Share by link or code
Invite the household in seconds. Send a link or share a join code — no menu-digging. Joining a shared list works on the free plan.
Shared grocery list
One shared grocery list, every phone updated in seconds
Pauly turns the household shopping run into a shared grocery list that everyone can add to and check off — changes appear on each phone within seconds, no screenshots or group chat required.
Free to start
Works offline
No account needed
Stop the "did you buy milk?" texts
A shared grocery list ends the daily coordination scramble. One person adds yogurt from the kitchen, the other is already at the checkout — and it just appears on their screen. With Pauly, families, couples, and roommates work from the same live list instead of trading screenshots, WhatsApp messages, or "can you grab...?" texts from the aisle.
Pauly is a voice-driven shopping list app for iPhone and iPad (iOS 13+) and Android phones and tablets (Android 7+). It is built for mixed households: one person on iPhone, another on Android, all looking at the same synced shopping list. You can join any shared list for free; creating and hosting a real-time shared grocery list is part of Pauly Pro.
This page is about sharing and real-time collaboration. If you want the deep dive on voice input or the aisle-by-aisle store route, those features have their own pages — here the focus is keeping a whole household coordinated around one collaborative shopping list.
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Turn your next shopping trip into a one-sentence task.
What makes a great shared grocery list
Real-time sync (Pro)
Add an item at home and the shopper at the store sees it within seconds, no refresh. Changes update for every member instantly across all devices.
See who did what
When someone adds or changes an item, Pauly shows who did it. Accountability without a conversation — no more "but I thought you were getting that."
Bundled notifications
Get one digest instead of a buzz per item. Choose a delay — instant, 30s, 1, 2, or 10 minutes — so a shared list never floods your phone.
Check off offline
Poor signal in the store? The list loads from local storage and stays fully usable. Your changes sync automatically when you're back online.
Manage members
See everyone in the list, remove a member when an arrangement ends, or leave a list yourself. Each collaborator shows up under their own display name.
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Free to start, works offline, no account needed.
How to share a grocery list with your family
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1
Create your list
Open Pauly, build a list by voice or by typing with autocomplete, then start a shared grocery list. Hosting a real-time shared list uses Pauly Pro.
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2
Invite the household
Share a link or send the join code for someone to open. They tap to join — no complicated setup, and joining works on the free version.
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3
Shop together, live
Everyone adds and checks off from their own phone. Updates arrive instantly, so whoever is at the store always sees the current list.
Download Now
Get Pauly on iPhone and Android — it's free.
How sharing works — link or code in seconds
Getting a shared grocery list going should take seconds, not a setup wizard. Pauly gives you two low-friction ways to bring people in, so the second person never has to hunt through menus to find the list.
The biggest adoption barrier for shared lists is usually forcing the other person to buy a subscription before they can even take part. Pauly removes that wall: joining a shared list via link or code works on the free version of Pauly, so your partner or flatmate can come along without paying — only the host who creates the real-time list needs Pauly Pro.
- Invite by tappable link or short code
- Recipient lands directly on the shared list — no menu navigation
- Joining a shared list works on the free plan
- Hosting a real-time shared list is part of Pauly Pro
Two ways to invite
Pick whatever fits the moment — a tappable link in a message or a short join code you read out while you're standing next to them (for example app.getpauly.com/join/CODE). Both drop the recipient straight onto the same shared shopping list.
Free to join, Pro to host
Joining is free, which keeps friction near zero for the people you invite. Creating and hosting a real-time shared grocery list is a Pauly Pro feature — so the organizer of the household list goes Pro, and everyone else can come along on the free version.
Download Now
Turn your next shopping trip into a one-sentence task.
Real-time sync and who-did-what attribution
A real-time shared grocery list is only useful if changes show up everywhere fast. With Pauly Pro, adds and check-offs appear for every member in seconds. When one person adds an item from the couch, the shopper already walking the aisles sees it without refreshing — and when something gets checked off, it disappears from everyone's view at once.
What sets Pauly apart is attribution. Most shared list apps stop at syncing; when someone adds or changes an item, Pauly also shows who did it. That small detail removes a whole category of confusion in busy households — no double-buying because two people grabbed the same thing, and your household stays coordinated about what just changed.
- Adds and check-offs sync to all members in real time (Pro)
- See who added each item
- Prevents double-buying on split shopping runs
- Cloud sync across your own devices with Pauly Pro
Changes appear in seconds
Adds and check-offs propagate to all members quickly, so a split shopping run actually works: one person covers dairy, another takes produce, and both see what's left in real time. Cross-device cloud sync across your own devices — your phone and tablet — is also part of Pauly Pro.
Item-level attribution
When someone adds or changes an item, Pauly shows who did it — so your household stays coordinated and nothing gets bought twice, instead of texting to ask. It's a detail most shared list apps don't surface.
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Free to start, works offline, no account needed.
Built for families, couples and shared flats
The same shared grocery list flexes to fit very different households. Whether it's a family of five, a couple splitting the weekly run, or a four-person flat with four schedules, the goal is one list everyone trusts.
