Between flyers, points, last-minute markdowns and digital lists, it is easy to collect apps without actually lowering your bill. The right choice depends on when you want to save: while planning, when choosing a store, on specific surplus items or after checkout.
Here are eight useful apps in Quebec, compared by what they actually do. Most complement one another rather than compete directly.
Grocery app comparison
| App | Best for | What it does | Type of saving | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Karro | Planning the whole week | Recipes, menu, list and observed prices in one flow | Find the lowest-priced products at your favourite grocery stores and compare cart totals | Free version and Pro options |
 Flipp | Browsing flyers | Local flyers, item search, coupons and shopping list | Find advertised deals before leaving | Free |
 Reebee | Comparing Canadian flyers | Product search, flyers, shopping list and favourite stores | Compare advertised deals at favourite grocery stores | Free |
 FoodHero | Buying specific surplus items | Surplus products from partner grocery stores | Advertised discounts of 25% to 60% | Free app, paid orders |
 Flashfood | Finding marked-down fresh food | Local offers paid in the app and picked up in store | Up to 50% on selected products | Free app, paid orders |
 Too Good To Go | Reserving a surprise bag | Unsold food from stores and restaurants during a pickup window | Often half price or less | Free app, paid bags |
 Checkout 51 | Getting cash back after buying | Select offers, upload a receipt and receive credit after approval | Cash back on eligible products | Free |
 PC Optimum | Getting more from regular purchases | Personalized offers and points | 10,000 points provide $10 in rewards | Free membership |
Published percentages are maximums or ranges advertised by each service. Actual availability depends on your area, store, product and timing.
1. Karro: connect meals to the cart
Karro starts with a broader question than “What is on sale?”: what will you actually cook this week? The app helps you choose recipes around your preferences, build a menu, adjust servings and generate the corresponding grocery list.
Observed prices at Maxi, IGA, Super C, Metro and Provigo then add local context to the cart. The free version works with one primary store. Karro Pro supports up to three saved grocery stores and compares their estimated totals.
Choose it if: you want to reduce both your bill and the mental load of planning. Karro is currently most relevant in Greater Montreal, depending on tracked locations. Prices and availability are reference points and may differ in store.
2. Flipp: search the flyers
Flipp brings together digital flyers from retailers near your postal code. You can search for an item or brand, add a deal to your list and quickly see which stores advertise it.
Its advantage is speed: instead of opening several flyers, a search such as “yogurt” or “coffee” gathers the available results. Flipp is especially useful when your menu is already set and you want to identify a few targeted deals.
Choose it if: you like building your own strategy from flyers and coupons.
3. Reebee: compare flyers from favourite stores
Reebee lets you browse Canadian flyers, search for a product and compare advertised deals across retailers. You can select favourite stores, add deals to a shopping list and organize the list by store.
The app is owned by Flipp Operations and now works much like Flipp. It remains a separate app available in Canada, with its own interface and user base.
Choose it if: you prefer the Reebee experience for browsing flyers and comparing offers from your favourite grocery stores. Most people will not need both Reebee and Flipp.
4. FoodHero: shop grocery surplus
FoodHero lists fresh surplus food from partner grocery stores. The service advertises discounts of 25% to 60%, with new products added daily. You select products in the app and pick up your order at the listed store.
Contents vary substantially by store and day. The app works better for completing a cart or adapting a meal than for guaranteeing a full weekly list.
Choose it if: you are flexible about brands and ingredients and a partner grocery store fits your route.
5. Flashfood: find discounted fresh food
Flashfood offers products nearing their best-before date or in surplus at participating supermarkets. Discounts can reach 50% on produce, meat, dairy and other food. You pay in the app and pick up the order in store.
As with FoodHero, availability is local and changes quickly. Always check the quantity, date and whether you can cook or freeze the item before buying.
Choose it if: you can build a meal around a strong offer found that day.
6. Too Good To Go: reserve surprise bags
Too Good To Go lets you reserve Surprise Bags prepared with unsold food from cafés, bakeries, restaurants and some food retailers. The exact contents are unknown in advance, and pickup happens during a specified time window.
It can be a useful way to get bread, pastries, produce or prepared food at a lower price. It is not a direct replacement for a grocery list because the bag remains unpredictable.
Choose it if: you enjoy the surprise and can use what you receive quickly.
7. Checkout 51: get cash back after checkout
Checkout 51 publishes cash-back offers that refresh on Thursdays in Canada. After buying an eligible product, you select the offer and upload a photo of the receipt. Once approved, cash back is credited to your account; you can cash out after reaching $20.
Offers apply to specific products, may have limited quantities and expire. Check them before shopping and submit the receipt promptly.
Choose it if: you already buy the featured products and do not mind spending a few minutes after each grocery trip.
8. PC Optimum: collect points at participating banners
PC Optimum brings together personalized offers and points earned at participating banners. Every 10,000 points provides $10 in rewards. The app lets you load and review offers before checkout.
The program is most useful if you already shop regularly at its partner stores. Buying extra products just to reach an offer can erase the intended saving.
Choose it if: your grocery habits already centre on Maxi, Provigo or other Loblaw network banners.
The best combination without app overload
For most households, two apps are enough. Start with Karro to decide on meals, adjust servings and produce a realistic list. Then open Flipp or Reebee to check a few expensive items, or a surplus app if you can adapt the menu.
Add Checkout 51 or PC Optimum only when the offer matches something already planned. A discount on an unnecessary product is still a purchase.
The best grocery app is not the one showing the most deals. It is the one that helps you buy what you will actually cook.
Before leaving, check what is already in the fridge, set a primary store and decide how many detours you are willing to make. Apps then serve the plan instead of becoming another source of temptation.
