Is there a better alternative to Walmart’s list feature for shared shopping?

Question

So my husband and I have been trying to use the Walmart app list feature for our weekly grocery runs and honestly it is driving me up the wall. We live about 30 minutes outside of Des Moines so we only go into town once a week on Saturdays and if we forget something it’s a huge deal because I am not driving back out there during the week with gas prices being what they are. We have a pretty strict $200 budget for the four of us and usually we try to add things to the list as we run out during the week but the syncing is just... bad. Like he will add milk on his phone and it wont show up on mine until three hours later or sometimes it just disappears entirely.

I did a bit of digging online and saw people mentioning AnyList and OurGroceries as the big ones. AnyList looks really polished but I saw some comments saying that the shared syncing is behind a paywall now? Or at least some of the better features are and I really dont want another monthly subscription just to buy eggs. Then I looked at OurGroceries and it seems okay but the interface looks like it hasnt been updated since 2012 and I’m worried it wont handle the volume of items we usually have. My logic was that there has to be something that feels more like a modern app but actually works across two different devices without the lag.

I was thinking about just using a shared Note on iPhone but then you cant categorize things by aisle which is what I actually like about the Walmart app when it actually works. It saves so much time not walking back and forth across the store. Is there something that actually syncs instantly but also lets you sort by grocery category? Or maybe a way to make the Walmart one stop glitching out every time we both have the app open? I just need something reliable for our Saturday trips because I'm tired of getting home and realizing we missed the one thing I actually needed for Sunday dinner...

SpreewaldSprints · Accepted Answer

Walmarts app is a total headache with those syncing delays, so I totally get the frustration. If you want something free that actually works, check out Bring!. It is way more modern than OurGroceries and syncs basically instantly between phones. Categories are included too, so you wont be backtracking. For sticking to that $200 budget, maybe try this browser extension to find extra deals before you head into town... it helps keep the total down.

BubleBliss · Answer

> some of the better features are and I really dont want another monthly subscription just to buy eggs. I have been dealing with this exact same syncing issue for months and it is incredibly frustrating. In my experience, finding a free alternative that handles categorization and real-time updates across two devices is basically impossible. I still havent found a solution that works for our weekly trips without requiring some kind of paid subscription tho.

BanffBound · Answer

Re: "Walmarts app is a total headache with those..." - unfortunately the Walmart app is just fundamentally broken for real-time syncing. I spent years trying to make it work because I loved the aisle integration, but after getting home without what I needed one too many times, I gave up. Its honestly pathetic how a multibillion-dollar company cant fix a simple database sync. Trying OurGroceries was a letdown too because you are right, it looks like a fossil. It works, but it feels like using a flip phone. AnyList is basically the gold standard, but that annual fee for the household plan is annoying if youre trying to stick to a tight budget. If you want something that actually syncs fast on iPhone without the weird lag, you should honestly just use the built-in Reminders app. Not Notes—Reminders. Most people dont realize that in iOS 17, Reminders has a specific Grocery list type. It automatically sorts everything into categories like Produce, Dairy, and Frozen for you. It isnt perfectly mapped to your specific Des Moines store layout, but its way better than walking circles. Quick tip: In Reminders, change the list type to Groceries in the list info settings. It handles the categories for you instantly. TL;DR: Walmarts app is a lost cause; use iPhone Reminders with the Grocery list type for instant sync and automatic aisle categorization.