# Ivy: Processed Food Scanner — user reviews > 544 indexed App Store user reviews of Ivy by Ramzy Nanou, rated 4.80/5 from 6,891 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivy-processed-food-scanner/id6642701963/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivy-processed-food-scanner/id6642701963.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 5,951 · 4★ 550 · 3★ 199 · 2★ 47 · 1★ 144 ## What do users think of Ivy? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Helpful in health journey - 👍 Easy interface to navigate - 👍 Sleek design - 👍 Useful for finding healthier products **Cons** - 💰 Requires paid subscription - 💰 Should be free with ads - 🚫 Misleading as free app - 🚫 Incorrect product scores **Commonly reported bugs** - Some items scanning at incorrect scores **Most requested features** - Include plastic packaging information - Expand product database - Add pesticide information for produce ## Newest reviews (10 of 544) ### 2/5 — Inaccurate Scoring *2026-08-19* I searched for SPAM in the app and found a product listed as ‘Hormel Carne Horneada Spam De Cerdo’ with a score of 100/100. That is unbelievable and makes me question how accurate the app is, especially for processed foods. I thought I found something that will help me buy healthier food, but a 100/100 score for this product doesn’t make sense to me. ### 2/5 — Useful idea, but far too simplistic *2026-08-16, version 2.3.13* I really wanted to like Ivy and spent some time during my free trial scanning and comparing foods I regularly buy. There is a genuinely useful idea here: the app encourages you to look more closely at ingredients and can highlight things you might otherwise overlook. Unfortunately, I found the overall scoring far too simplistic to be genuinely helpful. The headline score appears to focus heavily on factors such as processing, refined oils and sugars, additives and flavourings. This can produce rather misleading results. A food containing a large proportion of refined oil, for example, may receive an extremely poor score without considering portion size or how that food fits into someone’s overall diet. Likewise, a nutritious wholemeal product can score poorly simply because it is industrially produced and contains several additives. I also have reservations about the separate assessments for pesticides, microplastics and heavy metals. These sometimes appear to be based on assumptions about ingredients, processing or packaging rather than measurements of the actual product. In one case, the app stated that the bananas I bought were packaged in plastic when they were actually held together by a simple paper/card band - which was clearly visible in the product photo shown by the app itself. This incorrect assumption was then cited in its assessment of microplastic risk. Presenting estimated risks for individual products in this way can give an impression of greater precision than the underlying information seems to justify. I found it much more useful to read the ingredient lists myself and consider what a product contains, how much of it I actually eat, how often I eat it and what alternatives are realistically available. Ivy has made me think more carefully about some of my food choices, so the trial wasn’t without value. However, I don’t feel that its scores and risk assessments provide enough nuance or context for me to rely on the app when choosing food. For that reason, I will be cancelling my free trial rather than paying £29.99 for the annual subscription. ### 4/5 — Great app *2026-08-12, version 2.3.13* Great app but I have to pay so I deleted it sorry ### 1/5 — What a waste *2026-08-05, version 2.3.12* They advertise on social media about the app, make you waste time answering questions without even telling you a subscription is required. Do a one time fee. Not worth it to me… ### 2/5 — 🤔 Mmm *2026-08-02, version 2.3.12* I have just cancelled my subscription, I have found some discrepancies in the app. You really should be checking and double checking the barcodes and the traffic light system, same products but will show different colours. Seeing that customers pay for this privilege it really should be correct and verified. It shouldn’t be down to the customer to to send in product labels. You should be doing the legwork. And for that reason I’m out. ### 1/5 — App not free *2026-08-01, version 2.3.12* Can’t scan anything until you start a free trial subscription, it even makes you go through a ton of questions before letting you know this. ### 1/5 — Not accurate *2026-07-31, version 2.3.12* Not always correct ### 5/5 — Review *2026-07-31, version 2.3.12* Very good ### 5/5 — How good ivy is *2026-07-31, version 2.3.12* Tracks all my food and has increased my diet would 100% recomend ### 1/5 — Not free!! *2026-07-30* Only 3 days is free. Marketing and preview in app store are misleading. Nothing is free. **Developer response:** Sorry the trial and pricing felt misleading. Ivy currently offers a three-day free trial before the annual subscription begins, but we agree that should be unmistakably clear in the App Store and onboarding. We're working to improve that transparency. