Top 10 Vegan Apps

How your smart phone can help power your plant-based life

Most people can’t go anywhere without their smartphone wedged firmly in-hand. And it’s no wonder-in this technological age, there is a wealth of information, quite literally at our fingertips. And apps are a great way to harness this info.

But what exactly is an app? The word ‘app’ is short for ‘application’. It’s a little piece of software than can run on a computer or smart phone, and depending on the type of phone you have, downloading an app is fairly simple and usually free. Android users can download theirs from Google Play, while those with an iPhone can use the App Store.

After exploring loads of those available on the vegan market, I’ve compiled a list of favourites. Travelling abroad and need to explain you’re dairy-free? There’s an app for that. Looking for somewhere you can eat at home or abroad-with the right tools, it’s easy to figure it out.

Here are my top picks.

Vegan Passport (£1.49)

Language doesn’t have to be a barrier when you’re travelling. This nifty little app from The Vegan Society is described as a ‘multilingual vegan phrasebook’ and offers users a massive 78 languages. Simply choose the native language of the country you are in and the app provides sentences (and images) explaining that you are a vegan, informing what vegans do and don’t eat.

Available on App Store and Google Play.

Green Vegan (£1.99)

Created by one of the makers of Barnivore.com-an online guide to vegan friendly alcohol-it’s no surprise this app is a guide to alcohol. Over 25,000 drinks are listed, meaning you can check the suitability of most of the drinks you’ll find in pubs, bars, restaurants and shops. It also has an offline database, meaning you can search even when you’re not connected to the web.

Available on App Store.

Eat Safe (FREE)

When there are products you don’t eat, it can be difficult to choose suitable restaurants. Eat Safe allows you to type in the ingredients you don’t want, and then filters the restaurants finding somewhere suitable. If you’re already at a venue, you can use the app to analyse the menu, saving time asking waiters and chefs.

Soon available on App Store and Google Play.

Animal-Free (FREE)

This app has a database of all animal-derived ingredients in food, cosmetics, and cleaning products. As well as a list, it provides information on each ingredient. Users can scan the database on the product to see if it’s animal-free, or enter items manually. Some users have said it’s worth bearing in mind the database has been built by consumers rather than experts.

Available on App Store and Google Play.

Cruelty-Free (FREE)

Cruelty Free International gives its ‘leaping bunny’ accreditation to grooming products which have not been tested on animals. This app provides a list of these items featuring a description of each.

It’s worth nothing some products which have the leaping bunny logo are owned by parent companies who do test-this app lists these cruelty-free subsidiaries.

Available on App Store and Google Play.

Is it Vegan? (FREE)

Search or scan any bar-code to determine whether a product is vegan, vegetarian, or neither. A list of the products ingredients is provided, along with a meter indicating how vegan friendly the product is. The app categorises hundreds of thousands of food and beverages already, but users can also add to the database, meaning it's continuously growing!

Available on App Store and Google Play.

Eat Vegan (FREE)

If you're lacking inspiration for dinner tonight, browse through Eat Vegan's hundreds of delicious vegan recipes and images! This app can even generate a shopping list for you according to the recipes that you choose. It includes sections such as breakfast, soups, and sides, making it easy to find the perfect recipe. You can also search by ingredients, meaning that stray carrot in your fridge will finally get used.

Upgrade and unlock all recipes for £2.29.

Available on App Store.

Yummly (FREE)

Making vegan meals can be difficult, especially if you have allergies, or you're cooking for more than one. Yummly's unique search filters and diet allergy preferences allow you to find the perfect recipes specific to your tastes, time, occasion, servings and more. You can save favourites in your digital recipe box, and receive recommendations 'Just For You'.

Available on App Store and Google Play.

Wholesome (FREE)

This app focuses on complete nutrition rather than just calories, optimizing your health. Use the food diary to track your daily food, and the app will show your consumed macro-nutrients, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Wholesome will inform you of what you're lacking or exceeding, suggesting recipes based on this. The app is also packed with recipes and foods, which you can search through by name, nutrients or colour.

Access tips on how to prepare foods and get Wholesome Pro for as little as £2.29.

Available on App Store.

Vegsafe (FREE)

Animal-derived products extend past food. Instead of scouring labels, simply search through Vegsafe's database, and discover which food additives, clothing materials and beauty products are vegan-friendly. Described as a 'personal vegan pocket helper', this app provides detailed information on hundreds of items. It also features an offline database, meaning you can use this app whenever you need to.

Available on App Store.