Halo
The best pantry tracker apps for iPhone in 2026
Four iPhone apps that keep track of the food in your fridge, freezer and cupboard, compared on price, receipt scanning, expiry reminders and privacy.
A pantry tracker answers three questions: what do I have, what do I need to eat first, and do I really need to buy more? The hard part is getting food into the app. Typing every item by hand is why most people give up after a week, so this comparison looks most at how each app adds food: barcode, receipt, or by hand.
How we compared: App Store listings and prices checked on 20 October 2026. Prices are US App Store prices and can change. Halo is our own app, so we say clearly where it is better and where it isn't.
| App | Price | Adds food by | Expiry reminders | Calories | Account / sync |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halo | Free, no paid tier | Receipt photo, PDF or supermarket-app receipt, barcode | Yes, with estimated dates | Yes, per meal and per day | No account, stays on your iPhone |
| NoWaste | Free; Pro $6.99/year or $29.99 lifetime | Barcode, receipt or photo, by hand | Yes | Not listed | Shared locations with members |
| Fridgely | Free with in-app purchases | Barcode, receipt photo | Yes | Not listed | Syncs between devices and family |
| Pantry Check (JOJO Apps) | Free; Premium $3.99/month, $12.99/year or $17.99 lifetime | Barcode, by hand | Yes | Not listed | On the device |
1. Halo: best if you don't want to type anything
What it does: you scan your grocery receipt and Halo's own AI reads every line on your iPhone, works out what each item is ("Moehren DEA" is carrots) and sorts it into your cupboard, fridge or freezer with a best-before estimate. Then, as you put things away, you can scan each pack's barcode and Halo pairs it with its line on the receipt, which adds the exact pack size and its nutrition.
Good: free with no subscription, no account, receipts are read on the phone and never uploaded, it reads German supermarket receipts, and it counts the calories of what you eat from the real labels. It also shows what you spend on food per month and per store.
Not so good: iPhone only, no family sharing yet, and it is new: it comes out in November 2026.
2. NoWaste: the long-running classic
NoWaste has been on the App Store for years and has a 4.2 rating from over 700 ratings. You can add food by barcode, by photographing a receipt, or by hand, and it reminds you before food expires. Lists can be shared with other members of a location.
Good: mature, flexible lists, sharing. Not so good: the free version is limited to 500 items and 6 lists; more needs Pro.
3. Fridgely: simple expiry alerts for households
Fridgely focuses on expiry dates. Scan a barcode and it guesses the name and an expiry date; photograph a receipt and it adds the items. It syncs between devices and lets family or roommates edit the same list, and suggests recipes from what you have.
Good: easy to share. Not so good: export to CSV and some features need premium.
4. Pantry Check: a clean manual list
Pantry Check (the "Pantry Inventory Tracker" by JOJO Apps) is a tidy list with quantities, units, categories and expiry reminders, and it has barcode scanning. It doesn't read receipts, so it suits people who don't mind adding items one by one.
Good: simple, 4.5 rating. Not so good: no receipt scanning; the premium tier is a subscription or a one-time purchase.
How to choose
- You shop for a family and want one shared list: NoWaste or Fridgely.
- You never want to type items in: an app that reads receipts. Halo, NoWaste and Fridgely all do; Halo also reads digital receipts and PDFs.
- You also want to count calories or see your food spending: Halo, since the same receipt and barcode fill in both.
- Privacy matters to you: check where your list is stored. Sharing apps keep it online; Halo keeps it on your iPhone.
Questions
What is the best free pantry app for iPhone?
If you want to stay free for good, Halo is free with no paid tier, and NoWaste, Fridgely and Pantry Check all have free versions with limits. Halo also reads receipts and counts calories without a subscription.
Can a pantry app scan my grocery receipt?
Yes. Halo, NoWaste and Fridgely can add food from a photo of a receipt. Halo also reads PDF receipts and the digital receipts from supermarket apps, and reads German receipts like Rewe, Aldi, Lidl and Kaufland.
Which pantry app works without an account?
Halo has no accounts at all and keeps everything on your iPhone. Apps that sync between family members, like NoWaste and Fridgely, store your list online so it can be shared.