First Impression
I saw a few people talking about this app on a forum last Tuesday, so I grabbed it on my Galaxy S23 just to see what the fuss was about. I live alone, so the whole “family sharing” thing isn’t really my scene, but I figured a good list app is a good list app. Right away, it felt… simple. Almost plain. The setup was quick—you just make a list and start typing items. I made a list for my usual Sunday trip to the big supermarket on 5th Street. It didn’t wow me, but it didn’t confuse me either. It just sat there, a digital notepad. I was curious if the free features were enough to make me keep it.
What It Does Well
The syncing is honestly impressive. I added “toilet paper” on my phone while my laptop was open on the couch, and it popped up on the web version before I could even look back at the screen. If you have a partner or kids running around adding things, I can totally see how that would stop the “did you get the milk?” texts. I also like how you can sort items into custom aisles. After my first shop, I spent ten minutes organizing everything. Now when I pull up my list, it’s grouped as “Produce,” “Dairy,” “Bakery”—it actually helps me walk through the store in a logical order instead of bouncing around like a pinball. For a free app, having that level of control over the list layout is a nice touch.
Where It Falls Short
My big issue is that it feels built for a team, not a solo player. Most of the hype is around sharing, which I don’t need. When you’re by yourself, it’s just a very basic list maker. I tried the recipe import feature, hoping to save time on meal prep. You have to manually type or paste every single ingredient from a website. It’s tedious. I gave up after adding one recipe. Then, on Wednesday, I ran into a weird glitch where checking off an item on the web didn’t remove it from my phone’s list. They stayed crossed out but wouldn’t vanish. It messed up my whole list for a quick after-work run to the corner store. For an app whose main job is syncing lists, that was frustrating.
Is It Worth the Price?
The core app is free, which is the only reason I’m still using it. They have a “Plus” subscription to remove ads and add extras like photos for items. The ads are just small banners, not a dealbreaker. I poked around the premium features and nothing screamed “must-have” to me. Paying to change list colors or attach a picture of the specific brand of pasta I want? Not a chance. As someone who tests every free inch of an app, I feel like I’ve seen all the value here without spending a dime. It’s functional, but I’m not convinced to open my wallet.
Developer & Support
After that syncing glitch, I emailed support from the app. I got an auto-reply almost instantly, which was fine. The actual human response came a full day later. It was vague, just asking me to “try syncing again” and to make sure I was on the latest version—things I’d already done twice. It felt like a brush-off, like they get that question a lot and have a canned answer. I wrote back with more details from my S23 and never heard another word. That left a bad taste. If I’m trusting an app with my weekly shopping, I need to know someone’s there if it breaks.
Privacy & Safety
The privacy policy is pretty straightforward. They collect basic account info and your list data to make the syncing work. They say they don’t sell your personal shopping lists to third parties, which is a relief. My list of hummus and paper towels isn’t exactly state secrets, but still. I appreciate that the app doesn’t ask for a bunch of unnecessary permissions on my phone. It just needs internet to sync. It feels like a tool that does its job without snooping, which is a big plus in my book.
Can I organize my shopping list by store aisles in Our Groceries?
Yes, you can create custom aisle categories like 'Produce' or 'Dairy' and assign items to them. This helps you navigate the store in a logical order, and you can set up different aisle lists for different stores.
Does the app sync across devices in real time?
Absolutely. The sync is very fast—when you add or check off an item on your phone, it appears instantly on the web version or any other device. This is especially useful for households where multiple people need to see or update the same list.
Why do checked-off items sometimes stay visible on my phone?
This is a known glitch where items crossed out on the web version don't disappear from the mobile list. A quick fix is to force-close the app on your phone and reopen it, which usually refreshes the list and removes the crossed-out items.
How do I import a recipe into Our Groceries?
You have to manually type or paste each ingredient from the recipe website into the app. There's no automatic import, so it can be tedious. If you cook often, you might find it easier to just add ingredients directly to your list instead.
How does Our Groceries compare to a simple notes app for shopping lists?
Our Groceries is much better for syncing across devices and organizing by store aisles, which a basic notes app can't do. However, if you shop alone and don't need sharing or custom categories, a plain notes app might feel just as useful and less cluttered.
