So why not stop , you ask ? Because , really , grocery shopping is slightly all-important to getting the household through the calendar week . But that does n’t intend I have to enjoy the crowd , the monetary value , the challenges of keeping the children in control , and dealing with an unwieldy paper list of detail to be purchased , created in a essentially random order .
I ca n’t do anything about most of my grocery shopping disfavor — a valet de chambre ’s got to rust , after all . But a newfangled class of iPhone programs has emerged to at least tackle the paper list problem : grocery store list apps .
At its marrow , a grocery list app is simply a customized To Do covering , with features point specifically at managing tilt of groceries . As such , any criterion To Do program could support grocery store listing as well as a standalone app . To keep the size of this comparative brushup somewhat achievable , however , I chose to focalise exclusively on those program that were specifically direct to grocery store shopping . search ongroceryin the App Store return around40 friction match , so this is a pop concept . Of the 40 apps that showed up in my search , I narrowed the list down to 22 apps that were sincerely grocery list apps , and that seemed to extend a useful characteristic set and available user interface ( found on the screenshots and descriptions in the App Store and on the developer ’s varlet ) . I then set up all 22 apps on the iPhone , and set about try on to identify the in force of the proficient .
SplashShopper allows synchronization with your Mac via a $20 program
At the goal of many long simulate ( and real ) shopping trip , I had narrow down the list to the three programs that I palpate did the upright job of replacing my newspaper - based foodstuff list . However , how you evaluate these programme may be different than mine , so I ’ve decide toinclude the tableI used to value the features in all 22 of the programme , so you may see how each did in specific areas , as well as some brief notes about each app . In this manner , you may compare the three computer programme I ’ve select with the rest of the population and see if a different program may satisfy your want .
SplashShopper List Manager($8 ) is actually slightly more than just a grocery list app , as it plow snitch for everything from wine to movies , to creating emergency tangency lists and travel checklist . However , it ’s the only food market list app I critique that offers easy and unseamed list syncing with a desktop computer ( Mac or PC ) — though this requires a separate $ 20 purchase ofSplashShopperfor the desktop . Although this is n’t a followup of the desktop software , I did test creating and syncing lists between my iPhone and Mac Pro , and it influence perfectly .
SplashShopper allows synchronization with your Mac via a $ 20 programAs a standalone grocery store inclination software , SplashShopper is feature article rich , though it has a mates of usability issuing . The main screen shows all the various list — and SplashShopper ships with a dozen or so pre - populated lists , including one Groceries list . Tap the Groceries entry , and you ’ll be search at the one filmdom that SplashShopper uses to show you both everything in the database , and those items you need to grease one’s palms . You toggle between these two modes by tapping the All or Need clitoris , severally . There ’s also a plus clitoris ( for adding point to the database ) , a enlarge glass ( for searching ) , an Es - post button ( to station the list ) , and a dollar sign figure that bear witness the total cost of everything on your penury list .
ShopShop is a free, basic, but effective grocery list app
If you tap on an entryway in the All / indigence leaning , you ’ll bring up the edit screen for that product ’s detail . Here you may tote up amount and price information , assign the production to a store ( you may use SplashShopper to put certain items only in sure store ) , enter a description , and note whether or not it ’s a taxable token . To add an detail to your shopping list , you rap a box next to its name in the All eyeshot ; you withdraw it the same style — you ca n’t take away products directly from the want leaning , so you have to toggle back to All , find the product you want to take out , and then tap its boxwood again . In both All and motivation view , you’re able to filter the equal by shop and/or family ; the nonpayment survey evidence all match for both store and family .
The Need scene has a bit of viewing option , let in a landscape mode that show up item , family , and price columns ( you get only two columns in portrait modality ) . you may specify which column , in addition to detail name , shows up in portrait manner — by nonremittal , it ’s damage . The problem with the nonremittal purview is that you wo n’t see quantities for the items on your list unless you tap them to see the record particular . For that reason , I chose to set measure as the second column , so that I could see how many of each item I needed to buy . When you solicit an item ’s baulk box in motive view , it vanish from the list — at least , that ’s what take place if you do n’t alter the options .
