Ivy app alternatives: 4 food scanners compared for US shoppers

Four practical Ivy app alternatives are Open Food Facts, Yuka, Fig and Bobby Approved, and the best pick depends on why you're switching. Ivy, listed on the App Store as "Ivy: Processed Food Scanner," runs only on iPhone. Full access requires an Ivy Pro subscription, which comes with a free trial. Open Food Facts is free and shows the NOVA processing group. Yuka and Fig work on Android as well as iPhone, and Fig+ offers multiple profiles, for example one per family member. Bobby Approved gives a simple yes or no on ingredients. Below, you'll see what each app does well, Ivy included.

Ivy vs Open Food Facts, Yuka, Fig and Bobby Approved at a glance

The biggest differences are platform, price and what each app checks. All four alternatives have a free way in and run on iPhone and Android, while Ivy runs only on iPhone and full access requires Ivy Pro.

Want a wider field? Our best food scanner app comparison puts more apps side by side.

Why shoppers look for an Ivy alternative

Two practical limits stand out: Ivy runs only on iPhone, and full access is paid. You might also want a NOVA group, or a separate profile for each person you shop for.

Ivy food scanner on Android: no official app

There's no official Android version, as of October 2026. Ivy's App Store listing says "Only for iPhone" and requires iOS 15.1 or later. No official Ivy listing turned up on Google Play when this guide was checked.

That matters in a household with mixed phones. Yuka, Fig and Open Food Facts all have Android apps, so everyone can scan with the same tool. Our guide to food scanner apps for Android goes deeper.

Ivy Pro price and the free trial

Full access requires an Ivy Pro subscription, which comes with a free trial. The listing doesn't say how long the trial lasts. "Pro Access" in-app purchases are listed from $9.99 to $49.99 on the App Store.

Check what each price includes on the purchase screen before you subscribe. Store prices can change, and if a free app covers your needs, you may not need a subscription at all.

No NOVA group on the listing

Ivy's name promises a processed food scanner, but its listing doesn't mention a NOVA group. NOVA rates processing on a scale of 1 to 4. If you want that scale on product pages, Open Food Facts shows it. Our guide to the NOVA food classification explains each group.

What Ivy does well

Ivy packs a lot into one scan. Its listing says it reports on seed oils, additives, ingredients, pesticides, heavy metals and microplastics. It also covers environmental and packaging information, and the App Store listing claims a database of over 3 million products.

The grocery list is a thoughtful extra: it shows how processed your whole list is. Ivy also offers intolerance alerts, from gluten and milk to peanuts, tree nuts and sesame. Diet preferences include vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, keto and pork-free.

Shoppers rate it highly, at 4.8 out of 5 from about 8,600 ratings on the App Store. Treat the heavy metal and microplastic reports as Ivy's own claims. If you use an iPhone and want broad reports in one app, Ivy remains a strong choice.

Which Ivy alternative fits your needs?

Start from the reason you're leaving Ivy, then pick the app built for it. The diagram joins four common needs to the app whose official listing covers each one.

Free, with NOVA groups: Open Food Facts

Open Food Facts is the free alternative to the Ivy app that comes closest on processing. It's an open, collaborative database run by a nonprofit, with open-source code and no ads (Open Food Facts). You can use it on iPhone and Android.

Product pages can show the Nutri-Score, a NOVA group from 1 to 4, the Green-Score, allergens and additives. Additives are listed without a risk level, so you judge them yourself. Because the database is collaborative, some US items may be missing.

Works on Android: Yuka or Fig

Yuka is the simpler Android pick if you want one score. It runs on iPhone and Android, and core scanning is free with no ads. Premium costs $10, $15 or $20 per year and adds offline mode, search, dietary preference alerts and history (Yuka help center).

Each food gets a 0 to 100 score: 60% nutritional quality, 30% additives and 10% organic (Yuka score method). Yuka doesn't show a NOVA group, so it won't tell you directly how processed a food is. See whether Yuka detects ultra-processed foods for more on that gap.

Fig runs on Android and iPhone too, with free basic use. It's the better Android fit when your reason for switching is a family with different needs.

One profile per family member: Fig

Fig fits households where everyone eats differently. You build a profile from 2,800+ options, and the listing mentions 11+ expert dietitians (Fig on the App Store).

Basic use is free. Fig+ adds multiple profiles, such as one per family member, plus restaurants and unlimited scans, from $5.99 per month (Fig on the App Store). Fig focuses on matching products to each profile. If someone at home manages a health condition, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian which settings fit.

Simple yes or no on ingredients: Bobby Approved

Bobby Approved gives the simplest verdict here: a product is approved or it isn't. It's a free download on iPhone (App Store) and Android. Flagged ingredients show in red, and the app suggests alternatives.

The developer says it flags over 100 ingredients, including flavors, sweeteners, food dyes, additives, seed oils and preservatives. A yes or no can't show how serious each flag is. Our Bobby Approved alternatives guide covers similar apps.

Ivy vs Open Food Facts: the closest processing-focused option

If processing is why you chose Ivy, Open Food Facts is the closest free match. Among apps like Ivy: Processed Food Scanner, it shows a NOVA group on product pages, at no cost.

Ivy offers more in one place, including pesticide and packaging reports and a processing view of your grocery list. Open Food Facts wins on price, Android support and the NOVA scale. For more options, see our ultra-processed food scanner app guide or our Yuka vs Open Food Facts comparison.

How to switch from Ivy in one week

Spread the switch over one week so you can test the new app on real shopping before any trial ends.

1. Day 1: note your Ivy settings and trial end date

   If you're on an Ivy Pro trial, check its end date in your iPhone's subscription settings and set a reminder. Then write down the intolerance alerts and diet preferences you set in Ivy, such as gluten, milk or keto. Export them if Ivy offers that option; otherwise, a screenshot works.

2. Day 2: set up the new app

   Add the same intolerances and preferences. In Fig, build a profile for each person you shop for (multiple profiles need Fig+). In Yuka, dietary preference alerts come with Premium.

3. Days 3 to 5: scan your usual 10 products

   Pick 10 items you buy every week, like cereal, bread, yogurt and pasta sauce. Note any product the app can't find, and check that each result explains its verdict.

4. Day 6: keep or cancel

   Compare your notes. If you're leaving Ivy, cancel any Ivy Pro trial before the end date you noted on Day 1.

Also weighing Olive? Our Olive app alternatives guide compares several of the same apps.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line on Ivy app alternatives

Ivy is a capable scanner with broad reports, from seed oils to packaging. But it runs only on iPhone, and full access requires Ivy Pro. Choose Open Food Facts for free NOVA groups and Yuka or Fig for Android. Pick Fig+ for separate family profiles, or Bobby Approved for a simple yes or no. Test your choice on 10 products you already buy before paying for anything.

If you'd like additives and processing level shown separately on each scan, you can also try Osana on your next grocery run.

Sources

1. Ivy: Processed Food Scanner, App Store listing, checked October 2026.
2. Open Food Facts, product database, checked October 2026.
3. Open Food Facts, App Store listing, checked October 2026.
4. Yuka help center, how the score works, checked October 2026.
5. Yuka help center, Premium plans, checked October 2026.
6. Fig, App Store listing, checked October 2026.
7. Fig, Google Play listing, checked October 2026.
8. Bobby Approved, App Store listing, checked October 2026.