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Groceree vs Out of Milk: an honest comparison

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Out of Milk is a long-running free shopping list app with a pantry tracker, to-do lists, barcode scanning and a web version. Groceree is a newer mobile-only app focused on the shared list and the shopping trip itself. Both let a household edit one list together.

Most people looking for an Out of Milk alternative are doing so for one of two reasons: they want something simpler than the pantry-and-to-do combination, or their access changed. Out of Milk was sold in 2021, and the new owner moved to end service for users outside the United States and Canada — if you were affected by that, you are looking for a replacement rather than an upgrade.

This page is written by the team behind Groceree. The feature facts below are checked against Out of Milk’s own features page.

Feature comparison

Where the two apps actually differ.

FeatureGrocereeOut of Milk
PlatformsiPhone (iOS 16.4+), AndroidiPhone, Android, web
Shared listsFree, via invite linkFree, via email invitation
Real-time syncYesYes
Push notification when someone adds an itemYesNot listed
Categories sorted by store aisleYes, reorderable to match your shopYes, custom categories
Item suggestionsFrom a built-in product catalogueFrom your shopping history
Photos on itemsIncludedYes
Offline useYesNot listed
Store loyalty cardsYes — scan a card barcode and show it at the tillNot listed
Barcode scanning to add itemsNoYes
Pantry trackingNoYes
To-do listsNo — shopping lists onlyYes
Prices and coupons on itemsNoYes
Web and desktop accessNo — mobile onlyYes
Lock Screen widgetYes, via Live Activities on iOSNot listed
Regional availabilityWorldwideService was withdrawn outside the US and Canada after the 2021 sale

A cell marked “Not listed” means the feature is not mentioned in that app’s own store listing, feature page, or help documentation. It may still exist — we would rather say we could not confirm it than claim it is missing.

When Out of Milk is the better choice

Out of Milk covers more ground than we do.

  • You want a pantry tracker alongside the list, so you can see what you already have before shopping.
  • You add items by scanning barcodes. Out of Milk has this; Groceree does not.
  • You keep to-do lists in the same app as the shopping list.
  • You track prices or clip coupons against individual items.
  • You want to edit the list from a computer. Out of Milk has a web version; Groceree is mobile only.

When Groceree is the better choice

And where the simpler app wins.

  • You are outside the United States or Canada. Groceree is available worldwide, which for a lot of former Out of Milk users is the whole reason they are reading this.
  • You want a notification the moment someone adds something. This is central to how Groceree works and is not documented for Out of Milk.
  • You want a shared list without a pantry and a to-do list attached to it.
  • You want confirmed offline behaviour — lists stay readable and editable with no signal, syncing on reconnect.
  • You keep supermarket loyalty cards on your phone and would rather not run a separate wallet app.
  • You want the categories in the order you actually walk your shop.

The short answer

If you are outside the US and Canada, this is not really a comparison — Groceree is available to you and Out of Milk may not be. If you are in North America and you use the pantry, the to-do lists or the price tracking, Out of Milk gives you more. If you only ever used the shared list, Groceree does that part with notifications and worldwide availability.

Related pages

Common questions

Is Out of Milk still available outside the US and Canada?
Following the 2021 sale, the new owner moved to end service for users outside the United States and Canada. Check the current position with Out of Milk directly — but if you lost access, Groceree is available worldwide.
Does Groceree have a pantry tracker like Out of Milk?
No. Groceree keeps the shopping list only. If tracking what is already in your cupboards matters to you, Out of Milk covers that and we do not.
Can I scan barcodes to add items in Groceree?
Not for adding products — Groceree scans barcodes only for storing supermarket loyalty cards. Out of Milk supports barcode scanning to add items to a list.
Is Groceree free like Out of Milk?
Groceree is free to use and ad-supported, with an optional subscription that removes the ads. Shared lists, real-time sync and notifications are all in the free tier.

Available wherever you are

Free on iPhone and Android, worldwide. Create a list and share one link.

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