Tap Tools and then choose List Preferences to tell SplashShopper to keep purchase items in Need view , and to have them automatically move to the bottom of the inclination when tapped — I receive the program more logical to use when it ’s set up in this manner . In the Tools screen , you could also change the default kind tower and order — the default is alphabetic , but that does n’t help when you get to the storage — SplashShopper ’s lists ca n’t be reorder via dragging . This is one of the big shortcomings of SplashShopper , as there ’s no easy workaround — you’d have to use categories to chemical group items that are in similar locating in your store , and even then , that would only work for one store . The other programs that allow retarding force - to - reorder are more flexible in this regard .
Grocery Gadget is an easy-to-use grocery list manager
Overall , I found SplashShopper to be a well - thought - out , comprehensive program — especially for its ability to handle many different categories of shopping . The various usableness issues in the grocery list portion of the app , however , lead it behind the other two programs in this round - up in terms of usability . If you need background synchronization , however , it ’s the only plot in town .
Of the two free grocery store listing lotion I try out , ShopShopwas my favorite . It ’s not feature fat by any measure , but it ’s very childlike to use and works quite well for handling basic foodstuff lean need . When launched , ShopShop greets you with a vacuous yellow screen , adorned with only two button — Menu , and a plus foretoken .
ShopShop is a free , canonical , but in effect grocery list appTap the Menu button to delete the be list ( ShopShop supports only one list ) or to e - mail the list to someone . ( The power to due east - mail , or otherwise share , a inclination to someone else is useful in households where more than one person may do the shopping . ) pink the plus augury , and the data entry screen appears . There ’s not a lot of complexity here — just a box to enter a quantity ( and abbreviation , i.e.2galor4lbs ) , a Recent Items section showing items that were recently on the list , and the keyboard .
The Recent Items section cultivate quite well ; you first see anything you ’ve recently shopped for that ’s not on the list . beg an unveiling , and it ’s added to your list ( or swipe the ingress to permanently remove it ) . Given the list of recent point will be long , ShopShop also has on - the - fly matching ; as you type , the leaning of recent items update to reflect only those entries that pair what you ’ve typed . I find I could get to any item in my late items lean with only a duo of typed letters . This keen time - saving feature is essential in ShopShop because you ca n’t save a leaning for easy future re - role , so you ’ll have to set up the tilt from scratch each week .
After build your inclination , you may rearrange the items on it by dragging the right side of each line — this lets you check the layout of your list to the layout of the grocery store to make indisputable you do n’t miss anything in a given section . you could edit an launching ’s name or quantity by pink and make on it , and you mark it off the list while denounce with a dewy-eyed dab — a red product line will be drawn through the item , indicating it ’s been contribute to your pushcart . ( A 2nd wiretap will remove the ruby bank line . ) If your list has marked - off items on it , the Menu release change to read Clear ; press that , and all the red - lined items will be erased from the list , establish it easy to see what ’s go forth to buy . If you ’ve built a listing , and have n’t purchased everything on it , you ’ll see a red “ mail service - corresponding ” point numeration badge on the ShopShop ikon on the iPhone .
ShopShop is light on “ power shopper ” features — there ’s no ability to input or course prices , you ca n’t save lists for easier reuse , and there ’s no pre - populated listing of food market to pick from . But as a canonic grocery leaning puppet , I found it very fast on its feet , with enough features to get the job done for most shopper .
Grocery Gadget Shopping List($3 ) is a full - featured grocery list app that also works well to manage other sort of shopping — specialized inclination for Thanksgiving , position supplying , Mac software to be purchase , or whatever else you may require to corrupt . Grocery Gadget computer storage these inclination , so you may easily refresh them , or ( in the case of food market shopping ) use them over and over . You could also set up lists by store , if you wished — the program does n’t really care what your leaning are for , it just tracks them for you . The main screen shows all saved lists , along with an Edit and positive - sign button . The Edit release countenance you delete lists , and the plus augury will make a new leaning . Tapping an be list brings the list , which can be viewed in two modes — Prepare ( to add item to the list ) or Shop ( go shopping with the list ) .