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — FYI *2026-08-20* It’s a paid app. This only for 3 days. Install “Yuka” .. it’s free ### 1/5 — Terrible onboarding *2026-08-17, version 2.3.13* Why do you need to know my age, gender, habits, etc in order to scan a code? Useless. ### 1/5 — Takes personal data and CHARGES US FOR THEIRS *2026-08-17, version 2.3.13* Don’t claim you have to charge BEFORE the app can be used because YOUR data is so valuable while COLLECTING OUR DATA and charging us to do so. Data Linked to You: Health & Fitness Contact Info User Content Identifiers Usage Data Sensitive Info Diagnostics ### 1/5 — It's a paid app, ypu cannot even use it without subscription *2026-08-16, version 2.3.13* Disappointing and overpriced. This is a paid app, yet you can’t even properly use it without taking out a subscription. There should at least be a usable free version,. Forcing users into a subscription just to access the basic functionality feels unreasonable. Not worth it. Try Yuka ### 1/5 — Money money money *2026-08-16, version 2.3.13* In this day and age, how do you not offer a free version! Woke nonsense ### 1/5 — don't waste your time *2026-08-16, version 2.3.13* The app asks you to rate it before you’ve even used it. Then it makes you answer a bunch of questions, only to require a subscription before you can actually use it. A total waste of time. Given the number of high ratings, I have to wonder if they’re legitimate or just to steal your data. ### 1/5 — Cant believe the high rating *2026-08-15, version 2.3.13* The app forces you to have an account, and takes a huge questionnaire before asking for money in the end. What a data collection scam ### 1/5 — Why? *2026-08-13* Just try Yuka, way easier and free **Developer response:** Ivy is built for people who want deeper food data, including additive risk levels, pesticides, heavy metals, microplastics and the studies behind them. We understand that the annual subscription will not suit everyone. ### 1/5 — Poor app *2026-08-06, version 2.3.12* Paid for a year subscription and it won’t let me use anything it’s frozen carnt even get my details into the app ### 1/5 — Stop the surveys to then make people pay *2026-08-06, version 2.3.12* I’ve had enough of companies using the same approach: steal idea from a free app, create ad on social, survey after downloading app, free trial, subscription. F off! Message to other users: use Yuka ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Really good but would benefit from some improvements *2026-08-20* A really good app with huge potential. Would benefit significantly if it was GPS Geo located so that if you scan a product in a particular supermarket it would provide the most relevant product from that same supermarket chain. ### 5/5 — Great app *2026-08-17, version 2.3.13* Very useful so far ### 5/5 — Find healthier options *2026-08-17* This is the best app **Developer response:** Thank you so much! We're delighted Ivy is helping you find healthier options. ### 5/5 — Review *2026-08-17, version 2.3.13* This app is honestly very good and works ### 5/5 — My thoughts *2026-08-10, version 2.3.13* I’ve not tried this out yet, but it if it works as good as it says it does then it will be brilliant ### 5/5 — Food quality *2026-08-09, version 2.3.13* We have to take back our lives with good food. ### 5/5 — Ivy *2026-08-09, version 2.3.13* Ivy is so good very helpful for weight gain 100% accepeted ### 5/5 — Calorie Count? *2026-08-05, version 2.3.12* Impressive app so far. Would be good to add calorie count too ### 5/5 — Time Saver *2026-07-31, version 2.3.12* This app is a must for anyone who needs to be concerned about what their food contains, but doesn’t have the time for all the reading necessary. ### 5/5 — Amazing *2026-07-31, version 2.3.12* Just what the UK needs with so much rubbish in our food --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-29.*