Fig vs Bobby Approved: which food scanner fits your family?

Fig vs Bobby Approved comes down to who sets the rules. Fig checks each product against a profile you build from your family's diets and allergies. Bobby Approved checks every product against one fixed list of ingredients its developer calls potentially harmful, then gives a simple yes or no. Pick Fig if you shop around food allergies or special diets. Pick Bobby Approved if you want a free, quick read on dyes, flavors, seed oils and preservatives. Neither app's store listing describes a processing level, so this guide also covers Osana, a third option with a 0 to 100 score. For a wider ranking, see our best food scanner app comparison.

Fig vs Bobby Approved at a glance

Fig gives a personal verdict, Bobby Approved applies the same rules to everyone, and both run on iPhone and Android. The table adds Osana as a third option if processing and seed oils matter to you.

The biggest day-to-day difference is setup. Fig needs your profile before it can judge a product, while Bobby Approved applies its list from your very first scan.

How Fig and Bobby Approved decide

Fig lets you write the rules, while Bobby Approved uses rules its developer already wrote. That single choice shapes everything else, from the verdict you see to who each app suits.

Fig: checks products against your profile

Fig starts with you. You choose restrictions, allergies, diets and conditions from more than 2,800 options, and the app checks each scanned product against them. A gluten-free, vegan or nut-free household sees at a glance whether a product fits.

Basic use is free on iPhone and Android. Fig+ adds restaurants, unlimited scans and multiple profiles, with paid plans from $5.99 per month. Separate profiles help when one child avoids peanuts and a partner avoids gluten. For a side-by-side with another popular scanner, see Yuka vs Fig.

Watch out: Fig judges a product against your profile, not against a general health score. A product can fit your diet and still be heavily processed. Our Fig app alternatives cover scanners that score differently.

Bobby Approved: one fixed list, a yes or no

Bobby Approved applies one list to every shopper. The developer says it flags over 100 ingredients as potentially harmful, including flavors, artificial sweeteners, food dyes, seed oils and preservatives. Scan a barcode and the product is either approved or not.

Flagged ingredients show in red, and you can tap one to read why it's on the list. When a product fails, the app suggests alternatives, and you can keep shopping lists by store. It's free to download on iPhone and Android. Our Yuka vs Bobby Approved comparison shows how this list stacks up against a scored approach.

Watch out: a yes or no can't show how serious each flag is. A product with one flagged flavor can get the same verdict as one packed with dyes and preservatives. The list also reflects the developer's priorities, which may not match yours. Our Bobby Approved alternatives cover apps with graded results.

Which app fits your family?

Choose Fig if your shopping is shaped by allergies or diets, and Bobby Approved if you mainly want to avoid a set of additives fast. The columns below sum up who each app suits.

You can also use both: Fig for a child's allergy, Bobby Approved for a quick dye check on snacks. The two don't overlap much, so running them side by side covers more ground than forcing one app to do everything.

A third option for processing and seed oils: Osana

Osana is the third option to consider if you want a graded score that includes processing. It's built around the ingredient list and processing rather than a personal profile.

Osana: a 0 to 100 score with processing

Osana's published scoring method rates each product from 0 to 100. The score counts the NOVA processing group, additive risk tiers, seed oils and added sugars. On its Google Play listing, results show in green, yellow or red with plain-English notes on the ingredients.

That places it between the other two. Like Bobby Approved, it flags additives and seed oils without any setup. Unlike a yes or no, a graded score with risk tiers shows how much each issue weighs. To learn what the processing groups mean, read our NOVA food classification guide.

Watch out: Osana is newer and smaller than Fig. Its score covers processing and ingredients, not your diet profile. Families managing allergies should keep Fig or the package label as their main check.

What each app checks, side by side

Fig covers your personal profile, Bobby Approved covers a fixed ingredient list, and Osana's published method adds a processing level. The chart shows where each app is strong and where it stays quiet.

Read the chart by your top question. For allergies and diets, Fig is the only one built around your own profile. For a fast additive check at no cost, Bobby Approved is the simplest. For processing and seed oils in one graded score, Osana is the one whose method includes both.

Whichever you try, scan five products you already buy first. Compare each verdict with the ingredient list, and note anything the app missed or flagged that you wouldn't have.

Frequently asked questions

Fig or Bobby Approved: the bottom line

Fig vs Bobby Approved is really a choice between your rules and a fixed list. Fig fits families who shop around allergies or several diets, and it rewards the time you spend on setup. Bobby Approved fits shoppers who want a free, instant yes or no on dyes, flavors, sweeteners and seed oils. Neither listing describes a processing level, so pair either one with the label or a NOVA-based tool. Test your pick on products you already buy before you rely on it.

If you'd like processing, additives and seed oils rolled into one score, you can try Osana on your next grocery run.