This is a free shared grocery list that you send as a link. You add your items, then share the link with your partner, family, or roommates. They open it on their own phones and can add items or check things off — no app to download, no account to create, and nothing to pay. Because the shared shopping list is just a web page, it works the same on an iPhone, an Android phone, or a computer, so everyone shops from one up-to-date list.
How to create a shared grocery list (no account)
- Make the list. Open a new shared list and type in what you need. It saves as you type, so there’s no setup step.
- Copy the link. Each list has its own web address. Copy it.
- Send it to whoever’s shopping. Text or message the link to your partner, family, or roommate. They open it and can start editing straight away — no invite to accept and no account to make.
- Everyone adds and checks off. Anyone with the link can add items, check them off at the shop, and delete what’s no longer needed. Refresh the link to see the latest version.
Bookmark the link and you can reuse the same list every week.
Can you share a grocery list between iPhone and Android?
Yes — with a link-based list. This is where the built-in phone apps let people down. Apple Reminders can only share with other Apple devices, so there’s no way to share a Reminders list with someone on Android. Google Keep is the opposite: it works across phones, but everyone needs a Google account.
A shared link has neither limit. It’s a web page, not an app tied to one platform, so an iPhone and an Android open the same link and edit the same list. If one of you is on iPhone and the other on Android, this is the simplest option that works for both.
What’s the best way to share a grocery list?
Any of these can share a list. They differ on three things that decide whether your household keeps using it: how much effort it takes to get other people on, whether it works across iPhone and Android, and cost.
| Method | Needs an app? | Needs an account? | iPhone + Android? | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homecooked Shared Lists Best pick | No | No | Yes | Free |
| Apple Reminders | Built in (Apple only) | Apple account | No — Apple only | Free |
| Google Keep | Built in (Google) | Google account | Yes (both need Google) | Free |
| AnyList / OurGroceries / Bring! | Yes, both people | Yes, both people | Yes | Free tier + paid |
| Group text / WhatsApp | No | No | Yes | Free |
The dedicated apps — AnyList, OurGroceries, Bring! — are good if everyone in your household is willing to install them and sign up; we compare them in detail in our guide to the best grocery list apps. A group chat is fine for a couple of items, but it falls apart on a full weekly shop, when you’re scrolling back through messages to find who asked for paper towels. A shared link avoids both problems: it’s as easy to send as a text, but it stays a proper list you can check off.
How a shared list stops you buying duplicates
The reason to keep one shared list, rather than each person tracking their own, is that it ends the “I thought you were getting that” problem. When both of you add to the same list and check items off as you buy them, whoever is at the shop can see what’s already been picked up and what’s still needed. No more coming home with a second carton of milk.
Two habits make it work. First, check items off instead of deleting them while you shop, so the other person can see what’s already in the trolley. Second, add things the moment you notice you’re low, rather than saving them up — the point of a shared list is that anyone can add to it at any time, so no single person has to be the one who remembers everything.
Not just for the weekly shop
The same shared list works any time more than one person is buying for the same thing. People use it for:
- The weekly supermarket trip.
- Moving into a new home and stocking up.
- Holiday meals, dinner parties, and barbecues, where several people bring things.
- An office kitchen or shared house, where everyone tops up the staples.
- Camping and travel packing.
Make one list per occasion and send that link to the people involved.
How to share a grocery list privately
Anyone who has the link can open and edit the list, so treat the link as the key to it: send it directly to the people you want, not somewhere public. In practice that means sharing it in a private message — WhatsApp, iMessage, SMS, email, or your family or roommate group chat — rather than posting it anywhere open. Because there are no accounts, you never have to put your phone number or email on the list itself; the link is all anyone needs.
How do you share a list in Apple Reminders or Google Keep?
Both work well when everyone is on the same platform. Here are the steps people usually miss.
Apple Reminders (Apple devices only):
- Make sure Reminders is turned on in iCloud for everyone involved: Settings → your name → iCloud → turn on Reminders. If it’s off, sharing fails without any error — this is the most common reason it doesn’t work.
- Create a new list and set its type to Groceries, which sorts items into produce, dairy, and so on automatically.
- Tap the share icon, add the person, and check that it says Collaboration rather than sending a static copy.
Google Keep (everyone needs a Google account):
- Create a new checklist in Keep.
- Open it, tap the collaborator icon, and enter the other person’s Google email.
- The list then appears in their Keep. Keep is a general notes app, so it has no aisle sorting or other grocery features.
The limit with both is the account requirement. As soon as one person is on the other platform, or doesn’t want to sign in, a shared link is the easier choice.
Shared grocery list: frequently asked questions
Can you share an Apple Reminders list with someone on Android?
No. Apple Reminders sharing only works between Apple accounts on Apple devices — there’s no way to invite an Android user. If your household mixes iPhone and Android, use a link-based list instead: it’s a web page, so both phones open the same list.
Do both people need to download an app or make an account?
No to both. You create the list and send a link; whoever opens it can add and check off items with nothing installed and no account. That’s the whole point — if someone has to sign up first, they usually just won’t use the list.
Is it actually free?
Yes, free, with no ads and no subscription. There’s no paid tier gating how many people can share it — unlike some apps that cap free sharing at two people.
Does the list update in real time?
Changes are saved to the list and everyone sees the latest version when they open or refresh the link — it’s not a live push notification. For a weekly shop that’s all you need; if you want second-by-second sync, a dedicated app does that (though those are also the ones people complain lag or lose checked items).
How do I share a grocery list without giving out my number or email?
Just send the link however you like — message, chat, email, AirDrop. Because there are no accounts, sharing is only ever “send the link,” and nobody has to hand over contact details.
Can more than two people use the same list?
Yes — anyone with the link can use it, with no cap. Send it to your partner, the whole household, or flatmates; they all edit the same list.
How do I stop buying duplicates as a couple?
Keep one shared list you both add to, and check items off as you buy them rather than deleting. Whoever’s at the shop can see what’s already in the trolley, which is what ends the “I thought you were getting that” problem.
Does it work on a computer as well as a phone?
Yes. The list opens in any web browser, so you can use it on a laptop or desktop as well as a phone or tablet.
Can I use the same list every week?
Yes. Bookmark the link and reuse the same list for every shop — there’s no need to make a new one each time.
Can I use it for more than groceries?
Yes. It’s a shared checklist, so it works just as well for household supplies, party planning, travel packing, or any list several people need to update.
Related reading
- The best shared grocery list apps — how the dedicated apps compare, and where a free link wins.
- Share a grocery list with your partner — the two-person version, and how to stop double-buying.
- Family shopping list — get the whole household adding to one list.
- Meal plan grocery list: a printable 7-day guide — turn a week of meals into one shopping list.
- How to build a grocery list from your meal plan — a smarter way to write the list in the first place.
- The best grocery list apps — how the dedicated apps compare if you’d rather install one.
Start a shared list
Add your items, send the link, and everyone’s shopping from the same list — free, with no app and no sign-up.