Plenty vs AnyList: which grocery list app suits you?
AnyList combines a grocery list with a recipe box, meal planning and Alexa support, and adds items on Apple Watch. Plenty focuses on the shop itself: a shared household list, loyalty cards at the till and a monthly budget from your receipts. Here is how they compare on nine points, with sources.
Written by the Plenty team · Checked on
Written by the Plenty team; we make Plenty. We have tried to be fair, including where another app does something better.
Plenty recipe update
Plenty recipe importing was checked against version 1.8.2 on 5 October 2026. The other app sources retain their original review dates. Save a recipe. Shop its ingredients.
How did we compare the two apps?
We lined AnyList and Plenty up against nine everyday questions, from “can I add by voice?” to “does it work in my language and on my devices?”. The nine points include loyalty cards, receipts and aisle order.
AnyList facts come only from anylist.com, its help pages and its App Store listing. A feature that is not mentioned there is marked “not listed on their site”, which does not prove it is missing. Checked on 25 September 2026; we will check again before 25 March 2027, so after that date confirm with the source.
Plenty and AnyList side by side
| Plenty | AnyList | |
|---|---|---|
| Voice | Dictation inside the app in 11 languages, plus Siri phrases (how it works) | Add items by voice with Siri or Alexa1 |
| Barcode scanning | A product barcode becomes a named item in your language, via a built-in product index and Open Food Facts | Yes, the iOS app adds items by scanning product barcodes2 |
| Shared list | Invite the household by code or link over WhatsApp, Messages or Mail; live updates and notifications; Plenty always needs an account (Apple or Google sign-in) | Share each list by entering the other person's email; changes appear instantly3 |
| Apple Watch | View lists and tick items off; no adding on the watch | View lists, cross items off and add items by dictation, Scribble or emoji4 |
| Loyalty cards | Yes: scan or type a card, show it large at the till, shared with the household | not listed on their site (checked 25 September 2026)1 |
| Budget and receipts | One monthly budget per household; scan the receipt or type the total; spend by shop and by category | Enter item prices to see a running total5; receipt scanning: not listed on their site (checked 25 September 2026) |
| Aisle order | Drag a list's categories into order, or let Plenty learn the order after about three trips (how it works) | Categories can be arranged to suit your store5 |
| Widgets | Home Screen (tick off from the medium widget), Lock Screen and a Live Activity while shopping | Home Screen, Lock Screen and Control Center widgets; items can be crossed off on iOS 17 or later6 |
| Languages and devices | 11 languages; iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch; no Android, no web | English and German; iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro7; also Android and a web app1 |
Where is AnyList better?
- Recipes and meal planning. AnyList imports recipes from websites and turns a meal plan into a grocery list1. Plenty saves imported recipes and adds ingredients to a shared shopping list, but it does not include a meal-planning calendar.
- Adding on the wrist. AnyList's watch app adds items by dictation, Scribble or emoji4; Plenty's watch app only ticks items off.
- Alexa and Android. AnyList works with Alexa1 and has an Android app1. Plenty is Siri and Apple devices only.
- Online grocery ordering. AnyList can send a list to online retailers such as Instacart and Walmart5.
Where is Plenty different?
- Plenty stores your household's loyalty cards and shows the right one at the till.
- It keeps a monthly budget from scanned receipts, with spending per shop and per category.
- The app is available in 11 languages, including Dutch, French and Italian.
- Plenty can learn your aisle order from how you tick items off.
Who should choose which?
Choose AnyList if you plan meals from recipes, want to add items on Apple Watch, or share with someone on Android.
Choose Plenty if your household is all on iPhone and wants loyalty cards and grocery spending alongside the list, or needs the app in a language other than English or German.
Sources
- AnyList features
- AnyList help: barcode scanning
- AnyList help: sharing a list
- AnyList help: Apple Watch
- AnyList: lists
- AnyList help: widgets
- AnyList on the App Store
Each source was checked on the date above. Apps change; if a fact here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
Spotted a mistake? Email support@theplentylist.com.