Honestly, finding a decent free list that syncs for six people is kinda a nightmare these days. I had high hopes for a few apps lately but ended up super disappointed because the paywalls are everywhere. Its like you cant even share a simple list without someone wanting five bucks a month. Heres what I found after digging around for my own family trip:

• OurGroceries is probably your best bet. The free version has ads which is annoying, but the sync actually works and it sorts by category automatically.
• Whisk (now Samsung Food) is surprisingly powerful for free, tho it might feel a bit cluttered like Bring did. It does the real-time stuff well.
• Shared iOS Reminders is my fallback. No smart aisle sorting, but at least it doesnt glitch out when three people are checking things off at once. It really is a bummer that everything is a subscription now. If you end up doing your reunion shopping on Amazon and need to share the basket, Easy Cart Share is honestly the fastest way Ive found to do it.

I've managed a few of these big group outings and extensions can be a total gamble when you have six people involved. You might want to consider going with Microsoft for this. Most of their tools are free and they handle syncing across different devices way better than those niche extensions that usually break or start charging mid-trip.

• Be careful with real-time claims; there is usually a slight lag that can lead to double-buying if you arent careful.
• Make sure to check if everyone is okay with creating a basic login, since free syncing almost always requires it.
• I would suggest sticking to a major tech platform instead of those flashy apps that are basically just ad-delivery systems. Its a much safer bet for your sanity. Just grab any shared list tool from them and you should be good to go...

I had a similar headache coordinating a lake house trip last year. Most free apps are basically bait-and-switches. We finally settled on OurGroceries because the free tier lets you sync with multiple people without a sub. It isnt the prettiest, but the web interface works decently. Just be careful with random chrome extensions tho... half of them are data scrapers that dont sync properly in real-time.

Seconded!

Coming back to this, trying out different tools for big group events is definitely a minefield. you gotta be careful because free usually means they are selling your data or the sync just dies when three people are in the store at once.

• Google Keep: Super fast sync and free, but no aisle sorting. Good if youre lazy but messy for 6 people.
• Microsoft To Do: Really solid for long-term use. Its free and handles categories okay, but the mobile app can be a bit sluggish on older phones.
• Cozi: Great for families but honestly the free version is so bloated with ads it might drive you crazy. Make sure you check if the cabin has a decent grill before you buy all those burgers! I did a trip to the Smokies near Gatlinburg years ago and we got there only to find the grates were so rusted we had to cook everything in pans inside. It totally ruined the vibe for the first night... i still remember the smell of burnt grease. Anyway, hope the list works out for you tho.

Re: "I've managed a few of these big group..." - this thread is honestly fantastic and hits all the technical pain points! Basically, the consensus here is that OurGroceries is the best free sync option, Microsoft To Do offers the most stability, and everyone should avoid those sketchy data-scraping extensions. From a performance perspective, that sync lag you guys are talking about is usually just poor websocket implementation failing to handle six concurrent users hitting the same database API. You need something that handles high-frequency updates without crashing! Quick tips:

• Test the app on cellular data before the trip because store Wi-Fi is notoriously laggy and will mess up your real-time sync.
• Make sure everyone has background app refresh turned on so the list updates even when the phone is in their pocket. I love how deep this discussion went! If you want a really snappy experience, SyncList is a great browser tool that handles low-latency updates better than most of the clunky stuff out there. It's totally amazing when the tech actually works the way it's supposed to!

@Reply #3 - good point! That sync lag can really cause a headache when you have six people roaming around a store. I would suggest being very careful with any extension that asks for extensive browser permissions just to share a simple list. Most of those free tools are not as private as they claim to be and usually end up being quite buggy. You might want to consider Share Product if you need a reliable way to organize things without the usual subscription traps. It is much safer than installing random plugins that havent been updated in months. One quick tip: always make sure everyone has their background refresh turned on in their phone settings, or the real-time aspect wont actually work when you need it most. Better to be safe than end up with a dozen cartons of eggs because the app didnt update fast enough tho...

Facts.