- Grocery list for family that syncs across every device
- Shared list for couples with single- or double-tap check-off
- Roommate-friendly: join free by link or code
- Each person appears under their own display name
Families
Mum adds yogurt from the kitchen, Dad's already at the checkout, and it appears on his phone — done. A grocery list for family life works across iPhones, Androids, and tablets, and each family member shows up under their own display name, so it's clear who added what.
Couples
Split the run: you take dairy, I take produce, and we each see what's left in real time — no calls from opposite ends of the store. For a shared shopping list for couples, single-tap check-off keeps things quick, and you can switch to double-tap to guard against accidental checks.
Roommates and shared flats
Four people, four phones, four different schedules, one list everyone can add to and check off. A shared shopping list for roommates keeps the household coordinated without a group chat — and because joining is free, new flatmates hop on with a link or code while the list host runs Pro.
Download Now
Get Pauly on iPhone and Android — it's free.
Control notifications — one digest, not a flood
Notification overload is the quiet killer of shared lists. When every added item triggers a separate buzz, people mute the app — and then the shared grocery list stops working. Pauly is built to avoid that.
When new items are added to a shared list, Pauly can send a push notification — but it bundles them. You choose the delay: instant, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, or 10 minutes. Instead of five pings for five items, you get one tidy summary. In-app hints about others' changes can be bundled the same way, and you never get a notification for the list you currently have open.
- Push notification when items are added to a shared list
- Bundle into one digest with a delay you choose
- No self-notification for the list you have open
- Offline check-off syncs automatically when you're back online
Pick your delay
Want updates the instant they happen? Set it to instant. Prefer one round-up every ten minutes while you cook? Set that instead. The presets — instant, 30s, 1, 2, or 10 minutes — let each member tune the shared list to their own tolerance for interruptions.
Reliable even with no signal
Stores are notorious dead zones. Pauly is offline-first: the list lives in local storage, so it loads and stays usable with no connection. Tick items off as you shop, and your changes sync automatically when you're back online.
Download Now
Turn your next shopping trip into a one-sentence task.
Why households choose Pauly
- One shared grocery list, every phone updated in seconds
- Works across iPhone and Android — no brand lock-in
- See who added each item
- Bundle notifications so a shared list never floods you
- Check off offline; changes sync when you're back online
- Join free by link or code — host in real time with Pro
Download Now
Free to start, works offline, no account needed.
Shared grocery list — frequently asked questions
How do I share a grocery list with my family?
Build your list in Pauly, then share it two ways: send a link or share a short join code (such as app.getpauly.com/join/CODE). Family members tap to join and land straight on the same list. Joining works on the free plan; hosting a real-time shared list uses Pauly Pro.
What is the best shared grocery list app for families?
Look beyond real-time sync, which most apps offer. Pauly adds item-level attribution (who added each item), bundled notifications you can tune to avoid a flood, and offline check-off that syncs when you're back online. It runs on iPhone and Android, so a mixed-device family shares one list without workarounds.
Can you share a grocery list between iPhone and Android?
Yes. Pauly runs on iOS 13+ (iPhone and iPad) and Android 7+ (phones and tablets), so a household with one iPhone and one Android shares the exact same list with no workarounds. Both people see the same items and the same updates, regardless of which phone they carry.
Does a shared grocery list sync in real time?
Yes — with Pauly Pro. Adds and check-offs appear for every member of a shared list within seconds, with no manual refresh. That makes split shopping runs practical: one person adds from home while another is already at the store, and both always see the current list.
Do both people need an account to use a shared grocery list?
Joining a shared list via link or code works on the free version of Pauly — the people you invite don't need to pay. The person who creates and hosts a real-time shared list is the one who needs Pauly Pro. (If you're only making a solo list, Pauly even works without an account, since that list is stored locally; signing in to sync is part of Pauly Pro.)
What happens if I'm in the store and lose signal?
Your list keeps working. Pauly is offline-first: it stores your list locally, so it loads instantly and stays fully usable with no connection. You can tick items off as you shop, and those changes sync automatically when you're back online.
Can I see who added each item to our shared grocery list?
When someone adds or changes an item, Pauly shows who did it, so your household stays coordinated about what just changed. This prevents double-buying and the "I thought you were getting that" confusion — a detail most shared shopping list apps don't surface.
How do I stop getting too many notifications from a shared list?
Use Pauly's bundled notifications. Instead of one ping per item, you get a single digest on a delay you choose: instant, 30 seconds, 1, 2, or 10 minutes. In-app hints can be bundled too, and you never get notified about the list you currently have open.
Can I share more than one grocery list at a time?
Yes, with Pauly Pro, which unlocks unlimited lists, so you can keep separate lists — for example a weekly household list and a different-store run — and sharing applies per list. You decide which lists to share and who joins each one. (The free tier covers a single list.)
How do I remove someone from a shared grocery list?
Pauly includes member management for shared lists. You can see everyone who's in a list and remove a member — handy when a flatmate moves out or temporary access ends. Each person can also leave a list themselves whenever they want.
Download Now
Get Pauly on iPhone and Android — it's free.
Share your first grocery list free
Download Pauly on the App Store or Google Play, invite the household by link or code, and upgrade to Pro for real-time sync across every phone.