Grocery Gadget is an loose - to - use of goods and services grocery tilt managerIn Prepare List musical mode , a tap of a plus button brings you to the item addition screen , display a long list of grocery items , a hunt box , and button to sort the intersection list alphabetically or by family . To append a mathematical product , tap it in the list , or get going typecast its name in the search box . As you typecast , the list of product will switch to meditate item that match what you typed . The sizing of the Grocery Gadget database is both a intensity level and a weakness here — the app has probably every grocery - relate item you may think of buying ( lemon poppy cum spice and pet doll toys include ) , but this intend that you ’ll get lots of matches for most searches ( candyreturned more than 100 friction match ) . If this really seems troublesome , you could aggregated - delete products ( optionally the entire database ) by using the Edit push . I found that hunt were generally fast enough that this was n’t a immense problem .
item on your inclination can be rearrange via dragging , so that they ’re in the same gild as your storehouse is lay out . bug an item on your list add up the details screen , where you could contribute quantity , notes , price , taxation , family ( you could contribute additional category , if you require full control over how your items are sort ) , and image . you’re able to optionally pick out to attach a picture from your depository library , or take a new one with the camera . you’re able to then resize , rapid climb , and even rotate the epitome to make it calculate just right with the production . Once you ’ve built the list , you ’re ready to go shopping — over and over with the same tilt , if you bid .
When you choose Shop List from the main cover , you ’ll see the inclination you create , pure with thumbnail photos if you used them , and an empty box seat for a check mark . Your tilt is in the first place sort as you place it out in the Prepare List screen , but you’re able to bug release to sort it alphabetically or by class . When you toss something in your go-cart , you intercept the empty box seat and Grocery Gadget place a tab mark in the boxwood . The buy item will then automatically move to the end of the list , leave the rest items at the top of the list . ( you’re able to incapacitate this behavior by tapping the lean view sort release at the bottom of the screen ; in this modality , items do n’t move around automatically . )
To delete an an item from a list while you ’re shopping , you simply swipe it and a Delete button appears ; exploit that , and the product is completely polish off from your listing . However , if there ’s something on your list that you do n’t need to buy this workweek , but you want to keep on your leaning , just exploit its boxwood twice — the 2d water faucet turn the check box seat into a red “ X , ” indicating you ’re not buy that item this time around . If you tapdance an token ’s name , instead of its check box , you ’ll see the same details screen as in the Prepare List region — so you may enter price entropy as you dispose each item in your basketball hoop , for example .
you’re able to e - mail lists off the iPhone , but the process is more convolute than it need be . When you tap the vitamin E - mail icon at the bottom of a list , your iPhone ’s contact list appear ; tap a contact , and then the Mail app open up , with a new e - mail addressed to that person , the subject filled in as Grocery Gadget Shopping List , and the list itself — let in the state of each item ’s checkbox — in the body of the e - mail . you could then add to ( or change ) the receiver of the e - mail , customise the message , and send it . This would be much bare if Grocery Gadget just opened Mail in the first piazza ; given you may easy address eastward - mails in Mail , it ’s really more workplace to go through the contact database first .
I found Grocery Gadget very easygoing to expend , and loved its power to store multiple lists , along with the ego - update shopping listing that reordered itself as I checked off the stuff and nonsense in our go-cart . The gravid database of grocery items can be both a assistance and a hinderance , but in worldwide , I like not experience to typewrite out every merchandise ’s full name . While it ’s not free , Grocery Gadget extend a lot of note value for the money if you do a passel of shopping .
While none of the programs I reviewed have turned my weekly grocery shopping chore into a pleasant experience , now at least I have a valid reason to bring the iPhone along on the journey . Of the three programs I ’ve reviewed here , I ’ve encounter myself using Grocery Gadget most often . I like its user interface the good , and encounter it strikes the right remainder between features and usability . For a free app , ShopShop acquits itself well , and SplashShopper offers the common characteristic - rich program I ’ve come to expect from SplashData , along with the required desktop synchronizing .
All apps mentioned in this rung - up are compatible with any iPhone or iPod touch execute the iPhone 2.x software update .
[ older editor Rob Griffiths spell the Mac OS X Hints web access between visits to the grocery memory board . ]
