AnyList Complete costs $0.83/mo.
These cost $0.
5 free alternatives to AnyList Complete, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
AnyList Complete vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $0.83/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mealie | open source | AGPL-3.0 | Self-host | ★ 13k | AnyList Complete vs Mealie → |
| Grocy | open source | MIT | Self-host | ★ 9.4k | AnyList Complete vs Grocy → |
| RecipeSage | free | AGPL-3.0 | Local or hosted | ★ $0 forever | AnyList Complete vs RecipeSage → |
| Samsung Food | free | proprietary, free | Hosted | ★ $0 forever | AnyList Complete vs Samsung Food → |
| Tandoor Recipes | free | — | Self-host | ★ $0 forever | AnyList Complete vs Tandoor Recipes → |
The picks
2 open source · 3 free to use · ranked by fit
- 01
Mealie
open sourceAGPL-3.0Self-host13kaug 2026A household recipe server with meal plans and grocery lists; you supply the server and patience.
The catch vs AnyList CompleteMealie shares recipes and shopping lists, but its web-first recipe-server workflow is slower for aisle-side list entry, notifications, Siri/Alexa capture, and offline mobile use than AnyList.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Docker Compose
- setup
- A non-expert needs Docker, persistent volumes, an update/backup routine, and usually a domain plus HTTPS; importing recipe sites also produces parsing failures that must be cleaned up manually.
- your data
- Recipes, users, groups, meal plans, and shopping-list records live in SQLite by default or PostgreSQL when configured; recipe images and application assets live in the mounted data directory, and Mealie's backup/export archives keep portable copies of the database and media.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 02
Grocy
open sourceMITSelf-host9.4kjul 2026Meal plans and groceries run through a tiny home ERP, because apparently the fridge needed one.
The catch vs AnyList CompleteGrocy is vastly more complex than a grocery list and lacks AnyList's fast native capture, voice-assistant integration, location-aware reminders, and polished household mobile sync.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopwebself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Docker container/Compose, or install the PHP application on a web server
- setup
- The first obstacle is deploying and exposing a PHP/Docker web app; the larger practical hurdle is configuring locations, units, products, barcodes, and household routines before its ERP-like screens become useful.
- your data
- Products, stock, chores, recipes, meal plans, shopping lists, and history live in Grocy's SQLite database inside its data directory; configuration, uploaded pictures, and generated files are stored alongside it on the host volume.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
RecipeSage
freeAGPL-3.0Local or hostedShared recipes, meal plans, and shopping lists with no recipe cap; the polish budget is smaller.
The catch vs AnyList CompleteRecipeSage covers shared recipes, plans, and lists, but its mobile polish, instant grocery entry, voice integration, offline behavior, and location reminders are weaker than AnyList's.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobilewebextensionthey host it
- install
- Hosted signup at RecipeSage, or Docker Compose for self-hosting
- setup
- The public service has no setup blocker; self-hosting adds Docker, a database, mail, storage, HTTPS, and backups, while both versions have less refined native-mobile interaction than Paprika or AnyList.
- your data
- The hosted service stores recipes, images, labels, meal plans, shopping lists, households, and account data in RecipeSage's infrastructure; self-hosting keeps the relational application database and uploaded media in operator-controlled containers/volumes, with built-in export for portability.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 04
Samsung Food
freeproprietary, freeHostedShared recipes, meal plans, and grocery lists for $0; Samsung gets the kitchen data instead.
The catch vs AnyList CompleteSamsung Food is free and polished, but ads and recommendation tracking replace AnyList's focused paid utility, and its grocery capture and voice/reminder workflow are less disciplined.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobilewebextensionthey host it
- install
- Install the mobile app or use the web app, then create a Samsung Food account
- your data
- Saved and imported recipes, meal plans, grocery lists, household-sharing records, profile data, and recommendations live in Samsung Food's cloud; the internal storage format is not disclosed.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 05
Tandoor Recipes
freeSelf-hostThe full recipe-plan-shopping loop; free for personal self-hosting, but the license is not actually open source.
The catch vs AnyList CompleteTandoor replaces a tiny household sync service with a Docker/PostgreSQL web app and lacks AnyList's frictionless native list entry, voice capture, reminders, and managed reliability.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Docker Compose with PostgreSQL; manual Django deployment is also documented
- setup
- The first obstacle is a multi-container Django/PostgreSQL deployment with secrets, volumes, HTTPS, email, and backups; its Commons-Clause-modified AGPL license is also not an OSI-approved open-source license.
- your data
- Recipes, users, meal plans, shopping lists, books, and permissions live in PostgreSQL in the standard Docker deployment; uploaded images and static/media files live in mounted volumes, and recipe data can be exported through Tandoor's export tools.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · AnyList Complete open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to AnyList Complete?+
The top free alternative to AnyList Complete is Mealie (open source, AGPL-3.0). A household recipe server with meal plans and grocery lists; you supply the server and patience. Other popular AnyList Complete replacements include Grocy, RecipeSage, Samsung Food.
Can I self-host a free replacement for AnyList Complete?+
Yes. Of the 5 free alternatives to AnyList Complete, 4 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Mealie (AGPL-3.0), Grocy (MIT), RecipeSage (AGPL-3.0), Tandoor Recipes (free).
How much does switching from AnyList Complete to a free alternative save?+
AnyList Complete starts at $0.83/month per seat ($10/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Mealie saves $50 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own AnyList Complete clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for AnyList Complete is YES (the core loop fits in a weekend). The core loop is small enough for a capable coding agent to produce a useful local version in one sitting. For AnyList Complete, manage shared grocery lists, recipes, and meal plans with a simple household sync server. The hard boundary is excellent mobile capture, retailer integrations, voice assistants, and polished sharing, plus sync, integrations, and household adoption.
What is the catch when switching from AnyList Complete to Mealie?+
Mealie shares recipes and shopping lists, but its web-first recipe-server workflow is slower for aisle-side list entry, notifications, Siri/Alexa capture, and offline mobile use than AnyList.
